Around the (Sustainability) World in 6 Ways 🌎

All around the world, communities are seeing the impact of climate change, and many of them are stepping up to meet the moment and make more sustainable choices. The time is now to take climate action, and inspiration might be waiting for you on the other side of the globe.

Seeing how other countries make moves to become more sustainable can help us see our own communities differently. Oceans might separate us, but you’d be surprised at how something that changemakers are doing in Sweden, for example, could be replicated in NYC.

These 6 countries are breaking up with fossil fuels, restoring natural areas, investing in environmental education, and setting the stage for others to follow their lead:

1. Brazil

Brazil is home to the largest portion of the Amazon rainforest, which covers more than twice the size of India, just within the country’s borders. Almost 13% of Brazil is Indigenous territory, and these areas are crucial to preserving the Amazon, as well as the culture and way of life of Brazil’s indigenous communities. Considering how important the Amazon rainforest is to the health of the planet, protecting it is a must! However, in the last 20 years, many logging and mining companies started encroaching on these protected areas because there wasn’t legislation in place to prevent them from destroying large portions of the rainforest. These large projects proved disastrous to indigenous communities, who saw their territories shrinking more and more each year.

In a huge decision from Brazil’s new president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 800 square miles of Indigenous lands were returned to their original guardians. The new law will prevent any logging or mining projects from taking place without permission, which is great news for the Amazon and the world!

Brazil isn’t the only country where Indigenous communities are responsible for caring for the natural world. Though they make up just 5% of the world’s population, they protect over 80% of its biodiversity. Young people in Brazil are speaking up about this at all levels, and one Brazilian environmental activist, Paloma Costa, has brought her advocacy all the way to the UN, where she’s shared spaces with one of our favorite activists Greta Thunberg!

Eco-inspo 🌱:
Brazil’s action is a reminder to prioritize Indigenous voices in the climate action space. You can advocate for the return of land to Indigenous tribes here in the US, too!

2. Costa Rica

Considering it’s one of the top eco-tourism destinations worldwide, it might be hard to believe that Costa Rica was one of the most deforested countries in the world as recently as the 1980s. Wondering how they managed one of the best sustainability glow-ups of all time? The Costa Rican government drastically improved its carbon footprint by enacting a program that paid landowners for 25 years not to cut down their trees. There have been a number of other moves by the Costa Rican government, like the Biodiversity Law and the Animal Protection Law, and organizations have kept the ball rolling toward a greener future.

Costa Rica is one of the leading countries in environmental education, and students are taking the lead in holding leaders accountable for protecting the country’s biodiversity. We love how young people are stepping up and choosing careers in sustainable development and other climate-forward paths. Sofía Hernández is one Costa Rican climate activist who is paving the way for other earth-minded young people in her country to take action and we’re super inspired by how she’s meeting the moment by finding the intersection between environmentalism and gender rights. Learn more about Sofía here!

Eco-inspo 🌱:
You can be part of the next wave of change-making professionals by choosing a climate-conscious career in STEM–whether it’s environmental science, renewable energy engineering, wildlife conservation, or any other career that bridges STEM and the environment!

3. Sweden

It’s the home of one of the world’s most famous young environmental activists, Greta Thunberg!

Sweden is close to becoming the world’s first fossil fuel-free nation, and we’re cheering them on! This Scandinavian country is also a world leader in renewable energy, with 60% of its energy coming from renewables. While this is all uber impressive, we’re actually the most excited about how Swedes are shifting their culture to become more eco-conscious.

Sweden has been praised for its overwhelming international solidarity, with stellar citizen engagement. This translates to creating a culture of care–for one another and the environment! A recent study showed that Swedes recycled 61% of all recyclable materials in 2020, which is far above the EU and global averages. They’re also on the road to becoming zero-waste, which is impossible without collective community efforts. Hats off to you, Sweden!

