My personal climate change wake up moment

I’ve always been a bit of a nerd 🤓: I studied Physics at Uni and worked as a Research Scientist developing clean energy solutions, so I have been aware of climate issues for some time. However, the tipping point for me was visiting my beautiful ancestral home in the Indus Valley and seeing plastic everywhere! Ground-water levels dropping ever lower, flash-floods, scorched Earth and soil erosion!

Improvements I've made

I initiated programs to educate people about plastic waste, arranged clean-up projects and planted thousands of trees. I’ve come to love and respect trees! They are incredible. Not only do they take CO2 out of the atmosphere and give us oxygen to breath, they provide us with fruits, nuts, and even medicine from their roots, bark, leaves, flowers and berries. This is why I have been helping plant thousands of them; we provide for them, and they provide for us, it’s a win-win situation, but it’s still not enough. Being a seasoned investment professional, I decided I need to put my money where my mouth is, so now I develop investment strategies for climate impact investing; you could say I’m a “climate activist capitalist.”

Things I need to work on

Keep educating people about climate change and climate impact investing. It’s important for us to move away from a consumption-led mindset and towards learning about how to manage our finances for the future. Better still, we all have the power to make a positive difference with our savings. Having cut consumption, increased recycling, eating local produce and less meat, my focus now is on impacting a positive change through investments! Every €, $, £, ¥, ₨ or any other CCY has the power to change the world. So let's create a positive future!

My personal climate change wake up moment

When I was thirteen years old, we watched the Al Gore film “An inconvenient truth” in my English class. It was the first time I had climate change and its impacts explained to me so painstakingly clear and ever since then it’s been in my life. I am reminded of it by hot summers, dying forests and less and less snow to ski. As a passionate skier it’s a sad reality: No snow, no show - so the snow must go on.

Improvements I've made

I focused my master studies on social and nonprofit marketing and developed a passion for campaigning for political and climate justice issues working for the online petition platform Change.org during my master studies. I try to be a conscious consumer, I bring my own bags and water bottles everywhere, separate my bins and live (mostly) vegetarian. And like everyone else I still think there is so much more I could and should do, but I guess you need to start somewhere.

Things I need to work on

My weak spot is my Co2 emissions spent flying to Ireland to visit my boyfriend and friends on a somewhat regular basis. As of the moment I haven’t figured out a way to avoid this, but let’s see what the future will bring. 

My personal climate change wake up moment

Growing up in a small town in the Italian Alps, I saw, in a relatively short period of time, the temperature rising sensibly, the glaciers melting every year more and more, and heavy rains and hail becoming more frequent.

Improvements I've made

This quote from a Ted Chiang novel (Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom) resumes perfectly how I feel about the improvements that I made (and everybody could): "Each time you do something generous, you’re shaping yourself into someone who’s more likely to be generous next time, and that matters.". I started recycling, being more careful as a consumer (local/eco/fair products), using a bike or the public transportations, becoming a vegetarian (on special occasions I still eat fish)

Things I need to work on

I like traveling, and even though I would rather travel long distances by train because of the planes' limited leg space, sometimes flying is the easiest solution. I like cooking and going to restaurants, and occasionally, in front of a delicious meal, I ignore the fact that some ingredients are imported from countries far away. Another thing on which I want to improve is the minor consumption of technology (buying new computers, smartphones…).

My personal climate change wake up moment

Living in Finland, I can still enjoy cool weather and pure nature. Still for example this winter here in Southern Finland we didn't have snow at all. Hearing the news about extreme weather conditions from all over the world makes me want to work for common good.

Improvements I've made

I try to do things that one individual can do. I haven't been eating meat for 20 years (fish I still eat) and I live quite modestly. I have been traveling around the world quite a lot in my life, so I have made a decision in 2018 to focus on domestic traveling and not to fly anymore or maybe do a long distance trip once in five years.

Things I need to work on

I own a car, which I need daily (I live outside the capital area so no good public transport here). My car has served me well for over ten years now, so her follower could be a biogas fuelled car if I still need one in the future.

My personal climate change wake up moment

Years ago, I helped managing a legal case that would later write history: Saúl, a Peruvian farmer who lives high up in the Andes, is severely and directly affected by climate change, which in his case means glacial melting. The rise in global temperatures turns snow into water and water into floods. In the Andes, the drainage of melt water triggers outburst floods and avalanches that could bury entire streets of houses underneath – and their inhabitants.

When he was told he will have to live with that risk, Saúl refused to accept that and started pushing for means to avert the growing danger. Subsequently, he filed a lawsuit against German energy behemoth RWE, then Europe’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which he felt held at least some of the responsibility for the emerging climate crisis. A German judge allowed his appeal, and Saúl wrote history. When his story later got covered in big media outlets, such as New York Times, TIME Magazine and the Guardian, it sent shock waves around the world and inspired dozens of other climate activists to follow suit. Working alongside him for many years has been my personal climate change wake up moment. A single person really can make a difference. 

