Bordeaux. Forty-two degrees in the shade. I stumble upon a café proudly calling itself “Earth-friendly” because it doesn’t use air conditioning. As if forcing people to sweat through their shirts while sipping lukewarm tea were some radical act of eco-consciousness. I was there last week, when the city broke its all-time heat record of 41.2°C, surpassing the infamous 2003 mark. In that kind of heat, refusing air conditioning isn’t climate action—it’s cruelty.
This is the hypocrisy of our times: we slap labels like “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” on what is really just cost-cutting, and then resell it to customers as ethical consumption.
The irony? A quick look at their official website reveals no trace of any meaningful ESG practice. No renewable energy sourcing, no recycling programs, no local supply chain, no climate-conscious infrastructure. No certification, no transparency reports, no governance statements. In short, their so-called “Earth-friendly” stance isn’t strategy—it’s marketing.
If (like me) you actually care about saving the planet, start with your supply chain, your energy mix, and your waste management. There are professionals who know how to do this properly—and who can spot greenwashing a mile away. People like my friend Willy Legrand, who has been calling it out for years.
But please, don’t tell me you’re saving the planet because you refuse to turn on the AC while the asphalt outside is melting.
Simone Puorto