Eco-inspo 🌱:
This is a fantastic example of how everyday actions truly add up. Remember that incorporating more sustainable habits isn’t all or nothing, and small, imperfect efforts are always better than doing nothing at all. Sweden’s cultural shift is an inspiration to involve our friends, family, and neighbors in our sustainability journey. That could look like advocating for better recycling in your community, hosting a clothing swap, or sharing resources with your loved ones. Collaboration is the name of the game, so spread the sustainability love to everyone you know!

4. Japan

Many people in Japan live by the “Mottainai” mentality, which praises resourcefulness and guilt-trips over wastefulness. This says a lot about how many people feel about climate change, which is evident in the country’s high rates of recycling. Not too fast, though! Japan is also one of the greatest consumers of single-use plastics. So, why are they on this list? Because the Japanese government is beginning to take huge strides toward reducing single-use plastics and finding new, innovative ways to recycle them. It’s all about the journey and the steps we can take toward a greener future, however imperfect.

Japan is also aiming to eliminate gasoline vehicles by 2030 and the government has set a goal to become 100% carbon emission-free by 2050 in the country’s major cities. That’s mottainai on a whole new level! Young people are keeping this philosophy alive by advocating for a greener future. One activist to watch is Saori Iwano, who helped launch a chapter of Fridays for the Future in Japan and attended COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2021.

Eco-inspo 🌱:
The Japanese mottainai mentality is a great starting point for reducing our impact on the environment. It’s an invitation to find new ways to use old things, whether it’s giving our veggie scraps a new life by replanting them, learning how to make compost, or upcycling our old clothing.

5. New Zealand

Kiwis are pros at sustainable farming, but that isn’t the only thing that puts this island nation on the map. A recent survey showed that 81% of New Zealand’s population is concerned about climate change, so it makes sense that sustainable products and practices are the norm there.

New Zealand has also taken an all-government approach to climate action, incorporating trade policies that favor sustainability. Like other countries on this list, the New Zealand government has also allowed Indigenous Maori leaders to take the reins on conservation policy and efforts.

We love the way that New Zealand’s government has prioritized involving young people in the creation of a greener future by starting an initiative that will help them build climate resilience. Now, many youth in the country are prioritizing sustainability, like Kaitlyn and Jessica Lamb, who are helping others learn about sustainable gardening and farming in their community.

Eco-inspo 🌱:
This is a fantastic example of how we can make more sustainable choices as consumers. New Zealanders tend to prefer more sustainable products, from local produce to reef-safe sunscreen. We can all use our hard-earned cash in a more sustainable way, too!

6. Zambia

As one of Africa’s most sustainable countries, Zambia is leading the way for a greener future for the continent as a whole. It is important to remember that most African countries contribute far less to climate change than the United States. However, they are already experiencing the devastating effects of the climate crisis, such as more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and extreme heat. Zambia is taking matters into its own hands by making sustainability a priority, and 40% of the nation’s wealth is in natural resources, including renewable energy.

Deforestation and mining have been a struggle for conservationists in Zambia for decades, but it looks like they’re turning things around by shifting their focus to investing in renewable energy, specifically solar power. This is partly due to a recent wave of young environmental activists in Zambia who have demanded an end to deforestation. They’ve also been vocal about lead pollution and pushed the Zambian government to join forces with the WHO to implement a large-scale cleanup.

Zambia is also leading the charge on combining sustainability efforts and gender equity by investing in better educational resources for girls so they can have a say in creating a greener future for their country and the world.

Eco-inspo 🌱:
Zambia is an awesome example of how our climate action must be intersectional. Advocating for gender equity and education is part of environmental sustainability because we want everyone to be a part of creating greener solutions, and that requires better access to resources across the board.

We hope you aren’t feeling jetlag after that trip around the world! The most exciting takeaway from all of these countries is that there are endless ways to take climate action, no matter where you are. Learning from the successes of other countries helps put our own country’s sustainability journey into perspective and can even give us some sweet ideas for green-ifying our own communities.