Improvements I've made

I turned vegetarian (I know it's not as good as being vegan but it's better than eating meat) some time ago. I’ve never owned a car and don’t intend to change that. I travel by train and I’ve cut down on air travel, yet...

Things I need to work on

...despite all that, I know it takes much more than a few behavioural changes to live a “Paris-compliant” life. Well, let’s start with climate investing. 

My personal climate change wake up moment

As a kid the lakes in my hometown would be frozen most years, meaning we spent a lot of time after school skating and playing ice hockey. Now, whenever I go home over Christmas there is no ice in sight  — with it feeling more like a disappointing summer than a magical winter.  

Improvements I’ve made

Within Berlin, I commute mainly by bike, even in winter! Meaning I don’t only not have my own car but rarely use public transport or one of the car-sharing services. On top of reducing my CO2 footprint, cycling is a great way to get some fresh air and a bit of exercise every day. Besides my commuting behaviour, I have also been changing my diet by cutting down on my meat consumption quite substantially in recent years (although I’ve not quite managed to become a full vegetarian yet).

Things I need to work on

Definitely my flying behaviour. While I do well on the short distance travel, I definitely need to cut down on my mid-to-long distance travel via plane. My no.1 resolution for 2020 is to reduce this.

My personal climate change wake up moment

From a “how it affects me” perspective, it was probably when I realised when we didn't have white christmases in Helsinki anymore. From an “uh-oh, we’re ALL in trouble” point of view, the true realisation came when I took the time to dig deeper into the root of the crisis and realised that;

 1. That the action that was being taken isn’t enough.

 2. We aren’t using the most effective solutions to win this battle (and, of course, as an Analyst working this out is kind of my thing).

Improvements I’ve made

I’ve just moved to Berlin so it's easy to replace meat with vegetarian or vegan food and I try to do that as much as possible. I have also changed my consumption habit from fast-fashion to more sustainable brands — it's better for my wallet and the environment in the long-run. Oh, and I also bike everywhere I can!

Things I need to work on

Flying! It seems to be the biggest battleground for our team as we’re quite an international bunch and with my family in Helsinki and my girlfriend in the Netherlands, I have the same challenge. I do always try to look for alternative options but they aren’t always possible (or they are but they simply aren’t practical). I also try to recycle but sometimes the lazy alter ego of mine steps in and throws the banana peel into the mixed waste...

My personal climate change wake-up moment

I started to think more about the climate crisis after the conservation biology class in my school. Even though I wasn’t doing great (at all) in that class, I did learn about many species that are disappearing from the earth due to the climate crisis and unethical human actions. I have a soft spot for animals and it just didn’t feel right to ignore the issue.

Improvements I’ve made

I normally bike or take public transport, and I don’t have a car nor driver’s license. I also avoid eating meat - I used to be a vegetarian for a while, failed to continue, and now I'm vegetarian again.

Things I need to work on

I avoid flying but I still fly once in a while. I also want to reduce the consumption of dairy products and things made of plastics.

My personal climate change wake-up moment

I used to be an ESG investing advocate until I realised it will not be enough to save the Planet. Currently the environmentally unfriendly companies have had a free ride, but it is already changing.

Improvements I've made

I am interested in saving old buildings and turning them ecological and climate friendly. My own property is heated with renewable energy. I have also tried to alienate myself from personal consumption through constant improvements for my habits regarding stinginess and being mean with money 😊

Things I need to work on

They are numerous. But I am aware of most. Time is a precious asset and I hope to be able to use more of time towards UN SDGs (Sustainable Development goals).

My personal climate change wake up moment

When my daughter was born last year, I asked myself: How can I leave a world worth living in? As a nature and animal lover, I would like to ensure that my children can get to know our planet as I was able to get to know it myself.

Improvements I’ve made

I try to reduce unnecessary packaging and always pay attention to the country of origin of food. As a family, we pay attention to conscious and sustainable consumer behaviour.

Things I need to work on

I was going to sell my car, but I decided to keep it when having a baby. Now I sometimes need to remind myself to use my bike more often.

My personal climate change-wake up moment

Coming from a third world country, climate change wasn’t something I noticed. As I grew up, I saw my city, Pune, thriving under ever growing urbanisation. But the the so-called peace, open grounds, fresh air have been replaced by engine noises, skyscrapers and lethal particles. It’s been really sad to see and made me much more aware of climate change. 

Improvements I‘ve made

I have moved to completely using public transport. I have culturally been inclined towards being a vegetarian, and my meat consumption has always been minimal. But now that I understand the impact of meat, it definitely calls for embracing being even more cultural.

Things I need to work on

Everything, I need to reconsider all of my major lifestyle choices. But one immediate thing I can start with is bringing down my plastic consumption to zero.

