Sustainable Living

The above image showing plastic waste was captured at the bottom of the Mariana Trench — the deepest point in the oceans — which extends nearly 10,975 meters down in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. The image, after being disclosed to the public several years ago, has sparked heated debate globally as a harsh reminder of human impact on even the most remote and untouched corners of the Earth.

Globally, the use of plastics has shot up from around 5 million metric tons in the 1950s to more than 330 million metric tons in 2020. According to the World Bank, plastics comprise about 5–12% of the world’s total waste generation (20–30% by weight). There has been an alarming rise in the use of plastics despite the fact they can take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose and wreak havoc on the environment.

The Earth is heating up at an alarming rate. This year’s global temperature is expected to be more than 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, according to scientists from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, making it the hottest year on record and close to the 1.5-degree threshold in the Paris climate agreement.

Microplastics are all around us and have emerged as a pervasive environmental concern in recent years. This insidious pollutant is in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and even the water we drink, without us realizing it. The threat of microplastics is so concerning that the European Commission recently adopted a series of broad measures to fight microplastic pollution. The new ban will impact a vast array of products including cosmetics, detergents, glitter, toys, medicine, and more.

Waste is a significant contributor to climate change and waste generation is linked to population growth and economic development. And nowhere is this seen more than in fast-growing cities. The World Bank estimates that every year approximately 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste are generated and at least 33% – extremely conservatively – is not managed in an environmentally safe manner? And this number is expected to grow to 3.40 billion tons by 2050, a 73% increase from 2020. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for people to start taking immediate action, and everyone needs to do their part to make a positive change: governments, cities, business executives, community leaders, and individuals like you!

In many countries in the northern hemisphere, the summer holiday is coming to an end and it is nearly back-to-school time! For some parents, preparing their children to return to school can be anxiety-inducing and challenging, especially those who want to strike a balance between being sustainable yet economical.

With temperatures recently soaring across three continents and heatwaves and wildfires scorching parts of the Northern Hemisphere, is the worst global warming still yet to come? Global average temperatures have increased by more than 1℃ since pre-industrial times and the current extreme weather is a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. But nature has a way to help and absorb greenhouse gases which cause global warming. Land-based ecosystems absorbed around 30% of the carbon emissions generated through human activity in the last decade.

Even though most of the world’s population live in cities, we must not forget that we are still connected to nature. Human activities in the past century have had a devastating impact on our planet, not only affecting plants, but also negatively impacting animals. With World Nature Conservation Day celebrated last month, this is the perfect opportunity for us to reflect on our relationship with ecosystems.

Climate change is becoming a very clear reality with unusual shifts in weather patterns happening all around the world. Just recently, we’ve observed wildfires in Canada, unprecedented heatwaves across Asia, and severe flooding in New Zealand. But climate change is not only impacting our planet through extreme weather events, it is also contributing to an increase in turbulence on planes caused by warmer air.

The global average temperature is estimated to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels in the first half of the 2030s, according to the recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of experts convened by the United Nations. But what are the reasons for the estimated rise in temperature? The answer is humans burning coal, oil, and natural gas. [1]

There is no better time than International Compost Awareness Week to make a small change which can make a huge difference to fighting climate change. According to the World Wildlife Fund, about 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stop wasting food. When food goes to a landfill it rots, producing methane which is a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide. Luckily, there's an easy solution to lowering your carbon footprint: purchasing compostable products and composting yourself at home. This solution is not only safer for humans and environmental health, but it also does not cause negative effects on the Earth.

A report on Climate Change which was written by a body of experts convened by the United Nations, has revealed that Earth is expected to cross a dangerous threshold for global warming within the next decade, and that nations need to make a radical shift away from fossil fuels immediately to prevent the planet from overheating beyond that level.

Water is essential to our daily survival. But imagine if you lost access to water, how would you survive? The harsh reality is you wouldn’t. Similarly, we are finding that due to extreme weather in some places there is too much water! This is all down to climate change, and if we don’t take action and change the way we use water, this could become a reality for our future children.

Every year, we produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste . Our reliance on single-use plastic in particular comes at a grave environmental price as the production and disposal of these types of products have polluted our environment and caused harm to many animals. With a growing awareness of how our current actions can affect our planet, the use of single-use biodegradable products have become more popular.

As 2022 draws to a close, it is now time to start looking ahead and planning for a new eco-friendly year. It is never too late for you to start living a more sustainable life -- and a new year is filled with new possibilities. Embrace 2023 to kick that bad habit, do more for the environment or try a new diet for a change. To help you get the most out of 2023, we have selected some of the best eco-friendly trends we expect to see in the upcoming year. #ItsInOurHands to ensure this is the best year for you and the environment.

