Andrius’s life changed after a shocking movie: I could not stop thinking about the worst predicted scenarios

Climate change is a major challenge for humanity, and it is no wonder that Europe and the rest of the world are actively looking for more sustainable solutions. Demands of the European Commission for countries to be more sustainable are increasing, but people’s awareness in certain areas still needs to be encouraged. Andrius Šatas, expert on sustainable lifestyle determined to change the situation, says: as the planet changes, so will our lives. That is why certain habits should be given up immediately.

Lifestyle changing movie

Ideas for sustainability and ecology are now almost everywhere: their importance is discussed on the Internet, in the campaigns run by companies and organisations, TV commercials and media portals. We are living in what has been aptly termed the era of information technology and everything we are interested in and what we observe have a great impact not only on us, but also on the environment we live in. Sustainable lifestyle expert Šatas, whose involvement into a more sustainable way of life was sparked by a movie he watched by chance, could not agree less.

“My first encounter with sustainability dates back to 2006, when I watched the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” – that’s when I first thought about climate change. Those, who watched the movie, know how much frightening information it discloses. That information affected me so much, that for a while I could not stop thinking about the worst predicted scenarios”, Šatas remembers.

According to young professional, the movie made him realise that in his social bubble ecology receives very little attention, not to mention actions. Not surprisingly, this prompted Šatas to take the initiative to change the situation. Now he shares his knowledge about sustainable lifestyle and ecology on the podcast “Unpacked”, actively contributes to various campaigns and events, spreads the word on social media. And does this for very important purposes.

“The main goal is reducing our own pollution to the extent that we could slow down climate change. This goal is global, but achievable very locally. For the starters, we need to include as much people as possible, get them interested in sustainability topics and encourage do more. By spreading stories and positive experiences through word of mouth, the results would gradually become global and lasting”, Šatas explains.

People’s awareness

In his work Šatas encounters many people. Some of them follow a path that is very familiar to his, but there are others who simply ignore the issues of sustainability and ecology, and the problems facing the Earth. But there is something to be happy about, says Šatas, because people’s awareness is really growing.

“Compared to 5 years ago, we can be happy that we are talking a lot more about sustainability, that the topics are no longer new and that more and more people understand them in a non-superficial way. Here is the good start”, he says.

Unfortunately, good news is often followed by bad news. As sustainable lifestyle expert puts it, this pattern is also common in the context of sustainability ideas.

“I often confront with apathy, indifference and conspiration theories that discourage people from taking any decisive actions. It is demotivating that myths we have debunked 5 years ago are still persistent and are quite often used as justification for excessive consumption”, Šatas thinks.

For those who still does not care about the footprint they will leave on our planet, Šatas suggests paying attention to some important things. “In Lithuania, we already have to deal with more droughts, more floods, more unpredictable weather and temperatures – there are obvious changes. Decades ago, scientists were already trying to warn that in the future climate would become unpredictable, now we can experience the changes by ourselves”, Šatas explains.

It is certainly worth paying attention to, he says. “Climate change is not just warm winters or extremely dry summers, climate change is also about invasive species, climate refugees, food and water shortages and other urgent problems that have no easy solutions. As the climate changes, our daily lives inevitably change too”, he says.

The problem shrouded in myths

Not surprising that sustainability and ecology are often surrounded by myths and conspiracy theories created by people themselves. Šatas gives an example: one of the most untrue myths, which is based on inappropriate examples, is that more sustainable lifestyle is more expensive.

“Often this opinion is based on the fact that electric cars are expensive or that eco-friendly shops sell only expensive products. In reality, sustainability is synonymous with efficiency – effective use of resources and money. By consuming responsibly, using no more than we actually need, we are not only protecting the environment, but also saving money”, he explains.

Unfortunately, what is beneficial for our daily lives also creates room for misinformation. Conspiracy theories and harmful myths come from unreliable sources on the Internet, comments and irresponsible authors, Šatas says. “There are usually no filters for fake news on social media, and the more outrage there is, the further such ‘news’ spreads. This is why it is worth being critical of sensationalist content and radical views. If information is correct, it will not be difficult to verify it by other sources, where both the authors and their credentials are noted”, he advises.

Šatas adds, that not everyone deliberately lies to stop needed change, but we need to know how to protect ourselves, because the consequences of spreading false information are adverse.

“By sharing unverified facts, we can inflict serious damage and create myths so pervasive that even a decade later we would be trying to debunk them. By checking facts from different sources, we deepen not only our understanding of sustainability, but also improving our online literacy skills, and we can more and more easily expose sensationalist ‘content’, that does not care about the accuracy of the facts, but is instead looking for more clicks”, Šatas explains.

Focus on sustainability in education

Although, according to the sustainable lifestyle expert, he gets a lot of positive feedback when he talks to pupils, sadly, climate change issues and sustainability ideas are still on the margins of the Lithuanian education system.

“I have noticed, that young people are more aware of climate change and sustainability, but majority of them admit that in schools these topics are not always presented as particularly relevant or interesting. There is a lack of real-life examples and experiential lessons (for example, experiments, field studies) to get children more involved”, he notes.

He can offer some suggestions concerning what could be done differently.

“It is worth presenting sustainability from different angles, in the different contexts, so that as many young people as possible find something relevant to them and feel motivation to dig deeper into it. Sustainability is relevant to everyone, but it is not always easy to find topics that could get people involved”, Šatas shares.

Although the problem is big, in this case it’s scale may be beneficial. Young people can be motivated to make changes if they clearly understand the issue without serious scientific explanations.

“Nowadays many topics are sustainability related. It could be fast fashion, meat industry, oceans, cars and many others. I always recommend finding a topic that interests you, taking a better look at what you already care about and what you would like to fix. Finding your own topics makes the sustainability journey not only rewarding but also entertaining”, the sustainable living expert says.

Time for making changes is now

If we do not address the situation in time, the problems will only grow and spread. “Our environment will become even more chaotic and unpredictable. Natural disasters will no longer be the exception to the rule, they become the rule. Air pollution will rise, food quality will fall, and our daily lives will be profoundly altered by new compromises that we cannot avoid. As scary as it sounds, that is why it is worth looking at the solutions while they still are quite simple”, he said.

It is said that small changes lead to big results. Šatas shares his three simple habits reflecting how important is sustainability in his life:

- At home, I use extension cords with an off button. When leaving, I press a few buttons and my devices, that are not in use all day (e.g., Wi-Fi router), stop using energy.

- I do not keep the water running all the time when washing the dishes or brushing my teeth: I only turn it on when I am actually using it. When choosing my food, I always try to give a vegetarian option a chance, and if I want meat, then I prefer chicken. Different foods require different amounts of resources. For example, beef is one of the most polluting choices because it requires a lot of feed, water and land.

- By replacing one beef dish with a vegetarian option, we could reduce our pollution footprint tenfold.