My personal climate change wake-up moment

I spend as much of my time as I can outdoors — in fact, you can often find me in the forest, where I run, hike and cross-country ski. But climate change has already changed my yearly schedule in terms of these things, which was a big clue to me that things weren’t as they should be. The ski season shortening might sound like an almost privileged problem, but for me, it drove home that the much scarier things I was reading about in the newspapers (coral reefs disappearing, unstoppable forest fires) were not only really happening but that change was now on my doorstep also. Sometimes seeing is believing.

Improvements I’ve made

I don't eat any produced meat. I do eat fish and sometimes game, and I will be honest, I did have a sausage in October 2019 after finishing a long-distance trail running race, but generally, I’ve foregone my previously much-loved burgers and meaty meals to lower my Co2 contribution. I also walk & cycle as much as possible to places. Finally, I try to only buy the material stuff that I actually need and from sustainable brands whenever possible. Actually I buy very little stuff, which I enjoy :) I say all this as if it was a sacrifice, but it doesn’t feel like that. If anything, I feel happier, healthier and lighter thanks to these changes. Of course, there’s always room for improvement.

Things I need to work on

Oh, where to start. Due to my job and having lived internationally, I have flown a lot, and I mean A LOT, in the past. I’ve tried to cut down, but still do fly from time to time and with each flight having such a large footprint (compared, say, to one of those burgers I’ve forgone) this is probably the area I could improve on the most. And to be honest, I think all of us including me can improve lots of the little things as all actions do really matter...

My personal climate change wake up moment

Coming from a latin american country, where environmental topics are not often discussed in daily life, I consider myself to be a beginner on the subject. But the absurd amount of waste in daily life and the air pollution has always bothered me in a way, and together with my Yoga practice I've started noticing how connected to Nature we all are and how it gives back the treatment it's been given. I've become very aware of my buying choices, reducing the waste I produce in every sphere of my life and trying to influence people around me to walk or cycle rather than driving (which in my hometown is a huge change).  

Improvements I've made

By making smarter choices, for example at a supermarket, I've been producing way less garbage weekly and as a consequence, I feel healthier for eating more natural produce. I have also learned to take better care of long lasting items, conscious of the impact of their manufacturing and disposal, and rarely buy things I don't need (borrowing things if for one-time use, buying second hand if necessary). It not only helps the planet but fills the Marie Kondo in me with joy!

Things I need to work on

Seriously need to learn how to cycle (!!!) and reduce my dairy and meat consumption. I've reduced meat drastically and barely miss it, but can never find a nice equivalent for grilled cheese.

My personal climate change wake up moment

When I was a child, we had winters so snowy that sometimes you couldn’t get out of the house. My grandfather had to jump out of the window (ground floor, don’t worry), clean the porch, and then, and only then, we could open the door. A bit more than a decade later, there hasn’t been any proper snowfall in my home country. It feels surreal, and yet it’s painfully real. Every time I go home, every time I travel, every time I hear stories similar to mine, I realize that today is not the time to sit still anymore. If you want the world to change, you gotta change with it. 

Improvements I've made

I am a conscious consumer. I don’t buy fast-fashion (trying to look beyond the label instead), and I buy used and refurbished products (I only once purchased a brand new phone). In general, I live by the “less is more” motto. We don’t need as many things as we think we do, and I do believe we can fight pollution caused by overproduction by being more conscious of our purchasing habits. 

I don’t buy meat or fish ever and eat mostly vegetarian/plant-based meals. Sometimes, of course, I do lose the battle -- mostly to my grandmother who somehow still manages to persuade me with homemade pelmeni -- but my taste for life is getting different. I believe we don’t have to be perfect all the time, but we have to always try. 

Things I need to work on

I travel. Quite a lot. My family is scattered around Europe (Latvia and Cyprus and me being in Berlin), I often travel for work, and, ugh, let's not bring up vacations... I do try cutting down, of course, but it’s just now always possible. Also, I used to be severely addicted to cheese, but am happy to report that the addiction seems to be over.

My personal climate change wake up moment

I've always been a guardian of nature -type of a person, although that was more focused on animals, forests and water (Finland is the country of thousands of lakes). My climate wakening began strengthening when travelling became a crucial part of my work. Seeing what has happened in China, India, or for example in the UK, made me realise that we all need to do our part whether you live in Finland or in Mexico. 

Improvements I've made

I've reduced flying more than 90%. When I am forced to travel, I offset emissions by planting trees as twice as much as the negative impact I am creating. I drive hybrid (although the LCA analysis is not that convincing that this is the right thing to do) and eat 90% plant-based diet.

Things I need to work on

Dairy products are my weakness. They generate huge amount of emissions. Also, I would like to be a better cook for the kids when it comes to climate impact: meat is too easy, and routines are too burdensome to change.