365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

👩‍🎓 When I was a teenager visiting universities to decide what to study, three programs caught my eye. This is what is special about it: 📒 The degrees that caught my eyes were Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, and Information Science. 💪 All three fascinated me but I chose Information Science, because it allowed me to become the bridge between technology and people. I loved the idea of helping users and technicians understand each other, so IT solutions could truly make a difference. Today, this degree also covers cybersecurity. ♥️ Now, fast forward about 20 years, I find myself working to make the world more secure across all three fields I once considered! 🤖 It may seem broad, but this mix of interests is more relevant than ever. If we want to protect today’s world, we need to understand the technologies, like AI, and how it impacts our people, planet, and prosperity. 😁 It’s a full circle moment, and one I’m very excited about!

🍄 Fungi are everywhere: in the air, on our skin, and under every step we take. Without them, we wouldn't be alive. And yet, we're missing a lot: 🍄‍🟫 Fungi aren’t just part of nature. They are the foundation because they connect ecosystems, feed plants, recycle life, and store nutrients. Without them, life as we know it wouldn’t exist. 🆘 Through my sustainability work, I learned how important fungi are and how urgently they need our attention: fungi are still not officially recognized in UN nature protection agreements. 😁 The good news? I have supported a campaign to change this: Planet Wild, Fungi Foundation and Ecosia are working together to put Fungi on the agenda at the Biodiversity COP in 2026! 💚 Protecting their mission means I help protect fungi, which means I help protect the foundations of life itself.

  🤖 As I’m writing a book on how AI can be used to do good, I’ve already received many questions from companies. Most come down to: How can we use AI securely, support our business processes, and reduce risks? 🏆 To help answer those questions more deeply and to stay up-to-date with recent laws and regulations, I completed the AI Security and Governance certification! 😎 It’s such a fascinating field, full of both challenges and opportunities. And it’s clear: responsible AI isn’t just a tech topic, it’s a business essential for long-term success. 💪 I feel incredibly motivated to keep learning more and to help organizations use AI in ways that are safe, ethical, and aligned with long-term impact and #sustainability.

  🎉 I'm so excited to share my brand new game and that already so many people have shared their positive experiences in 5 star reviews! It is wonderful knowing that many children have fun! This is how the game works: 🧩 Each player gets 6 puzzle pieces 🎴 One player picks a card with a puzzle challenge 🪙 With just your six puzzle pieces, each player solves the challenge as fast as possible 🐾 You will join Conni and her cat Mau in a joyful game full of fun and learning. It boosts focus, motor skills, and encourages spatial and logical thinking, all while having fun! MEINE FREUNDIN CONNI – KUNTERBUNTER KNOBELSPASS 🧩 For 1–4 puzzle fans 🧩 Ages 4 and up 🧩 Five types of puzzle challenges with different levels of difficulty! Watch the video to see what the material looks like 👇 https://youtube.com/shorts/rMqw-UUp64I?feature=share

  🤖 I'm writing a book about how Artificial Intelligence (#AI) can be used for good. I just finished a chapter on a life-saving application: preventing road accidents. 🆘 Each year, around 1.35 million people lose their lives in traffic accidents, and over 50 million are injured, despite safety measures like speed limits, traffic rules, and crash data analysis. ⛑️ AI offers a powerful new layer of protection. By analyzing complex patterns in real-time, including traffic flow, weather, and driver behavior, it can help prevent accidents before they happen. 🛟 Imagine the lives that could be saved. Maybe even your own. 🚗 Now think of the resources spared: fewer vehicles destroyed, less waste, and reduced environmental damage. 💰 And what about the financial savings ,from emergency services, hospital care, and legal costs? How do you feel about using AI to make our roads safer? PS: Let me know when you would like to be notified when the book is finished, I'm happy to keep y...

🧹 Yesterday’s cleanup was something special and actually pretty exciting: 🖼️ Our goal was simple: clear the marketplace of cigarette butts. 12 volunteers showed up, but we weren’t the only ones. A journalist from the Stuttgarter Zeitung, which has about half a million readers, joined too, taking powerful photos, asking great questions, and he afterwards interviewed me as the initiative’s lead two more hours. 🚬 In just 1.5 hours, we picked up over 3,500 cigarette butts. The place now looks cleaner, and even more importantly, it got people thinking. Many thanked us, one person even handed me 10 euros, and we had a lot of great conversations. 💡 The action raised awareness: one tiny cigarette butt can poison 50 liters of water. That’s about how much one person drinks in a month! 💚 I'm so grateful for everyone who joined and look forward to making more positive waves when the article is published, showing how small actions can have a big impact.

