The world turns to environmental action, what about you?

Let’s celebrate Earth Day by sharing some tips to be a part of the change and to make every day Earth Day.

1/ To start, I would like to invite you to see humanity’s impact on the Earth since 1984 with your own eyes, thanks to Google Earth timelapse. You can either explore by yourself or watch this:

Then here is a 6min must-watch video that summarizes the IPCC 2018 report: the work of a few thousand scientists around the world, who evaluated and synthesized 9,200 scientific studies, in order to understand the causes of global warming, to identify its consequences, and to consider possible strategies for adaptation and mitigation, on a global scale. 

Should you want to delve into the topic, have a look at the blog (in English and French) of Jean-Marc Jancovici, one of the most renowned expert in France, play with this climate simulator of the MIT or participate to a climate collage workshop.

2/ Also keep in mind that the climate crisis is a "threat multiplier" for biodiversity, habitats and species already under pressure. Scientists warn us that the 6th mass extinction is happening now. According to WWF’s Living Planet Report 2020, the population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970. “As humanity’s footprint expands into once-wild places, we’re devastating species populations”, says WWF-US President and CEO Carter Roberts. “But we’re also exacerbating climate change and increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases like covid-19. We cannot shield humanity from the impacts of environmental destruction. It’s time to restore our broken relationship with nature for the benefit of species and people alike".

3/ Do you have any idea about how much you personally contribute to global warming? Assess your own carbon footprint with one of these calculators: Nos gestes climat in French or Carbon calculator in English (if you know any more relevant calculators for your specific country, feel free to let us know in comments). Challenge accepted? Share your result and what you can do to reduce in the comment section below ; and tag someone you know to join the challenge! Keep in mind that to limit global warming below 2°C and avoid the most catastrophic impacts, the world needs to halve its emissions by 2030.

As it starts with us, all of us, here are 16 steps that are the most effective way to reduce your carbon pollution and persuade others to do the same. Can we count you in? 

4/ I’ve been working in media & entertainment for several years now and I believe that creative talents can make a significant difference in raising awareness and inspiring people to take action on environmental issues. While waiting for the release of the "Arctic extinction" update in Hungry Shark World - here are a few recommendations of recent green games to play: 

•  Alba: a wildlife adventure which has planted 450,000 trees and counting (one for every download). It's so cute and inspiring that every child should play this game.
• Unseen Empire and Beyond Blue to marvel at the most radiant wildlife on Earth
• Kahoot! x Angry Birds and Seeing CO2 to understand climate change while having fun.
• For more: you can follow ecofriendlyish on Twitch or read this "Ubisoft story" about wildlife in games.

5/ Want to turn environmental action into a lifestyle? You’ll find below my "starter pack" with recommendations on what to read, watch, listen, dance to and who to follow on social media. Don’t hesitate to share your own recommendations in comments!

Let’s mobilize to live, work and play more consciously!

Nicolas H

Editor’s choices:

• Workshops: Climate collage , Inventons nos vies bas carbone (French only), 2 tonnes (French only), MyCO2 (French only)
• Board game: Daybreak (to be released) 
•  Read in English: Project Drawdown, Paul Hawken and Katharine K. Wilkinson ; How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, Bill Gates
• Read in French: Ca va changer avec vous, Julien Vidal ; Collection "Sauvons! les 10 actions pour (re)agir!", Gilles Veret ; Le Grand Vertige, Pierre Ducrozet (novel) ; Carbone & Silicium, Mathieu Bablet (comic) ; Le Monde sans fin, Christophe Blain and Jean-Marc Jancovici (comic, pre-order)
• Watch documentaries: David Attenborough: A life on our planet ; Kiss the Ground ; Brut. Nature ; Legacy (French only) ; Sur le Front (French only)
• Watch movies: The Midnight Sky ; Okja ; Frozen 2 ; Avatar (worth seeing again)
•  Listen and dance: youtube playlist with FatBoySlim, K.Flay, Suzane, DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson, Anohni, Billie Eilish, Thom Yorke, Childish Gambino, Foals, Lana Del Rey and Gojira.
•  Lifestyle: Lonely Planet's Low Carbon Europe ; Repair cafe ; Green kitchen stories ; Patagonia ; Loom ; Plogging ; Zero Waste movement
• Join a movement: commit and change with Count us in and Ca commence par moi (French only) ; create green gameswith IGDA Climate SIG ; invest and innovate with: Time for the planet ; join a think tank with The Shifters (French only) ; mobilize with Ecological Awakening / Pour un réveil écologique
• Follow on social media: ENG: Greta Thunberg, Michael E. Mann, Naomi Klein, Christiana Figueres ; FR: Juliette Nouel, Clément Jeanneau, Bon Pote, Rodolphe Meyer - le Réveilleur, Cyril Dion