We engage in exercise to strengthen our bodies and enrich our health. However, beyond our personal wellness, the vitality of our environment is equally essential to our collective well-being. Therefore, it is imperative for each of us to actively engage in solutions and advocate for the preservation of our environment.
This workout offers you the opportunity to integrate environmentally friendly habits into your everyday life, step by step, week by week, and explains why every contribution counts.
Much like Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s advice for newcomers to the world of fitness, his words are equally applicable to our environmental pursuits: “My advice to beginners is simple: begin. And don‘t stop until it becomes a routine. For many people, the first step is the hardest. So, find something, anything, that you can do and keep at it.”
WORKOUT GUIDE:
Seven weeks, seven topics: Each week addresses an important aspect for more environmental protection. Sustainable mobility, nutrition, resource management, clean energy, communication, conscious consumption, and a clean environment are essential for our planet.
Set off and choose at least one of the three exercises with different repetitions each week. Integrate them into your everyday life and read about the important contribution you are making. In the best-case scenario, you will stick with it forever and not only do something good for the environment but also for yourself.
WORKOUT TIPS:
• Do you want to train even harder but don‘t know how? For a greater effect: just do one more repetition!
• If you miss an exercise: don‘t be too hard on yourself. Concentrate on doing all the repetitions again next week.
• Working out is more fun with a friend. Go ahead and find a workout partner!
Ride your bike to work. (3x)
Walk short distances. (2x)
Plan your next trip by train. (1x)
About 20% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions stem from transportation. Particularly in affluent nations with frequent travelers, transport contributes significantly to individual carbon footprints. The surge in mobility has driven up CO2 emissions since 1990, largely due to the transportation sector‘s reliance on fossil fuels, primarily oil.
However, there are greener alternatives: Opting for walking or cycling whenever feasible not only benefits the environment but also enhances local air quality and your personal health. For medium to long distances, train travel stands out as the most eco- friendly choice. When driving is necessary, electric cars and car-sharing represent ideal options.
Feeding a global population of almost eight billion people is an enormous challenge. The global food system contributes around a quarter of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions and half of the planet‘s habitable land is used for food production. Agriculture is strongly affected by climate change and contributes to it at the same time. The environmental impact of food and agriculture is significant.
There are several ways to successfully reduce the emissions caused by food, such as switching to a more plant-based diet, reducing food waste, and improving crop yields and farming methods. When implemented together, these measures will lead to a global food system that is more productive, has less impact on the climate, and provides a healthy, nutritious diet for all.
Buy seasonal food. (3x)
Cook a leftover meal. (1x)
Eat a plant-based meal. (3x)
Use a reusable water bottle. (1x)
Buy package free fruits and vegetables. (2x)
Repair something, instead of buying new (1x)
As the world‘s population and economies have grown, the global production of materials such as plastics, paper, and aluminum has also increased significantly. It is estimated that every person on earth produces an average of 0.74 kilograms of waste per day.
However, this ranges from 0.11 to 4.54 kilograms, with high-income countries producing more than a third of the 2.01 billion tons of waste generated worldwide each year. If not managed correctly, this leads to pollution of ecosystems such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. By embracing the 5 Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot – we can significantly minimize our environmental impact. These principles empower us to make conscious choices that promote sustainability and minimize waste generation throughout our daily lives.
Energy is vital for our daily routines, spanning electricity, heat, and transportation needs. Moreover, our economic activities, notably industry, heavily rely on energy consumption.
However, our existing energy infrastructure, predominantly fueled by oil, coal, and gas, is a primary contributor to global warming, accounting for roughly 75% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, it‘s imperative to transition our energy generation and utilization towards cleaner technologies like solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps. However, the best solution is to use less energy in the first place.
Switch to a green electricity provider. (1x)
Bye Bye Stand-By:
Switch off your devices completely. (5x)
Shower for one minute less than usual (3x)
Cook a plant-based meal for your friends. (1x)
Tell a friend about your favorite environmental initiative. (2x)
Listen to a podcast about environmental protection (1x)
The behavior of a few can have a significant impact on the behavior of many. If a small change triggers an abrupt and often irreversible change, then we are at a so-called tipping point. One example is the famous butterfly effect, according to which a flap of wings can trigger a storm. However, such tipping points are not only found in nature; scientific studies have shown that social tipping points can also accelerate societal change.
Research suggests that this critical point of social change is reached when around 20 – 25% of the population is involved. It is therefore crucial that we communicate in diverse and creative ways about our environment and our planet. This way, we can all do our part and work together to greatly accelerate climate-friendly behavior in society.
The world‘s population is growing, but the resources of our planet Earth are finite. The more people populate the earth, the more people must share these resources. Certain parts of the population with high consumption patterns are already utilizing resources far beyond what is actually available to them. For example, humanity consumes resources worldwide that are equivalent to the biocapacity of 1.7 Earths.
The consequences of this overuse can be seen all over the world in the form of environmental pollution, the climate crisis, and loss of biodiversity. It is up to each and every one of us to rethink and change our own (daily) consumer behavior in order to make a contribution.
Go to a (online) second-hand market. (1x)
Borrow something (i.e. camping equipment) instead of buying. (2x)
Ask yourself if you really need it before buying. (4x)
Donate things you no longer need. (1x)
Use environmentally friendly cleaning products. (2x)
Take public transportation to work. (3x)
Pollution – i.e. unwanted waste of human origin released into the air, land, water, and ocean without regard to cost or impact – is an existential threat to human health and the health of the planet and jeopardizes the sustainability of modern societies. Pollution is responsible for around 9 million deaths per year, which is equivalent to one in six deaths worldwide.
More than 90% of pollution-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Pollution, the climate crisis, and biodiversity loss are closely linked, making them the most important global environmental problem of our time. Solutions to each one benefit the others; everything you have practiced so far in the last 7 weeks helps our environment and our planet. Keep up the good work!
