This page aims to provide you with information to show you how you can make a difference in making a positive impact to our planet and people, and inspiration to motivate you to start the journey or continue your first steps.  This is YOUR journey, and you decide your path. #SustainabiltyIsAJourney

As individuals we have the power to make a difference, by the choices we make every day and by influencing and getting involved to make a difference for others – our communities, our families, the planet.  If each of us makes an effort to make even the smallest improvement, they can multiply and have a remarkable effect.

This video encourages us to adjust our behaviours and lifestyles to help achieve sustainable outcomes.

Climate change is already having a devastating impact on the earth and our lives.  

Even NASA has recognised this saying “Global climate change is not a future problem. Changes to Earth’s climate driven by increased human emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are already having widespread effects on the environment: glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking, river and lake ice is breaking up earlier, plant and animal geographic ranges are shifting, and plants and trees are blooming sooner.

Effects that scientists had long predicted would result from global climate change are now occurring, such as sea ice loss, accelerated sea level rise, and longer, more intense heat waves.” (https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/). 

Climate change will exacerbate the effects of poverty, inequity and displacement.

The World Health Organisation says that “Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity”.

This is a problem for all of us, there’s no Planet B.  We can individually and collectively make a difference.

Individuals can have an extraordinary impact across the full range of sustainability and impact topics - from making a difference to the environment, to addressing key social issues.  These examples are just some of many inspiring stories, chosen to show how people in their everyday life, in their communities, make a difference.  From a small idea or action, a bigger impact can come.  Some people may want a career in the impact space (see the section below on this page), but these are examples outside of the professional sphere.  These examples are for you to be inspired and to think if you can make an impact in your sphere of influence.

Environmental hero - Afroz Shah

Afroz Shah, a lawyer in Mumbai, found his calling in 2015 when he discovered Versova Beach covered in layers of garbage, much of it plastic. After spending four years clearing Versova Beach on his weekends at first on his own and then with others through a social media campaign, he is now focused on saving the world’s oceans from plastic pollution.

Below is a video where Afroz tells his story (Source https://afrozshahfoundation.org/).

Making social impact - Alex Stephany 

In 2016, Alex Stephany became friends with a homeless man who would sit outside his local train station.  Through conversation and thinking about how he can make a difference Beam was formed.  Beam runs individual based campaigns to raise money to help make change by funding individual training or other practical items like rental deposits. 

Alex tells his story in this TedxBrighton talk.  The link is below.

Helping women and girls - Amika George

Amika George established Free Periods in 2017 to support women and girls to end period poverty.  She started by providing products to a charity called Freedom4Girls who provide menstrual products to schoolgirls in Kenya to fight against period poverty.  What happened was that those products were redirected to Leeds because there were girls who could not afford the necessary products.  This motivated Amika to establish Free Periods.  In 2019 the organisation was involved in a joint legal campaign to urge the U.K. Government to comply with the legal obligation to ensure equal access to education, irrespective of gender.  The result was a commitment from the Government for funding free menstrual products. (Source: Stylist article)

See the video for the campaign below.

Interested in more inspiring stories? Check out the items below: 

An uplifting video to recognise everyday heroes for World Environment Day in 2022.  

You've probably arrived at this section of the website because you're interested in finding out more about how you can make a positive impact on the world. No matter how big or small, there are numerous methods to begin your own impact journey. 

Before you start delving more deeply into the various topics, here are a few tips:

First, take action. It's not enough to simply want to make a difference. You need to take concrete steps to achieve your goals. Start by breaking your goals down into smaller, manageable tasks, and work on them consistently.

Second, find a cause you are passionate about. Whether it's climate change, social justice, or animal welfare, there are many causes that need our attention and support. Get involved in a cause or issue that speaks to your heart, and use your skills and resources to make a difference.

Third, start small. You don't have to change the world overnight. Instead, focus on making small changes in your own life, your community that add up over time. Reduce your waste, help local businesses, and make ethical purchases.

Fourth, spread the word. Be a positive ambassador for the causes you care about. Share information on social media, talk to your friends and family, and encourage others to get involved. By doing this, you inspire others to do the same and demonstrate that change is possible.

Remember, this list is not exhaustive, but it's a good place to start. With these ideas and a willingness to take action, you can begin your own impact journey and make a positive difference in the world.

