365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

I'm lucky to be born in a country in which it's possible to buy what I need in a shop. As this feels normal, I seldom consider that this may not be forever, for example due to a cyber attack or climate disaster. That's why I'm as grateful as possible for what we have today.

#Nature is amazing, look at this huge moth! #naturelovers #savetheplanet Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: The cecropia moth is North America's largest native moth. As an adult, it doesn’t have a functioning mouth, since its only purpose is to mate. They survive ~2 weeks [read more: https://buff.ly/2YCaFWF] [clip by mackattack_zoology: https://buff.ly/3E6UQJR]

I have a plastic bag to carry my headphones. I have been using it for ages (and I will as long as possible), so it has some holes in it. But luckily, I ate apples with stickers on it. These stickers were the perfect size to cover two of the holes.

Do you sometimes negotiate with yourself too? I did last week as I really want to keep the daily retweets going, but my body told me that it's too much. So, my head and heart have been negotiating about how to keep doing it, in a way that works for both.

When I moved to Germany, I noticed a difference: When seeing each other, they give a hug. In The Netherlands I was used to giving three kisses on the cheeks. I love this German habit, as I feel a hug is more heartwarming. So, as you can guess, adopting this new way was easy. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Wherever innocent #play is There you will find your treasure. P. Coelho (modified). Inter-species #friends (baby #deer & #Raccoon play together, No animal is "less" than another. #friendship #animals

During a walk, I had a break and sat on this bench. What a great idea to use pallets and a cable reel for seating! I've also seen people creating seating with pallets at home with cushions, so a great upcycling idea!  

Nature is a great teacher! Lilian van Daal has for example mimicked nature, to create this chair. At first it looks solid, but is surprisingly flexible. And as it doesn't require much material, is made from recycled material without glue, it is very environmentally friendly.  

Great idea to create your own, natural decoration! #sustainableLiving #upcycling Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Seed heads drying in the garage for seeds and decorations #Christmas #homegrown

For last winter and this summer season, I didn’t buy any new (or second-hand) clothes as I have enough.

This building was suddenly there: I never saw it being built. So, it is a great surprise to see trees growing on the building. These trees don't only look good, they also help to filter polluted air.

This swan knows where it’s going, heading right at it. I do this too when I set a goal: I make sure I stay focused by saying yes to things that bring me closer and no to things that don't. I can't do everything anyway, and prefer to do the things I say yes to properly. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Well this week is flying by.... Photo was taken a couple of weeks ago down in Cornwall. #TwitterNatureCommunity #birders #birdlovers #flight #nature #wildlifephotography #wildlife #nikonphotography

When I visit a hotel, I think it is great when a nice restaurant is just around the corner. So, I'm very pleased that this insect hotel has flowers right in front of it.

Have you ever got a running ovation? I did yesterday! While doing a cleanup with my mum, a group of about 15 runners passed. They all clapped for our efforts and thanked us. That was so kind! It still makes me smile when thinking about it! ❤️

Our actions often reach further than we realize. E.g. trophy hunting is changing the evolution of elephants: as elephants without tusks are kept alive, they pass on their genes, resulting in more elephants without tusks. So, I help elephants by refraining from buying #ivory. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Just for fun... the best elephant photo ever..!

With the new situation of staying at home as much as possible, I have been thinking of how to do sports. I have considered buying a trampoline, but as I prefer to not buy any new equipment, I have decided to run up and down the stairs. Yesterday, I ran 84 times up and down. Well, that definitely worked out.

After having given these goats some love, by feeding grass and leaves, he stuck out his tongue! That's a fact, but what's not is my interpretation: I can choose to assume bad intentions (e.g. being rude), but also good intentions (e.g. licking his lips). What a difference!

