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<a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/dont-look-up-netflix-weekly-viewing-records-1235147910/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breaking Netflix records</a>, Adam McKay’s latest film, Don’t Look Up, depicts scientists’ warning of an imminent meteor strike on Earth, presenting an extinction-level threat. Within its first 28 days of release, Don’t Look Up had racked up an incredible 350 million hours of viewing time &#8211; the second-most of any film on Netflix so far.
As many commentators have pointed out, the core message of Don’t Look Up isn’t actually about a meteor strike, <a href="https://dontlookup.count-us-in.com/story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it’s about climate change</a>. 
So, we chatted to members of the Ecologi team to hear their thoughts about the movie.

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Working in the climate space, many members of the Ecologi team watched Don’t Look Up with some trepidation; would our own personal experiences of struggling to communicate the seriousness of climate change be reflected in the film? The answer, it turned out, was an emphatic ‘yes’.
Don’t Look Up is a parody of reality, but it definitely wasn’t the laugh-a-minute experience one often expects of a parody &#8211; at least not for the Ecologi team. Alex, one of our Senior Developers, remarked right away that he found it “a hard watch”, and Paula, our Senior Finance Manager, said that parts of the film made her feel “uncomfortable and anxious because it shone a light on the reality that is climate denial”.
Matt, one of our Product Managers, summed up how impactful the film was, saying he found himself “going from seeing clearly the synonymity with the climate emergency, then getting immersed in the film, then bang, back to seeing clearly again. The power was in having this realisation over and over during the film. It was like a rollercoaster ride.” 
Sam, our Climate Impact Manager, noted that “not all ‘climate denial’ is as clear-cut as abject denial of human-caused climate change. Often, responses to our concerns about warming are heard and understood &#8211; even by family members or friends &#8211; but then, nothing happens. Their perceptions and behaviour don’t really change. For me, that can be a form of denial too.”
The stark contrast between the response of people working in the climate sector and people who are less involved in climate work was made clear in <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/emmastewart_dont-look-up-science-themed-movie-review-ugcPost-6890455727878524928-p91l/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of Netflix’s promotional posters</a> for the film. While one representative from the American Film Institute described the film as “a screamingly funny action film”, climate scientist <a href="https://rhstar.org/nominee/peter-kalmus-phd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Kalmus</a> echoed our team’s responses, describing the film as “the most accurate film about society’s terrifying non-response to climate breakdown I’ve seen”.

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Don’t Look Up satirises power and politics through a populist US President character, portrayed by Meryl Streep, a Bezos-Zuckerberg-Musk-esque tech billionaire character (Mark Rylance), and two overly-manufactured media personalities on a daily talk show, The Daily Rip (Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry). Whilst there are certainly no prizes for guessing who Meryl Streep’s character is based on &#8211; with her three-word catchphrases and nepotistic White House hiring practices &#8211; there is more nuanced commentary than simply political caricaturisation taking place.
Sam, our Climate Impact Manager, said “One of the great challenges in climate action, and one of the key drivers of the ‘knowledge-action gap’ &#8211; which we see when our politicians understand climate change but do nothing substantial about it &#8211; is political short-termism. When political time horizons extend only as far as the next election cycle, candidates resort to cheap slogans and insubstantial policies which don’t even try to address more long term issues, like climate and ecological breakdown.” 
Regarding the media, <a href="https://twitter.com/ayanaeliza/status/1475257735184891909?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the climate community has felt seen</a> by the cringeworthy interactions between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence (the concerned scientists) and their contemporaries in power and in the media.
Sam continued, “The dynamic on the talk show satirises a very real trend in coverage of climate change, which is that for over 40 years the media has spectacularly failed to deliver key messages on climate in the service of either ‘balance’ (where climate deniers are given equal priority to climate experts) or ‘entertainment’ (where the gravity of climate change is trivialised or diminished).”

