DURHAM, N.C. — Burt’s Bees social media is officially going dark. To support the future of our natural world, Burt’s Bees and National Geographic are leading a never-before-seen social media #NatureBlackout during the UN Climate Summit, with blacked-out content that shows the world that if nature disappears, our future may too. Immediately following the blackout on September 26, Burt’s Bees’ social feeds will light up with a call for consumers to make a #ChangeforNature pledge, with each new habit triggering a $10 donation to the National Geographic Society.

Every day, we see more signs our incredible planet is suffering from the effects of climate change, a phenomena which individual and organizational behaviors too often exacerbate. In the United States, 30% of all food is wasted. Each person uses 88 gallons of water a day. More than nine million tons of plastic waste—80% of which originates from land-based sources—end up in oceans each year, killing more than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals with their debris. To shine a light on the problem, Burt’s Bees is doing just the opposite: darkening spaces known for showcasing nature’s beauty, including their own social channels and a series of National Geographic Instagram posts. Alongside world-renowned natural photographers and youth activists, blackout posts will darken Burt’s Bees’ nature-rich feed to illustrate what’s at stake, and call on each of us to make a change to protect it.

We need nature – and now, more than ever, nature needs us. Immediately following the summit, Burt’s Bees will turn the lights back on across all of their social media platforms, calling on consumers to take a pledge on Burtsbees.com, demonstrating a personal commitment to help the future of nature by changing one small yet meaningful habit. #ChangeforNature commitments span our impact on food waste, water conservation, animal protein consumption, single-use plastics, and our very connection with nature as individuals.

“As a brand founded to connect people to nature, we must protect it,” said Paula Alexander, director of sustainable business and innovation. “Burt’s Bees is certified CarbonNeutral, land-fill free, and consciously stewards the lifecycle of our packaging, which includes over 50% PCR content in our plastics and being fully recyclable either curbside or with TerraCycle. As part of this ongoing commitment, we’re pleased to announce that earlier this month, Burt’s Bees has signed on to the ‘We Are Still In’ climate declaration.”

“National Geographic is committed to generating solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future,” said Valerie Craig, vice president of impact initiatives at the National Geographic Society. “To date, we’ve awarded more than 14,000 grants for bold, innovative and transformative projects. One of our current priorities is researching solutions to prevent plastic waste from entering the ocean. We’re thrilled that for each #ChangeforNature pledge, Burt’s Bees will donate $10 to support our efforts to reduce individual plastic consumption and the flow of plastics into watersheds.”