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Aylen Bertlin’s travel habits have transformed dramatically – from being a passionate traveler to completely giving up air travel. She reflects on her previous travel frequency: “There was this one year when I was abroad at least 10 times. In hindsight, I wonder what it was I was actually searching for.”

Opting out of flying has proven to offer benefits such as the ability to explore multiple cities along the way to the final destination. Train journeys to Berlin often include a stop in Malmö to enjoy a falafel or two. Similarly, when Aylen and her partner Gurgin travel by motorhome to southern Europe, making both planned and spontaneous stops to enrich the travel experience with new discoveries is a priority.

Workes well with a full-time job

Despite the challenge of managing time constraints, especially at the beginning when traveling by train requires more travel days, Aylen has found a balance that works well even with a full-time job.

“Even though the thought of skipping a spring trip to Cape Verde might feel like a near-death experience for many, I can guarantee that the journey takes on a whole different value if you just open the doors to, for example, train travel.”

This shift has not only led to a more sustainable travel style but also to a deeper appreciation for the essence of traveling and the values it can embody.

Aylen’s best tips for more sustainable traveling

Aylen shares her best tips for those who want to explore the world in a more sustainable way:

• Start small: A short trip is an excellent first step. For example, a train journey to Berlin with Snälltåget is a perfect start.
• Explore the options: There are many ways to travel. Consider a sailing trip if it suits you better, or use carpool groups to find car-sharing opportunities. When Aylen and her partner travel with their motorhome, they often look for fellow travelers.
• Plan smart for long-distance train travel: Avoid journeys with many changes. Train delays are common and can lead to missed connections and involuntary overnight stays at train stations. Instead, plan sightseeing stops along the way.
• Travel comfortably: For a pleasant journey, make sure to bring something to keep yourself occupied, such as a book, knitting, or a Game Boy. On longer trips, a pillow and a small sleeping bag are invaluable accessories.
• Embrace the time: Many are deterred from sustainable travel due to the time it takes. Aylen emphasizes the importance of letting go of stress and seeing travel as a chance for contemplation, reflection, and making new acquaintances. A stressful vacation is not a real vacation.

Evident Life is a young and completely digital life insurance company with a business idea that focuses on digital innovation, data-driven operations, and preventive health measures. From the beginning, sustainability has been a cornerstone in their development, something they have actively integrated into every phase of their growth.

CEO Michaela Bruneheim shares that their goal was to “do it right from the start” by minimizing their carbon footprint and maintaining environmentally and socially sustainable business practices.

Evident Life is committed to several of the UN’s global sustainability goals, especially goals 3, 5, 8, and 12. This includes measures such as encouraging employees to use bicycles, walking and public transport, and in their digital business model, they continuously strive for energy-efficient technology. Their digital focus also leads to significantly less paper consumption, which they see as a distinct advantage compared to competitors.

Gender equality is also a core aspect of their operations, with an aim for balance in gender distribution both operationally and at the board level. Flexibility in working hours and location is part of their corporate culture, which they see as crucial to maintaining a healthy balance in life for their employees, which in turn contributes to the company’s long-term success and sustainability.

Evident Life conducts an annual climate analysis with GoClimate, where they evaluate and take responsibility for their emissions by financing climate projects, chosen through a democratic process among the employees. This method of climate financing is not only effective but also engaging, as it allows employees to participate in the choice of projects and see the direct effects of their contributions, which Bruneheim describes as a meaningful way to contribute to a better planet.

“It feels rewarding to be able to make our small contribution to making the planet a little better”, says Michaela Bruneheim.

Elisabeth Byström and Johan Ernfors run the Instagram account Minimalisterna where they share their everyday life and strive towards a simpler and more harmonious life with minimalism.

“The biggest change we’ve made is not buying things immediately when the desire or interest arises”

Elisabeth and Johan live in a residential area outside of Stockholm with their two children and from the outside, they appear like any other family.

However, they actively strive to live with fewer unnecessary items, meaning they only own items they truly need and use. They also seek to eliminate the less important things when it comes to expenses, commitments, and interests in life.

“The biggest change we’ve made is not buying things immediately when the desire or interest arises. And to have patience and first research the second-hand market properly. Still, when there is a need we do want to purchase quality and tech gadgets that meet our needs.”