(Photo credit – Ravin Rau on Unsplash)

My money:

It might not be the most obvious way of reducing your carbon footprint, but how you save, invest and give away your money can make a difference to the climate. This makes sense when you start to think about the financial institutions you invest with and give your business to – what kind of impact do they have on the environment? Do they take sustainability seriously or are they still busy greenwashing? Also, as a consumer, you may have money to invest – you have choices in this department about who you choose to invest it with. It’s definitely worth doing your homework to ensure that these companies are ethical and committed to the environment. This BBC article, ‘Why your banking habits matter for the climate’, contains a wealth of information to help you.

Food:

Our food choices have a significant impact on the environment, and with the current state of our planet, it's more important than ever to make conscious decisions about what we eat. Below are some food choices we can make to reduce our environmental impact:

1. Try out plant-based recipes: Have a look at these 31 Easy Plant-Based Recipes. If you want to read more on why plant-based diet is also good for the earth’s health, check out this article.
2. Buy local and seasonal food: You can reduce the carbon footprint associated with food transit and storage by choosing locally grown and seasonally available fruit and vegetables, supporting farmers' markets, and selecting goods made and packaged sustainably.
3. Prevent food waste: Adopt practices like meal planning, utilising leftovers, composting food scraps or freezing before throwing away. Click here for more ideas. Also, you can check this video that shares more ideas on how to reduce wasted food, This recipe for cutting food waste, or this documentary on US Food waste.  
4. Choose ethically sourced products: By choosing products that are certified as fair trade, organic, or non-GMO, you can support ethical and sustainable farming practices and improve working conditions in the food industry. Check out the ‘Ugly’ Fruit & Veg Campaign, that promotes ‘ugly’ fruits and vegetables.
5. Reduce meat and fish consumption: Reducing the consumption of meat altogether, can help reduce the environmental impact of animal farming. Did you hear about the meat/bean swap? This video explains further.  This BBC article examines if eating fish can ever be sustainable.
6. Pay attention to food packaging: Choosing products with minimal packaging, composting or recycling waste, and reducing the use of single-use plastics. Look for the nearest zero-waste shop and bring jars from home to fill with rice, lentils, noodles, etc. All plastic-free 😉 
7. Take a look at the ingredients: Be aware of what you eat and which ingredients are included in the products you buy. For example: Avoiding palm oil altogether can help reduce its negative impact. You wonder why? Get more information here.

(Photo credit – Luis Tosta on Unsplash)

One of the most valuable resources on the world is water, so it's critical that we practise sustainable behaviour. The quantity of water used by people, companies, and industries for activities like drinking, washing, irrigation, manufacturing, and energy generation is referred to as water consumption. It is all about the little things to begin with. Here are some suggestions to help you save more water at home.

• Use a low-flow showerhead: Installing a low-flow showerhead can save a significant amount of water without lowering the water pressure.

• Water saving tips: Turn off the water when it is not in use, e.g. when brushing teeth, washing dishes, etc.

• Choose environmentally-friendly products: Many household items, including cleaning supplies, laundry detergents, and personal care products, contain chemicals that can endanger aquatic life and contaminate our ecosystems. Look for eco-friendly products that are biodegradable and non-toxic.

(Photo credit – The Blowup on Unsplash)

Fashion is connected to impact in multiple ways. The fashion industry, in specific fast fashion, is linked to environmental pollution and social injustice which includes low wages or poor working conditions, and pollution. Check out this article to help you understand fashion and its relation to sustainability.

1. Thrifting: Buying second-hand clothing is a great way to reduce waste and save money. You can find one-of-a-kind pieces and save money while reducing the environmental impact of clothing production. Check out your closest second-hand store. Keen to get started in thrifting? Discover some top tips in this article, The Ultimate Reseller and Consumer Guide to Thrifting Ethically from The Cut.
2. Reduce your clothing consumption: Avoid fast fashion trends that promote disposable clothing and try to only purchase what you need. Do you know what the term "trashion" means? If not, watch this video to learn more.
3. Check out sustainable and ethical clothing: Look for clothing made from eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, hemp, and bamboo. Also, consider buying from brands that use sustainable production practices and treat their workers fairly. Here you can find 35 Sustainable Clothing Brands Betting Against Fast Fashion.
4. Donate or recycle clothing: Consider giving away any clothing you no longer wear to a charity or a secondhand clothing shop. If the clothing is not suitable for donation, look for ways to recycle it. Get inspired by these ideas. 

1. Mode of transportation: Consider using public transportation, biking, or walking instead of driving a car. If you need to drive, consider carpooling or using an electric or hybrid vehicle.
2. Support sustainable tourism: Choose destinations and activities that support sustainable tourism, such as ecotourism or supporting local businesses. Ecobnb promotes for example eco-accommodations. 
3. Use sustainable travel products: Pick eco-friendly travel products and reusables like a water bottle, coffee mug, shopping bag etc., and biodegradable toiletries. In this link you can find further zero waste products.

