Hi, I am 26(F), a BA Hons in English Literature graduate along with 1 year PG Diploma in PR & Corporate Communications. With 5 years of work experience in tech start-ups in PR, Marcomm roles, I now want to pivot to work in the firms working in the field of sustainability, circular economy in EU. I have worked on-ground for waste reduction and creating awareness on saving water in my localities. To be honest, some of the Asian counties is not there yet where EU is from sustainability lens. From a long term perspective of career progression in this in my country eventually, I think it would be beneficial to have a credibility added on the subject from the best university in EU. I have also completed the introductory level courses on coursera for basic understanding of the concepts. And no, it’s not about making a career in greenwashing as I have read on few subs. It’s actually about amplifying the genuine work of the organisations through the functions of PR, Comms & Marketing. Any suggestions would be helpful on a) Do I need the Masters Degree for getting in the firms in Europe, to learn, unlearn and get experience? b) if yes, is Masters in Sustainability should be the program as I am not on the scientific/technical side of the spectrum of the jobs in this sector?

Does anyone have any ideas on how to reuse those little plastic scoops that come with baby formula? (Not looking for parenting advice, and unable to afford more expensive options that do not come with the scoops)

Did someone do the math how environmentally damaging tiny houses are compared to other housing options?

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I came across raus.life (renting tiny houses). They market themselves as "sustainable travelling". But I am not that sure that tiny houses are actually better then normal hotels (with similar amenities).

Hi all

About myself- finance/accounting professional with 20+ years of corporate experience. Recently made redundant. Thinking to use the time to learn about CSD/SSRS/Carbon Accounting. Few questions before I start with this

Is this field reserved for supply chain or engineers or it adds value for finance-accounting professionals as well? If yes-

1. Any practical guide to learn about carbon accounting and its 3 pillars?
2. Any books or course material reference?
3. Should one cover CSD/SSRS both or is it same?

Thanks

I just finished reading a post asking for suggestions for sustainable laundry detergent and I finished feeling frustrated and feeling like we need to have an honest discussion about the environmental impact borax has.

In the post there were comments talking about TruEarth’s greenwashing which is great to know because this is my current brand to be completely honest. But borax was mentioned more times than any other product and the 20 mile team company is also guilty of greenwashing. Can we please talk about borax’s greenwashing?

On the box itself it says it can also be used as an insecticide. How is that in anyway safe and not polluting? Yes microplastics are polluting our earth but why are we not discussing chemical pollution as well? Living on well water and septic system I am not prepared to be putting pesticides and other chemicals into my drinking water. However, even on city water and sewage, that sewage has to go somewhere and pesticides aren’t just going to disappear.

Is there even a laundry detergent in existence that is plastic free, harmful chemical free, and environmentally friendly? I genuinely want to know.

You can read more about the concerns with borax here: https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/borax-not-green-alternative-its-cracked-be

I have two drawers of gel nail products. After some research, I do feel terrible about how bad it is for the environment. I need some advice. A. Should I use up what I have? B. Is it more loving to our Earth to just properly dispose of everything, and buy more sustainable products?

From what I'm reading, I might be able to recycle the products. However, I can't recycle the nails once they are formed.

I do love doing my nails- but I love the Earth more. Advice?

In an effort to cut costs and work towards sustainability, I’ve started making my own shampoo. The most popular/well rated recipe I found was a combination of 1 part water, 3 parts Castile soap, and essential oil drops of choice (I chose rosemary). I’d say I wash my hair twice a week. Every time I wash it, though, it dries greasy. It’s manageable but I don’t feel completely clean. Does anyone have any other tried-and-true ideas? I know everyone’s hair reacts differently but I’m open to suggestions! Thanks!

I’m making the final decision soon on my graduate school education: Carnegie Mellon or UC Santa Barbara.

One choice would be to attend Carnegie Mellon University for a 1 year program, which is more technical and focused on my area of interest (M.S. Energy Science, Technology, and Policy with Civil and Environmental Engineering concentration). My undergrad degree was in Sustainability from a state university so this would provide me with technical skills specific to energy/environmental engineering that I’m looking to develop. I would need to take out $20k in federal loans to pay for tuition. The cost of living is overall much lower and housing is about 50% cheaper than UCSB. I’d get back to full time work much faster after the 1 year. No thesis or group project.

I also received a scholarship to UC Santa Barbara (M.S. Environmental Science and Management with Energy and Climate specialization) that covers tuition and health insurance for 2 years. I would likely have to take out $20k in loans to cover my living expenses the second year due to the extremely high cost of living there. It’s also 1 more year out of the workforce living on a student worker salary. For the program itself, it’s much more environmental (ecosystem, etc) focused with a great student community, and a group project the second year working with a client in the field.

