365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

  🙏 I’m so grateful I could join Klimaatvrijplaats yesterday, the first day of a 4-day event organized for people like me - who care deeply about the planet - to connect, recharge, and simply say thank you for all the effort we put in. 💚 For many of us, the environmental crises and consequences feel overwhelming. Goals aren’t met, nature and people are suffering. In our work, it is easy to feel alone, burnt out, or hopeless. At Klimaatvrijplaats, I found a safe space to share these feelings, supported by both professionals and others who understand. Together, we explored ways to stay hopeful and connected, even in the face of such big challenges. 🌱 The four sessions are inspired by eco-philosopher Joanna Macy, whose work reminds us of our deep connection to all life. And the location, De Groene Afslag, was incredible: full of reused objects, like a Loch Ness Monster made from 800 old jeans (see picture). It felt like an expression of deep respect for our planet and earthly r...

Recently, I went litterpicking with a friend, filling 21 bags in 2 hours. But we weren't finished yet, because a few meter further down the bushes, we found this spot. What a relief that's now done too: another 15 bags.

  🌱 A few months ago I went to Belgium to support Planet Wild in restoring peatlands. The video of this adventure is now online! 💪 The reason I went is because peatlands are a huge carbon sink, meaning they store a lot of carbon and are therefore extremely important for limiting climate change. 🦋 Peatlands are also an important place for many species to live and thrive, supporting biodiversity. On top of that, peat soil helps clean water, which contributes to reducing pollution. 🔬 As #climateChange, #biodiversity, and #pollution are close to my heart, the focus of my science communication work, and because I am eager to make a difference in the real world, I am excited to now be able to see the video of our action. It explains very clearly why we removed certain plants, closed ditches, and cut down trees as part of the restoration process. 🎥 You can find the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtBCj9zGT70 👕 PS: Can you spot me in the purple t shirt? 💬 PPS: If ...

  🎉 I'm happy to share that the #AI paper I contributed to as been published! 🤖 As #artificialIntelligence becomes more common, it is also using more and more electricity. This has real consequences for how reliable and affordable our power systems are. At the same time, AI can help improve how energy systems are planned, run, and protected assuming that we use it responsibly. ⚡ With the India AI Impact Summit coming up, the new ORF America paper to which I contributed as AI Governance Professional (#AIGP), “The Nexus of Artificial Intelligence and Energy Security: Strategic Opportunities for US–India Leadership,” looks at how today’s energy systems are coping with these changes and what needs to be updated in policy and planning to keep up. 🤝 The paper explains why cooperation between the United States and India matters right now. By working together, both countries can better manage growing electricity demand from AI, strengthen grid resilience, and ensure power remains sec...

This week, I went #litterpicking with a fellow Sch(m)utzengel. In 2 hours, we filled 21 bags of waste! We were shocked and happy to make a huge difference: https://youtube.com/shorts/bhQn4isyJQU?feature=share #müllsammeln #cleanup  

  🎉 Happy to share that I’ve passed another exam: CompTIA Network+ I took it mainly to be able to even better support my students as they prepare for their own exams. And along the way, I learned even more about how computer networks work and how to keep them secure. Always learning, always leveling up 💪

💚 One of the most rewarding things I have do in 2025, was continuing leading the local litter-picking initiative I started three years ago with a neighbor. 🤩 What I love most is how tangible the impact is. I don’t have to wonder whether it matters; I can see the difference immediately. Cleaner streets, greener spaces, and constant reminders from passers-by that our efforts are noticed and appreciated. 🧹 This year was especially exciting. Together, we organized 92 clean-up events, filled more than 265 bags of litter, and removed over 107,000 cigarette butts from our city. Even more powerful than the numbers is the ripple effect: people joined us, people started picking up litter on their own, and similar initiatives popped up in other cities. That’s how real change spreads. 🚮 We also focused on stopping litter before it hits the ground. Through awareness campaigns and by helping get waste bins installed in key locations, we worked on prevention just as much as clean-up. 💪 This...

📱 Does the scene in this picture look familiar to you? Many people recognize this quiet pull toward their phones. Yesterday, I coached someone who wants to step away from this habit. Their breakthrough: 🧠 They told me that they reach for their phone even when they do not feel like using it. The urge feels stronger than their intention. I told that many apps are designed to keep our attention and trigger feel-good responses to make us stay and return more often. 🤔 So how do we loosen this habit and make more time for what makes us happy? Hiding the phone or limiting certain apps can help for a while, yet many people find creative ways to slip back into old patterns. 🌿 I suggested something simple. I invited them to think about activities they genuinely enjoy. Whenever they feel like random scrolling and surfing, ask the question what they like to do most and consciously choose. The idea: when something in daily life feels more rewarding than scrolling and as a result we DON'...

