Epson is continuing its efforts for the second consecutive year with a new campaign to raise awareness of global warming and the issue of Arctic greening.
The campaign builds on Epson’s campaign produced by National Geographic CreativeWorks. Last year’s campaign won a Webby Award as the People’s Voice Winner in the category of social media content dedicated to sustainability, climate and environmental issues.
This year’s campaign highlights the work of National Geographic Explorer and ecologist Professor Isla Myers-Smith University of Edinburgh and her research on how rising temperatures and warming seasons are leading to a phenomenon called ‘the greening of the Arctic’.
For almost twenty years, Prof. Isla Myers-Smith has studied the impact of climate change on the Arctic tundra. In recent years, she and her colleagues have noticed a distinct trend, with trees and shrubs growing more readily in the Arctic where permafrost is thawing.
As temperatures warm, permafrost thaws, releasing carbon stored in it, mostly in the form of partially decayed ancient plants and animals. And as the ground warms, plants grow taller and denser, capturing snow that works as a blanket to insulate the ground and further accelerate warming to release more carbon.
Scientists predict the world’s permafrost will thaw substantially by 2100. In January 2022, a study published in the scientific journal, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, predicted thawing permafrost could release as much as 624 million tons of carbon dioxide per year into the atmosphere. Prof. Myers-Smith and her collaborators published a separate study in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, which found changing tundra vegetation including increasing shrubs could play an important role in the rate of permafrost thaw.
“From saving energy at home to biking to work and eating local, we can each make a difference. It is important for all of us to be aware of how our choices impact the environment-in our own backyards and around the planet.”
Prof. Isla Myers-Smith believes it is critical that people understand the implications of Arctic greening and how making small changes in our daily lives can have a positive effect on the environment.
“Epson is passionate about sustainability and the role we play in the health of our global environment,” said Keith Kratzberg, president and CEO, Epson America. “We are committed to lowering our own environmental footprint and providing solutions to help our customers do so as well.”
With the campaign, Epson said it hopes to encourage businesses and consumers to make technology choices that can help reduce their carbon footprint. Epson believes this is just one of the many ways in which consumers and businesses can make a difference.