The holidays are just around the corner, and everyone is gearing up for a great time. While we cannot wait to show our appreciation for friends and family, we should also not forget Mother Earth this holiday season! As you plan your parties and get-togethers, here are some tips for an eco-friendly and stress-free holiday season:

Do you ever check the nutrition label of the groceries you pick up at the supermarket? Or do you check the material and care label tagged inside your clothes before you make a purchase? Labels are ever present in our lives, and they are here to provide us with essential information about the things that we consume. Allow us to introduce another label that you should keep an eye out for the next time you go shopping: Carbon Footprint Labels.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch spans waters from the West Coast of North America to Japan and is one of the most striking visualizations of the havoc we are causing to our planet due to our growing use of plastic. The massive swirling vortex of microplastics is not something we can ignore – it is seeping into our lives, drifting through the air and infiltrating our drinking water. The invention of plastic no doubt revolutionized our lives, but we have also grown an unhealthy reliance on it due to the convenience of single-use products and packaging.

Did you know that the ocean is not only the largest but also one of the most important ecosystems on our planet? It regulates global climate temperatures, plays a big role in the carbon cycle, and provides livelihoods for billions around the globe. But did you also know that the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans are projected to outweigh the number of fish by 2050? It is estimated that around 80% of marine pollution originated from land and is manmade. We are seeing governments and businesses finally start to acknowledge this problem, but is that enough? What can we do to help?

At the beginning of the year, we often think of the many “good” things that we want to start doing. Have you given any thoughts on how we can adopt a more sustainable daily routine?

Happy (sustainable) New Year: as the New Year approaches, many of us have New Year resolutions and great plans. Our resolution for 2022 is clear, namely to make our everyday lives more sustainable and eco-friendlier. This is a matter close to your heart as well, but you need some inspiration? This is the reason why we have collected seven tips for you on how you can make your 2022 sustainable and eco-friendly.

Festive food lies heavily in your stomach, your skin and your hair have definitely lost some of their shine and altogether you just feel exhausted. When this general feeling of tiredness begins to spread throughout your body, it is time to press the “reset” button. A detox cure is the best way to whip up some new energy. The idea behind this cleansing is quite simple: true to the motto „less is more“ you just do without everything which is a burden to you and spoil yourself with healthy food, exercise and positive thoughts.

All over the world, we wish each other a happy festive season – regardless of whether we are celebrating Christmas, or simply the tranquil and contemplative winter period. Something we all have in common, however, is the joy with which we look forward to celebrating with all of our family members, friends and loved ones. The holidays are a time to share and a time to party – and we have some tips for you on how you can celebrate and exchange gifts while not losing track of sustainability.

@lilies_diary has already collected trash all over the world to counteract the plastic pollution of the oceans and beaches. To fight the plastic crisis of our planet, the reduction of plastic consumption and the avoidance of garbage is important, but often not so easy - however, with 3 small tips she shows how everyone can avoid plastic in everyday life.

Whether you have a shared space, work from a home office, or run a family business - there are a few things you can do to make your day-to-day office life sustainable in no time. We've collected some more tips for more sustainability in your working environment

And here it is: the cold season! Temperatures are plummeting, winter coats are coming out of the wardrobes and woolen hats are putting in an appearance again. Now there is nothing quite like „home sweet home“ – a cozy home in which, ideally, you can sit in front of the fireplace fire, wrapped in a warm cover, eating cookies and drinking hot tea. To tune into the new season in the best and most comfortable way and to prepare yourself for those holiday visitors, it is good to have a winter clean which is both well planned and as natural and sustainable as possible.

Thanksgiving has its roots in the US, but has since become a common celebration in the Christian year celebrated in lots of countries around the globe in the Christian year – last but not least because of the good food. With family members and good friends we enjoy delicacies such as stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and gravy, accompanied by pumpkin, sweet potatoes and other tasty side dishes. Not to forget the sweet desserts – mostly a pumpkin pie. But have you ever thought of making Thanksgiving a sustainable experience? Here are a few ideas!

It does not matter if it is a Start-up, a family-run company, or a multinational company– each and every employee in a company can design their office so that it is as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible to reduce CO2 and waste. We have compiled a list of valuable tips for you for more sustainability in your company – here comes part 1 of 2.

The leaves are starting to turn brown, the air is getting cooler and we can feel it – fall is on its way. Lots of people are drawn to the mountains, the lakes, forests and countryside, where you can go hiking and enjoy Nature at its best. But not many people think about how this urge to move can take its toll on Mother Nature.

For many parents the start of school means getting new school materials for their kids. School bags/rucksacks, school jotters, pens or folders – when school starts there is always an abundance of cheap products around. Products, which break easily, and are often made of plastic. This frequently results in a lot of waste and pollutive plastic material invading our homes. To minimize the impact on the environment & humans, care should be taken to provide our kids with sustainable and ecological equipment and find an eco-friendly solution. After all starting school is the first step towards the future of your children, whom we should support with sustainable gifts. Every individual can contribute by buying "greener & more consciously”. Here are a few tips for a sustainable start to school.

Heating our homes, cooking our dinner or driving to work – all of these activities produce emissions of CO2 and contribute to our personal Carbon Footprint. In following article, we will reveal how these develop and what this term actually means.

