While growing up, I was often told that we Gen Zs will bear the brunt of the effects of climate change one day because we will live on this planet long after the older generations are gone. 

I view each climate-related disaster — be it flooding, drought, or typhoon — as a preview of what’s to come, and no matter how damaging these disasters are, they’re only going to get worse if nothing is done. 

I know it sounds pessimistic, but this is also why I’m usually choosing eco-friendly options and supporting sustainable choices. I may not be on the same level as Greta Thunberg, our generation’s main character for saving the planet, but I still want to do my part, and I think that goes for most of us, Gen Zs.

In my circle of friends, most use reusable products. From straws to tumblers, we usually have these in our tote bags whenever we go out. We also love coffee shops that use straws made from organic materials and shops that implement a “no straw policy.”

We often buy these from TikTok shops, sharing links to products and store reviews that we’re interested in. This is a common trend among Gen Zs and millennials, who make up the majority of TikTok’s audience, data from Meltwater and We Are Social show.

Excited for eco-friendly tech, sustainable policies

Just like in my circle of friends, this trend of choosing eco-friendly products is true for TikTok users, our findings at The Nerve show.

The Nerve analyzed almost 1,800 TikTok videos about eco-friendly initiatives in Southeast Asia, including data from the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

The Nerve converted the audio of these posts into text and then applied natural language processing to study trends. The analysis included identifying which videos were the most viewed, played, and followed.

Our findings showed that TikTok users find products made in the pursuit of eco-friendly technology to be engaging. Finding ways to make daily life more eco-friendly is a common theme of TikTok videos about sustainability. 

INNOVATION AND POLITICS. The promise of eco-friendly technology is engaging for TikTok viewers, with posts focused on technology and politics getting a high number of shares. Each node in the map represents a TikTok video.

For example, videos about eco-friendly coffee and sustainable engagement rings were often filled with positive comments showing interest in buying them. In posts about the engagement rings, there were even comments that asked if the gemstones were lab-grown.

Several videos from Indonesia and the Philippines featured eco-friendly menstrual products that TikTok users received differently, as seen in the comments. Videos of reusable napkins in the Philippines, in particular, garnered support from viewers.

ECO-FRIENDLY. Filipinos resonate with eco-friendly products that promote their reduced plastic and waste impact. Each node in the map represents a TikTok video.

TikTok users were also interested in sustainable transportation, such as new hydrogen-powered vehicles and airlines charging a sustainability fee. But while many people were excited over the new technology in the former, more were skeptical about the extra fees in the latter.

The environmental impact and sustainability of air travel is a hot issue among Gen Zs, especially after environmental groups, including  Global Market Watch, slammed celebrities such as American pop superstar Taylor Swift for their private jets’ carbon emissions.

Preferring small, homegrown brands

In contrast to the preference of TikTok users in Southeast Asia give to influencers, eco-friendly initiatives of large companies were often met with skepticism because, for the users, they either don’t solve the problems they are aiming to address or not are enough to offset the negative environmental impact of these companies. Initiatives of smaller companies, however, were viewed more positively.

Environmental groups like Earth.org and Greenpeace criticize the phenomenon of greenwashing, which the former describes as “a harmful and deceitful way of advertising that a company is more sustainable” than it actually is. This phenomenon is usually associated with larger companies.

Case in point: The Nerve’s analysis observed that a video of cosmetics company Kiehl’s Indonesia about its recycling initiative was not received well by TikTok users because of the large paper bags that the company uses.

SKEPTIC. Eco-friendly initiatives from large companies are met with skepticism due to questionable execution, while smaller companies are viewed more positively. Each node in the map represents a TikTok video.

Unlike the reception to cosmetic giant Kiehl’s, the efforts of Philippine-based company Pristine Paradigm to create cruelty-free, eco-friendly gems were received well by TikTok users. But it’s also important to note that aside from its eco-friendly efforts, TikTok users were also attracted to the product because of its affordable price. 

Influencers take the lead

TikTok videos about sustainability and eco-friendly products often featured influencers preferred by the platform’s users. Videos about eco-friendly initiatives across various fields that featured influencers were received well by TikTok users in different countries in Southeast Asia, in terms of both video plays and shares. 

INFLUENCER USAGE. Eco-friendly products are often advertised as being used by influencers for better promotion on the platform. Each node in the map represents a TikTok video.

Examples of this were Thailand-based influencer Pear is Hungry, who emphasized being eco-friendly by showcasing recycled fashion in a show, and Miss World Vietnam 2022 Mai Phương, who posted TikTok videos that highlighted her environmental advocacies.

In Malaysia and Indonesia, TikTok influencers also led videos discussing eco-friendly approaches and sustainability in consumer choices. These include videos posted by Malaysian and Indonesian TikTok users installing solar panels on cars, and beauty brand L’Occitane Malaysia’s music video showcasing recycled music instruments featuring Malaysian singer Aisha Retno. 

Specialized topics per country

In general, TikTok users in Southeast Asia showed high interest in eco-friendly and sustainability initiatives in products, but each country showed specialized topics of conversation.

CONVERSATIONS. In TikTok, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are the Southeast Asian countries with the most posts on sustainability, but the conversations differ based on what environmental issues the country faces. 

Unlike its neighbors, the Philippines’ conversations around sustainability focused on the climate crisis and what can be done to prevent it, perhaps because Filipinos are among the most vulnerable to climate change.

According to the 2023 World Risk Report, the Philippines has the highest disaster risk in the world out of 193 countries.

In Indonesia, the conservations focused on recycling. The United Nations Environment Programme identifies Indonesia as the second largest polluter in the world after China, producing 3.2 million tonnes of plastic waste a year, almost half of which end up in the seas.

Conversations in Malaysia, meanwhile, focused on dealing with plastic waste as well as developing its economy in a sustainable way. The country is currently implementing its Plastics Sustainability Roadmap to phase out unnecessary plastics and reuse, recycle, or dispose of plastics that are at the end of their life cycles.

Lastly, TikTok videos about sustainability in Singapore had more mentions of products compared to other countries, as well as taking more value out of recycling products. The country has been experiencing a steady decrease in recycling rate over the past decade. 

As a TikTok user and Gen Z myself, I see my and my friends’ consumer choices in the findings of the Nerve’s analysis. Like what the findings showed, I also trust startups more when they say that they are selling eco-friendly products compared to when a large company says that my purchase will help the environment.

Like the Filipino TikTok users in The Nerve’s analysis, I also resonate with products aimed at reducing plastic.

Whenever I choose eco-friendly options — whether using paper bags that break easily with heavy groceries or paper straws that get soggy in just a few minutes — its impact always crosses my mind. I always tell myself that these are good initiatives but will only have a real impact if done on a large scale.

It feels good to know about these findings because it tells me that I’m not the only one making these decisions, making me hopeful that our collective decisions will make a big impact on the environment and our future. – Rappler.com

This story used Nerve’s suite of forensic solutions including video and network analysis. If you’re interested in working with the Nerve, send an email to [email protected].

Decoded is a Rappler series that explores the challenges and opportunities that come with living in transformative times. It is produced by The Nerve, a data forensics company that enables changemakers to navigate real-world trends and issues through narrative & network investigations. Taking the best of human and machine, we enable partners to unlock powerful insights that shape informed decisions. Composed of a team of data scientists, strategists, award-winning storytellers, and designers, the company is on a mission to deliver data with real-world impact.