Books Bragging Building in Public Cycling Food for thought Interviews Journal Lucid Dreaming Mental Health Movies Open Goals Poetry Productivity Quotes Ranting Smart Keys Sustainability Travel Youper

Sustainability

  • Earth Day, Big Dreams, and Small Beginnings

    ,

    I recently had a conversation with the global team behind Earth Day, and I left that call completely blown away by the passion and meticulous organization behind the event. They are behind tens of thousands of Earth Day events worldwide, including one right here in my city. It got me thinking about how far I’ve come from those humble days of orchestrating little movie theater sessions for kids at a local fair in Brazil. Back then, I never imagined those early experiments would someday lead to coordinating large-scale Earth Day events with city partners (which always brings back memories of dealing with Brazilian politicians), churches (even though I’m agnostic), and sponsors (since I admittedly suck at pitching).

    Cine Ratones
    The biggest little cinema in town.
    Ratonarte, Florianópolis, Brazil (2014)

    I’ve always had this odd notion that I wasn’t cut out to be an event guy, the idea of organizing something only to see empty seats used to terrify me. Yet here I am, spearheading events run by 100% volunteer-based nonprofits, operating on shoestring budgets, or sometimes, virtually none. Every event is a leap of faith, and despite the occasional panic, there’s a thrill in watching it all come together, even if it means sometimes laughing off the worst-case scenarios over coffee.

    The volunteer spirit is at the heart of these events, but even passion comes with a price tag. Sponsorships enter the picture, each with its own mission and set of values. This year, for instance, we were approached by a wide array of organizations, from big sports clubs and banks to electric vehicle companies. It’s a constant balancing act, because while accepting sponsorships can boost our budget and extend our outreach, it can also tether us to partners whose values might not fully align with our environmental or ethical stances.

    Declining sponsorships feels like a double-edged sword; on one hand, it might mean fewer resources and a smaller reach, and on the other, it reinforces the pride I take in keeping our mission uncompromised by external interests that delve too deeply into environmental or political controversies.

    In the end, these Earth Day events are more than just a calendar date; they are a testament to the unpredictable, often messy journey of turning small beginnings into meaningful, community-driven celebrations. And while the challenges are many and the stakes sometimes feel higher than a teenager’s first crush, the shared commitment of everyone involved makes every moment worth it.

    Earth Day at Civic Park, Walnut Creek, CA (2024)

    Here’s to the unexpected paths, to volunteers who show up rain or shine, and to keeping our footprint light on the planet and heavy on authenticity.

  • The Return of the Fly

    ,
    Close-up of a Black soldier Fly by Oktavianus Mulyadi

    Fifteen years ago, I went down a rabbit hole that was mostly larvae. Specifically, Hermetia illucens, better known as Black Soldier Flies. I was obsessed. Not in the “cute pet bug” way, but in the “what if this insect could help save the world” kind of way. I read everything I could find, told anyone who would listen, and probably came uncomfortably close to trying one on toast.

    Then, like most fixations that aren’t actively paying my rent, it faded into the background. The flies flew away and ruined my neighbor’s orange production. 🤷‍♂️

    And now here they are again.

    They’re buzzing through headlines as the next big thing in sustainable food systems. The BBC recently put out a piece painting them as miracle workers. They eat food waste at astonishing speed, turn it into compost and protein, and don’t demand much in return. No water. No land. No feelings about being farmed. It’s the kind of efficiency that makes engineers giddy and environmentalists hopeful.

    Here’s the article if you want the sunny version:
    😊 The little bug with a big appetite – BBC

    But of course, it’s never that simple.

    Another group, the Stray Dog Institute, offers a colder take. They argue that industrializing insect farming doesn’t magically clean up the ethics or the waste problem. Feeding bugs to livestock still props up factory farming. And food waste isn’t just a disposal issue. It’s systemic. Solving it with bugs may just be tech-washing a deeper problem.