“We still have the computer we bought together in 2012”

“We replace tech gadgets when we feel that the ones we have today no longer meet our needs. Clear examples are mobile phones where substantial development has occurred over the past ten years, which means we’ve switched phones a couple of times, for instance, to get a better camera since we take a lot of photos. Whereas when it comes to computers, we still have one that we bought together in 2012, which still works and meets our needs to this day. The children each have a tablet that we bought second-hand as we didn’t feel they needed brand new ones to meet their needs.”

Elisabeth and Johan’s tips for sustainable consumption

Elisabeth and Johan’s tips for a more sustainable approach to tech are primarily to start looking in the second-hand market,

“If you don’t own the gadget today, or if you have a working one right now, you most likely don’t need to buy it so you have it tomorrow or upgrade immediately. Have some patience.

And don’t forget the importance of selling tech gadgets you don’t use as soon as possible, as technology can easily become outdated and thereby quickly depreciates in value.”

Regarding consumption in general, the couple suggests asking yourself some control questions before making a purchase.

“For instance; How will my life improve with this item? What value does this item bring to me? How often will I really use it? And is this something I truly need, or is it more something I want but don’t need?

Having a basic rule to never make impulsive purchases is key. If you find something interesting, always sleep on it or set a timeframe to wait a week or month and then see if the need still feels as strong. It’s surprisingly common that a little distance and time results in what felt like an intense need cooling down.”

Check out their instagram account for more inspiration!

Inrego wants to change buying behavior and promote circular IT as a competitive advantage.

Laptops, computers, mobile phones, and other IT products can be reused just like cars, boats, or bicycles.

“After 28 years in the industry, we know that a reconditioned product lasts just as long as a new one, so we offer the same warranty as for new products.” says Sebastian Holmström, Sustainability Manager at Inrego.

 “It is important for us to show that there is a difference between reused products that have not been worked properly on and reconditioned products that have been upgraded and are sold with a warranty.”

Sustainability plays a crucial role in being an attractive employer

Sebastian has experienced that the market for reused electronics is thriving since a few years back, for several reasons – not least because of how sustainable business practices strengthen the brand.

“We see that circular IT has become a competitive advantage, where sustainable IT management is crucial to attract young talent to the company. Sustainability plays a crucial role in being an attractive employer, and the demand for reused products has increased significantly for this reason.”

Read more about Inrego here.

Check out Inregos webshop here.

Read our checklist for handling IT equipment sustainably as a company, here.

Ensure maximum performance and durability of your equipment

• Provide maintenance for existing equipment
• If something is broken, the possibility of repairing or replacing a component should always be considered.
• See if it makes financial sense to do so. Sometimes repairing is more expensive than new equipment, In this case, the decision to repair could still be valid if the life expectancy is still significant.

Purchases should be based on actual (not perceived) needs

• Have a good inventory.
• Reassign equipment among colleagues.
• Avoid buying new equipment if not needed.

Replacement policy

• Do not have an automatic 2-3 year replacement, make it optional for employees to replace at that time if they see the need.
• Consider the manufactures guidance for when equipment should be replaced but bear in mind that well-taken care of equipment can last longer.

Consider buying refurbished electronics

• Companies such as Inrego or Swappie sell refurbished equipment that had a previous owner and now has been repaired for others to use it.
• If they have equipment that serves your needs consider buying from them instead of brand new equipment

When buying new equipment

• Look for environmentally certified products such as the Green Electronics Council EPEAT Registry or TCO Certified.
• Buy from brands that account for their carbon footprint and energy efficiency
• Look for energy efficiency ecolabels such as Energy star or the one created by the EU where A means most efficient. Applies to monitors, computers, and servers.

The afterlife of your equipment

• Sell your old/unused equipment to Inrego or iPhones to Swappie.

Despite the rapid modernisation in China’s cities, a visit to the country’s rural areas would tell a very different story. Many families still rely on coal stoves to boil water for purification, to cook their daily meals and to heat their homes.

This project has enabled rural households to efficiently substitute fossil fuel (coal) used in daily cooking and water boiling with solar energy, avoiding CO2 emission that would be generated by the burning of fossil fuels. A total of 49,000 solar cookstoves will be distributed to families in 8 rural villages across Henan province – cutting emissions, improving air quality and saving families valuable time and money.

The following SDG’s are supported:

Our team member Tove worked in fashion for many years, previously running a fashion PR agency in London before joining GoClimate. From living and breathing fashion and consumption, to start working to fight climate change – how did that happen?

