Donation Bag Programs as Multimodal Permission Structures

Selling Climate-Positive Consumerism through Digital Marketing

Abstract

This project explores how the emergent trend of buying donation bags in exchange for store credit creates a consumerist permission structure for people who are concerned about overconsumption’s environmental impacts. I analyze two forms of technical communication from a commercial donation bag program: the bags themselves and the websites that sell them. This analysis shows how these forms of communication establish a permission structure that appears to enlist audiences into a greenwashed consumerist cycle and presents unclear evidence of positive environmental impacts. I conclude by recommending digital and technical communication strategies for improving business websites’ credibility and audience engagement.