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The verdict from our team was that Don’t Look Up does well to capture typical human responses to learning of imminent existential threats, such as reacting with disbelief, humour or avoidance. We’ve all seen these emotions and reactions in friends and family members, not to mention politicians and people with the power to change our trajectory &#8211; and have even gone through many of these stages ourselves. 
As we try to help others understand the threats posed by climate change in the hope of bringing about change, responses such as “don’t be so dramatic” or “it can’t possibly be that bad” are all too familiar. Accusations of hysteria are also all too common, especially targeted towards prominent young female activists such as <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/women/greta-thunberg-climate-change-crisis-strike-austism-misogyny-protest-speech-a9127971.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greta Thunberg</a>. This was perfectly portrayed in the film when even high-level scientists and experts responded to news of an imminent extinction-level event by saying “let’s not be dramatic here” and “let’s all calm down”! 
Abi, our Marketing Manager, said that, “The main point that really struck me throughout the film was disbelief. We know that there is a climate crisis, the science is there, but it comes down to humanity’s ability to emotionally comprehend the effects on their own lives that is really the deeper issue.” Despite the <a href="https://lens.monash.edu/@science/2021/10/21/1383952/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-gets-even-stronger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear and overwhelming evidence and scientific consensus about climate change and our role in causing it</a>, the frustration that the scientists &#8211; DiCaprio and Lawrence &#8211; felt is something lots of us can relate to. Matt, one of our Product Managers, pointed out just “how ridiculous the responses and reactions were to the situation”, and that, because of this, the film makes it “hard not to stop and think”.
Even when protestors in Don’t Look Up can physically see the threat heading towards them, they still choose not to believe it &#8211; because, naturally, it scares them. As it does everybody. 
“By ignoring the science, we’re avoiding the inevitable, but by stopping ourselves from exploring these feelings of mortality, we’re actually just joining the ranks of ‘Don’t Look Up’ protestors, avoiding facing what’s really in front of us, which in turn means we’re avoiding being part of the solution to reverse climate change.”
Abi, Ecologi
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Using analogies to talk about climate change

The scenario in Don’t Look Up isn’t a perfect analogy for climate change. For starters, the threat of the comet strike is fundamentally different to that of climate change, and it’s important to understand this in order to draw useful learnings from the film.
In some ways, climate scientists and activists might wish that the threat of climate change could be observed as visually and immediately as a comet flying towards the Earth! The threat of the comet is clearly defined, and characters in the film can literally see it heading towards them (hence the title, Don’t Look Up). The impacts of climate change are much harder to distill into an image as compelling as an incoming comet &#8211; making it harder to encourage people to act immediately to avoid further loss and damage.
In the film, the scientists first observe the comet and its path to strike Earth with around 6 months’ notice before impact. In contrast, we’ve known about climate change and the role of humans in causing it <a href="https://daily.jstor.org/how-19th-century-scientists-predicted-global-warming/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since the 1800s</a>, and only very recently have global leaders begun to take the threat seriously. Moreover, part of the problem we face with climate change is the idea that impacts are somewhere indeterminate in the future &#8211; and so the analogy of a comet striking the Earth isn’t perfect here.
The film also portrays political actors delaying action on the comet when it is discovered that there are apparent economic gains to be made by doing so. This satirises certain misguided arguments against climate mitigation, since combating climate change will in reality bring far <a href="https://www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminstitute/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/F_Green_Nationally_Self_Interested_Climate_Change_Mitigation.pdf">more benefits, including sustainable and long-term economic growth</a>, than an unwillingness to adapt. This dichotomy of pitting economic growth against solving the existential issue is a useful tool in the film, but in mapping it across to the reality of climate change it is imperfect, since the opportunity to develop a <a href="https://www.unep.org/regions/asia-and-pacific/regional-initiatives/supporting-resource-efficiency/green-economy">green economy</a>, still bringing some economic growth but prioritising planetary and human health over economic gain, genuinely presents countless new jobs and opportunities, and mitigates further climate risks.

