Every year on April 22 it’s Earth Day. This is an international event to raise awareness for the environmental problems we face. On Earth Day people are called to action to help our planet. This Earth Day I want to talk about waste. Just for a moment, really think about this question:

What happens to your stuff when you throw it away?

Yes, some things can be recycled. But a huge part of our waste ends in the ocean or in landfills. There are already millions tons of plastic in the ocean. And sadly it can take 500 years before plastic breaks down. Landfills are also a problem. They produce toxic gas and leak chemicals. These are just a couple of reasons why we should try to create less waste. You can start small. By using a refillable bottle, you already prevent a lot of plastic bottles from becoming waste. Bring your own bags when shopping, so you don’t have to use plastic bags.

If you want to know more about this, I recommend:

• The TEDx Talk The Non-Disposable Life by Lindsay Miles is a great one for starters. Just like me Lindsay thought she was doing the right thing by recycling. But she realized it’s even better to create less waste or no waste at all.

• The TEDx Talk Why I live a zero waste life by Lauren Singer is inspiring. She clearly explains which steps you can take to create less waste.

• I also have to include the TED Talk The disarming case to act right now on climate change by Greta Thunberg. This one isn’t specifically about zero waste. But Greta is a true climate herione and a huge source of inspiration for me.

• The podcast Sustainainable Minimalists is also interesting. They give tips to live more eco-friendly with less stuff. Especially the episode Fantasy v. Reality was a good one. It’s about how fortunate people make unwanted stuff someone else’s problem. People think they are doing a good deed by donating old clothes to developing countries. But the huge amounts literally pile up. I was quite shocked after listening to this episode.

Today is an important day: Earth Day. This is a day on which thousands of people take action for the environment. You may not have heard of Earth Day, but I am quite sure you are aware of climate change. You probably know it has something to do with higher temperatures, droughts and floods. Maybe you also heard about the Paris Climate Conference in 2015. Perhaps you already know climate change is an important subject. But you may not know why. Or you just want to learn more about it. Than this post is for you! I have collected some interesting stuff about climate change. I hope this will help you understand why it is important and how you can help to save our earth!

Before the Flood (2016)
In this epic documentary Leonardo DiCaprio goes on a journey to witness climate change firsthand. Everything is very well-explained, and Leonardo DiCarpio also gives solutions that could help to stop it. Before the Flood shows the threat of global warming, but also gives hope for the future. It is one of my all time favourite documentaries!

TED talk – The case for optimism on climate change | Al Gore
It is important that influential people like Al Gore battle climate change. As a politician he talked a lot about the subject, made two movies about it and is vegan himself. In this informative TED talk he explains why we have to change and that this is totally possible.

TED talk – How we’re growing baby corals to rebuild reefs | Kristen Marhaver
I love TED talks, because you can learn so much in only 20 minutes. Especially the videos about lesser known subjects are interesting, like this one about coral reefs. Kirsten Marhaver told me about a consequence of global warming I wasn’t aware of.

Sustainable baby steps
This website already helped me a lot, and still does. It is the place to be for people who want to live a more sustainable live, but do not know where to start. The site explains why it is important and which steps you can take. It can be as easy as buying a reusable water bottle!

Reduce Footprints
This blog gives simple ideas to reduce your ecological footprint. It is no longer updated, but still has a big list with challenge to live a greener live. The footprint they are talking about measures the quantity of nature that is needed to support you. The problem is that humanity uses more natural capital than Earth can renew. You can measure your own ecological footprint with the Footprint Calculator.

Happy Earth Day! And remember:

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can do little.
Do what you can.”
– Sydney Smit

Did you know today is Earth Day? I wish I did not have to ask this question. A day on which people take action against environmental issues should be far more important. Not only deserves our planet its own day, it is also necessary. Here is why: climate change is real, it is probably caused by humans and proceeds at a very high rate. Without doubt you have heard about the consequences: higher temperatures, rise of the sea level, melting of sea ice and glaciers, and more extreme weather. But these consequences are not only something for the future. They are happening right now. On photos you can actually see how a lot of glaciers have melted in the last hundred years.

One of the most important actions taken against climate change was the conference held in Paris last December. 195 countries adopted an international climate agreement. Today most of these countries will be represented in New York to sign the Paris Agreement. One of the key goals is to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius between now and 2100. This goal can only be reached if all countries work together, and every one of them will significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

For a long time I asked myself: What difference will make a reduction of my own greenhouse gas emissions? Of course I cannot limit global warming on my own. But I believe every individual can make a difference. By making a change, you can be an inspiration for other people to make the same change, who in their turn can inspire more people. I think it was Mahatma  Gandhi who said:

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

Here are some things you can do to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions:

• Eat less meat and dairy products. Livestock is responsible for half of all human-related emissions. Cows produce methane that is far more destructive than carbon dioxide. Furthermore, for the land that is necessary to cultivate animal food, thousands of acres of rain forests are destroyed. If everyone would have only one meatless day per week in the United States, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.
• Choose more often for public transport or your bike instead of your car. Or use an electric car. The burning of gasoline releases carbon dioxide, after all.
• Buy more organic and sustainable products. Companies make products largely based on the wishes of their consumers. So if more people ask for products that are environment friendly produced, I believe companies will act according to this wish. By buying sustainable products, you also reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. If you buy, for example, a recyclable bag, less materials need to be transported and processed to make new bags.
• Choose green energy, like wind power or solar panels. Renewable sources of energy produce less carbon dioxide.