_Illustrated by_ [**Paula Castro**](https://breedlondon.com/artists/paula-castro/)
With over 50,000 followers on TikTok and over a million views on a video of her chia pudding ice cubes alone, Brennan Coker has watched over the past year as social media has become a fulltime job. The Florida-based sustainability content creator had always been interested in environmentalism and combating climate change from a young age, but only recently did Coker begin making eco-educational content online.
From teaching her followers how to avoid veggie waste to providing hacks to live a more waste-free lifestyle to engaging in #PlasticFreeJuly, Coker aims to create content relating to the wellbeing of the planet and those who inhabit it. But Coker isn’t here to tell you how to practice perfect sustainability—she describes her own practices as an “imperfectly plant-based and low-impact lifestyle.”
_Flaunt_ caught up with Coker to talk TikTok, environmentalism and what it means to live sustainably.
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**How was the summer for you? How has this transition into a new month, a new season been for you?**
In terms of what I'm doing with content creation? It's been awesome. I think it's been about a year since I committed to doing this full time, and it's been incredible, honestly. I mean, not without its challenges, but it's been really exciting to be part of something new. I actually feel like the work I do makes somewhat of a difference.
> [@brennan.kai](https://www.tiktok.com/@brennan.kai "@brennan.kai")
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> @all good goods is the best 🤍♻️✨🌿 [##zerowaste](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/zerowaste "zerowaste") [##plasticfree](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/plasticfree "plasticfree") [##lowwaste](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/lowwaste "lowwaste") [##sustainable](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/sustainable "sustainable") [##packagefree](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/packagefree "packagefree") [##smallbusiness](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/smallbusiness "smallbusiness")
>
> [♬ CRAFT - OFEKNIV](https://www.tiktok.com/music/CRAFT-6732297013599143937 "♬ CRAFT - OFEKNIV")
**What made you start posting on TikTok? What was the deciding factor? Like, ‘Okay, I want to make these eco-education TikToks and push sustainability.’**
I've been into sustainability and environmentalism pretty much my whole life. And I think that as activists, we have a responsibility to use whatever platform is available to us to amplify the message, regardless of what our field is. For me, it's intersectional environmentalism and sustainability. So I felt called to use the number one app in the world to do that. And, you know, throughout history, people took to the streets, that was their method of getting a message across.
It's 2021. And whether people like it or not, social media is here to stay, and it's how people get messages across. It's how people connect and communicate. So I feel that it's very important to use that platform. So I started using it for that reason.
**With TikToK specifically, are there any little quirks or things that came out of nowhere that you didn't really expect to happen when you joined the app?**
Yeah, absolutely. I think for one, I didn't expect there to be such a response. I created content on Instagram about sustainability and sustainable living forever, and it never really went anywhere. TikTok is a totally different beast. You have the ability to reach—I'll have videos that get up to a million views in two days. And people are generally interested in what we're doing. I think it's predominantly millennials and gen-Z that make up most TikTok users. That's the generation that's very concerned with sustainability and environmentalism and climate justice. So, it's just blown me away how many people really care about this stuff. It's been so inspiring and I just really didn't expect that at all.
**When you post a TikTok, are you thinking, ‘Oh, I'm trying to reach as many people as possible. I want this to go viral,’ or are you just doing it because this specific message that you're giving in this specific TikTok is what you want to talk about that day?**
I generally am not trying to go viral. I have gone viral unexpectedly, so I think you can't really plan. Honestly, in my experience, I haven't been able to plan it. I used to try, but now I just say, this is what needs to be out there. I'm just going to put this message out there and hope that it reaches the right people. The algorithm on TikTok allows you to build a following that's very niche, so it allows you to reach people that actually want to see the content that you create. But at the same time, it gives you just enough reach that you're able to reach people who've maybe never heard of this, but might be interested. So it's been kind of perfect for activism.
> [@brennan.kai](https://www.tiktok.com/@brennan.kai "@brennan.kai")
>
> it’s now or never— link in bio to sign the @Action4Climate petition to declare a climate emergency ⏰🌎 [##ACECC](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/acecc "acecc") [##nowornever](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/nowornever "nowornever") [##ACEpartner](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/acepartner "acepartner")
>
> [♬ falling leaves - Mura Kami](https://www.tiktok.com/music/falling-leaves-6763808406915516418 "♬ falling leaves - Mura Kami")
**I know that you are committed to living a sustainable lifestyle—low waste, low impact. What does ‘low waste, low impact’ mean to you specifically?**
I like to say I create content related to the wellbeing of the earth and the people who inhabit it. So that's everything from low waste living to recipes to combat food waste and climate justice. But in terms of low waste living, to me, it means creating solutions to huge problems, both on an individual level and on a large scale, systemic level. So that's something I push a lot in my content and a message that I want to make sure people are aware of.
**When you talk about sustainability on the Internet, do you ever face any pushback from people? Have you faced any downsides that you never expected?**
Yes, absolutely. I think it's a good thing for anyone who's going to get online to understand that there are always going to be people who think you're not doing enough. I see a lot of messaging along the lines of ‘blame corporations for the climate crisis, not individuals.’ You definitely see pushback from people who kind of think that individual actions do nothing.
> [@brennan.kai](https://www.tiktok.com/@brennan.kai "@brennan.kai")
>
> [##ad](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/ad "ad") Need [##sustainable](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/sustainable "sustainable") gift ideas? @Origins has you covered! Check out their Green the Planet collection— link in my bio 🌍🎁 [##greenbeauty](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/greenbeauty "greenbeauty") [##joydelivered](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/joydelivered "joydelivered")
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> [♬ Just Walked In-JP - Riverdeep Mountaindue](https://www.tiktok.com/music/Just-Walked-In-JP-6999399660120967170 "♬ Just Walked In-JP - Riverdeep Mountaindue")
**When you look at where we are in 2021, our society and the kind of initiatives that are going on, how optimistic are you about becoming more sustainable in the future?**
I'm extremely optimistic. Sustainability is kind of on the up and up, we do have a shot at holding corporations accountable and getting individuals to make attainable lifestyle changes. And I think in order to be in the field that I'm in, you have to be optimistic because it gets very heavy. It can be a lot to focus on this stuff all day long. It's pretty dark if you choose to look at it that way. I think for those of us who are in this field, climate optimism is crucial because if you choose to look at it from the perspective of ‘it's so dark and we will never find a solution,’ then it can really impact your mental health. So climate optimism is crucial for us to be able to do this work.
**I looked at your TikTok and you have a lot of videos giving out recipe ideas, and a lot of food waste-related content. Do you have a favorite recipe to combat food waste that you worked on?**
So my main focus with my recipes is food waste. That's been a huge focus of mine. I would say my favorite recipes that I do is maybe the fermentation project. Like how to make your own apple cider vinegar out of apple peels and apple scraps. That's probably my favorite, if that could be considered a recipe.
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