  📗 After recently finishing my books "A Guide to a Healthier Planet 3" and the German translation of Volume 2, I thought I’d take a break. But… my hands started itching again. 🖊️ This week, I finished the first chapter of a new book and I truly enjoyed it. And although the book is about how Artificial Intelligence (#AI) can be used for good, I’ve found that with the huge amount of writing experience I’ve gained over the years, it's actually faster for me to write by hand than to ask AI for help. 🧑 🌾 The chapter I just finished is about a topic that’s incredibly important: how AI can be used for smart farming. 😋 Smart farming uses technologies like AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve food production. And that matters because today, 1 in every 11 people in the world faces hunger, and 1 in 4 lives doesn't know where there next meal will come from. In my upcoming book, I’ll explain how AI can help farmers grow food in smarter, more sustainable ways an...

  🚲 Last Sunday was unforgettable and full of nature, connection, and discovery! I went on a day trip, which turned into a truly meaningful experience. ☀️ I cycled for about an hour to reach a nearby town, where I started a 16 km walk through beautiful nature. Birds singing, leaves rustling, the sun shining brightly… it was beautiful! 🌲 On the way back, I took a different cycling route just to see where it would lead me. I ended up exploring places I’d never been, even discovering hidden corners of my own city. ❤️ And then something extra special happened. My gut feeling suggested me to turn right, which caused me to pass by the home of a friend who’s been having a tough time lately. I decided to turn back and rang her bell. 💬 Luckily, she was at home and we spent a wonderful hour together. Her hug when I arrived was warm, but the one when I left was even warmer because our conversation had made her feel a lot better. 🌍 Six hours of fresh air, movement, kindness, and new ...

  📚 Exciting news! Volume 1 of my book series, "A Guide to a Healthier Planet" (or "Der Weg zu einem gesünderen Planeten" in German), has been downloaded over 29,000 times! 🎉 (Does that make it a bestseller? Either way, I'm thrilled!) 🌍 With more than 23,000 downloads in German and 6,000 in English, it's incredible to see the reach it's having. 💚 I'm thrilled by the positive impact it's making. This book isn't just about fascinating scientific insights; it's filled with actionable steps we can all take in our daily lives to make a difference. ✨ If you already have a copy, thank you for taking steps towards a healthier planet! If not yet: now's the perfect time to get one. Together, we can create meaningful change for our planet and #MakeScienceGreatAgain!

  🤱 I just finished proofreading a chapter for my upcoming book "A Guide to a Healthier Planet 3" and was shocked again: 3 out of 4 mothers are feeding their children microplastics! 👶 These invisible plastic particles sneak into our bodies through food, water, air, and even everyday product such as sea salt and beer. And yes, they reach our babies too. ⚠️ That is bad, really bad. 🧹 That’s why I’m committed to doing something about it. I for example organize two cleanup events in my city every week, and I inspire change through education and action. 🌍 Please give this post a ❤️ or a "support" if you also agree plastic pollution needs to stop and share in a comment on how you feel we can achieve this. Thank you for joining me! Source of this statistic: Enyoh, C. E., Devi, A., Kadono, H., Wang, Q., & Rabin, M. H. (2023). The Plastic Within: Microplastics Invading Human Organs and Bodily Fluids Systems. Environments, 10(11), 194.

💡 Many of us use AI every day, I do too. I think it's an incredible technology that makes my life easier in many ways. But here’s something we often forget: if AI isn’t secure, we can get into real trouble. 🤖 Whether you're an individual or a company, securing AI systems is no longer optional, it's essential. ✒️ I showed why this is essential in a recent course on the EU-AI Act. In my example, I hacked an AI-supported job application portal, to make sure I was invited to a job interview for a shop manager role, even though I’m completely unsuitable for that job. That’s one of the risks when AI systems are vulnerable to manipulation. 🔐 In this video, you can see how I achieved this (with English subtitles): https://youtu.be/g1wzhd1b9S0 And don’t worry, I won't start a role as shop manager as I'll continue working toward a more secure future for all. 😊

  I’ll admit it: every now and then, I Google my name to see what pops up. (You do it too, right? Be honest 😉 ) That is why a while ago, I noticed something unexpected: Google labels me as Internet Personality! ✨ At first, I had no idea what that means. But thanks to Google's AI, I now know: "An "internet personality" on Google generally refers to an individual who has gained significant recognition and fame through their online presence, often through social media or content creation." ✨ How cool is that?! 🌍 To me, this isn't about algorithms or labels. It shows that the work I put out into the world makes a difference and that sharing knowledge, stories, and ideas really can create ripples of impact. 📗 And I will keep going: I just handed in a new book proposal to Springer Nature!

💻 Speaking online, to me a blessing and a curse at the same time. ⏱️ Yes, it's wonderfully efficient with no travel and no lost time. But I'm honest: to me a lot gets lost when I'm not in the same room. That natural human connection, the little cues like a nod, a smile, and eye contact, are harder to read through a screen. 🤔 For example, when my students look at their notes on another screen, it easily feels like disinterest. But as Annabell Whitney wisely said in a recent presentation: “Never try to read someone else’s thoughts.” 💬 She is right, because a student who I thought was hardly paying attention wrote to me the following heart-warming feedback: "I would like to sincerely thank Erlijn for her inspiring and highly professional teaching! I truly enjoyed her course — the clarity of her explanations, her warm and respectful communication style, and the well-structured learning materials made the entire experience both effective and enjoyable." 😌 And ...

