Workplace360: OneGreenThing champions the joyful daily practice of small sustainability actions. Was there a lightbulb moment that inspired this mission?
Heather White: OneGreenThing grew out of my experience in environmental advocacy and policy and the realisation that more people need to see themselves as part of climate action. Many feel hesitant – worried about doing it wrong or being judged. So, rather than a single defining moment, the idea evolved from my desire to make sustainability more inclusive and approachable.
W360: What’s your overarching aim with OneGreenThing?
HW: My goal is to bring as many people as possible into the sustainability movement. Not everyone is a protester – though there’s certainly a place for that, especially among young people – but what happens after the protest? How do we create lasting change? Everyone has a role to play. Some might be Influencers, sharing best practices, trends and ideas to inspire innovation. Others might be Adventurers, embracing the outdoors and encouraging others to step beyond their comfort zones.
The environmental community often attracts a particular personality type – what I call the Wonk. We love diving straight into solutions. Earlier in my career, I’d often find myself saying, “Hi, I’m Heather, and I want to talk to you about microgrids” or “I’m so excited about battery storage for solar!” – instead of starting with the more important questions: “Who are you? How do you want to contribute?”
Ultimately, I want to build an intergenerational partnership for sustainability. Time is running out when it comes to the climate crisis, and this isn’t about holding hands and singing “Kumbaya”. It’s about helping everyone find the role that suits them – and through the daily practice of OneGreenThing, driving the culture shift needed to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
W360: You’ve referenced the Influencer, the Adventurer and the Wonk, which relate to your Service Superpower Assessment. How did that come about and how did you create it?
HW: The idea came from wanting to make climate action and sustainability feel less niche – to show that it can be an accessible way of life. You don’t have to live off the grid to be an environmentalist. I began by exploring individual behaviour change and the psychology behind it. James Clear’s Atomic Habits was a big inspiration, particularly his focus on how habits are shaped by identity. That got me thinking about how powerful identity is in driving behaviour change.
I’m not a psychologist – I’m a lawyer – but I began nerding out over the research and how deeply identity influences our actions. From there, I thought about the personality and behaviour assessments I’ve always enjoyed – think BuzzFeed quizzes, but more meaningful – and drew inspiration from frameworks such as Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder and the Enneagram, which help people understand their strengths and how they engage with the world. I loved the idea of applying that to sustainability.
When developing the personality types, I based them on the people I’ve met and worked with over the past 25 years in the movement. I noticed patterns – different archetypes reflecting how people contribute. In a way, it’s almost a self-help philosophy: once you identify your Service Superpower, you can start a daily practice – one green thing – rooted in that identity. That practice helps drive cultural change and eases some of the anxiety people feel about the future.
W360: You mentioned the intergenerational aspect and much of your work focuses on education. From your perspective, how important is it to connect OneGreenThing to the business world – and particularly to business leaders?
HW: From an intergenerational standpoint, climate change consistently ranks among Gen Z’s top three concerns. Some polls even show it as the number one issue globally for this generation because they understand how interconnected it is. Whether it’s housing, income inequality or civil rights, they see how everything is linked back to climate.
For Gen Z, sustainability isn’t optional – it’s essential. Business leaders need to understand that young people want to be seen. They’re deeply worried about the future they’re inheriting and that concern often manifests as real anxiety. They want reassurance that commitments are genuine and to have a voice in sustainability decisions.
Another key message from younger generations is the need to connect sustainability to profitability, engagement and productivity. A friend of mine talks about human sustainability. The idea is that without a workforce that’s mentally, emotionally, socially and physically healthy, and without protecting our environment, business results will inevitably suffer.
Her concept ties directly into my work on eco-anxiety – it’s all connected. Business leaders must recognise that sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it’s about people too.
W360: You’ve written a book on eco-anxiety, so there’s a lot to unpack – but how would you describe it in a nutshell?
HW: From a psychological standpoint, the American Psychological Association defines eco-anxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental doom”; while the Oxford English Dictionary describes it as “unease or apprehension about the environment caused by human activity and climate change”.
My own definition is a little broader. I see eco-anxiety as worry and uncertainty about the future because of climate change. It’s not just fear of environmental collapse; it’s a concern about what kind of world we’re leaving for future generations.
That’s part of why I developed OneGreenThing. It offers a simple entry point: here’s something you can do. The focus is on practice – demonstrating that small individual actions matter.
W360: You’ve partnered with Lyreco in the UK. I believe this is your first partnership outside the US?
HW: Yes. Mike [Milward, Lyreco UK & Ireland Managing Director] and Andrew [Bryers, Sustainability Director] were very persuasive. Gen Z can sense authenticity and Lyreco really delivers. I’m especially excited because we’ll be working with schools, helping young people see themselves as part of the movement.
Even taking the Superpower Assessment can be powerful: it encourages students to reflect on how they can personally contribute to sustainability.
What excites me about Lyreco is that the team truly walk the walk – but they also embrace joy. It’s refreshing to have a partner genuinely focused on making the most of what it has to encourage people, especially young people, to think about a greener, healthier future.
W360: If you could give a small business owner one piece of advice, what would it be?
HW: Just do one thing. Choose a single area – whether that’s sourcing, recycling, food waste, or even your fleet – and focus on that. Having employees take the Superpower Assessment can also help you approach sustainability in a way that’s authentic to your brand. Find out what resonates and begin there.
Another key step is to simply talk about it. Employees often have great ideas and want to be part of the solution. Small business owners also have to accept imperfection. Science and best practices evolve and sometimes a decision – whether it’s about packaging, vehicles or something else – may no longer be ideal once new information emerges. Sustainability is a continual learning process. The important thing is to try your best, act on what you know and adjust as you learn more. That’s how meaningful progress happens.
W360: With so much information out there, a lot of people just give up.
HW: Exactly. That’s where OneGreenThing comes in. When you feel stuck, you can still take one small action each day and while on an individual basis it won’t change the world – skipping a paper straw won’t solve everything – it can shift culture, because we all influence our communities. When enough people act, it makes a real impact.
I’m a philanthropist and Wonk at heart, so naturally I want to analyse every climate solution from every angle. But real change happens when actions are internalised personally and authentically – when they align with our individual strengths.
The climate crisis is the greatest challenge of our collective lifetime, and everyone needs to play their part. That’s the purpose of this approach: helping people see their role in global change and realising that small, daily efforts contribute to a healthier, greener, more just world.
There can be a lot of gatekeeping within the environmental community. Someone might think, “I love to travel, so I can’t be involved.” But no one expects you to take a bus from London to Texas – it’s about doing what you can while culture and systems evolve.
Big shifts, such as alternatives to jet fuel, will take time – but they will only happen if we start changing culture now and asking for solutions.
Good things
As part of Lyreco’s partnership with OneGreenThing, it has launched the Goodness Resource Hub – a collection of free, curriculum-linked sustainability activities for Key Stage 2 and 3 students.
Covering topics from climate change and biodiversity to diversity and inclusion and waste reduction, the resources give young people practical ways to explore environmental issues both in and out of the classroom. The resource hub is supported by Rubbermaid Commercial Products and Sylvamo’s REY Paper brand.
Lyreco is also offering OneGreenThing’s Service Superpower Assessment, a free tool that helps individuals uncover their personal sustainable superpower. It reveals how your unique strengths can make a real difference and comes with a seven-day action plan to get started. Take the quiz: riddle.com/view/clr40gOY
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