“I really loved working in fashion and am proud to have been involved in building several fantastic brands internationally. My agency focused on sustainability since the start in 2008 – but back then I basically thought sustainability was more or less equal to using organic cotton in the production, or doing a sustainable capsule collection now and then.”

“Over time, I learned more, and was increasingly horrified by how dirty the fashion industry is. As I started to transition to a personal life that did less harm on the planet, there was something about my professional life that didn’t sit right with me. While I was spending lots of time and effort in my personal life adopting healthier consumer habits, my job was to drive consumption by getting people to buy as much of our clients’ products as possible. It just didn’t fit with the way the world looks today, the future I hope for our children, or my personal values. I felt a need to start spending my time solving the problem instead of contributing to it.”

Want to buy something? – Sleep on it!

“I still love fashion and occasionally find it hard not to be able to enjoy certain trends in the same way as before. I always try to find specific garments or accessories that I’m after second-hand, but I’m honestly not great at thrifting. So I still buy newly produced garments – but in a completely different way than before. Back then, I could buy something to wear once or twice, or on impulse. These days I only buy things I need or to replace something that is broken beyond repair, and always after considering it carefully. Sleeping on it often removes a large part of the feeling that I ‘must’ have something – the brain catches up and I often realize that it is not only unnecessary but also very rarely worth using up the planet’s resources.” 

“I also create a list of things I need at the start of every season or year – it makes it easier not to be tempted to buy something just because I want to, because I have my list of things that I need. Instead, I can spend time finding the item that I really love and that will last, rather than buying what trends and the world around me says I “should” have. Because I buy fewer things, I can spend my money on brands that are doing a good job with their sustainability – and stay away from fast fashion.”

“My advice for those who want to enjoy fashion more sustainably, apart from the obvious – buy less, and buy second-hand, is to take the time to find and get to know brands that have a good sustainability policy, both in terms of people and climate. Once you have done your research and have a couple of brands in mind where you both like the design and know that their production is fair to both planet and people, you know where to go when you need to replace an item.” 

“And it’s important to understand the problems with fast fashion. Once you understand how poorly both the planet and people are treated in the process of producing that piece of clothing you want so badly, the shine quickly fades.”

Tove’s list for conscious consumption

• Sleep on it. It often creates a distance to that “I have to get this”-feeling. 
• Make a list for each season. Write down what you really need and stick to it, it makes it easier not to be tempted to buy something just because you want to.
• Spend time on research. Find a piece that you really want and will last a long time.
• Spend money on high quality brands. Check their sustainability policy before making a purchase and stay away from fast fashion.
• Mend and alter items that have broken or are no longer the right size. A good tailor can often bring new life to clothes!

We talked about sustainable fashion with Anna Blom, a journalist and speaker with a passion for fashion and sustainability.

Anna’s interest in sustainable fashion started many years ago, with a major turning point during a press trip she took to Shanghai in 2016 to write about a sustainability award.

“That the fashion industry is such a major climate culprit had been unknown to me, as a fashion journalist, until then – and the trip was an eye-opener to say the least. I was both enlightened and devastated. How could all these wonderful things cause SO much harm?”

“We can help save the world through our clothes”

“Our consumption of clothes and textiles causes 4% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Sweden, and clothes and shoes cause about 2-8% globally. So somewhere around 2-8% of our emissions come from textiles – and partly from our wardrobes. One can feel helpless, even apathetic, in the planetary emergency we find ourselves in. What does it matter what I do?”

“BUT I believe that it does matter! We CAN all help to save the world through how we look after our clothes! It may sound silly, but that spirit is important to me. I believe that you and I can make a difference. We make choices every day and how we ‘vote with our wallets’ – what we spend our money on – has a global impact.”

“I admit, that sometimes I lose interest and feel ridiculous dragging another bag of odd socks to the textile collection. What does it matter what I do? How do I know that my old socks won’t end up in a landfill in Ghana?”

“Navigating the jungle of different sustainability messages is difficult. And it’s difficult, if not impossible, to decipher the sustainability promises brands make to us. But I have learned to stop listening to that inner critical voice. Doing something is better than doing nothing.”

Believes in sustainable development

On her own approach to fashion and consumption, Anna is making it clear that she is far from perfect herself.

