The Earth is Our Own Backyard (How We Can Stop Shitting in It)

We decided to dedicate February 2019 to planet Earth. Anička, one of our designers here at B&H, made a graphical impression of what we were doing to our only planet, our home. Earth gives us everything we need to survive. This post is about what we can, what we must, do in return. Because we have taken too much. (And there are some free gifts to download!)

Classical Economics, the theoretical basis of our current economic system, was developed about 250 years ago at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. At that time there were less than 1 billion people on the planet. For that number of people, the planet was vast. Resources were thought of as virtually infinite, and the Earth endlessly resilient.

Today there are 7.5 billion people on Earth, and in comparison to 250 years ago the planet is much smaller in terms of space and resources per person.

In the images one dot represents 1 million people. (See video)

We now know that resources are finite. The resiliency of the biosphere to give us humans all we need has been pushed to its limit, by us taking more than we need, and putting nothing back.

Yet we are still using the same take-make-waste economics, and there are another 2 billion people predicted by 2050. And the Earth is not getting any bigger. And we do not have another one.

We have been talking about this for almost 50 years. It is NOW time we actually do something about it. We have the technology and know-how.

The question is: Do we have the will?

We must join forces and cooperate to leave future generations a world in which to live!

Cooperation For Climate

Greta Thunberg, the 15 year-old Swedish girl, who went on a school strike and protested in front of the Swedish parliament has now become world famous. She did not want to be, she is a child, but she felt she had to do something because no one was doing anything. All those who had power to do something were leaving it to the children.

Greta has predicted that we will ignore her. Let's show her that we hear her call and join the #ActionForClimate movement. Classic economics helped us develop the technology to use and share hashtags, let us use that power to transform our economic model, first by individual actions, then by collective action, then by industry.

You, as an individual, are not too small to make a difference. Not if you buzz loudly and clearly enough.

Your money and choice are power. Vote with your wallet!

If you stop buying wasteful products in wasteful packaging, and start using less water and electricity and gasoline, and then your friends and their friends start doing it, then the law of supply-and-demand—or rather demand-and-supply—will cause companies to stop producing those wasteful and harmful products. There are alternatives. And there are many smartphone apps to make your smart shopping easier.

These personal choices may be inconvenient in the short term, but it will get better, and faster than you think. The longterm is worth it.

How to support Greta if you are a student:

How to support Greta if you are a parent:

How to support Greta if you are a teacher:

If you are a teacher, click on the above to download a PDF of how to get involved and engage your community in fun and exciting ways in support of Greta's #ActionForClimate.

Below is a free calendar. You can click on it to download a full-sized PDF to print.

If you are a company interested in how to make your products, packaging, branding and services more sustainable, or get consulting on sustainable materials, transitioning to the Circular Economy, or Goodvertising, please visit our Butterflies & Hurricanes website.Or contact our office in Prague.

Thank you, and have a good February!