89.7 Bay Radio turns up the heat...
Then turns over a new leaf for World Environment Day
It started as a cheeky on-air stunt. Eden Leisure’s radio station 89.7 Bay turned their studio air conditioning up to the extreme blasting hot and freezing cold air live on the Ryan and Gail show from 3–7pm weekdays during the week of 26th–30th May to test how long the presenters could endure it.
It was ridiculous, it was hilarious, and, as it turns out, it wasn’t very green.
This week, on Tuesday, June 3, Chief Sustainability Officer for Eden Leisure Group, Kate De Cesare, joined Bay’s Ryan and Gail show to deliver an on-air reality check. She revealed just how much extra CO₂ the stunt generated and how it directly contradicted Eden Leisure’s commitment to being ethically, environmentally, and socially responsible.
“It might have sounded funny, but the environmental impact was real,” Kate said live on air. “As a company, we need to do better. And when we mess up, we own it.” Taking Accountability
In response, Bay is taking concrete steps to make it right. On World Environment Day, today, the station is:
- Offsetting the emissions by going completely waste-free for the day
- Launching an on-air discussion about corporate sustainability and accountability
- Appointing Bay 3-7pm presenters Ryan and Gail to Eden Leisure’s Green and Social Team, giving them front-row seats to identify sustainability gaps and solutions for Eden Leisure
This unique approach flips the script on traditional ESG messaging by showing that mistakes can be opportunities for real learning and action.
“It's about educating in a way that people actually pay attention to,” Kate added. “Sometimes, the most powerful lessons come from missteps, and what matters is how you respond.”
With community involvement, and a dose of humour, this honest initiative is a rare example of a company turning a potential PR crisis into a platform for education, transparency, and change.