✨ Today, I had the pleasure of joining an online meeting with our local hospital to explore ways we can work together on sustainability. I shared the story of our local litter-picking initiative and was thrilled to see it spark interest and inspiration. 💪 When we come together as a community, even small actions can create a much bigger positive impact. Every piece of litter removed, every small effort shared, adds up and the ripple effect can be incredible. 💡 PS: Thinking of starting a litter-picking initiative in your city? Feel free to reach out as I’m happy to share how we organize ours and make it easier for you to get started. Together, we can make our cities cleaner and greener. #sustainableLiving #litterpicking #makeADifference

💡 Today reminded me why digital safety matters so much. A customer reached out in worry because her screen kept showing warnings that her antivirus was outdated. 🤔 Something felt off to her though, because he had just renewed her license. After a quick check, the cause became clear to me: she had stumbled into fake virus alerts, often called scareware. ⚠️ Here is the brief version of what I explained to her: After visiting a malicious site, this scareware showed up as alarming popups claiming her device was infected. These popups often use dramatic language, push you to act quickly, and try to trick you into installing fake security tools, clicking harmful links, or contacting scammers who want remote access to your device. ❗ Common warning signs include sudden popups, payment requests, phone numbers to call, strange links, grammar mistakes, simple or odd designs, unknown software names, and alerts that don’t behave like normal system notifications. When this happens, the safest ...

  🥵 Last Friday, I stepped out of my routine and tried something new. It felt like a risk, but it taught me a lot. 🥇 Last year, I won a prize for a presentation on why #cybersecurity and #sustainability matter for long term company success. One piece of feedback was to focus on one topic. Since I had already given a very successful talk on cybersecurity recently about how KI chatbots can be hacked, I chose sustainability this time, with a spotlight on litter picking. 🎤 I felt like repeating the presentation I held for the United Nations in September, as the reactions afterwards were incredibly uplifting. People came up to me and told me how inspired they felt. But only my voice was recorded. 🫢 During the slam, my presentation was filmed. But this time, it didn’t flow the same way. The clicker distracted me more than I expected. I usually speak with my hands free, and having something in my hand threw me off a little. I also sensed that a few people were disappointed because...

🌲 What if we could help forests come back much faster than by planting new trees, supporting flora, fauna and local communities at the same time? 🎋 That is exactly what the LEAD Foundation Tanzania is doing. They allow previously cut trees to regrow from their root systems, using the strength that is already in the ground. 💪 And I’m really happy that I could support this mission by donating to Planet Wild. They supported the project, filmed it and explained it so clearly that I love to share their video here: https://youtu.be/S5g60g9vmlY #reforestation #planetwild #sustainableliving #deforestation  

🚀 Yesterday felt like a true beginning. 💡 A few weeks ago, I joined my litterpicking friends for a clean up along the river and we came across far more waste than expected. I shared what we found, and that sparked something. Someone reached out with the idea of creating a much larger clean up event. We had an early brainstorm, and yesterday we sat down to turn the idea into a real plan. 📅 We now have a date: 21 March 2026. Seeing it on the calendar makes it feel alive. 💪 I’m excited for what this day can become. With many hands and kind hearts, we can create a meaningful boost for the river and its ecosystem. Every bottle removed, every piece of plastic collected, brings nature a little more breathing space. If this speaks to you, stay tuned for the event or consider small steps you can take to care for the river in your own neighborhood. #cleanup #riverCleanup #sustainableLiving #litterpicking

🌱 Yesterday, I joined the Kick-off event for a Low-Waste City in the city's council chamber, and it was truly inspiring. 🤝 People from all corners of our community came together: from the city library, local recycling company, energy provider, and city representatives to passionate volunteers like my litterpicker friends and me. Everyone shared one goal: reducing waste and building a cleaner, more sustainable place to live. 💪 I appreciate moments like these because when we connect and combine our strengths, real change becomes possible. 💚 And I was happy to contribute as every small action counts! #sustainableLiving #reduce #recycle #reuse

😵‍💫 How can you get rid of a corpse? 🎤 This was the guiding question of my recent presentation about chatbot hacking, which turned out to be a huge success! 💬 One participant told me afterwards: “I was deeply impressed, because you managed to provide in depth content in a very entertaining way.” 😊 I’m super happy that I was able to share my story, because during the past 1 to 2 years, many companies have rushed to start using AI tools. These tools are incredibly helpful to boost productivity and increase profits so that’s perfectly understandable. ⚠️ But when AI is used without the right guardrails, things can go very wrong. It can, for example, be misused to steal sensitive business data or support unethical activities. Like, for example, getting rid of a corpse. 💡 Understanding how AI can be used — and misused — helps us build stronger safeguards. That way, we can make sure AI serves as a force for good, not harm. 📹 I’ll share the link to the recording of the presentati...