35 ants working together to carry a cookie. I believe “together we can achieve more”, of which this is a great example. And what I love as well, is that more ants want to join, but don't only because there is no space left to hold it. #workingtogether #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: This is again Mother Nature in all her splendor 👼🏽 👉 Ants are incredibly powerful. The weaver ant can lift 100 times its own weight. 🐜 #Nature holds so many wonders beyond our belief. 😳 Protect her in all her forms. #SDGs #Biodiversity

A long time ago, I learned that natural waste is left in forests in The Netherlands as it is better for nature including biodiversity. So, every time I see an untidy forest, I'm happy!  

When you're in a conversation or fight, do you want to be heard and understood? And do you think the other wants the same? If yes, make sure in your next conversion to understand the other first and see what happens. Chances are good that after that, you'll be heard as well.

Recently, I shared a tweet from @TheOceanCleanup, a project to rid of plastic soup. In this video I learned how it works: https://youtube.com/watch?v=31gFN3vP_0g Amazing to see how they did it, after years of tweaking, for example because an arm broke off, and not giving up. #plasticfree Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Jenny and crew are returning to shore tomorrow after a successful 12-week campaign, but in case you're still wondering how System 002 works, check this out: https://youtu.be/31gFN3vP_0g.

I had bought a piece of bread that I forgot to finish eating. So I found it in my bag, rock hard. So I decided to cut it into small pieces and feed the crumbs to the birds.

Yesterday, the Dutch news reported on prime time about melting ice in Greenland. Change is often invisible on a day to day basis, but compared to 12 years ago when I still lived in The Netherlands, climate issues are addressed often. Yay, awareness is obviously increasing!

Some railroad crossings have a sign asking drivers to switch off the engine while waiting for the train to pass. I like that, especially when the train station is next to the railroad crossing and it sometimes takes a long time for the train to pass.

Imagine you're standing still: how can you get moving? You can either move yourself, or be moved by an outside force (e.g. someone pushing you). As I prefer to move myself, and don't wait for someone else or the environment to push me, I live environmentally friendly today.

I recently shared that trees can have hundreds of kilometers or roots, and that I my head couldn't get around that yet. But after seeing this beautiful one, I can. Wow! #sustainableLiving #nature #naturelovers #trees Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Beauty of nature.💚 #nature #NaturePhotography

I learned from someone else that I can fold my waste bags from old newspapers.  As I don’t have a newspaper, I looked for one in the paper bin.  I found one and it indeed works well.

Why is composting organic waste better than sending it to landfill? In landfill, organic waste rots due to the lack of oxygen. Result: CO2 and methane. When composting, oxygen is available. Result: CO2 only. Good, as methane contributes 25x more to climate change than CO2.

If animals wouldn’t have emotions, they wouldn’t get attached to their toy, and wouldn’t love it so much that they would feed it first. #vegetarian #vegan #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Gator eats first.. 😊

A friend bought this packaging and when we opened it, we realized that the pack was only filled for 3 quarters! Imagine how much packaging is wasted for transporting air. It was eyeopening to my friend too, so I guess he'll go for another brand next time (and hopefully packaging without plastic).

This is what happens when we learn. And I like Slava's analogy with the traffic map, as I compare habits with neural motorways. When we want to do things differently, we have to drive off the motorway (not always easy as we're fast), onto a new path, sometimes cross-country. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Neurons forming connections. They look like a traffic map: #neuroscience

Have you ever thought "Why didn't I do this earlier?" and feel you lost time? I have. But how is that possible? Well, a fish also doesn't realize it's in water until it gets out. That's why I love sharing how sustainable living makes you happier, healthier and wealthier.

Last autumn, I went on holiday with one of my friends. We booked the flights well before I started this challenge. So at that point, I wasn’t that conscious yet. As I of course also didn’t want to cancel our holiday, I have decided to carbon offset the flight, so pay for the CO2 emission. This money is used for projects that support our environment.

Where I live, it is common for women to wear a white dress when they get married. For most, this is a single-use dress. So, I appreciate it when women choose to buy it second-hand or - as they used to do in the past - wear their most beautiful dress.