The expected salary after both programs would be potentially comparable after both programs, but the technical engineering focus and reputation of Carnegie Mellon might get my foot in more doors.

Any input or advice is appreciated thanks :)

Distributed solar energy, the kind on rooftops and in community solar, benefits everyone. Join me in telling your governor that distributed solar lowers costs and makes our electric grid more reliable at this website:

https://www.solarunitedneighbors.org/solar-advocacy/tell-your-governor-solar-energy-benefits-everyone/

I get various articles from thecooldown.com in my Google newsfeed, and their "too good to be true" articles on environmental and recycling solutions get posted on Reddit regularly.

Just looking at the front page for the first time, I see

Walmart executive shares the drive behind the company's new clean-beauty initiative: 'Direct response to a growing ask from our customers'

Delta's chief sustainability officer on what's important for the future of air travel: 'People don't want to make that tradeoff between seeing the world and saving the world'

Scientists make 'major finding' with nanodevices that can seemingly produce energy out of thin air: 'Contradicting prior understanding'

Scientists develop method to transform plastic waste into a powerful climate solution: 'It's a game-changer'

Corporate greenwashing and false hopes with too-good-to-be-true vaporware technologies are all I see now.

I love good news and scientific progress, but dangling false hopes without practical scientific solutions to solve plastic pollution and carbon emissions is just greenwashing for consumerism, corporate profits and our ever growing overuse of plastics.

was using the blueland tablets/oxi-boost powder, but am thinking of switching rather than re-upping. any go-to recommendations? (was also looking at the hey sunday laundry sheets — any experience w/ those or other laundry sheets?)

Does anyone know how hard it is to pass the GRI professional certification course? I’m relatively good academically and am wondering if I need to do practice examinations before the actual test. Does anyone know any good resources to help me prepare?

Im looking for a briefcase/messenger bag as a reward for my 3 month sobriety, but I’m having a dilemma about the sustainability of which bag to get. I’m vegetarian and always try to shop sustainably, but the more I look into it, it seems like getting real leather will be more sustainable but I’m not sure. I feel guilty about getting leather but my logical side is thinking about the question of is it more sustainable and ethical to get a item that I’ll be using most days that will last me many many years if looked after, or buying vegan and what at first sounds more ethical, but it will only last up to 5 years tops and will probably end up in the ocean. Plus thinking about the price of having to replace it and again, tossing things sooner. Hope someone could help me out with this dilemma because I’m stuck :/ I hope you’re having a lovely day and thanks for reading x

Hi there, I’m trying to live more sustainably but not only am I inexperienced but my life as a student in the city somewhat restricts me financially. I’m vegan whenever I can be and I would love to eventually be fully vegan and have my own vegetable garden but currently that’s not something I’m able to do.

One of my biggest issues at the moment is that SO MANY things, even vegan things, have palm oil in them. It’s so difficult to avoid, especially for someone on a tight budget.

I was wondering how others deal with this problem? Are there affordable substitutes? What can I do to help reduce palm oil consumption in addition to avoiding buying it?

And so many other vegan things are also bad for the environment so then I’m stuck as to what is actually ok to buy.

Other than food, I’ve tried to make as much of my possessions reusable and long-lasting as I can.

I would love any advice from others on methods of being more sustainable and ways of helping out as people on a budget and little free time.

Thanks!

Im currently in thailand, and the reality of global warming is really evident here. It’s not like I wasn’t aware of it in the United States, but the temperature changes don’t seem as drastic. Thailand is so hot that most people would prefer to take a motorbike during the day rather than walk, that doesn’t help long term with emissions. Walking 15 minutes during the day here is basically not reasonable. Also because tap water is not potable, you have to drink bottled water (unless you have a water delivery service), and there’s just a lot of plastic that gets thrown out without recycling. I don’t fault anyone, I’m just really worried because global warming is happening. I try to be a good consumer and recycle, but there’s so little that I can do as an individual, almost all the power internationally is in industrial and political hands. Given that a lot of the wealth is aggregated to colder places like Europe and North America, they have more power to make changes but less incentive, this feels like a problem. I know that this post can’t fix things and in fact i don’t actually think there’s anything I could do individually to fix anything, but maybe possibly this will make a couple people think of a problem they hadn’t considered before. If this pattern of intense heat grows to be everywhere in the world, imagine how much gasoline would be used and how little walking, and how much more carbon would be in the air. I learned about global warming really young and it’s hard to hear warnings about something bad without it changing*, because it sort of feels like we’re all on this slow motion version of a car crash. Do you think there’s a way to put on the brakes or even reverse? Is there a way for developed countries to really genuinely consider what it’s like in developing countries?