“I buy new clothes. I fly. I believe that economic growth and environmental issues can be combined in sustainable development. But it’s HOW we do it… Today I buy fewer garments and have a dream of a small but useful capsule wardrobe where everything can be combined. I’m not there yet, but I’m on my way. I also shop much more secondhand nowadays.”

“To understand how and where I can make the biggest difference and whether it matters if I buy those ballerina shoes this fall or not, is key. On the whole, of course, it does not matter, but to link back to what I said earlier, I think it is more about adopting a mindset. It all adds up.”

Anna’s best tips to enjoy fashion more sustainably

“Use the clothes you already have in your closet. If you need to buy something new, think about how many times you will use it. When shopping, choose second-hand over new purchases. To save climate impact when shopping second-hand, you need to replace a planned new purchase. Compare this to, for example, when you ‘save’ money by buying on sale. You don’t, of course, because you spend money if you buy a jacket on sale.”

“But if you replace buying a jacket at full price, then you actually save money if you find it at half price. This is important to say as second-hand has somehow come to be seen as a write off, seen as you’re doing something good without thinking the whole process through. We must replace a planned new purchase in order for it to have a positive climate impact.”

What do you wish everyone knew about sustainable fashion?

“That the biggest negative climate impact of a garment is in its production (80%). If you use a garment for twice as long, you reduce its negative climate impact by about half.”

“My feed gives you tips on how to be more stylish without being a professor of sustainability. My driving force on Instagram is to make difficult facts simple and usable. If I can inspire someone along the way, that’s a bonus.”

If you are curious about Anna and the work she does in sustainable fashion, you can find her at @msannablom or www.annablom.se/en.

Gurgin Bakircioglu is highly involved  in several current social issues, including climate and animal rights. We spoke to him about his approach to plant-based eating.

“It is an issue that touches my heart since I witnessed the slaughter of a goat in Kurdistan. After living in denial for many years, I could no longer turn a blind eye to the goat’s suffering. The initial shift happened in me then, but was followed by another decade of active denial before I finally chose to stop eating meat in 2011 and later went vegan in 2016.

I came to the realization that animals, these amazing creatures that share our earth, are meant to live in freedom and harmony, just like us humans. It became clear to me that it is not right for me to deprive them of their right to life and dignity for the sake of my taste buds or old habits.”

To Gurgin, the hardest thing about veganism is the environment.

“To see the most intelligent people around you trying to defend something so wrong and indefensible is hard. Being vegan in a world that doesn’t always understand or support this lifestyle can be difficult. But whether you’re Kurdish or Swedish, the choice to be vegan is, actually,  simple and achievable.”

For people who are curious about eating more plant-based but may not be ready to take the plunge, Gurgin says:

“Be open to learning more! There are incredible health and climate benefits to a vegan diet. I started my vegan journey for the sake of animals and then discovered the connection to climate change. Now, as I train crossfit 6-7 days a week, I have realized that you can actually have elite athletic ambitions with a plant-based diet. It is amazing to be able to build a strong body and endurance without having to eat anything that has had eyes, ears, nose, mouth – or a mother.”

Practice dumpster diving

In addition to going vegan, Gurgin has been continuously “dumpstring” food for four years.

“Our inefficient food system has a huge leak where huge amounts of food are thrown away every day, while people go to bed hungry. If food waste were a nation, it would be the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions globally, after China and the US.  We often approach food waste from the wrong end of the stick, trying to promote awareness, support initiatives to reduce food waste and improve the distribution of food to those who need it most. But we need to start at the other end: with production. We need clear laws and rules to follow if we really want a sustainable and fair food system.”

When asked what changes Gurgin would like to see in society to reduce meat consumption, he wants to focus on healthcare, education and social services.

“Every day, almost every third Swede eats at least one meal provided by healthcare, school and care, which means that every day there is an opportunity to reduce three million people’s emissions with the help of a vegan, climate-smart, public meal. Remove animal products from all public meals. A plant-based meal is not only sustainable and nutritious, it also saves time and money as it eliminates the need of “special diets”. A vegan meal is halal, kosher and free of milk, eggs, fish, seafood and can easily be made free of peanuts, soy, nuts, seeds and other allergenes. There are only benefits to this, from economic ones to health related wins.”

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*Dumpstring comes from the English word “dumpster diving”, which means taking care of things that have been thrown away.