Boyan Slat, the initiator of this project, had an idea in school: to clean up the ocean after being shocked about the amount of plastic in the sea. Now, more than a decade later, they are getting rid of the plastic soup. Keep up the good work Boyan and team @TheOceanCleanup! Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: October 8th, 2021: the final test extraction of System 002, and the moment we knew that cleaning the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is possible.

I adopted the habit to order my drinks without drinking straw and without ice. It saves energy when I leave out the ice and enjoy my drink just as much.

Oops, this didn't work out. I took this picture to ask whether you can tell which one is from the shop. But the picture is blurred and I've already eaten both potatoes, so can't take a new one. Well, no one is perfect :) The secret: the left one grew in my compost bin!

I like this comparison, and handle with care indeed. Incredible that this exists! #nature #naturelovers #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Nature is fragile like glass… 🙏🏼Handle with care 🙏🏼🦋🥰#GlassWingButterfly

I ordered some crafting materials with an online shop some years ago. Since then, I receive their paper catalog, which is sent to me by snail mail. As I flick through the pages most of the time, but then throw it in the paper bin, I asked them to stop sending me the catalog. Instead, I’ll have a look at it online.

Nature is so much, even photogenic and a perfect model! #nature #natureLovers #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Glashaboy River near Glanmire, Cork. Acrylics on canvas. Autumn colour,fallen leaves,debris,the flow and bends in the river add to this scene by the riverbank. #hydrology #Cork #AutumnColours #glanmire #ireland #acrylicpainting

The huge flower pot in the city center I shared recently is a home not only for bees but also all kind of other insects and animals. I've never seen this one before, and am impressed! Look how quickly it eats from each flower. The slow motion's pace is 1/5 and still quick! 

I found a card game on the street that was left there by someone as a give-away.  All cards were there, but some of the chips were missing.  Instead of buying new chips or discarding the game, I now use coins as chips. PS: This is a very addictive game, so I'm glad the new chips are solid.    

A dear friend told me a story: He and 4 others got the exercise to handcuff a sheriff. They couldn’t do it but when he took off the sheriff's shoe and pulled her big toe,  she surrendered. My takeaway: not only the most powerful can make a difference for our planet: just find a good lever.

Imagine how much water this saves, great! And when I think of how the streets are cleaned here in Germany, there is no tiny truck that has to drive around to clean the streets. #sustainableLiving #environmentallyFriendly @saveourwater @CA_DWR @circleofblue @WaterOnline #SDG6 Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: In South Korea, rain water is stored and then used to clean the streets through a hydraulic system.

A while ago, I learned about the #FillTheBottleChallenge. On Twitter, people who have been picking up stumps take a picture of their results. I have been gathering quite a few as well, for example by cleaning a railway station. It looked a lot better afterwards.

Beautiful indeed! It reminds me of the cat of some far away neighbors. When I last saw her after a long time, I smiled, said to her: "Hey, it's you again! ❤️" and sat down. She crawled on my lap and I petted her. It made me happy and her too! #naturelovers #animallovers Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Nature and animals make our world a wonderful place!

Yesterday, I was asked what I want to change: In the beginning of September, I started posting a 3rd post each day. To be able to keep this up, I have written a little computer program and hired someone to write a second one to automate and speed up some copy-paste tasks.

Before leaving for a holiday, I noticed that I had some food leftovers. Instead of giving them to by neighbors (#23), I this time used them all up on a pizza. I would normally never come these ingredients, so it was a nice surprise and tasted well.

Today one year ago, I quit my job to pursue my sustainability work even more intensely. I use this milestone to reflect again on what works for me and what I want to change, so that I can keep the delicate balance between doing as much as I can and staying healthy.

