Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, our lives have become challenging - full of unexpected turns, extreme highs, and lows forcing some serious self-reflection. The future remains questionable as we continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, food and energy supply shortages, and other humanitarian crises affecting our everyday lives. The time to strengthen our efforts toward sustainability and reinforce best practices to help curb our carbon footprint is now! Challenge yourself by taking on the carbon activity below and become a greening champion.
January 2022
R.M. Jones - Formative Content
Credit: WWF.org
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Take Action
Sustainability is multi-dimensional, and human diet and consumption play a significant role in shaping future sustainable outcomes. If we curb our bad consumption and production habits by half, we will cut current food losses and waste enormously. Curbed food consumption can offset global food insecurity and environmental resource depletion on our planet, and prepare us to feed a growing population with healthy and sustainable diets. But it is highly improbable to do so without transforming our eating habits, improving food systems and production, and reducing food waste.
Reducing wasted food is a key initiative in achieving a sustainable food supply
"Waste not, want not"
It is hard to imagine that one-third of the food the world produces for human consumption ends up wasted. and we are all responsible. Food is wasted in many ways along the supply chain starting from the farms to distribution outlets, retailers, food service providers, and consumers. It's time for a forward-looking approach – by first respecting food, the natural resources used to produce it, and the people who don't have it. Let's move towards a more sustainable food system and practices by first reducing our consumption, and donating excess food to community food banks and local churches.
What You Can Do?
"There is no single action that’s going to change our bad habits towards environmental atrocities - combatting the global crisis will require small and frequent actions from lots of people every single day."
Challenge yourself using the 6 Rs of sustainable consumption? Click here ...
Highlights
Local and global sustainability starts when individuals adopt a more responsible pattern of food production like healthy non-polluting approaches at home and in their local communities. As part of our 'Take Action' initiative, GreenTalkSolutions encourages the use of sustainable practices in homes, neighborhoods, and communities, and highlights what individuals are doing differently to contribute to sustainability while supporting the local ecosystem as a whole.
People are becoming innovative and dependent on smallholder farming while living up to sustainable best practices
An holistic approach
Living up to sustainable agricultural practices
GreenTalkSolutions' 'Take Action' initiative, promoted the use of sustainable practices in agriculture (Read more below)
Research &
Development
by the Sylvesters
It is a good feeling to know that planting creates an opportunity to help heal the soil, air, and water, by reducing the harmful chemicals and pesticides that end up polluting our planet. One thing I've learned during this amazing experience said Kurt, is that planting your own food can be done quite easily and efficiently; however, it also requires a mindset capable of adopting creative ways of thinking that are not only good for the environment but also to produce safe and healthy sustainable living practice."
Thank you GreenTalkSolutions for your support
A mother-and-son COVID-19 lockdown turned into a greening project
It was a brutal period, 2020-2022 filled with lots of uncertainty as COVID-19 lockdowns spread across the globe. GreenTalkSolutions 'Take Action' initiative promoted the use of sustainable agriculture practices that resulted in a healing therapy while providing food for one family. Located on the tiny coral island of Barbados, the Sylvesters decided to run with our sustainability challenge and the outcome was gratifying!
"Slowing down from an otherwise busy life due to lockdowns and self-isolation gave me the opportunity to detract from the daily stress and worries of our world", Kurt said. "Being in lockdowns meant that food security would become a significant issue, and if I had the land and soil, I could consider planting a few vegetables while getting some well-needed vitamin D and de-stressing from COVID woes." Daunting, concerning, and challenging, as weeks turned into months, this idea of planting 'took root' as my mother who loves being creative, helped externalize this much-needed therapy along with the support from the Founder of GreenTalkSolutions Rae Jones and a little help from YouTube videos. I believe we take the simple things around us for granted – like the air we breathe, and the food that ends up on our dinner tables. There is so much pleasure in doing simple things that make a big difference. For me, sowing a seed and then expectantly waiting for it to push through the soil, is 'therapy for the soul' – then comes the satisfaction of beautiful, healthy plants, and the elation of picking my own organic, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables. I believe when we take time to slow down and think about how we can make a difference in our environment, it is the little and simple steps that get us to a place of serenity and total appreciation. Besides growing your food for the first time, the experience is a learning opportunity to understand the weather and other environmental factors that were previously taken for granted. I found it to be fun, and also a venture that would positively impact the environment.
Vertical composting container and kitchen Gardening: Turning organic wastes into organic foods and brown spaces into greening solutions
The Sylvesters constructed their own vertical 54-plant gardening container system from a reusable plastic barrel and kitchen scraps, to create their own organic fertilizer. With this system, you can grow food from your patio, rooftop, or areas with very limited space. Planting is also significantly faster than conventional gardening, low in maintenance, and perfect for seniors. "Most of all, growing 54 plants of veggies and herbs from a single vertically-designed system is a gratifying experience," says Kurt.
How does it work?
The vermicompost column (center tube) is continuously filled with kitchen scraps, and "friends of our earth", worms. This provides a very healthy and resilient worm habitat in order to accelerate the growth process. The worms travel back and forth through the entire structure leaving deposits along the way while breaking down the compost and making the soil rich and organic. Overall, worms' digestive enzymes distribute beneficial microbes to help create a living soil environment for healthy plant growth – this process renews the soil continuously. Water is poured down the vermicompost column and seeps through the tiny holes in the compost tube – it then filters through the potting soil before getting to the plants. This process provides rich organic foods while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
GTS helps brings awareness to the environmental and climate crisis and the impacts of human activity on our planet. A big "Thank You" to our supporters and sponsors for helping us advance our mission. We can't do it without you!
If you are a filmmaker, documentalist, greening visionary, environmentalist, or educator, kindly share your greening accomplishments, and together we can achieve a more sustainable future. If you are considering getting involved in sustainable greening projects or want to become a Greening Ambassador for GreenTalkSolutions, email us at contact@GreenTalkSolutions.com
