365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

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!

  🦋 Back in February 2024, I found myself captivated by one of nature’s most extraordinary travelers: the monarch butterfly. 🧳 Their epic migration, spanning up to 4,000 kilometers from Canada and the U.S. to the forests of central Mexico, is breathtaking. And fascinating: It takes up to five generations of butterflies to complete this journey each year! ‼️ But this incredible journey is now in danger. The monarch butterfly was listed as endangered in 2022, with populations having plummeted by as much as 80% in just a decade. The triple threat of climate change, pollution, and habitat loss is pushing them closer to extinction. 🌺 This is critical, because monarchs are pollinators. This means that as migrate, they help plants reproduce, spread seeds, and build biodiversity — all essential for a healthy environment and resilient food systems. ✒️ Because I was captivated, I wrote an article about these fascinating creatures, sharing not only their story but also ways we can hel...

As insect populations have gone down drastically in the last few decades, for example due to pesticide use, saving insects is important. This is important because they are critical to a healthy planet and healthy us. That is why I have caught spiders today in my house and set them free instead of killing them.

When I have leaves on the grass, I rake them away (#79). However, when they are in the border, I leave them, as they provide insects and other small animals a great place to hide.  

When in the future I will move and I can decide how the garden will look like, I’ll make sure I have as many plants as possible. Plants provide more space for animals to live than for example a terrace.  

Another way to help insects is becoming a beekeeper. I cannot currently do this, but I keep it in mind for the future.

In my garden sat a bee which did not move when coming closer. My boyfriend picked him up to bring him to the place for bees to drink (#262). But he didn’t want to go there. Nor did he want to go to the insect hotel (#291). Therefore, we we fed him with honey. That’s what he needed, because after eating from it, he flew off.

As stones and asphalt don't give much room for plants and animals to live, using mulch is a better way to support biodiversity.

I have build an insect/bug hotel made from materials that I found in nature and leftovers from previous projects. I really enjoyed making it and hope that many insects find a place to live here.

This is great advice! When you know that ants won't hang around for long, when they have entered your house, you know you can let them be. This helps saving insects. #biodiversity #ants #insects #sustainableLiving Loading... Twitter Embed Code Retweet text: #InsectOfTheWeek As the ground begins to warm up, you will see #ants emerging from cracks and corners outside. They may wander into houses in early spring before their food is available, but don't kill them. Keep your food sealed and high up - they won't hang around for long.

I have planted a lot of flowers (#248). To make sure the bees also have something to drink, I took an old pot that was left behind by someone, filled it with water and put old corks in it. I was so happy when I saw a bee using it (top left corner)!

In my garden, I have a part that is reserved for herbs and other edible plants. This year, I got rid of the weeds and planted flowers for the bees and herbs for cooking. I’m looking forward to the result!

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.

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 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.

This is made with so much love! Look at this gorgeous hotel for bees in which some already found their home! And the great thing: it's of practical use for the owner too: the holes are drilled so that they form the house number. You can get yours #ad https://www.etsy.com/nl/listing/922846446/bij-gebouw

I came across this lawn and noticed one part with a sign. The sign said that this part was on purpose left as is, so that flowers can grow and insects have a place to go. And there was even a phone number in case I had any questions.  

On my research what I can do to help insects, I learned that a pot with some straw in it – I hope the bamboo fluff also works – is a great home for them. Once I found one of these pots on the streets, left their by someone who wanted to give it so someone else, I decided to make one. I hope some little creatures feel well here.

I discovered something: these larvae growing up in a pot with water swim backwards! And the good news: putting a pot with still water outside apparently helps insects!

This spider was drowning in my bath, so I rescued it and set it outside. Unfortunately, help came too late this time, but I‘m glad I at least tried. Hopefully I‘m on time when it happens again.