Did you know?
Today, cities are associated with 60 to 80 % of all greenhouse gas emissions, consume 75 %
of natural resources, and account for 50 % of all waste. Our consumption habits are putting
our resources levels at great risk. The amount of stuff we use in order to live has exploded in
many parts of the world, highlighted by the fact that the global extraction of materials has
tripled over the past four decades, rising to an enormous 70 billion tons in 2010. If current
trends continue, then this dramatic increase in the amount of material we consume will
continue to rise as populations grow, the middle class expands, and incomes increase.
What is a sustainable lifestyle?
Lifestyles are social prints of how we live – they guide our habits, frame our behavioral and
consumption choices, shape our identity, influence our health, and define our social
relationships. A “sustainable lifestyle” is a cluster of habits and patterns of behavior
embedded in a society and facilitated by institutions, norms and infrastructures that frame
individual choice, in order to minimize the use of national resources and generation of
wastes, while supporting fairness and prosperity for all.
Our objective
Understanding the impact of our actions – what we consume, how we get around, what we
eat – is a crucial step in understanding what it means to live sustainably and how to
incorporate that knowledge into our daily lives. Individuals across the world from all walks
of life are taking on the “sustainability challenge” and educating themselves and others on
how to reduce their environmental impact. These stories are powerful testimonials to the
energy and creativity of this pioneering group of leaders, youth, students, teachers, social
entrepreneurs and change-makers of all kinds. We hope to gather as many stories and
insights as possible so as to inspire and be inspired!
Tell us your story!
Faces4Change Survey – Tell Us Your Story!
First name:
Surname:
Sex: □female □male
Year of birth:
Nationality:
What would
you call yourself?
City of Residence:
Highest Level of Education:
Profession:
Email:
(e.g., social entrepreneur, green nerd,
technocrat with style, beautician going green)
How did you come to be interested in
sustainability? What motivates you to live
sustainably?
In life/work/play (food, mobility, housing,
leisure) how does sustainability fit into the
decisions you make?
Which changes are easy for you to make
given your lifestyle and living situations and
which actions are difficult?
What are one or two things that you would
share with others about how they can live
more sustainably? How would you share
the word about the everyday lifestyle
changes that can make a big difference?
Are there any stories you would like to
share or words of advice about how one can
take action and live more sustainably?
We would love to put a face to this story! Send a photo along with this survey, ideally a profile and/or a
picture that captures you in the act of living sustainably! After submitting your survey, our next step is to
schedule a quick chat (30 min) with you to learn more about your story.
Send to: [email protected]
May UN Environment use your photo and story in media (such as websites or publications)?