    Their article is here:
    😞 Black Soldier Flies Are Not an Ideal Solution – Stray Dog Institute

    So where does that leave me?

    Still weirdly into these flies. Still not eating them. Still wondering if our future involves more systems thinking and fewer silver bullets. I think both articles are worth reading. The optimism and the criticism. The innovation and the discomfort. That’s usually where the real stuff lives.

    What fascinates me most isn’t just the bugs. It’s the recurring pattern. We find something promising. We scale it. Then we realize scaling anything comes with trade-offs. Then we’re left to decide if the trade-offs are worth it or if we’re just trying to avoid the harder questions.

    For now, I’m just glad the flies are back. And that I still care.

  • No gimmicks, please!

    , ,

    Want to boost your team’s productivity? Here’s an amazing list of strategies that I’ve been incorporating during the last 2 years.

    – Incentives to increase commuting by bike: Encourage cycling to work. It’s not just good for the environment, but those endorphins from exercise can elevate mood and improve focus. 🌿🚴‍♂️

    – Longer lunch times for a quick walk: Allow your team to enjoy a walk after lunch. This reduces the insulin spike and helps maintain energy levels throughout the afternoon. 🍃🏃‍♀️

    – Nature time: Promote spending time outdoors. Being in nature reduces stress and boosts creativity, leading to more innovative problem-solving. 🌳✨

    There are no gimmicks, gamification, or digital tools that will do better than that.

    Today, I had the pleasure of participating in #BikeToWhateverDay, and it was a powerful reminder of how these elements can significantly enhance our mental and physical well-being.

    A big thank you to Bike East Bay for organizing this event and to the fantastic team I met along the way: GU Energy Labs, Backroads, and Sustainable Contra Costa. Your dedication made this experience unforgettable and impactful. 🙌🚴‍♂️

    Let’s incorporate more outdoor activities into our routines to foster a happier, healthier, and more productive work environment. Together, we can pedal towards a sustainable and successful future! 🌍💚

  • World powered by women

    , ,

    Last month, Nadine Hammer and I organized a series of free sustainability workshops around the city.

    Can you guess the gender ratio of the RSVPs and attendees?

    **99% women, from diverse ages and ethnic backgrounds.**

    Some thoughts:

    • 1. Research indicates that women often express greater environmental concern and feel more responsible for fostering sustainable practices. This situation invites a deeper look into how environmental awareness and activism are influenced by gender roles.
    • 2. Are we conditioning women to assume ‘nurturing’ roles, including environmental caretaking, while men may not view it as their responsibility? This observation challenges us to rethink societal norms and the distribution of environmental duties across genders.
    • 3. What implications does this gender imbalance have for creating effective environmental policies? If one gender is largely missing from these discussions, can our policies truly be representative or effective? This disparity prompts policymakers to explore new ways to engage all demographics in sustainability efforts. Or is it just a matter of electing more women?
    • 4. Could the gender uniformity in workshop attendance lead to an echo chamber where only the perspectives of one demographic are heard and amplified? This situation raises concerns about potential narrow representation in activist movements and the blind spots it might introduce in tackling complex issues like climate change.

  • Bicycle use now exceeds car use

    , ,

    Not in the US, sorry, it was in Paris.

    Still, should we continue prioritizing the present comfort of our cars, electric or otherwise, over simpler, healthier alternatives like biking, which also safeguard our future physical and mental health and the planet’s well-being?

    This shift not only challenges the notion that EVs are the ultimate solution for urban sustainability but also prompts us to rethink our reliance on technology. As bicycles surpass cars in usage, it’s time to evaluate whether simpler solutions might better serve our cities and us.

    Another good stuff, one of the biggest urban cycling trends in 2024 is children-focused initiatives: the bike bus and school streets.

    “The future of cities belongs to its children, and this new movement just might prove to be a vital tipping point where they are finally considered and involved in the planning process.”

    – Chris Bruntlett, Dutch Cycling Embassy