• acknowledging the ozone layer problem actually seems to be getting dealt with

Recently have been seeing lots of companies pledging to do their part in mitigating the climate crisis. A lot of these have been companies often found on the negative end of the environmental spectrum, like fossil fuel companies and PMoA (Plastic Makers of America).

Specifically, I have received ads from Shell claiming that they are ramping up a shift to clean energy - specifically, they were bragging about their new stadium which is powered 100% by renewable energy.

As for PMoA, they claim to be making strides in recycling.

Is any of this true? Is there any statistics, reports, or studies that support these claims?

Do you know of any other companies claiming to be doing the same?

Any companies that actually are?

I’m currently doing bachelors in environmental science, my dream is to be have a green lifestyle, but it’s hard where I live I feel so limited and I don’t have my own home or income yet, I try, but even when it’s out of my control I always feel guilty because I keep thinking how every minute it’s all getting worse I keep thinking of HOW MUCH and HOW LITTLE is being done, it’s so overwhelming and actually taking a toll on me.

I'd like to think that I'm pretty sustainably minded. I would like to contribute to the efforts toward sustainability in my community, but I'm coming up short. To start, I volunteer time and knowledge to local repair cafes. I'm quite happy with that - I know we do a lot of good work.

It's the other ways that don't add up for me. The remaining avenues seem to be in education and advocacy. Some of my neighbors do a lot of advocacy work, but it's work that would be too much of a stretch for me to do. I'm lucky to live in an area with a very supported and active efforts in local and state government, but the work of government is not in my toolbox.

So there's clean up the environment programs and who doesn't support those? I'm happy to spend a morning cleaning up a road side, but that's not quite sustainability (right?).

Why does it seem that mainstream sustainability work about convincing people to act on an individual level, or organizations to behave certain ways? And am I missing the greater-than-individual-level programs, projects, actions that are hands on?

Understanding Climate Change and How We Can Address It #2: Embracing Solutions and Taking Action

In our ongoing exploration of climate change and its solutions, let's delve deeper into actionable steps we can take to mitigate its impacts and foster resilience:

1. Invest in Clean Energy Technologies: Transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power is crucial for reducing carbon emissions. Support research and development in renewable energy technologies to improve efficiency, affordability, and scalability.
2. Promote Energy Efficiency: Enhancing energy efficiency in buildings, transportation, and industrial processes is a cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Invest in energy-efficient appliances, retrofit buildings with insulation and smart technologies, and advocate for policies that incentivize energy conservation.
3. Advance Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS technologies capture carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and industrial facilities, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. Support research and deployment of CCS technologies to mitigate emissions from sectors that are challenging to decarbonize.
4. Foster Sustainable Agriculture: Agriculture is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, but innovative agricultural practices can help sequester carbon in soils and reduce emissions from livestock and fertilizer use. Promote agroforestry, regenerative farming, and precision agriculture techniques to enhance soil health and productivity while mitigating emissions.
5. Plant Native Trees: Native trees play a crucial role in sequestering carbon, enhancing biodiversity, and providing ecosystem services such as air and water purification. Support reforestation efforts and community tree-planting initiatives to restore degraded landscapes and mitigate the impacts of deforestation.
6. Develop Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Climate-resilient infrastructure such as seawalls, green roofs, and stormwater management systems can help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as sea-level rise, extreme weather events, and urban heat islands. Invest in infrastructure projects that prioritize resilience and sustainability.
7. Support Circular Economy Solutions: Transitioning from a linear "take-make-dispose" economy to a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency is essential for reducing emissions and promoting sustainable consumption. Advocate for policies that promote recycling, reuse, and product design for longevity and recyclability.
8. Harness Nature-Based Solutions: Nature-based solutions such as reforestation, wetland restoration, and ecosystem conservation can help sequester carbon, enhance biodiversity, and protect communities from climate impacts. Support projects that restore and preserve natural ecosystems as part of climate mitigation and adaptation efforts.
9. Empower Citizen Science: Citizen science initiatives engage individuals in collecting data on climate and environmental issues, fostering public awareness and contributing valuable information for research and decision-making. Participate in citizen science projects related to climate monitoring, biodiversity conservation, and environmental stewardship.
10. Embrace Collaborative Innovation: Collaboration between governments, businesses, academia, and civil society is essential for driving innovation and scaling up climate solutions. Support multi-stakeholder partnerships, open-source initiatives, and knowledge-sharing platforms that facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Let's continue our journey toward a more sustainable future by embracing solutions and taking action at all levels of society. Together, we can address climate change and build a resilient and thriving planet for future generations. Share your thoughts and ideas on how we can collectively tackle climate change in the comments below!

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This is really in our hands now, and we must give back to the earth that gave us everything, for it, and for our future as human beings.

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