Reflecting on a Year of Sustainability: Progress, Challenges, and Next Steps
Happy Earth Day!
Over the past year, I’ve deepened my commitment to sustainability through small but meaningful actions, from continuing to build a relationship with the wildlife I live alongside here in Lofoten, reducing my personal carbon footprint, to ensuring my GORE-TEX Gear stays adventure-ready for years to come.
As we celebrate Earth Day this year, I invite you to reflect on our collective progress, embrace new habits, and take proactive steps toward a greener future.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Sustainability isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. But our micro-decisions add up. Over the past 12 months, I’ve embraced a handful of shifts that, when multiplied across communities, can spark real change:
- Repairing Gear: Rather than buying new, I’ve leaned on Åre Syverkstad in Sweden—an incredible repair shop run by Marie and Dorota who breathe life back into well-worn gear. There’s nothing better than giving your favourites a second chance at adventure.
- Beach Cleanups: In 2023, I co-founded Norway’s first chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. Since then, we’ve hosted cleanups across Lofoten, with 150+ volunteers removing thousands of kilos of plastic from our shores.
- Community Connection: From bird conservation to local sustainability efforts, these projects have reinforced a key truth: change is communal. When we can inspire, influence and activate we can double down on our impact for lasting, transformative and positive change.
A Simple, Powerful Way to Help: Plant a Garden
You don’t need acres of land to make a difference. Whether it's a community garden, a porch pot of lavender, or a sunny windowsill with herbs, planting something—even just one plant—matters.
Let’s talk scale for a second.
The average American lawn is about 10,871 sq ft. With around 67% of my community based in the U.S., that adds up to roughly 17,556 acres of potential. Expand that globally, and we might collectively have access to 25,000 acres of space—more than enough to create tens of thousands of micro-ecosystems. That’s the size of a national park.
A lawn is better than pavement. But a biodiverse patch with flowering plants is infinitely better—it cools the air, absorbs carbon, feeds pollinators, and offers shelter for creatures big and small. Even a single square meter of nature can be a lifeline for migratory butterflies, struggling bees, nesting songbirds, or maybe even an owl hunting mice in your backyard.
And for you? It offers something just as powerful: the magic of simply being in nature. Marinate in it. Take naps in it. Bask in it. Let nature work its quiet, restorative magic on your soul.
The Magic of Birding: A Gateway to Connection
Six minutes of bird song can reduce stress and shift your nervous system into a healing state. Being in the woods literally boosts your immune system. And you don’t need to know the names to begin—just notice them.
Birds are everywhere, every day. If you ski, hike, bike, trail run, or surf—you’re already a birder. It starts with seeing, really seeing. Once you begin, your world shifts.
I started with my grandmother at a sunlit kitchen table in Massachusetts, watching “her fine feathered friends” while eating cereal and flipping through her worn field guide. That spark lit a lifelong journey—from studying birds in grad school to fieldwork across the U.S. and now here in Norway.
Birds became my North Star—an anchor of joy and purpose. And in return, I owe them my voice. Birds are our most familiar wild neighbors and perfect ambassadors for nature. If we can rally to protect their future, we can safeguard biodiversity as a whole.
The Power of Longevity: Care for What You Own
One of the simplest acts is extending the life of your gear. Reports show that if a garment is used twice as many times before disposal, almost half the climate impact is mitigated. That’s why the GORE-TEX Brand prioritizes durability, testing, and care programs designed to help your gear last season after season.
Care Tips for GORE-TEX Products
- Wash with gentle, technical cleaners
- Reactivate DWR with low-heat drying or spray treatment
- Store in cool, dry areas
- Repair tears and holes instead of replacing gear
Earth Day: A Call to Action
Nature needs us—and we need her.
So here’s your nudge:
Plant a garden. Learn the name of a bird or wildflowers. Find a few minutes each day to spend in nature. Tend to your soil. Take your coffee on the porch and just watch. Notice the pollinators. Bike to work. Repair that jacket. Pick up trash. Vote. Inspire your friends. Invite them to join you on a hike. Speak up for nature.
Because creating a more sustainable future starts with all of us—one action, one plant, one bird at a time.
Happy Earth Day.
