Corner Brook soap company stages digital climate strike

If you try to place an online order forsome of Mikaela Wilson's soaps, lotions or bath bombs this week, you're out of luck.

Her Corner Brook-based businessNatura Soap Company has declared a digital climate strike, with posts on its social media channels and website stating that its internet presence and online sales areon hiatusuntil Sept. 28.

Wilson was inspired to take action amid the global movement of climate strikes happening fromSept. 20 to 27 worldwide, coinciding with the United Nations' ClimateAction Summit this week in New York City. Millions took part in the first wave of protests to demand political action on climate change, with Canada's strike dayset for Friday.

"If you're not willing to put your own business on the line for something that you genuinely believe is for the well-being of the entire world, than what are you doing?" she said.

Wilson is following in other businesses'footsteps. Several national and multinational brands have announced temporary closures as part of the movement, such as Mountain Equipment Co-op shutting its doors on Friday and closing its online shop.

• MEC to close its doors across the country as climate strikes hit Canada

• Millions in 150 countries protest for climate action

"I figured I'm smaller, so I need to do a little bit more to make a bigger impact, to actually make people notice. So I decided to just go on strike for the whole week," said Wilson.

Business risk

As a smallhome-based company that sells primarily online or via abooth at local craft fairs and farmer's markets, Wilson acknowledged she might lose out on some business because of the strike.

"It's a risk Iwas willing to take. Basically, the thing that we're all fighting for is kind of an important thing, the whole well-being of the climate," she said.

It's the policy-makers we need to get to.- Mikaela Wilson

"So if the climate goes down and degrades as much as everyone's worried its gonna, it doesn't matter what kind of business Ihave anyways."

People can place orders if they're willing to wait until next week, and in the meantimeWilson is focusing on offline company duties during the strike, making and stocking up her inventory.

She hasn't entirely stepped away from the interneteither, and is still checking her personal social media as well as the company's email account, where a few letters of support for her strike have come in.

Pushing the policy-makers

Wilson hopes her social media strike posts get shared,although by not tracking the company account this week, she won't really know until after the factif theyalert people tothe global strike movement.

At any rate, she said, after years of pushing her business in an eco-friendly direction by swapping plastic containers for glass or metal, or no packaging at all taking part in systemic change is the next step.

"Making your own personal change is good, but it's the policy-makers that we need to get to," she said.

• Mealy Mountain students walk out for global strike against climate change

Corner Brook and St. John's haveclimate strikesplanned for Fridayto coincide with similar events nationwide.Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Stephenville held their strikes Sept. 20.

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