A CEO plants a single sapling. Cameras flash. The caption reads: “Committed to a greener future.” The sapling gets watered. The press release gets posted. The stock photo gets reused. And everyone breathes a brief, guilt-relieved sigh.
The Photo‑Op: One Tree, Many Likes
This ritual has rules. A CEO kneels. A shovel poses dramatically. A quote about “doing our part” is published at 9:03 a.m., timed for the morning news cycle. Social media applauds. Internally, the real work — the messy, expensive stuff — stays on hold.
The optics win. Likes and headlines are cheap. Actual emissions cuts are not. Planting one tree is a tidy symbol. It is not a plan.
The Accounting Shell Game: Emissions, Scopes, and Missing Strategy
If you want to fix climate change, you must know what actually matters: greenhouse gases and how they flow through the economy. Some emissions are direct. Some are in the supply chain. Some hide in customer use of the product. These are often called scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
A tree will absorb carbon over decades. That is noble. But it does not cancel today’s smokestack, the diesel fleet, or the coal-fired grid that powers a factory. A sapling is not a substitute for reducing what you emit in the first place. Saying otherwise is accounting theater.
Greenwashing 101: How Theater Replaces Policy
There is a fine term for dressing a tiny gesture as a major triumph: Greenwashing. It is marketing with a conscience-shaped logo. It costs less than changing procurement policies or retrofitting plants. It gets coverage. It rarely fixes the underlying problem.
Another common trick is buying credits from distant projects and calling it “neutral.” Those are called carbon offsets. They can help when used with strict rules and proof. But when they become the whole strategy, they are a comfort blanket that delays real cuts.
Spotting the Red Flags: Questions to Ask Your CEO (Politely, or Not)
Ask for targets and timelines. Ask whether targets cover all emissions, including the supply chain. Ask for independent verification. Ask how capital investments support the climate goals. And ask whether the company lobbies against climate policy.
If answers are vague, or if the “strategy” revolves around planting or buying a handful of offsets, treat the PR as a red flag. Greenwashing is corporate makeup: it can cover a blemish in photos, but it won’t fix the mirror.
Better Actions That Won’t Trend on Social Media
Real climate action is boring and expensive. It means upgrading equipment, changing suppliers, redesigning products, and sometimes shrinking a profitable line that is carbon-heavy. It means long-term contracts for clean energy, and reporting that is detailed and verified.
These moves rarely come with a shovel and a camera. They do, however, reduce emissions where it matters — in the atmosphere, not just in a press kit.
Take‑away
Applaud real effort. Mock the spectacle. A CEO planting one tree is like slapping a Band‑Aid on a levee and calling it flood control. Demand clear targets, independent audits, and budgets that match the promises.
If a company wants praise, tell them to earn it with results. If they want a photo, hand them a spreadsheet instead.