Sustainable development has a very carbon-heavy taste to it. It has already been recognised that we need to move beyond the carbon-only approaches; to achieve effective, sustainable outcomes. What we experience globally is a Carbon Tunnel Vision. It’s a clever play on words to highlight our selective attention on mostly Net-Zero Goals. The Carbon Tunnel Vision framework aims to open our eyes to other human and natural crises. Global warming is only one part of the interconnected crises. Let’s not get trapped and miss our chances to fight our challenges effectively. I want to show you how easy this can be by taking a more holistic and collaborative approach.

Forward-thinking leaders need a vision for a sustainable future to implement into their business structures. Innovative ideas and strategies for implementing sustainable business practices are a great foundation, but they can become easily unfruitful if the team is not aligned. With a sustainability mindset, leaders can drive meaningful change and contribute to a prosperous future. They recognise that sustainable practices are not only beneficial for the planet but also for their team. Focussing on solely reducing one’s carbon footprint and minimising waste scratches the surface of the pool of opportunities. Embedding sustainability thinking into a business structure sets the tone for a new era.

We know all about speed limits, alcohol limits, calorie limits, age limits and so on. Those are limits we have to take individual action on because we are responsible for ourselves. The planetary limits, known as the planetary boundaries, is a collective responsibility of all of us. The planetary boundaries define the environmental limits within which humans can safely exist, develop and thrive. Pushing the Earth’s systems is putting our livelihoods at risk. Therefore, our responsibility is to know our Earth’s limits and operate in ways which lead to prosperity.

It is not easy for citizens to live environmentally friendly and socially responsible because unsustainability is the norm in urban areas. Inefficient transport systems, massive amounts of waste, irresponsible use of energy and poor land and building management are only a few obstacles that put a heavy burden on the environment and societies. There are many ways to live more environmentally friendly. This article is devoted to your energy habits and consumption. Saving the planet one switch at a time is not complicated, but a must. Let me guide you through the possibilities to become an eco-conscious citizen.

The Triple Bottom Line is a famous framework that incorporates three dimensions for sustainable decision-making: social, environmental and economic. It’s mostly used to measure sustainable business performance, but it can be applied anytime a decision has to be made. For too long has the economic dimension been at the centre of attention leading to exploitation of the social and environmental dimensions. The Triple Bottom Line encourages us to look beyond the traditional bottom line of business profit and make decisions that are socially and environmentally responsible. Sustainable development can only happen if we find the right balance between the three dimensions which benefit all of us.

All around the world, startups are emerging to tackle the climate crisis. Startups have all what it takes to minimise the consequences and impacts of global warming. Brilliant minds, create brilliant solutions spot on. That’s what the world needs: solutions which are spot on, taking the system they operate in into account. In Brisbane, Australia, more than 30 startups pitched their ideas to potential investors and collaborators. I attended this event and in this post, you will learn about those startups and their unique solutions: to inspire you and to take action for a better world. Together we can achieve it!

Words are a wonderful way of bringing forward our ideas. Usually, we underestimate the power of words. Nonetheless, words influence our behaviour, feelings, desire and fears. The simple ability to communicate with words gives us the unique and powerful choice to change our life. We have the choice to either destroy or build our future; the choice to change the narrative for our benefit or disadvantage. Are we bringing our forces together to create the sustainable world we need? Are we going to give the decision-making power to those who don’t care about us or are we taking matters into our hands?

Contributing to Sustainability has never been easier. With the world wide web, we have access to almost any resource we need to support a sustainable transition with apps for example. Apps are super convenient because we always have our smartphones with us. It’s also not so complicated anymore to develop an app. There are so many different apps to help us be more sustainable. It doesn’t matter if you want to be more environmentally conscious, eliminate your waste habits, purchase environmentally and socially responsible products, etc. There is an app for everyone. If not, maybe you can develop one in your underserved niche.

Make A Meaningful Impact is an interview series about people – like you and me – who make a difference in our world. All of us are deeply concerned with the state of the world, but we cannot solve the world’s challenges ourselves. Therefore, I created the series Make A Meaningful Impact, where I invite different people to an interview to show us what they do to make our extraordinary world a livable and enjoyable home. They found their journey and role in contributing to a better future – a future to look forward to.

In this day and age, we need influential and meaningful calls to action. With her second book ‘Right Here Right Now’, Natalie Isaacs shares her and the wisdom of other women in fighting the climate crisis. She is the founder of the global climate action movement 1 Million Women. By introducing you to her book, I hope that it will be as inspiring to you as it was to me. Even better, I attended her book launch event in Brisbane. Hence, I want to share my impressions with you. So, let’s find your potential to lead the way to solve our societal challenges.