Opinion Article Millioneyes Magazine, October 2024
Inês Motty
Communication and Back Office AASO
Marketing and Communication Optocentro
Attention: Reading this article will lead to action. If you’re not in the mood for that, turn the page.
I confess that, when I began writing this article, I didn’t know exactly what to say. Sustainability is a complex topic and, many times, it feels like the words just repeat themselves without real consequences.
Recently, I came across a fact that made me reflect: 90% of Portuguese consumers believe that many companies claim to be sustainable merely for promotional purposes (MARCO Global Consumption Report 2024).
This information doesn’t surprise me, but it bothers me. I, too, distrust companies. Greenwashing is common — there are countless speeches about environmental concern, but how often do they actually translate into effective measures? Rarely. And we all know it.
Sustainability is not built with slogans or empty campaigns. It is a process that requires daily commitment and shared responsibility. Like the growth of a tree, change happens slowly, but solidly, through small, consistent actions. And each of those actions — no matter how insignificant they may seem — can have a profound impact.
That’s why, instead of just talking about “what we can do,” I intend to put something concrete into practice.
In November, I will join the Plantar Uma Árvore Association (Plant a Tree Association), and do exactly what the name says.
I know well that one tree won’t solve all the world’s problems, but it is a powerful symbol that change begins with small acts. I would like to turn this initiative into a shared experience, whether as a team-building activity, or simply as a way to spend time doing something useful with someone you care about.
There is no exact date yet for the event, since November’s initiatives will only be announced after the deadline for this article, but you can already sign up. Send your name, date of birth, and contact to geral.aaso@gmail.com
, and you will be informed as soon as the date is confirmed.
Now I will truly know if you actually read AASO’s sustainability column — so you might as well sign up.
To end on a more serious note: we can counter the perception that sustainability is just a strategy. It’s as simple as planting one tree.
Plantar uma Árvore – Association is a non-governmental environmental organization founded in 2012 following a civic movement that brought together several people to plant 1,000 trees under the motto 1 Person, 1 Tree. Today, the association works to create volunteer programs, both short- and long-term, to support the restoration of native forests through the recovery of native woodlands, promoting ecological sustainability, environmental awareness, participatory citizenship, and social and environmental responsibility.
