The Green Fix on sustainable development: what does it actually mean?
A guide to sustainability in unsustainable times, and a chat with the NIOT Foundation.
Feeling distracted today? Same.
I put off writing the introduction today because I was waiting for, you know. The Results. You know the ones I mean. I went to bed mentally drafting an intro about how to channel despair into power, if the worst should pass.
But instead I woke up today to no answers, just a prolonged limbo. A stream of anxiety-inducing live updates on your media outlet of choice. No dramatic announcements, just… uncertainty. Again.
Uncertainty is so rife these days, we’re all sick with it. Long-term plans become hazy and hard to pin down. Twitter heralds the End of Times, every day.
Of course we’re distracted. Of course we’re tired. Of course everything is delayed today. I was going to delay this because I feel it too.
Let me preface this by saying: this is a time to look after yourself first. If another email exhausts you, save it and come back to it later. Turn off notifications. It’s unlikely you actually need to hear the ‘breaking news’ the exact second it’s announced. You don’t have to be productive every day. Taking a break isn’t giving up.
Take a break, then channel your emotional and mental energy into what you can do. Because when I am silent, the fossil fuel lobby groups are not. While I wallow, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
We can’t control the results of the election, but (for most of us) the election results can’t control us either. There is always an opportunity to do some good. There are thousands of activists, NGOs, thinktanks and politicians working to improve the future of people and planet.
So yeah. I wanted this to be motivational but now I fear it borders on cheesy. Blame the news-induced jitters and too many nights scrolling through inspirational quotegraphics on Instagram. The point is - there is always good, there is always something we can do. Let’s not fall victim to the myth of our own powerlessness.
I’m going to make a cup of tea or (decaf) coffee. Probably resist the urge to check Twitter for answers it never gives me. Then go back to my laptop and keep on keeping on.
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What’s Going On?
South Korea and Japan pledge to become carbon-neutral by 2050, following a similar earlier announcement by China.
Relevant: What countries have a carbon-neutrality goal?Thousands of climate activists, politicians and NGOs have joined a campaign to #WithdrawTheCAP, after the EU passed a controversial reform of its Common Agricultural Policy which risks undermining the EU’s own climate goals.
Context: What is the CAP?The Trump administration is burying reports of the benefits of renewable energy.
Perhaps relevant: I’m having trouble thinking about current events and not losing my mindThe US and the UK produce more waste per person than any other country, according to a new study.
Relevant: 5 ways you can tackle plastic wasteFossil fuel company Shell posts a Twitter poll that backfires spectacularly.
Context: What’s so bad about Shell?
Focus On… Sustainable Development
The team behind NIOT Foundation on what sustainable development actually means, and what we can do about it.
NIOT is a small, active team of environmentally aware teenagers from Norway. The group was created in 2017, when a group of friends were sick of people talking about saving the earth but not doing anything about it. They came up with the idea of a small team spreading awareness through social media and in real life.
Q: What is NIOT and what are NIOT's goals?
NIOT stands for ‘Now Is Our Time’, meaning that if we want change, we have to make it ourselves. If we start to act on this when we’re adults, the climate crisis will be too late to fix. The future lies in the hands of the youth, and we want to spread knowledge and awareness to ordinary people, so we can save our planet. Because nobody will do it for us.
Q: What do you do?
On our Instagram account we post ‘Weekly News’, where we highlight important climate news stories every week; ‘Trivia Tuesday’, where we post fun trivia quizzes about environmental topics, and we will occasionally post about other important causes and topics.
Q: What are the SDGs and why are they important?
Not only is the environment our top priority, but also human rights and values. In 2015, the United Nations created the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a more sustainable future by 2030.
There are 17 goals, which cover the global challenges we face today, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
Q: How can we make an effort to be sustainable?
We know as well as anyone how hard it can be to stay sustainable in 2020, but there are many things you can do to promote a more sustainable lifestyle!
Walk, bike or take the bus instead of driving! Walking and biking promote good health, and cars are a huge driver of global warming, so that's two birds with one stone.
Don’t eat as much meat, or even go vegan! It’s good for your health and amazing for the climate. If you have medical requirements which make this hard for you, that’s okay! Don’t force diets upon yourself, the most important thing is to stay happy and healthy.
Try to reduce the amount of plastic you buy, and buy more sustainable materials instead. Some quick alternatives could be:
Bring your own bag to the store instead of purchasing plastic bags.
Instead of plastic products, try these:
Bamboo toothbrushes, which are usually locally available in grocery stores or pharmacies.
Instead of plastic bottles and lunch boxes, and single-use plastic straws, use metal ones. Metal tupperware holds out for longer.
Reusable plates and cutlery.
Some swaps to reduce your plastic use, by Friends of the Earth Turn off lights & unplug sockets when they’re not in use. Excessive use of energy is also a waste of resources.
Sort and recycle your waste into the proper places. Most recycling parks come with instructions on where to sort what, and you can find information online.
If you can afford it, buy sustainable clothing. Although sustainable fashion brands are great for the environment, they’re usually expensive for ordinary people, and we end up buying clothes from a cheaper and usually far less ethical brand. Some cheap and eco-friendly alternatives to fast fashion are:
Antique or thrift shops: you never know what sort of gems you can find while thrifting, and they’re neutral in CO2 emissions.
If you can, make your own clothes! We definitely suggest learning how to sew, fix and make clothing, because it’s a great skill to have and it’s very environmentally friendly.
Check out The Green Fix emails on slow fashion, and decoding your clothing tags for more on sustainable fashion
Support the NIOT Foundation by following them on Instagram @niotfoundation.
So Now What Do I Do?
LEARN MORE
Read ‘What’s the difference between green, eco-friendly and sustainable?’
Take a free online course on the SDGs. Here’s a massive list of all the free courses available.
You may be wondering ‘do my individual actions actually make any difference?’ The answer could fill a book. But in short: yes, and here’s why.
TRY SOMETHING NEW
Check out the UN’s ‘Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World,’ with a checklist of small actions you can take to make an impact.
Download the free UN app with an uncatchy name (A World) but a better mission to make sustainability easier for individuals.
Follow & support NGOs and social justice activists. On Instagram I recommend @ajabarber, @mikaelaloach and NGO @greenpeace. (P.S tell me what accounts you recommend in the comments at the bottom of this email!)
CHANGE THE SYSTEM
Sustainability is held back by inequality. Help close the social justice gap by speaking up for inclusivity & equality where you are. If you don’t know what to ask for, here are 15 ways to build an inclusive workplace.
Ask your company to make measurable & specific commitments to the SDGs. Here’s a handbook of advice on what businesses can do. (At uni? Here’s a guide for how you can bring the SDGs to your campus).
Sustainable development is all-encompassing & far more than 9 bullet points of work. Rather than miss out crucial info, I want to share this amazing guide on tangible, effective action you can take for each of the SDGs.
Stay in the loop
The topic for the next Green Fix is decided through a weekly poll on my Instagram @coffee_and_casstaways, as well as responses in this feedback survey. I also use Instagram to share additional resources and tips that don’t make it onto this newsletter. Say hi!