About the author
Kate Gaertner is a leading expert, sought-after speaker and consultant in corporate sustainability with 25 years of combined corporate and entrepreneurial experience. She holds a Masters of Science in Sustainable Management from the University of Wisconsin, an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, and an A.B. from Dartmouth College.
About this episode
As the world starts to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, another global -- and even more devastating -- existential threat persists: climate change.
The world is getting hotter. This summer, wildfires engulfed the West Coast and floods ranged through China and Europe. Britain, once a generally wet and cold place, issued its first heat warning. Extreme weather becomes each day more common in every corner of the world.
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, is being held in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, between 31 October and 12 November 2021.
This conference is the first time that parties are expected to commit to enhanced ambition since the previous climate change conference, COP21.
As government bodies and scientists try to find solution for climate change crisis, the issue can feel too large and too for individual to make a difference.
Yet, without coordinated government response it is up to each of us to try. We can live by our ideals, dig into what motivates our decision making, and find that living lighter is not too difficult with a thoughtful approach, we can live better by acting sustainably, now with an essential guide to help.
Planting a Seed: 3 Simple Steps to Sustainable Living by Kate Gaertner, corporate sustainability expert, is a detailed guide for making better choices for ourselves and the planet. The book offers hundreds of ideas for tweaking our actions to that our impact is softer, our carbon footprint is petite and our life is more joyful.
Kate focuses on seven impact categories where actions can truly be felt: Transportation, Energy,, Home and Property, Food, Material Goods, Water and Trash.
She helps us to understand what motivates us by engaging in sustainable living by explaining four value categories:
The Penny-Wiser: A frugal friend who is creative and driven by cost savings. The Be-Bester: A health-conscious go-getter who is derive by fitness and nutrition The Bridge-Builder: A civic-minded neighbor who cares for the local community and economy. S/he is driven by trust and symbiosis The Nature Lover: An outdoors-man who wants to support biodiversity and is driven by concern for clean air, land, water and soil.