I guess Jessie is now on her way. I read that she was already exhausted after riding 10 miles only recently, but now appreciates cycling a lot and sees the many benefits of it. She even convinced her dad who had to be dragged out at first. Inspiring! Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: 16-year-old Cycling UK member Jessie will cycle 570 miles to Glasgow for #COP26 climate summit She wants people across the UK to join her journey to show that pedal power is the sustainable transport solution 👉 http://bit.ly/3Drq6TR #RIDE2COP26 supported by @adventuresynd

When I am going somewhere, it often happens that people are interested in having a look at my posts.  To make it easier, I made little cards to give to them.  But instead of having them printed 1000 times at the copy shop, I only print what I need to save paper.  Also, I ask the people I give one of the cards, to give it to someone else when they don’t need it anymore.

When I first thought about living more environmentally friendly, I assumed it meant not doing or using something anymore. But it is often possible to use the same product, made from a different, more sustainable material, such as hemp and bamboo products instead of cotton.

What a cute hut! And what stands out for me as well are the plants on the roof. It is a great, natural way to insulate a house. #sustainableliving #nature #naturelovers Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Back to basics. Back to nature 🌲 Sweden 🇸🇪 🏕

Whether on a wedding or another party, I love marking my glass so that I can recognize it all day / evening. This way, no drink is lost in case I loose my glass and it saves space in the dishwasher.

When something is important for me, I don't just talk about it, I do it. For example, talking about environmental issues is great, but only making a real impact when it changes my behavior and choices. So, no surprise I not only talk about nature, I also enjoy being in it.

When we shine our white lights on a white surface, we at first only see white. But when putting the light through a different lens, we suddenly see colors. The same applies to viewpoints: by looking at a situation from a different angle we suddenly seeing a broad spectrum. Loading... Twitter Embed Code

Although I am not a fan of drinking straws (#65), I know it is sometimes needed to drink with it (for example children or people with a disability).  So when I came across this bamboo one, it made me happy knowing that they exist.

You don't need a green thumb for this. I learned that when I cut off a spring onion and leave about 5 cm (2 inches), put this in a little water and refresh this every three days, I get a new one. And here it grows: when I "planted" the left, the right one was 6 days old.

I love this wedding decoration as it is made from what others would call waste. Credit: Nina Lehmann.  

Imagine you wake up in the morning like Andrea did, and are happily surprised by all these lovely, quacking ducks! It fills my heart with love! Loading... Twitter Embed Code This is positively hilariousFace with tears of joyOMG! I have at least 50+ gorgeous happy ducks enjoying our yard! Here since the morning and it’s 2:30pm! Quack quack..DuckDuckDuckDuckDuckThey have found a duck havenGreen heart..we don’t use the pool!! It’s too coldSmiling face with open mouth and cold sweatI can’t believe this..way too CUTE!Rolling on the floor laughingBlue heartSmiling face with heart-shaped eyes

Giving shadow is maybe not the first reason we name when being asked why trees are important. But when visiting a deforested piece of land, we may suddenly find out how much trees have given us without ever realizing. A good reason to plant trees before missing them hurts. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Save trees save life.🙏

This is what I had in mind when thinking of free-range chicken. They look happy and healthy and can walk around freely. As I know where I can buy their eggs, there is no need to buy eggs from the supermarket anymore. But how are they called when not free-range chicken?

When I have done shopping and when I have used something from the fridge, I try to put it (back) in the fridge as soon as possible.  My reasoning: the longer I keep it outside, the warmer it gets, the more energy the fridge needs to cool it down again.

This is mind-blowing: When we are asked to draw a tree, we tend to draw the trunk and leaves, missing out 30% of the tree: the roots. And yet, trees can have hundreds of kilometers of roots! Imagine that!  My head can't get round it yet. Sources:  http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/1989-49-4-tree-roots-facts-and-fallacies.pdf https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2006/apr/4-28-06GardenColumn.htm

A while ago, I had so many mosquito bites that it drove me crazy. Especially when I accidentally scratched one and all the others started to itch too. A friend gave me a medicine for it, which was great. But I was also interested to see whether there are more environmentally friendly ways and found out that I can put a spoon in hot water and then put it on the bite.  