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What is clear is that Don’t Look Up has opened many people’s eyes to the reality of climate inaction. Its viewership tells us that!
The film draws attention to the importance of not ignoring things that scare us, and by doing so has helped to start conversations about climate change that may not otherwise have taken place. 
“I have had conversations with friends and family about climate change for the first time because they watched ‘Don’t Look Up’. That has been the biggest win for me from the movie, it has encouraged discussion among people who are at various stages of their journey in taking climate action.”
Paula, Ecologi
By talking about climate change, and finding new ways of communicating about it, we begin a journey from thoughts to action, helping those struggling to come to terms with climate change to take meaningful action. And for those already working hard to do their part in the fight against climate change, the film strengthened their resolve to continue that work. Alex, one of our Senior Developers, said the film had made him “more determined to push harder on everything that is possible for me to do personally to help with the climate crisis”.
We need to bring along as many people as we can in our mission to combat climate change, and a simple conversation sparked by a film such as Don’t Look Up can lead to a lifetime of climate action. To that end, however imperfect the analogy is, and however challenging the content is, media like this is crucial in our drive to restore the planet.
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Ecologi makes climate action simple. <a href="https://ecologi.com/plan">Sign up today</a> with our subscription to reverse climate change.

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Hopescrolling: The good news timeline

It’s not all bad. While there’s a lot of negative news about the climate, let’s not forget the good stuff. Find climate wins, reasons to be hopeful and plenty of positivity in our good news timeline.

The good news timeline

Ready to make a difference for our planet? Get in touch, and let’s chat about how we can help you on your climate journey. 

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Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

In a landmark move set to reshape corporate climate action, we’re excited to announce that Ecologi, the UK&#8217;s most trusted climate action platform, has acquired <a href="https://netzeronow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Net Zero Now</a>, the sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction platform for businesses.
The combined entity operating under the Ecologi brand will create a single solution for industry climate leadership towards net zero. The integration combines sector-specific carbon measurement and reduction with world class verified climate projects that supports businesses wherever they are on their net zero journey.

<h2>The game-changing impact of this acquisition</h2>
The strategic acquisition solves two fundamental challenges in corporate climate action: businesses have been forced to choose between fragmented solutions and generic ‘one size fits all’ approaches that ignore crucial sector-specific needs. By combining Net Zero Now&#8217;s sector-specific protocol expertise with Ecologi&#8217;s platform funding top-tier climate projects, we&#8217;re creating a tailored and complete solution helping businesses lead their industries towards net zero.

Reduce emissions.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Measure Scope 1, 2 &amp; 3 emissions with sector-specific industry GHG protocols</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Set short term and long term reduction target emissions aligned to SBTi</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tailored reduction plans for sector-specific emissions pathways</li>
</ul>
Restore our planet.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Compensate for unavoidable emissions as you reduce them through 
funding verified, high-quality carbon avoidance and removal credits</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Contribute to global climate goals by funding climate Impact Funds for 
beyond value chain mitigation and/or as part of your products &amp; services</li>
</ul>
Report on progress.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Corporate sustainability standards e.g. CSRD, SECR, SBTi, CDP, B Corp</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sector specific standards e.g. Accountancy, Hospitality, Public Sector</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Custom climate impact reports and embeddable dashboards</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Communications toolkit for board and stakeholder engagement</li>
</ul>

Climate leadership starts here

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Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director of Net Zero Now, said:
<blockquote>Businesses want to take climate action, but they want to know they’re doing it right and what’s right for a restaurant business is not the same as what’s right for an accounting firm.  They need industry-specific guidance and clear pathways to climate leadership. By joining forces with Ecologi, we&#8217;re creating a platform that allows us to provide credible, simple and affordable, sector-specific, end-to-end climate solutions for businesses in our existing sectors and collaborate with industry partners on new sector-led solutions.</blockquote>

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The acquisition aligns with Ecologi&#8217;s mission to accelerate business climate action and grow our 24,000 strong customer base. Established sector protocols including hospitality and professional services will be the initial focus with plans to expand across additional industries throughout 2025.
With organisations under increasingly complex stakeholder and industry compliance demands for environmental accountability, this end-to-end solution also ensures streamlined reporting, monitoring progress, supply chain transparency, and voluntary disclosures. This transforms business leaders into climate leaders with the confidence to tackle their climate commitments head-on, communicating and meeting critical regulatory requirements like SECR, CSRD and SBTi.

<h2>More about Net Zero Now</h2>
Founded in 2021, Net Zero Now has developed a proprietary sector-led approach, which combines climate expertise alongside the sector knowledge and experience of relevant industry bodies, industry influencers and larger businesses to reach a consensus around what Net Zero means in practice for businesses in each sector. To date, the company has measured and validated 1.8 MtCO2e lifetime emissions supporting more than 50+ leading brands including Coca Cola Europacific Partners, L&#8217;Orèal, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Subway, Hard Rock Cafe, Adnams, Edgbaston and James Cowper Kreston.

