365 Sustainable Decisions Challenge

I've wanted to donate towards planting trees for a while, but wasn't sure which project to pick.  Until I found this project, to which I donated today.  What I love about it is that 100% of the donation goes to the project and the trees are taken care of for 7 years! This is the project:  https://gofund.me/b69072f1

I have learned that using a compost bin closes the cycle naturally: organic waste is composted and can then be used as fertilizer.  So, I decided to get one, but I don’t want to have a plastic one.  I looked up on the Internet how to make one.  I’m happy to now have one from sustainable materials. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks   

Today, I spoke to a friend who has lost most of his income due to Corona.  Instead, he's doing a project he wanted to do for a long time, replacing his income.  What I love about it, is that he accepted the inevitable change and focused on his progress.  Even when it's scary.

Whenever I have used paint but haven‘t finished it, I store the can upside down. This helps keeping the tin sealed so that no air comes in and therefore the paint fresh for longer. This way, I can use it at a later date instead of having to throw it away and buy a new tin. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks    

My current freelance job is setting up an online university course.   To make the theoretical content tangible, I use examples.   As sustainability and climate change are front of mind to me, I use these subjects for examples.   It's also a great way to address them indirectly.

I’m still not happy with the amount of warm water I use for showering, even though I take shorter showers (#9), I switch the tap off when washing my hair (#28), I’m not fully opening the tap (#35) and am collecting water while it is heating up (#10).  So, I decided to try to wash myself at the sink using a washcloth.  That worked very well, so I’m now going to shower every odd day and see how it goes. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks   

When I learn something and want to make sure I don't forget, I make a frame.  During crafting and each time I walk past it, I repeat the lesson, even when I don't pay attention consciously.  I made this one with printer ink from a printer I don't have anymore. 

When I see a car parked like you see in the left picture, I always have to think about my dad who told me when I was very young how bad this is for the wheel. So, by parking properly, it is possible to prevent wheel damage, which helps the wheel to last longer. And this then of course saves waste and money.  Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so:  > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks  

When I started changing my habits 621 days ago, my loved ones had to get used to this.  Luckily, this went smoothly.  In case you have to put a bit more effort into convincing them, stay strong.  When I started, I was the only green fish, now I'm part of a swarm of green fish. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks

I have learned that using a compost bin closes the cycle naturally: organic waste is composted and can then be used as fertilizer. So, I decided to get one, but I don’t want to have a plastic one. I looked up on the Internet how to make one. I’m happy to now have one from sustainable materials. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks   

Last week I was contacted by the office of Bill Gates.  Because they noticed that I'm "working to prevent a climate crisis", they offered me a free copy of his new book.  I'm honored!  

Recently, I went on a plog, which is a run whilst gathering waste on the way. As you see, I gathered a lot. What I learned is that it is better to bring a small bag and empty it in bins on the was, as I already soon couldn‘t run with this huge bag anymore. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: >  https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks    

What is more important to you, being right or being happy?  Wanting to be right often makes conversations tense.  In this video I explain how you can make them more loving and be happy:  > https://youtu.be/FQVETHAiNYM Please give it a try and see how it will change your life.

Being on the road again and having a treat, I didn’t manage to get rid of the paper cups. But I did manage to refuse a plastic fork that they wanted to give me. Even though not being perfect, I’m glad that I could do something. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks  

Where I am from, you can do a wish when you blow away the seeds of a dandelion. One of the girls in the this post below found one and wished that people take better care of nature. Do you want to make her wish come true too? Please share when you do!

I think it is a great idea to use an empty tin as a pen holder. For this one, I took some strong paper, folded part of the outer layer to the inside* and put another layer on the inside. This way the tin is not visible anymore and I can‘t cut myself accidentally.   * By incising the paper every centimeter or so, it is easier to fold the paper to the inside of the tin. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks    

Yesterday, I told someone about my new plan for earning a living. In that context, she used the word failure. But this is not a failure to me: I just acted for 6 months according to my previous plan, recently reflected on it, learned from it and made another plan.  Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks

In the restaurant, I chose a tasty meal. As I was really hungry, it wasn’t enough to be filled up. So, I asked others at the table, who had some food left, whether it was okay for me to finish their plates. They were happy to do so, so in the end, I was glad that I only had a small meal. No food was wasted. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: > https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks

Recently, I spoke at the Scientists for Future conference. I explained why your impact when living more environmentally friendly is a lot larger than you realize. (Language: German)  > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs5pTHMOqNU

Last Christmas, I had a present that was hard to wrap into a paper wrapping. That‘s why I had the idea to use a reusable cloth instead. And apparently, this is very common in other countries. When you search for „furoshiki“ in your favorite search engine, you‘ll find more about this and how to make it look really good. Was this helpful or are you inspired and would you like to say "thank you"? Here are some suggestions on how you can do so: >  https://www.sustainabledecisions.eu/thanks