365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

I received a message recently: “Erlijn, can I give your phone number to my friend Hans? He's been hacked and is totally upset.” A day later, Hans called me because someone had bought products worth over €2000 - with his money. In this video (with English subtitles), I show you how this could have happened and how the attacker may have proceeded - and also what you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Don’t wait until it’s too late! https://youtu.be/xffwZTteiEA?si=fxhfyKTfLt2UNG8R

I'm proud to be one of the nature investors that have supported this important Planet Wild mission to save lemurs from extinction: Madagascar is the only place on Earth where lemurs live in the wild. These incredible creatures have been living in forests already for millions of years—but now, their home in Madagascar is disappearing. 80% of the island's forests is gone due to wildfires and deforestation. Planet Wild traveled to Madagascar to help the organization Planet Madagascar create a future where both people and lemurs can thrive. In this wonderful video, you can see what they have achieved: https://youtu.be/WqjWE_qQAy8

Have you ever spent years doing something one way, only to discover a much faster, easier method? And then thought, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” The same is true for digitalization in energy—it can make the energy transition faster, smarter, and more effective. But many still hesitate to embrace it. Digital tools can optimize energy use, reduce waste, and drive sustainability—but only if built on a strong foundation. That means: ✅ Security by design – Preventing cyber threats and ensuring reliable infrastructure. ✅ Overcoming psychological barriers – Addressing fears and misconceptions about digitalization. If we ignore these, we risk slowing down progress. But if we embrace them, we unlock massive potential for sustainable energy. The future of energy isn’t just about new technology—it’s about trust, security, and mindset shifts. By tackling these challenges head-on, we can accelerate the transition to clean energy and make smarter decisions for our planet. In my keynote talks a...

I am excited to share that I’ve joined Planet Wild as a Nature Investor! 🌿 Planet Wild is a global community of nature enthusiasts stepping up to protect the planet's biodiversity. 🌍 Exactly my type of thing! The natural world is vanishing at an unbelievable rate. Every day, we are losing 135 plant and animal species. Every. Single. Day. That’s 50,000 species a year! Sooner or later, this will lead to ecosystem collapse! Unless we do something about it. So, how is the Planet Wild community making a difference? Every month, the community crowdfunds global rewilding projects at the front lines to: 🦁 Bring back endangered species 🌊 Revive ocean and aquatic habitats 🌳 Restore entire landscapes Everything is documented in videos to showcase what our support really achieves on the ground. Here is just one example of how the community restored an ancient forest: https://youtu.be/BiDBAU2d7oE This is one of the most important things in the world right now, so join me in becoming a ...

Awwww, my heart just melted! 💚 In between all my brainy activities—teaching, preparing classes and courses, writing books, etc.—my brain sometimes just needs a break. And what better way than a bit of litter-picking? It’s simple, refreshing, and can't be more brainless! Today, I needed that break, so I went out—even though it was windy, cold, and even briefly snowed. Halfway through my route, two teachers with 16 children stopped to cross the road. One of the teachers turned to the kids and said, "We just talked about all the litter around here. Look, this lady has been picking it up. That is awesome, so what do we say?" In their adorable, squeaky voices, all 16 kids yelled together: "THAAAAANK YOOOUUUU!" Oh, how wonderful! My heart melts again just writing this. 💚 It’s small moments like these that remind me: Every little action matters, and people—especially kids—are watching and learning from what we do. So, if you ever feel like clearing your mind and maki...

Yesterday, I planned to set out for another litter-picking round, expecting to be alone—but boy, was I wrong! It was a beautiful winter morning, with the sun shining bright, so I very much felt like going out. The day before, I had noticed a lot of litter along a street - which we cleaned about half a year ago. So, I decided to return and clean it up once more. As it was short notice, I didn't expect anyone to join, but asked anyway. One said she would be able to join at 3 pm, which worked for me too. Since two people already make a team, I shared the plan with the rest of the Sch(m)utzengel litter-picking group. In the end, we were with 5! Wow, it feels so great to be part of this wonderful group and making a positive difference with them! We gathered 2.5 bags full of trash, 2 buckets with paint leftovers, and a large piece of steel (no idea what that is). I hope you’ll give it a try soon too. You never know how rewarding it feels until you do. And who knows who might join you? 💚