365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

When traveling, I always bring at least one liter water with me. I used to have a deposit bottle that I refilled. But every now and then, I got rid of it to have a clean new one. When I saw someone with this reusable bottle, I bought one as well. It looks good (and professional when at work), contains a liter and can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Or cleaned by hand, which I do, as I use it all the time.

Did you know that surface air temperature in the Arctic rises 2.4 times faster than in the rest of the Northern hemisphere due to global warming? This causes for example coasts to thaw and land to be taken by the ocean. Learn more and see for yourself: https://medium.com/the-environment/how-arctic-coasts-are-affected-by-climate-change-760a4f391b26 Arctic coasts exist in different shapes and form (credit:  Mathias Berlin  on  Shutterstock )

When I was a teenager, I had diving lessons. I saw coral and asked the instructor whether I could take some. I'm glad he said no! 

Ha, my mind is going wild thinking about all the different ways a plastic rope can be put to good use! Some first thoughts: - decorating presents - marking wine glasses on a party - as washing line - a garden fence - a hat What ideas can you come up with? #upcycling This simple gadget turns plastic bottles into rope. Meet the Plastic Bottle Cutter by Pavel & Ian. #gigadgets #recycling #plasticfree #sustainableliving #diyideas pic.twitter.com/oBdrAsNXXe — GiGadgets (@gigadgets_) November 17, 2022

The box I shared yesterday doesn’t have a very appealing lid. So I decided to make it more beautiful. As I kept the pages that I cut out for the pencil case (#327), I could now use these to decorate the lid.  

I'm currently collecting CDs to give them a second life. Someone in my city offered me many and as I visited him, he told me he is good at repairing things. When later someone else asked for help to get a cross-trainer repaired I connected them. Together we can achieve more!

During our cycle tour, the bottle with sparkling water I brought – and later refilled with tap water – broke. A leaking bottle is not really helpful, so I wanted to throw it away. But my partner reminded me that it is much better to take it and hand it in so that it can be recycled. And, so we did!  

Yesterday I published the 100th article with fascinating facts about #nature and #sustainability! If you're not yet a Medium-member, I'm very sorry as that means you have missed a lot! But luckily it's not too late! Sign up through my link to get access to all: https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/membership

Trees are the lungs of our planet. That's why we need many of them! To grow new trees, it is possible to use seed bombs. They can even be thrown out of an airplane for easy distribution of the seeds.

Did you know that simply replanting trees does not fully compensate CO2 absorption? That is because undisturbed forests contain plants, animals, and microorganisms as well that double the amount of carbon that can be absorbed.  More fascinating facts: https://medium.com/climate-conscious/4-ways-to-protect-natural-ecosystems-and-save-our-planet-9c70de48c2e It is very important to protect ecosystems, as natural processes contribute to life on earth (credit:  Incomible  on  Shutterstock )

The cups I started using (#328) work really well, however, don’t look very organized and cannot be put aside quickly. That’s why I took a box from an Internet router and made compartments in it. Now I can just put the lid on it and stow it away.  

Congolese artists create art from European and North-American waste found in their neighborhood. As we live in a global village this feels as if we dumped our waste in our neighbor's garden! Imagine a neighbor would dump that in your garden? ..[I'm speechless].. Congolese artists repurpose waste into wonders. Incredible photos by Stephan Gladieu https://t.co/aUfoJTlBQz … pic.twitter.com/Gj4sXTRwDl — Khai (@ThamKhaiMeng) October 28, 2022

I'm currently doing a Challenge, which I absolutely love doing and already had a big positive impact on my daily life! Every day (30 days) has a super short exercise that makes me think about decisions in daily life. For example, one exercise was to list 3 things I want to say no to, so I can say yes to something else. Or listing 5 things I'm really good at. Or one day doing something kind for someone without expecting anything in return. If you would love to do this challenge too, you can join here for free: https://thebetterlife.com/i-rjcebl

Yesterday I wrote about having shorter showers to save water. I also capture the water that comes out of the tap while the water is heating up as it always takes quite a few seconds for the water to be warm enough. After showering, I use this water to rinse the bathtub, water the plants in my house or in my garden.  

