Who is BTS?
BTS is a Korean-pop (K-pop) boy band from South Korea. It has seven band members – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. They released their first album, 2 Cool 4 Skool, in 2013. Since then, they have gathered a huge fan following from all over the world. BTS fans call themselves the ‘ARMY’.
BTS has used its popularity to talk about important social issues. For example, last year they attended an event called the ‘SDG Moment’ at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) where they raised their concerns about climate change.
In this yearly event about Sustainable Development Goals, UN member countries discuss their development goals and their plan to achieve them without harming the environment.
What is BTS doing to help the environment?
BTS partnered with Formula E, an electric street car racing competition, to promote electric vehicles as they do not pollute the air. They promoted an Italian clothing line called ‘Back to Nature’ that makes clothes from 100% recycled fabrics.
BTS also partnered with Samsung to highlight their efforts of using fishing nets to make their devices. Fishing nets are otherwise dumped in the oceans, which can be dangerous for aquatic animals.
BTS fans have planted many forests in the name of their favourite band members.
Is BTS doing enough to help the environment?
Many people criticize the BTS for not doing enough. They still travel by private jets which leads to air pollution. They encourage their fans to buy their plastic music albums and other BTS products (for example, clothes, soft toys etc.) which generates a lot of waste.
While BTS can do more for the environment, we should still acknowledge their efforts. It was only because of their influence among the youth that around 10 lakh people attended the SDG Moment event online.
How can celebrities help make a change?
Celebrities can help raise awareness about social issues through social media posts, brand advertisements, helping their governments etc.
They can also use their wealth to donate to social causes of their choice or directly help those in need. Do you think BTS should do more to help the environment?