(Photo credit – Nick Fewings on Unsplash)

Single-use plastic is a significant environmental problem, contributing to the pollution of our oceans and landfills. Another problem is that not all plastics are recyclable or biodegradable.

1. Bring your own bag(s): Carry your own reusable bags when you go shopping and avoid using single-use plastic bags.
2. Use a refillable water bottle: Use a refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. This will not only reduce your plastic consumption but also save you money.
3. No more plastic straws: Refuse plastic straws when dining out or bring your own reusable straw.
4. Try out reusable containers: Bring your own reusable containers when having take away or bringing leftovers from a restaurant.
5. Choose products with minimal packaging: Look for products with minimal packaging, or packaging made from eco-friendly materials such as paper or biodegradable materials.

(Photo credit – John Cameron on Unsplash)

Borrow instead of buying new: For example borrow books from the library instead of buying them right away.
Go to a repair café: Usually a free offer where you can bring your broken item(s) and try to fix the problem with volunteers of the café.
Calculate your personal carbon footprint: Try WWF's Footprint Calculator and learn how simple changes in your daily life can help reduce your environmental impact.

Here are a couple of inspiring stories from Facebook about people making the difference:

• This Indian clean-up hero is stepping up his war on waste
• A 16-year-old and her sister got Bali to ban single-use plastics

Discover how your personal choices can lead to a more sustainable world, as we explore international organisations and resources that are igniting change and making a difference.

In this video, Jennifer Tabanico, President of Action Research, and Wesley Schultz, Professor of Psychology, CSUSM, reveal the strong bond between sustainability and behaviour change in order to achieve the sustainability goals.

Impact careers and working with purpose

Green Job Opportunities
Seek out meaningful roles in sustainability, renewable energy, or environmental conservation with the help of:
- EnvironmentJobs, an international job board that connects you with exciting opportunities for a career with purpose.
- Escape The City, where you can find hundreds of jobs at exciting and progressive companies around the world.
- Fuyons La Défense: Same model but for French speakers.
- Impact Pool is a career platform devoted to provide the best possible support to people who want to pursue a career within mission-driven organisations. There is a strong focus on the NGO sector.
- Jobs - MakeSense: Job and assignment announcements platform for associations and social entrepreneurs who recruit profiles passionate about the impact.

(Photo credit – Windows on Unsplash)

- Remote working is becoming the norm for the next generation of the global workforce. Check out this CauseArtist article featuring 18 of the best travel start-ups to support working remotely.

- International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) is the world’s leading professional association of sustainability practitioners. ISSP would be a good starting point to get involved in a community or you can just benefit from the resources they provide on their website. It is definitely worth looking at their website.
- Here is an additional article to peruse for inspiration and ideas.
- For trainings, certifications and programmes around social impact, please check the Key Players section.

Training for finance professionals wishing to transfer to impact investing
If you are a professional with a finance background and want to move to impact investing, go visit Efiko Academy, an online training platform focused on impact investing. 

Certifications:

• Certified training programmes (for free), prepared by UNITAR (see UN Courses Catalogue) 
• Certified training programmes (for free), prepared by Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) 

(Photo Credit – Jon Tyson Tangfe on Unsplash)

Facts & Figures:

• The renewable energy sector employed 13.7 million people globally in 2022, and this number is expected to keep growing (IRENA).
• The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that 24 million jobs worldwide could be created by the green economy by 2030 alone. (WEF)
• A Bureau of Labor Statistics report projects that employment for environmental engineers will grow 8% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations.

• Volunteering and internships not only provide valuable skills and experience but also demonstrate your passion and commitment to potential employers (BBC).
• The beneficial effects of volunteering on health outcomes have been well documented. Research has found that participation in voluntary services is significantly predictive of better mental and physical health, life satisfaction, self-esteem, happiness, lower depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and mortality and functional inability. (BMC Public Health).

• Over 140,000 students have completed the Introduction to Sustainability course on Coursera, one of the most popular courses on the platform in the environmental field.
• By 2030, it is estimated that there will be a need for 20 million skilled workers in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors globally (IRENA).

• AESS, founded in 2008, has over 500 members from various disciplines, offering networking opportunities, resources, and professional development for those pursuing environmental careers (AESS).
• This My World of Work article gives some top tips for keeping up-to-date with your industry. Article. Other ideas include attending conferences and workshops can help you stay informed about the latest trends, research, and best practices in your field, while also expanding your professional network.

