In some areas of your consumption and life-style, you can perform your transition to environmental sustainability essentially by acquiring competencies. These areas are hence those where this transition is the easiest:
- food;
- clothing;
- plane travels for holiday.
We list below the on-line courses by internal or external qualified sources that we have selected, in some of these areas of consumption and life-style.
For each of these on-line courses, we specify: (1) its title; (2) its provider; (3) its duration or its size; (4) its language; (5) the amount of the tuition fee / access right (if any); (6) a brief description; and (7) the link to the course.
We propose discussion groups attached to each training because learning or practising alone can be boring and discouraging. The risk is great of dropping the on-line course before completing it, thus wasting the time (and sometimes the money) invested in it. Discussing together with fellow learners in the supportive and friendly environment of a discussion group increases motivation and reduces the risk of dropping out.
A just and sustainable diet
(CosmoPolitical Cooperative, FR, course: 12 to 24 months, basic course: free of charge, weekly fiche on seasonal vegetable: 1 EUR/month)
Food represents ca. 25% of the climate impact of the consumption of an average EU citizen, between 50 and 80% of several other environmental impacts (e.g. eutrophication of fresh and salty water) and is a major contributor to the loss of biodiversity and of wildlife. Acting on our diet can free arable land for two purposes: (1) grow forests and hence become a carbon sink (climate action) or (2) grow food crops for the global South instead of feed or of tropical products such as coffee or tea (international solidarity and justice). This course presents the features of a diet limiting climate change and biodiversity loss – and teaches how to actually eat it: how to organise one’s food supply; how to cook simple, fast, varied, healthy and tasty dishes for every day; how to measure one’s progress.
Link to the course: Module 1 Module 2
Repair of clothes
(Räubersachen, DE, course: 6 modules and 21 videos, 149 EUR)
The textile & clothing industry represents the third most polluting sector globally. Its environmental impact is concentrated in the manufacturing of new clothes (specifically in the chemical treatment and tainting of fibre) and is increased by the “fast fashion” business model, whereby clothes are so cheap that they have almost become throw-away items. Repair of clothes makes clothes to last much longer, and saves the environmental impact of purchasing new clothes. The course teaches (1) how to see, understand and repair the material; (2) how to distinguish between different types of fabric, what tools and yarns we use and the steps involved in repairing; (3) the details of 7 repair techniques and 3 mending techniques, including crochet-in, needlepoint, stitch running and framed mending.
Link to the course: https://www.raeubersachen.de/Nach-kaputt-kommt-schoener.html