Did you know that when fish waste is dumped into the ocean, it harms the environment in several ways, including reducing the amount of oxygen in the water, burying or smothering living organisms, and introducing diseases on the sea floor? So, it is important to deal with it properly! And even better, it can be put to good use in many ways: https://medium.com/climate-conscious/how-fish-waste-can-be-turned-into-a-valuable-resource-b9c9693d75c0 All parts of a fish can be used to extract valuable compounds (credit:  Natasha Breen  on  Shutterstock )

While writing an article about wildlife rehabilitation centers, I learned that animals heavily depend on volunteers. I currently don't have time to do this, but think it is a great idea to support biodiversity! More about the awesome job rehabilitation centers do: https://medium.com/the-environment/how-wildlife-rehabilitation-centers-help-animals-survive-a-catastrophe-f2339c5e37ae

All the negative news easily plants negative thoughts in my head. These negative thoughts can quickly make me feel miserable. By acknowledging what is going on, but focusing on what is going well, I bring light into the dark. How do your thoughts make you feel today?

In 2 weeks is the deadline for the We take action! award. The current theme is: clean water Don't miss the opportunity to win this trophy and much more! More information and apply here: https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/we-take-action-award

> Do you feel stuck in your sustainability project? > And you have no idea how to go from here? If yes, join the international team from the International Forum for Nature and Sustainability. Why? Make a larger positive difference for our planet, and faster, by benefiting from knowledge and skills from other experts in the field and by sharing yours. Who? Anyone who 1) has, is planning, or is part of a project/company/etc with an international focus in the field of sustainability and 2) wants to grow as a person to make an even larger positive contribution to the environment and society with this project/company/etc. How? Weekly meeting on Thursday 4:00 - 5:30 pm CET per videoconferencing Language: English Cost: free Spots are limited! Feel free to share with others in your network who could be interested as well. Learn more and sign up to join: https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/IFN-int-team

Luckily, I at the moment don’t need to take any pills. But if I do in the future, I’ll but them – if possible – in a container instead of a blister pack, as it require a lot less wrapping and therefore waste.  

Did you know that seeds can be primed, so that after planting they are more resistant against physical and biological stresses? This can for example be done using cold plasma. Plasma is gas with an electric charge. How that works is described here: https://medium.com/the-environment/cold-plasma-for-a-hot-planet-how-seed-priming-supports-higher-yields-68abe402077b Seeds are important for food security (credit:  xuanhuongho  on  Shutterstock )

I'm honored by this excellent review of my book  "365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge: 365 ways to live more sustainably" https://medium.com/@benny.regalbuto/365-sustainable-decisions-challenge-365-ideas-to-live-more-sustainably-book-review-bc5aac8575ec The author stresses that it shows that sustainable changes don't have to be life-altering. Get the book: https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/books

2018 was an extremely dry period. In 2019, it looked for a while as if another dry period would set in, so I decided to be more careful with the water I use. Now, I shower a lot shorter than I did before. I haven’t measured the exact time I take, but I believe that I shower at least half as long.  

Did you know that seaweed is super healthy? That's because it contains many nutrients, protects against for example cancer and inflammations, and can for example reduce pain in joints. Learn more fascinating facts about seaweed: https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/dont-underestimate-seaweed-4-ways-seaweed-contributes-to-a-more-sustainable-future-4a5a4ba078f Seaweed is a product that can help us reach a more sustainable future (credit:  Color Brush  on  Shutterstock )

Today, the IFN international team meeting was awesome again! For each participant, we discussed the questions “What are 2 things that would be awesome if they would happen tomorrow?” and very important “What can I do today to make it more likely that this happens?” Even if it just takes 5 minutes or less, moving in the right direction is worth it. So, let’s not wait for the big leap, and focus on taking small steps straight away! Only then the big leap can come. Would you like to learn together as well, so that you can make a bigger difference for our environment faster? Join the team here: https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/IFN-int-team Image credit: Hayley Murray on Unsplash  