  💡 Last week, I shared that I passed my AI Governance Professional (#AIGP) exam. Someone congratulated me and said she had to look up what AI governance actually means. Let me explain it simply: 👉 AI Governance means making sure we use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a responsible way. It’s about setting the rules of the game for how we create, use, and control AI so that it helps people instead of harming them. ❗ Why does this matter? Because when AI is used carelessly, it can cause real problems, like damaging a company’s reputation, leaking sensitive information, or losing money and business secrets. 📄 That’s why we now also have laws like the EU AI Act. It makes sure every business that works with AI - from 1-person businesses to large organizations - follows clear rules. (This law doesn't apply to individuals without a business). Abiding to such laws is part of AI Governance. #ArtificialIntelligence #AIGovernance #AIGovernanceProfessional #iapp

🚶‍♀️‍➡️ Yesterday, I spent 20 km walking through the Dutch autumn landscape with a colleague I first met a couple of years ago. It unexpectedly became a heart-warming and insightful day: 💚 When we found out about each other on Twitter a few years ago, we shared the same mission: creating a more mindful, positive future. Even though our activities have shifted slightly in the meantime, we still want to make the same positive difference. 🍂 On this beautiful day, golden leaves, perfect weather, and hours of inspiring conversation made the time fly. We didn’t even stop for a break! 🐈‍⬛ And on our way, we met a lovely cat, who wanted to be petted. She even followed us for more love, which we were happy to give! ❤️ This day reminded me that I’m grateful for the many wonderful people and moments in my life. Days like these with heartfelt connection and joy are to me far more meaningful than any material thing. So yesterday was not only better for my mental and physical health now, it is a...

  🎉 After another week diving deep into the world of AI governance, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve passed my exam and am now officially a Certified AI Governance Professional! 👩‍🎓 I decided to take this certification because I’ve seen how quickly companies and individuals are adopting AI to keep up with the trend or avoid “falling behind.” That enthusiasm is great, but without proper safeguards, it can also lead to serious risks, such as: ⚠️ - Reputational harm, when AI-generated misinformation reaches customers 💲 - Financial losses, when confidential business data is accidentally exposed ⚖️ - Discrimination, when biased AI systems make unfair decisions 💡 AI governance is about how we can make sure AI is used responsibly. Responsible AI isn’t about slowing innovation, it’s about making sure technology serves people and society safely and fairly. 🌍 I’m very happy to now use this knowledge to help build a safer, more ethical future for all!

😀 Life is good on a bike: 👟 Yesterday, I wanted to return a pair of sports shoes that turned out to be too small. The shop was about 20 km (12.5 miles) away. At first, I thought about driving, but this felt like wasting a beautiful day. 🚴‍♂️ So, I hopped on my bike. The ride was pure joy: golden autumn colors, fresh air, and exercise. One of my cycling companions wasn’t feeling great at first, but soon their mood completely lifted. That’s the magic of cycling: it just makes you feel good. 🚘 And the best part? On both the way there and back, I passed long lines of cars stuck in traffic. I couldn’t help but smile. The slower way was definitely the better way! 😀 Life is good on a bike!

  📖 After a day of studying for my upcoming AI Governance Professional exam on Friday, I glanced out the window and was happily surprised! 🙂 There it was: a cheerful smiley made of raked grass and autumn leaves, glowing in the evening light. 🍁 I know who made this “corn” circle, so it isn’t proof of aliens. But it does show that taking action sparks creativity: the idea came up while raking the leaves. 🗺️ This is how I work too: I start projects even without a complete roadmap. Along the way, I learn, adapt, and often discover new inspiration that changes my course. 🛣️ So, when I’m unsure which direction to take, I don’t wait at the crossroad. I try the route I feel is best. If it doesn’t lead the right way, I go back and choose another. It may sound inefficient, but it’s often far more productive than waiting. 🍀 Doing the AI Governance Professional certification is a perfect example of this approach. Please wish me luck! 😊