We are living in a world of plastic: products of plastic have become a fixed part of our everyday lives. And this is an invention which has disastrous consequences. Today our oceans are polluted and microplastic increasingly represents a threat to our health. Quite clearly there is a need to ACT: to greatly reduce our consumption of single-use plastic and embrace sustainable alternatives instead. For this very reason, around the globe research continues at a frenzied pace to find alternatives to conventional plastic packaging. And in fact some very promising products and solutions already exist.

In many people the summer now approaching triggers a desire to travel and a longing to go on holiday. And sometimes we forget how much travelling can impact our environment. With a few small tips and tricks, a holiday can promote our personal relaxation and still be gentle on the environment.

Climate change is one of the most important challenges facing us in the 21st Century. It is becoming a matter of necessity to minimize and compensate our CO2 emissions. After all we have only this planet and it is our duty to protect it for our children and future generations. Lenzing too has made a clear commitment to climate protection: VEOCEL™ fibers are not only completely biodegradable – with its new „Climate Care“ campaign, VEOCEL™ is even launching the first CO2 neutral cellulose fiber on the market!

Pupils from the grammar school in Vöcklabruck wanted to know for themselves and so they tested the biodegradability of wet wipes – culminating in a brilliant result and a broadcasting slot on the German ZDF channel.

PPlastic-free alternatives, regional products and the appreciation of food – integrating sustainability in our everyday lives and our own four walls is simpler than one might initially think. Whether it be in a wardrobe or in the bathroom – the selection of eco-hostile products and alternatives is greater than ever. In the following, we will reveal some clever tips and tricks to help you convert your kitchen into a room of greater sustainability.

Spring is in the starting blocks and the first signs of spring are already breaking through soil warmed by the sun. The natural cycle of the seasons moves into the next round and all the signs are set for a “new beginning“. An ideal time therefore to get our own four walls into top shape, to start a new and exciting year with zest and a good feeling. And here too the following applies: ItsInOurHands! Clean and fresh are also possible without chemical cleaning agents and other toxic substances. In the article which follows we will reveal four useful tips and tricks for an eco-friendly spring clean – for a clean home and a clear conscience!

Collect garbage as you jog instead of running past it: plogging keeps us fit and at the same time it makes our world a better place. The combination of sport and environmental protection has in the meantime become a global trend among runners. Whether you are on your own or in a group: get into those running shoes, get those gloves on, a rubbish bag in hand and off you go!

Nearly one in every ten employees in Austria works with wood as a raw material. Wood is an important sustainable and renewable resource for both the environment and the security of jobs.

Since May 2020 mankind’s ecological footprint on earth has started to exceed the natural renewable resources available on our planet. And yet this is not the only reason why the subject of sustainability has become the focus of attention. We alone will not suffer from environmental pollution, the generations to come will feel the impact as well. Each and everyone of us can do something to minimise the impact. In the following you will find four tips on how we can master everyday life in a sustainable way.

Longer product life cycles, the recycling of production waste and the lowest possible use of resources – for some time now the closed loop economy model which comes from industry has been seen as a promising option with regard to a sustainable and resource-saving approach to the future.

…in which single-use products do not live eternally and – when wrongly disposed of - are not frequently of life-threatening plastic but rather biodegradable? What could our earth, our oceans and our lives look like, if single-use products would decay?

Many an everyday product contains hidden fossil-based synthetic fibers, which consumers can neither see nor recognize at first sight. Wet wipes belong to the group of products which, if they are disposed of incorrectly, can have negative effects on the environment. Here are the answers to the six most important questions about wet wipes.

Washing laundry is one of the major causes of the occurrence of microplastic in the environment. When washing textiles, thousands of fibers separate from the fabric in each cycle making their way into our rivers and oceans. Unfortunately, these are, in many cases, oil-based plastic fibers. Each of us can, as an individual, do something against this environmental pollution through plastic.

The environmental organization "The Plastic Bank" is fighting for a clean environment with capital market funds. It finances projects in developing countries, following the mission to collect plastic and clean the oceans - and guarantee local people a long-term paid job.

Merijn Tinga fron the Netherlands has two passions: surfing and the environment. He is the „Plastic Soup Surfer“ who surfs the oceans on Heavy Boards of melted down plastic waste thus making people aware of the plastic pollution in our oceans.

In the second part of the video series "Little Helpers", family blogger Daniela Gaigg from @diekleinebotin talks about how she and her family live sustainability in everyday life and reveals her three tips for stress-free and sustainable shopping with children.

Plastic is omnipresent in any everyday situation to the point where we can no longer imagine our lives without it. Very often, it is visible and we can identify it as plastic, but this substance can also be undetectable, hidden in many of our products, and can be truly villainous.

In the harbour of the city of Baltimore in the U.S. State of Maryland, „Mr.Trash Wheel“ ensures that there is a “trash-free” harbour basin. The waste collector, with a funny design, takes advantage of the river’s water current.

A baby needs around 6,000 diapers and around 25,000 wet wipes, until it is potty-trained at the age of two and a half years. With a few tricks, each of us can already do their bit towards less plastic in the world on baby’s changing table.