Author: Waste is a Failure of Design

There exist better, less energy-demanding ways to produce and consume things. This blog explores alternatives to our current waste-inducing designs.

“Crazy” climate tech: enhanced rock weathering, solar geoengineering and direct air capture

Technologies are one of the levers in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, but they should not be the one and only solution, nor the most important one. 

All things ocean: ocean acidification, blue carbon, fish carbon and the UN High Seas Treaty

Life on Earth, as we know it today, emerged from the ocean. The ocean accounts for about 71% of the Earth’s surface. How to protect such a massive ecosystem on Earth?

All things agriculture: nitrogen pollution, soil degradation, methane emissions and alternatives

Can we produce enough food in a sustainable way for 8 billion people without crossing the planetary boundaries?

Our picks of podcasts on environment, science and economics

If you are looking for interesting podcasts to listen to while driving, commuting, cooking etc., this is our suggestion of podcasts on environment, science and economics for you!

Community-based business: creating sustainable projects for local well-being

What if we rediscover and promote local practices and know-how to build impact businesses and sustainable communities in tune with the environment in which they live and operate?

[Book review] 4 pillars of modern civilization: ammonia, steel plastics and concrete – How the world really works

This article summarises one chapter in the book “How the world really works” by Vaclav Smil, in which Vaclav highlights the importance and our dependence on ammonia, concrete, steel and plastics, the 4 key materials of our modern civilization. 

Between writers: The importance of persistence

We sat over brunch one Saturday morning for a chat about what we did on the blog this year, and why we should consistently continue the work.

More books and reading materials on capitalism, climate change and biodiversity

Here are some more suggestions on books and reading materials for your upcoming holiday!

What is worth more – art or life? And should we talk about things that have been talked about before?

Van Gogh, Just Stop Oil, activism, repetition and argumentative fallacies.

Some book suggestions on environment, sustainability and economics

To prepare for the upcoming holiday season, here are some book suggestions on environment, sustainability and economics that might be interesting for you.

[#FutureGenerations series] Claude Garcia: embrace complexity and opt for system thinking

Claude Garcia shared with us his passion for giving the best tools and thinking mechanisms to the public to decide and strategise when facing two of the biggest existential crises of humanity: climate change and biodiversity loss.

“Desirable future”: a concept to encourage industries to create a more sustainable world

Some new narratives to encourage industries to take up their environmental shifts: 2 articles and 1 podcast from StimShift!

Why don’t we hear about the ozone layer anymore, and when will we stop hearing about climate change?

What can we learn from the collective endeavor against a thinning ozone layer in the 1908s, and how can we replicate this success in our fight against climate change and biodiversity loss today?

[#FutureGenerations series] Julia Bodin: radical changes through dialogues

#FutureGeneration series: a talk with Julia Bodin, founder of Let's Talk Waste and co-founder of Future of Waste. We discuss the power of dialogues, open-mindedness and open-heartedness to find solutions that make sense for all involved people.

[Recap] Saving forests – a special issue of National Geographic

In May 2022, National Geographic released a special issue called “Saving forests” and how they are the key to protecting the planet. Here's a recap of this issue.

Over-consumption in pop music: not a fan’s fault

Her favorite band drops a new album, Trang, an office worker, pre-ordered eight CDs. "Why that many?", you may ask. The reasons vary, but the roots of this excessive purchase lie between fans' support for their artists, problematic music charts and music labels’ sale tactics.

Reinvention: moving away from the absurdity of single-use, single-buy and individual use

We examine the limitations of the "green economy", the absurdity of single-use, single-buy and individual use, and discuss the need for reinvention in order to rethink these dominant designs of our time.

[#FutureGenerations series] Researcher Lan Nguyen: Environmental activism starts with being at peace with oneself 

#FutureGeneration series: a talk with Lan Nguyen, researcher in environmental economics. We discuss the challenges for future generation from a researcher's perspective and her project in mangrove forests.

[#FutureGenerations series] Olivier Dubray: “It is time we designed a new global system that favors cooperation”

#FutureGeneration series: a talk with Olivier Dubray, a French external advisor at Bain & Company. We discuss the biggest challenges of future generations according to Olivier, from his experience of 37 years working on sustainability corporate strategies.