Hush! Don't Mention the Environment

In the first edition of a new series of Rare Earth Tom Heap and Helen Czerski reveal a new phenomenon- 'Greenhushing'. Big corporations that once trumpeted their green credentials are now staying very quiet about the environment. From the left they've been attacked by green zealots eager to expose greenwashing, when their claims don't stand up to scrutiny. Meanwhile from the right any hint of environmental action is condemned as 'woke'. Better, some business advisors believe, to keep quiet about the issue and avoid offending any of their potential customers or falling foul of new regulations.

Tom and Helen discover how hotel towels inspired the coining of the term greenwash, by ecologist Jay Westerveld. Moving on to greenhushing, they're joined by business experts and PR gurus to consider the broader impact of business and industry disengaging from the core issue of our time. Solutionist Solitaire Townsend explains why she thinks some greenhushing is a good thing. Tom and Helen take a deep dive into what might be driving greenhushing with the former CEO of French food giant Danone, and now head of the International Sustainability Standards Board, Emmanuel Faber, international trade and sustainability expert Dr Rebecca Harding, and journalist turned PR advisor Piers Scholfield.

Producer: Sarah Swadling