Sustainable Living can be fun
With sharp decreases in international travel worldwide (-65% in first half 2020) [1], there have been positive impacts on eco systems and a reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GhG) emissions.
COVID-19 also magnifies the need to redefine our relationship with nature, to foster a green and inclusive recovery through an accelerated transition to Sustainable Consumption and Production.
Furthermore, a new report reveals that 66.4% of consumers worldwide want to have a positive impact on the environment through their daily actions. [2]

The Anatomy of Action (AoA) is a 15-day social media challenge that strives to make sustainable living the dominant global norm. Based on scientific evidence, it separates lifestyles into 5 areas of action: food, stuff, move, money and fun.
These lifestyles choices hold the potential, if enough people swap their actions, to support the global changes we need to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
#FUN maps out three key areas where we can all have a positive impact.
#EnjoyTheJourney
Many people want to see the world and many emerging economies depend on tourism revenues, small island states in particular. However, most do not have the infrastructural means (for example) to recycle.
Staying local not only reduces your carbon footprint, but helps local economies, and can be more cost effective. It is always best to ensure responsible and sustainable tourist activities wherever you go.
If you go the distance, opt to stay longer, eat local, ditch disposables and leave a proactive footprint.
#StayCurious
By embracing curiosity, you can gain all sorts of lifelong benefits, from a more flexible outlook on life and work, all the way to setting a better example for our communities.
Outside of universities, ongoing learning and skill development is essential to surviving economic and technological disruption. [3]
UNEP’s Anatomy of Action urges us to maintain curiosity and foster an open and independent mindset, to discover more about the systems that sustain us - like where your food comes from and make more informed choices.
#ChooseExperience
We are a sum of our experiences. Our identity is not defined by our possessions, but is an accumulation of the places we’ve been, lessons we’ve learned, people we have interacted with, and the experiences we’ve had (good and bad). Experiences we lock into our memories through daily living help create who we are.
“If we consume less, we are doing more...If you think about the 20th century, the big dominant value system was materialism, the belief that if we had more stuff we’d be happier from possessions to experience...The big change to what I call experientialism is more about finding happiness and status in experiences instead.” [4]
Emerging science highlights that the aspirations people have sometimes differ from what society labels as “the good life”. Traveling, spending time in nature and with family and friends, an active life and learning and seeing new things can all contribute to happier and healthier life.
Consider spending more time and resources on the experiences that add value to your life.
Choose purpose over possessions. Redesigning our aspirations can have a profound impact.
Join the Anatomy of Action social media challenge today and have FUN
Find out more and join the global challenge here
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References
[1] UNWTO – International tourist numbers down 65% in first half of 2020
[2] Euromonitor International – https://blog.euromonitor.com/scandinavia-leads-ranking-for-global-sustainable-tourism/
[3] Coleman, John, 2017. Your Health, Your Wallet, and Your Social Life. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/02/lifelong-learning-is-good-for-your-health-your-wallet-and-your-social-life
[4] Wallman, J., 2015. Stuffocation: why we've had enough of stuff and need experience more than ever. Spiegel & Grau.