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Case studies

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4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

Sustainability is no longer a nice-to-have in the hospitality industry — it&#8217;s a business necessity. With increasing regulatory pressure, shifting customer expectations, and the growing impact of climate change, hospitality businesses are finding that taking action isn&#8217;t just about responsibility—it&#8217;s about resilience. This is particularly evident as 70% of Brits are now actively trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle (Nutritics, 2024), and 44% say sustainability is important in their choice of venue to visit (Morning Advertiser, 2023). From tackling food waste to cutting carbon emissions, the sector is facing both challenges and opportunities to drive meaningful change.
At the heart of this transformation is the food system. The hospitality industry relies on farming—a sector responsible for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions and one that is increasingly vulnerable to climate disruption. Rising temperatures, unpredictable weather, and supply chain instability are already affecting food availability and costs, making sustainability not just an ethical priority but a commercial imperative. This is reflected in consumer behavior, with 47% of consumers wanting more information about carbon footprints on menus, and 41% saying this information would influence their order (CGA Strategy, 2023).
Fortunately, forward-thinking hospitality businesses are stepping up, driven by clear market demand—34% of UK pub and restaurant goers are prepared to spend more in venues with strong sustainability credentials, increasing to 47% for Gen Z and Millennials (Sustainability Beat, 2023). This generational shift is significant, with consumers aged 18-34 being nearly twice as likely to pay more for sustainability than those aged 55+ (WaterAid, 2023).
As the food and beverage industry awakens to its environmental responsibilities, and with climate change threatening to fundamentally disrupt global food security, restaurants and food service enterprises are stepping up to take meaningful climate action. These pioneering businesses are demonstrating how sustainability can enhance business performance while making a positive environmental impact, even as they navigate the unique challenges of being both a contributor to and victim of climate change.
Read about four hospitality companies that are championing climate action, and explore how they are turning environmental challenges into business opportunities.
Whether it&#8217;s engaging employees, measuring carbon footprints, or developing new sustainable service offerings, these venues are setting the standard for a greener future in hospitality.
<ol>
<li>Hawksmoor: Leading Sustainability in Fine Dining</li>
<li>Freemans Event Partners: Pioneering Sustainable Event Catering</li>
<li>Lisini Pub Co: Family Legacy Meets Sustainable Innovation</li>
<li>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</li>
</ol>

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<h2>Hawksmoor: leading sustainability in fine dining</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li> Achieved B Corp certification in September 2022</li>
<li>Comprehensive review of operational sustainability across all locations</li>
<li>Implementation of energy reduction initiatives</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management systems</li>
<li>Water conservation measures</li>
<li>Integration of sustainability into staff training programs</li>
</ul>
Hawksmoor&#8217;s journey exemplifies how restaurant groups can lead in sustainability within the hospitality sector. Their comprehensive approach includes setting ambitious net-zero targets for 2030 while focusing on immediate operational improvements. The restaurant group&#8217;s commitment is evidenced by their systematic review of day-to-day operations across their locations in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, and New York. What sets them apart is their holistic approach to sustainability: examining energy usage, waste management, and water consumption while maintaining their reputation for quality dining. Their structured approach to employee engagement includes a two-day intensive induction program that emphasises sustainability, making it a core part of their culture.
Ellie Besley-Gould, Head of Purpose at Hawksmoor, said:
<blockquote>We&#8217;ve been heavily involved with the Sustainable Restaurant Association since about 12 years ago&#8230; It&#8217;s a really important area for us to be stepping up the work in, looking at how we can inspire change.</blockquote>