This week I've been working intensely on a gift for you. As I was in flow for many hours in a row each day, I only noticed yesterday how much I need a break. This is what I'll do more today so that I can continue working on it tomorrow #sustainableLiving #MentalHealthMatters Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Good night, little squirrel! (Or two?) 📸 ©️ Neil Andreson, Wildlife Photography of the Year

I have to say that Germany is doing a really good job in making it easy to enjoy nature. On this board you can see several Nordic walking routes that are signposted. And you can easily get to this starting point by train as there is a railway station especially for this area.

These ants instinctively know the art of caring and keeping balance. I feel that we as humans are also good at this. Just when our heads (for example ego) take over, we may take too much for ourselves, bringing ourselves and #nature out of balance. #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: 🐜This photo shows a drop of water on a tree leaf, with ants gathered to drink. They organized themselves into 4 groups of 3 to maintain balance of the water and to prevent the leaf from tilting over. They are cooperating and dividing the water equally. NATURE is AMAZING.

Last Christmas, I asked my family to – as a present – pick some items from my Challenge and put them into practice.  And they came up with a new idea too: buying a device to make sparkling water from tap water.  This saves buying bottled water in usually plastic bottles.

Sometimes we do things our way which makes us stand out. Sometimes we do things that make us fit in. For survival it's important to fit in the group; at the same time, to turn the tide for our planet, it's important to do things differently. That's how I came to be here. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: 🦗 This's how #MotherNature's perfect & diverse 😳 👉 I present you Mantis Orchid, Hymenopus Coronatus, native to the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Her mimicry with orchid flowers allows her to blend in perfectly with its surroundings to capture insects. 🦋 #SDGs #Biodiversity

Tonight, I'll look like this again: enjoying bouldering after a long time! I always go with friends and apart from e.g. running, it is one of the sports that clears my mind. It also - as I like to call it - keeps me sane and helps me to keep up my sustainability work.

I saw my friend had done this, which I think is very clever: It is helpful to put for example stones at the bottom of the pot so that too much water can sit between these stones. Instead, she used the shards of a flower pot that broke. A great way to give even what is broken a new purpose!  

I love when things are done for several good reasons.  And this is a great example:  these flowers not only make the city center even more beautiful, it is also a great place for pollinators to find food  in an otherwise paved area.

#Bees keep on impressing me: did you know they are masters at doing a wave? #savethebees #pollinators @JeffOllerton @BeesAbroad @BeeCraftMag @Buzz_dont_tweet @britishbee @BeeGuardians Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: 🐝Let's admire giant bees of Himalayas, Apis Laboriosa, which build a single immense ray in the open air, on the side of the cliffs of northern Nepal. They form these waves as we do the Hola, forming one great being that discourages Asian hornets. 😳 #Nature #SDGs #Biodiversity

I sometimes hear "this is THE solution to climate change", such as digitalization, veganism or hemp. I don't think there is one solution solving everything. Instead, I value different approaches, each having advantages and disadvantages, and thus complementing each other.

Walking with the dog of one of my friends, I asked for a bag to pick up the dog’s poo.  I was allowed to choose between a plastic and a paper one.  As the paper ones are biodegradable, I chose the latter.

When everyone does all they can to #savetheplanet, including writing a song to contribute to more environmental responsibility, the effects will be astounding! As this decision lies with each of us, I invite you to follow me: I make it simple for you to put into practice. Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: Out today on #bandcamp : 'Unique'🌍 Betty: bass/ voc/ bk voc @PSlowhand: guit Andy Abraham (Hallucination Company): guit Bertl Baumgartner (EAV, Kurt Ostbahn): drums. Cover: @designbyyse A small song for a great #Topic : #savetheplanet 💚 https://portobelloexpress.bandcamp.com/track/unique

When I see such motion sensors, for example in public bathrooms, I'm pleased, because they make sure that the light goes off when no one is using the toilet. This way, it doesn't depend on visitors thinking about switching the light off to save electricity.