Environmental Awareness on TikTok
In the digital age, TikTok has emerged as a powerful platform for climate justice activism among young activists of color. This vibrant community on TikTok is leveraging the short, accessible video format to raise awareness, educate, and mobilize their communities on complex climate and social justice issues.
One such activist is Doria Brown, a municipal energy manager in New Hampshire, who uses her TikTok account, @earthstewardess, to share her professional experience and expertise with fellow young people. Brown's content is earnest and amorphous, covering a range of environmental justice topics.
EcoTok, a collective of intersectional environmentalists on TikTok, was started by Alex Silva and Alaina Wood to connect with other environmental creators. Members of EcoTok come from various backgrounds, including students, activists, scientists, educators, and millennials with environmental jobs. Zahra Biabani, a 22-year-old climate justice activist, and Isaias Hernandez, a creator on TikTok, are also part of this collective. They use TikTok to educate others about intersectional environmentalism and make environmental justice terms more accessible to people of color.
Biabani, for example, shares tips on environmental consciousness through her blog Soulful Seeds and Instagram account. Hernandez posts "green-screen education" videos on TikTok to explain complex environmental concepts in a way that resonates with his audience.
Jessica Zubia Calsada, also known as @plantawhisperer, is another member of Climate Justice TikTok. She focuses on making veganism more inclusive and accessible.
The platform's algorithm, which learns from the videos users watch and comments they leave, plays a significant role in facilitating this activism. However, it has been criticized for prioritizing white content creators and product-related posts over content centered around communities of color and big issues. Nevertheless, the algorithm's viral potential helps these videos reach wide audiences rapidly, attracting followers including media and policymakers, which strengthens activists’ influence and credibility.
These activists see TikTok as a way to make environmentalism accessible and create community. They use the platform to amplify their voices, share local and global climate challenges, and advocate for equitable solutions, often combining climate justice with broader issues like racial and social justice. They link environmental issues with economic inequality and racial justice, pushing for policies like holding wealthy polluters accountable and emphasizing the impacts on vulnerable communities.
Beyond education, activists also coordinate events such as climate strikes and “Walk for Justice” campaigns, using TikTok to recruit participants and build momentum. TikTok's visual, engaging, and community-centered approach empowers young activists of color to lead climate justice conversations, challenge adult dismissiveness, and reshape the narrative toward inclusive, intersectional climate action.
During Black History Month, Brown uses TikTok to educate people on Black environmental history as well as social justice. EcoTok, with more than 87,000 followers, has partnered with TED Countdown, TED Talks' global initiative to find solutions to climate change. This collaboration further underscores the importance of young activists of color in driving climate justice conversations and action.
- Doria Brown, a municipal energy manager, educates young people on environmental justice topics through her TikTok account @earthstewardess.
- EcoTok, a collective of intersectional environmentalists, aims to connect with other creators and promote environmental justice.
- Zahra Biabani and Isaias Hernandez, members of EcoTok, educate others about intersectional environmentalism and make environmental justice terms accessible.
- Some TikTok activists, such as Jessica Zubia Calsada (@plantawhisperer), focus on making veganism more inclusive and accessible.
- The TikTok algorithm learns from user interactions and helps activist videos reach wide audiences rapidly, gaining media and policymaker followers.
- Activists use TikTok to create community, amplify voices, share climate challenges, and advocate for equitable solutions, linking environmental issues with social justice.
- During Black History Month, Brown shares information about Black environmental history and social justice on TikTok.
- EcoTok, with over 87,000 followers, has partnered with TED Countdown, further emphasizing the role of young activists of color in driving climate justice conversations and action.