I am lucky enough to have a lot of green around my house. But when living in the middle of a big city, I think making a roof green is a brilliant idea! Has many advantages, both for us, the city, and nature! https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/how-growing-plants-on-roofs-boosts-a-citys-resilience-and-sustainability-50bad3651e70

Did you know that when urine and feces from cows mix, a lot more methane is produced than when they are spread in the field? As methane is 21-25 times worse than CO2 but only stays around 12 years, reducing methane levels limits climate change quickly. More fascinating facts: https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/how-controlling-methane-gas-emissions-helps-us-mitigate-climate-change-94ebffea23e2

The barrels yesterday (#372) were used to capture rain. But when you don’t need them anymore, you can use them as pot. Good idea!  

Does this sand storm take your breath away? It does for people who are in it, as these storms take the air to breath! Scarily, they become worse and more common due to climate change. This way it becomes possible to suffocate due to climate change. That's why I take action! https://twitter.com/WMO/status/989548389376385026/video/1

Yesterday, I wrote about deciding to use butter with as little wrapping as possible. Sometimes, butter is presented without wrapping at all, which is even better. More and more often, I can choose between a sandwich spread that is provided in a refillable glass and one that is wrapped in plastic. This time, I wanted to eat the chocolate spread but decided to eat marmalade. And this time I forgot, but next time, I’ll let the hotel know that I appreciated the refillable-glass-solution.  

Did you know that by reading my articles, you can contribute to a healthier planet? I donate 1 tree EVERY MONTH, for those who joined through my link. I'm excited to have just donated 40 trees, thanks to many loyal readers! Join here too ($5/month): https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/membership Overview of my articles: https://medium.com/@ErlijnG

id you know that batteries of electric vehicles can be recycled? They can for example be crushed into powder to be able to extract valuable materials. Here you can see for yourself and learn more about the steps required for different technologies: https://medium.com/@ErlijnG/recycling-batteries-from-electric-cars-is-possible-this-is-how-6d4b60e8b350 Electric vehicles reduce CO2 emissions, but it is important that batteries are recycled (credit:  Chesky  on  Shutterstock )

I was asked to fill in a research survey, which I did. At the end, I was informed that they would do a donation because of me answering. I was able to choose the charity. And even though they are all doing great work, I chose the charity contributing to the environment.

Today, at the IFN international team meeting, we again had exiting discussions. For example about the importance of small, off-grid solar systems to generate power for small devices. They are now often used for camping or in case of an emergency, but they could be very helpful in daily life as well. And working together when taking action towards a healthier planet is very important! For example, to build trust, take responsibility, share information, and bring clarity. So, when you would like to benefit from input from other experts and present your project, you can find more information about joining the team at https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/IFN-int-team  

Did you know that Norway is building a CO2 cemetery? The goal is to capture CO2 from the air, turn it into a liquid, and store it in huge underground reservoirs that used to contain oil. 18 other strategies to cool our planet down: https://medium.com/the-environment/its-getting-hot-19-strategies-that-can-help-our-planet-to-cool-down-2eaa96c29130

I came across a shed that had these barrels to capture rain. I think that is a clever idea for watering the plants when there is no stream close by (#283).

  > Has your internationally focused  sustainability  project/company not reached its full potential yet? > And do you feel an external input would give it a boost? If yes, join the international team from the International Forum for Nature and Sustainability. Why? Make a larger positive difference for our planet, and faster, by benefiting from knowledge and skills from other experts in the field and by sharing yours. Who? Anyone who 1) has, is planning, or is part of a project/company/etc with an international focus in the field of sustainability and 2) wants to grow as a person to make an even larger positive contribution to the environment and society with this project/company/etc. How? Weekly meeting on Thursday 4:00 - 5:30 pm CET per videoconferencing Language: English Cost: free Spots are limited! Feel free to share with others in your network who could be interested as well. Learn more and sign up to join: https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/IFN-int-team Cred...