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<h2>Freemans Event Partners: pioneering sustainable event catering</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Achieved 38.4% reduction in emissions compared to projections</li>
<li>Implemented innovative &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; testing area</li>
<li>Introduced shuttle buggies for reduced transport emissions</li>
<li>Deployed hybrid power generators</li>
<li>Established carbon menu labelling</li>
<li>Enhanced waste management through compostable solutions</li>
</ul>
Freemans Event Partners&#8217; journey demonstrates how large-scale event catering can embrace sustainability without compromising service quality. Their innovative approach at the British Grand Prix showcases their commitment to reducing environmental impact in high-pressure environments. The company&#8217;s dedication is evidenced by exceeding their initial 5% emissions reduction target and implementing a groundbreaking &#8220;Zero Zone&#8221; area for testing new sustainability initiatives. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: measuring and analysing emissions across all aspects of their operation, from food stalls to logistics and waste management.
Richard West, Sustainability Manager at Freemans Event Partners, said:
<blockquote>Through partnering we&#8217;ve realised that collaboration is key to making lasting and impactful environmental changes in the events catering industry. The process has been much more straightforward than we thought it would be and we look forward to setting even bigger reductions targets as we go forward.</blockquote>

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<h2>Lisini Pub Co: family legacy meets sustainable innovation</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 48% through renewable electricity</li>
<li>Won the Flor de Cana Rum Sustainability Award</li>
<li>Achieved lowest electricity demand in 10 years</li>
<li>Implemented LED lighting and sensor systems</li>
<li>Launched biodiversity project at Dalziel Park</li>
<li>Developed sustainable kitchen practices and menu innovation</li>
<li>Created venue-specific green teams</li>
</ul>
Lisini Pub Co&#8217;s journey demonstrates how family-owned hospitality businesses can transform their environmental impact while preserving their heritage. Their comprehensive approach combines traditional Scottish hospitality with modern sustainability practices across their venues, including the historic Angels hotel in Uddingston. What sets them apart is their innovative approach to sustainability: implementing competitive green teams across venues, achieving dramatic emissions reductions, and maintaining their commitment to quality service. Their structured approach includes both operational improvements and employee engagement, making sustainability a core part of their 45-year family legacy.
Siobhan Edwards, Director Lisini Pub Group, said:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s not until we&#8217;ve been working in the last year that we&#8217;ve really truly understood our carbon footprint. It&#8217;s the right thing to do, it&#8217;s the right thing for our customers, for our planet, for the environment, and actually it saves us money at the same time.</blockquote>

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<h2>The Assemblies: Pioneering Sustainable Hospitality in Bristol</h2>
Key Improvements:
<ul>
<li>Established 100-mile radius local sourcing policy</li>
<li>Implemented full venue LED lighting systems</li>
<li>Introduced reusable cups for music events</li>
<li>Developed nose-to-tail food waste reduction policy</li>
<li>Created vegetarian menu options to reduce emissions</li>
<li>Enhanced supplier partnerships for sustainability</li>
<li>Achieved an impressive 3-star rating in the Food Made Good Standard, scoring 92% overall and 91% specifically in environmental practices</li>
</ul>
The Assemblies&#8217; journey showcases how urban hospitality venues can lead in sustainability while building strong community connections. Since their inception in 2009, they&#8217;ve demonstrated that local sourcing and environmental responsibility can coexist with business success. What sets them apart is their data-driven approach to sustainability: analysing carbon ratings, implementing local sourcing policies, and creating innovative menu solutions. Their comprehensive strategy includes everything from sound system upgrades to waste reduction initiatives, making sustainability integral to their operation.
Anna Blightman, Brand Marketing Manager, said:
<blockquote>Something that our partnership has allowed us to do, is lay all the data out on the table so that we can actually look at it, and stand to analyse it and understand where we can make changes. If we don&#8217;t start now, when will we start?</blockquote>

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As these leading hospitality companies show, meaningful climate action can drive significant business benefits—from stronger customer and employee engagement to enhanced brand reputation and risk mitigation. By taking a thoughtful, transparent, and impactful approach, businesses can pave the way for a sustainable future.
Ready to take the lead in climate action? Book in a 30 minute discovery call with our Hospitality sector experts and find out more about partnering with Ecologi to measure your emissions, set reduction goals and fund high-quality climate action on the road to net-zero.

‘Don’t Look Up’ : Our take on the movie

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Power and popularity

Human reactions to the crisis

Using analogies to talk about climate change

Starting conversations

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Ecologi acquires Net Zero Now

4 hospitality companies leading the way on climate action

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