Well, hello, stranger.
If you're reading this, you've managed to find your way to this bit of internet real estate that is home to my thoughts. It will house both the coherent and the obscure, the starry-eyed ideals and the grounded realities, the (hopefully) eloquent, funny, and sometimes silly but meaningful musings.
Why I am doing this
As the purpose of this blog is to further the journey of those pursuing sustainable living, I will draw from experiences and encounters as founder, chief collaborator and community-builder at MUNI, and as a Chevening scholar taking her Masters in Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey.
Every now and then, I'll take metaphors from being an (amateur) open water swimmer and general lover of the sea / underwater life, and a guarded but "hopeless romantic" single 30-something woman stricken with impostor syndrome (except when I do my best to fake it). Just to make things a bit more interesting, and make me feel a bit more inspired to write, hopefully.
What I am learning
I've been in the UK taking my Masters for nearly three months now. So far, I'm finding it simultaneously frustrating and reassuring that there are no clear cut answers to the issues of sustainability and sustainable development across the board.
It seems that it's on each of us to critically assess the unique contexts of our individual lives, our communities, our organizations, countries and regions, to best determine the most suitable (or least detrimental) socio-environmental solutions. I'll probably write this same sentiment many times over the coming year.
What questions are popping up
More than answers, new questions seem to arise as a result of my studies, which I also hope to elaborate on through this blog. We think about questions like:
How can we scientifically prove that climate change is caused by humans?
Can we really put a value on natural capital and ecosystem services?
Can GM crops help make agriculture sustainable?
Do cities / local communities hold the answers to our global problems? How so?
Is there a limit in “consumer power” to change companies’ sustainability profile, and does it matter?
In the pursuit of sustainable development, do we need different business models, or different markets?
Why is empathy important in pushing the corporate sustainability agenda?
Will more public participation in policy development enable more rapid progress towards sustainability?
When is it ethically justifiable to fly long-haul on holiday, considering the huge carbon footprint of aviation?
Is "circular" (as in circular economy) always good?
What would a sensible corporate sustainability strategy look like?
As citizens, should we focus solely on personal lifestyle change, or should we focus our energies on driving for policy change towards sustainable development?
What are the challenges of communicating sustainable development? And what tools and strategies might be most effective?
Obviously, the list goes on. One by one, I hope to tackle these questions as they come / as they become more and more relevant, and would love to know the burning questions you might have too.
What I hope you'll get
It is my wish that you find something of value here that helps you pursue a more sustainable, essential, empathetic, positively impactful life, while moving you enough to make you laugh, and maybe sometimes even cry, as you read my writing. (I imagine it might get depressing at times.) Picture me as that friend who's word vomiting various thoughts on sustainability with you, while also holding your hair away from your face as you word vomit your own thoughts. ;)
I may not be able to answer everything definitively, but I'd love for us all to figure it out together and leave a positive footprint on the planet.