Today, I did an experiment. I wasn't sure whether it was a great idea or completely nuts. 🤔 So I tried it, and it turned out to be brilliant! ✨ I took two chairs and a sign to the heart of the city. The sign read, "Do you wish someone would just listen to you? Take a seat. (max. 10 minutes per person)" 🪑 For two hours, I sat there. Five people sat down and spoke to me, and many (I guess at least a hundred) smiled broadly after reading the sign. Also many shared their love for the idea verbally or with gestures. People started conversations among each other about it. One person told me it really made her think about her daily life. Another returned after walking past. One person hugged me after sharing her story for ten minutes. The gratitude was overwhelming. 💬 It's amazing how a small act of kindness can create such a profound impact. 🌱 I'm sure that I'll repeat the experiment someday. ✨

Working in cybersecurity and sustainability is deeply meaningful to me, but also often emotionally heavy due to constant exposure to crises. That’s why I recently did a course to support my mental health. And it helped me in more ways than I expected. One part of the course introduced me to meditation, something I never thought I’d truly connect with. But here’s the beautiful part: they showed a free app called Sattva that offers daily guided meditations and plants a tree when you complete 10 days in a row! 🌱 🧘‍♀️ So while I’m taking a few mindful minutes each day to care for my inner world, I’m also helping heal the outer world. How awesome! Mental health and a healthier planet go hand in hand. And the good news: there are small, powerful ways to recharge and give back at the same time. 💚

Not long ago, I was walking through the Swiss countryside with a lovely group of people when we met a woman who deeply impressed me. For several years now, she’s been walking through the carrot fields just before harvest – not to gather vegetables, but to rescue life. 🥕 ✨ She searches for butterfly eggs and caterpillars, gently takes them home, feeds them, cares for them for weeks – until they transform into stunning butterflies. And then? She releases them back into the wild, where they belong. 💫 That day, I had the honor of releasing one of those butterflies myself. It was a quiet, beautiful moment – a reminder of hope. 🌍 💚 It feels great to know that I'm not alone, one of the many people out there who dedicate themselves to protecting nature!

  🌍 I often feel the urge to do even more for a healthier planet. But like everyone of us, my time is limited to 24 hours a day. That’s why I’m so glad I can also support others who are creating real, tangible impact. One project I’m happy to have supported is this powerful initiative by Planet Wild and everwave to stop plastic pollution before it reaches the sea: Every single year, 570,000 tons of plastic enter the Mediterranean—the equivalent of 625 garbage trucks every day. Because the sea is almost enclosed, this plastic doesn’t escape. It entangles wildlife, breaks down into microplastics, and turns one of the most biodiverse seas into a plastic trap. But there’s hope. In Albania’s Kukës region, where the Black Drin and White Drin rivers merge, tons of plastic get trapped behind a dam. It’s a problem—but also a unique opportunity: intercepting the waste before it flows into the Mediterranean. Using a repurposed weed-harvesting boat, they’re collecting the plastic and are now...

🌟 A dream 7.5 years in the making just came true! 🌟 When my niece was still little, I created a board game for her—something fun, playful, and a bit of a brain teaser. A friend encouraged me to submit it to a publisher. I thought, “Why not?” and even brought it to a board game designers' convention. That’s where something amazing happened: Kosmos, one of Germany’s well-known board game publishers, showed interest! 🎲 Then the world paused. The pandemic delayed testing the game with kindergartners—but the wait was worth every minute. Because on May 15th, the game was officially published! To keep the surprise, I didn’t tell my nieces or their parents anything. And finally, after all these years, I got to hand them the finished game. Seeing her and her little sister's faces was magical! 💛 The game is called "Meine Freundin Conni – Kunterbunter Knobelspaß", which is all about logical thinking and spatial reasoning. Up to four kids aged 4+ can puzzle their way through ...

Do you want your Facebook profile be used to create a copy of you using AI? If you - just like me - don't want Facebook to use your posts, photos, comments and so on to train their AI, you need to submit the form "Object to Your Information Being Used for AI at Meta". Before May 26th, as after that, it is not possible to object anymore. Here is the direct link to the form which I just used used to opt out: https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/6359191084165019 And here is the link for Instagram: https://help.instagram.com/contact/233964459562201

This week, I swapped my keyboard for a paint roller and got hands-on helping friends renovate their house! It felt amazing to see real-world progress amidst my usual online activities. That's why I love litter-picking too: seeing instant impact right before my eyes is incredibly rewarding. What offline activities keep you feeling connected to positive change?