Towards sustainability

Prepare yourself ! Climate resilience

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prepare yourselfSome people prepare for Judgment Day, some others for a Zombie apocalypse. A few prepare for an alien invasion or when their government will start going dictatorship on them. I won’t discuss here these eventualities.

However I seriously advise you to increase your climate resilience. With a warming and weirding climate, as well as with increasing resource scarcity,  all kinds of disruptions are due to occur sooner rather than later.

This is why the first step is to slash the amount of resources you use. Whether we are talking about basic commodities or gizmos and gadgets, consuming less is always a good idea.

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The Meat Eater’s Guide

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If on your way towards sustainability you are wondering what’s the best meat to eat climate-wise, here is just what you need. The US Environmental Working Group (EWG) published a Meat Eater’s Guide with a full report and an infographic. There you will find a lot of information of what is your best source of … Read more

Feeling down about climate ? Read this

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PessimismGiven how climate change is VERY serious and how little we are currently working on it, it’s easy to feel a bit under the weather. No wonder more and more people are feeling anxious about their near future or what world they will leave to their children.

This week I came across two posts on that very topic. Climate Progress, as usual provides great information and advice. And so does Grist and their great columnist, Umbra. I strongly urge you to read both articles in full as they really are giving hope.

But the main point is : each and everyone of us has part of the key to a more sustainable – and simply a livable – world. So there is no reason to feel depressed if we act.

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Towards sustainability, reloaded : transport

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(Word of caution : this is a repost from an old series) For the fourth installment of these series – see the previous articles on heating, electricity and water– I would like to propose you a selection of the best tips to help you using less your car.

Doing so is good for your health, your budget, your community and our common environment. It is also one of the most efficient step to cut your greenhouse gases emissions.

Spring is the best moment to do so as the weather is becoming more clement and allows to get back on our bikes. It is also the best way to prepare for summer.

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Towards sustainability, reloaded : water

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For the third installment of the series – see the previous articles on heating and electricity – I would like to propose you a selection of the best tips to help you to decrease your water consumption. Water scarcity is a major problem today as many countries and regions of the globe (South Asia, China, … Read more

Towards sustainability, reloaded : electricity

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For the second part of this series – the first one was on heating – we are having a look at electricity consumption of households and the various ways we can decrease it.

This will enable you to have lower energy bills – always a good thing with the hard times we have – to cut your carbon dioxide emissions and thus enable you to have a more sustainable lifestyle.

From your lightning to the various appliances around you, the opportunities for savings are numerous and this post propose you a selection of three.

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Towards sustainability, reloaded

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Back to 2009, I had started – but not finished – a series due to help you going towards sustainability. I am proposing you to re-publish it this year and finish it. This series’ goal is to help you cut your carbon and environmental footprint.

I must have four times more subscribers, so hopefully this will reach and help more of you. Please let me know if you have other tips and / or if these ones are actually helping you.

I am starting today with the first one, on heating as it is behind an important part of the energy consumption of buildings, this is where we begin.

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Spineless leaders and our common collapse

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Let’s talk about the current economic and financial downturn, shall we ? With my educational background in international management, I am following the events quite closely. Besides, I am personally concerned by the economic situation…

If I have been referring to a triple crisis for some time now, Thomas L Friedman from the New York Times noted recently that he believes we are in a quadruple crisis with America, Europe, China and the Arab world at the core.

Now, The Economist, in its October 1st edition is talking about ” spineless leaders “. The article is just incredibly frightening and an absolute must read and must share.

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Going further in reducing our amounts of waste

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You may remember my article in June on waste in my Towards sustainability series. I was there mentioning the three Rs : Reducing, Recycling and Reusing. which are the basis of a more sustainable management of waste Now TreeHugger presents us with 7 Rs adding Rot (as nearly 40 percent of the world’s garbage is … Read more

Towards sustainability: food

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Towards sustainabilityFor the fifth part of these series – see the previous articles on heating, electricity, water and transport – I would like to tackle food in general. This is an important issue for both the health and the environment.

At a time where weight issues keep on increasing – to the World Health Organization, there are globally over a billion people overweight and 300 million obeses – food is becoming an environmental issue because of climate change.

This is important as to the International Panel on Climate Change, agriculture accounts for a fifth of global greenhouse gases emissions.

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Towards sustainability: water

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towards-sustainabilityFor the third installment of the series – see the previous articles on heating and electricity – I would like to propose you a selection of the best tips to help you to decrease your water consumption.

Water scarcity is a major problem today as many countries and regions of the globe (South Asia, China, Australia…) are suffering from this phenomenon which is due to increase in the very next future.

Spring is the best moment to do so as aquifers and water tables have been repleted by the winter’s rain and snow of the previous months. It is also the best way to prepare for summer.

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Towards sustainability: electricity

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towards-sustainabilityFor the second part of this series – the first one was on heating – we are having a look at electricity consumption of households and the various ways we can decrease it.

This will enable you to have lower energy bills – always a good thing with the hard times we have – to cut your carbon dioxide emissions and thus enable you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

From your lightning to the various appliances around you, the opportunities for savings are numerous and this post propose you a selection of three.

Read more

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