(Photo credit – Rich Smith on Unsplash)

Facts & Figures:

• A study conducted by the Carbon Trust revealed that 67% of consumers support brands that have a strong environmental and ethical commitment.

• According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA), global sustainable investment reached US$35.3 trillion, a growth of 15% in two years, and in total equating to 36% of all professionally managed assets across regions covered in their report, The Global Sustainable Investment Review 2020.
• A Morgan Stanley study found that 75% of individual investors are interested in sustainable investing, and 86% of millennials express interest in the field.

• According to IRENA, global investment in energy transition technologies, including energy efficiency, reached a record high of USD 1.3 trillion in 2022. However, annual investments need to at least quadruple to remain on track to achieve the 1.5°C.
• The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) estimates that the current market size for impact investments is $715 billion, with over 1,720 organizations involved.

• In the first half of 2023, sustainable funds attracted cumulative inflows of $57 billion, with almost all flows in Europe. Regionally, Europe continues to outpace other geographies in terms of sustainable AUM and fund counts. The majority (89%) of total sustainable funds are based in Europe, compared to 10% in North America and less than 2% in all other regions. (Morgan Stanley)
• More than two-thirds of asset owners (67%) believe ESG has become more material to investment policy in the past five years, with environmental factors driving materiality. (Voice of the Asset Owner Survey 2023 Quantitative Analysis, Morning Star, October 2023)

(Photo credit – OCG Saving the Ocean on Unsplash)

Environmental Education and Outreach
Share your passion for the environment by volunteering with organisations like Earthwatch Institute, which offers hands-on opportunities to engage with environmental research and conservation projects around the world.

Facts & Figures:

• Since its founding in 1971, Earthwatch has engaged over 100,000 volunteers in over 130 countries, supporting more than 1,500 research projects (Earthwatch Institute).
• Research suggests that environmental education can increase students' academic performance and foster environmental stewardship (NAAEE).

• World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, has been raising environmental awareness since 1974, engaging millions of people in over 100 countries (UNEP).
• Earth Hour, launched in 2007, is a global movement that encourages individuals and businesses to turn off non-essential lights for one hour on a specific date each year, raising awareness about energy conservation and climate change. In 2020, millions of people in over 190 countries participated in the event (Earth Hour).

(Photo credit – Merakist on Unsplash)

Facts & Figures:

• Social media has been instrumental in the success of climate movements like Fridays for Future, which has amassed over 20 million followers across various platforms (Fridays for Future).
• Research shows that social media plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion on climate change and increasing awareness about the issue (Nature Climate Change).

(Photo credit – Bruno Figueiredo on Unsplash)

Facts & Figures:

• In 2019, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate activist, sparked a global movement when she launched the "Fridays for Future" campaign, inspiring millions of students to demand climate action through school strikes (Fridays for Future).
• Vanessa Nakate, a Ugandan climate activist, founded the Rise Up Movement in 2019 to amplify the voices of climate activists from Africa and to highlight the disproportionate impact of climate change on the continent.
• This is Clean Choice Energy’s round-up of their recommended list of 23 climate activists to keep in your sights in 2023.

• UNEP was established in 1972 and has since been a leading global environmental authority, supporting over 150 countries in their efforts to address environmental challenges (UNEP).
• Greenpeace has been campaigning for environmental protection since 1971, and its initiatives have led to groundbreaking victories, such as the bans on toxic waste exports and the protection of Antarctica from mining and oil drilling (Greenpeace).

• Founded in 2008, 350.org has mobilised millions of people in over 188 countries to demand a transition to renewable energy, resist fossil fuel projects, and support climate-impacted communities (350.org).
• The 2014, the "People's Climate March", organised by 350.org and partner organisations, saw over 400,000 people march in New York City, making it the largest climate march in history at the time (The Guardian). 
• Also, WeMove.EU is an example of a citizens’ movement, a campaigning for a European Union committed to social and economic justice, environmental sustainability and citizen-led democracy.

https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.ZUE_ps7HidjpU6reZns9DwHaEK&pid=Api&P=0 

Want to read more about your impact? Take a look at some of the references below.

The World’s Largest Lesson (Parts 1-3)

The World’s Largest Lesson presents the Sustainable Development Goals to children. Watch the videos to find out how you and your family can take part.

If you prefer to read something, we recommend this book - the adventures of a guilty liberal who attempts to save the planet, and the discoveries he makes about himself and our way of life in the process. No Impact Man by Colin Beavan Link to the book here.