Bei den News der letzten Monate ist es fast unmöglich nicht von der Angst in Bezug auf den fortschreitenden Klimawandel gepackt zu werden. Waldbrände, Überflutungen, Dürren, Stürme…die Bilder brennen sich ein und mich beschleicht eine Ohnmacht und Wut darüber, dass trotzdem alles beim Alten bleibt. Haben wir das nicht schon vor Jahren voraussehen können? Man fühlt sich schnell machtlos und unbedeutend angesichts der grotesken Entwicklungen und internationalen politischen Machtspielchen. Das Thema ist definitiv eines der Kategorie „Ich weiss, dass ich nichts weiss“.
Unsere Situation ist aber keinesfalls aussichtslos. Hoffnung und Zuversicht erfüllen mich jedes Mal, wenn ich Menschen treffe, die sich aktiv für unsere Mutter Erde einsetzen. Nicht, um Publicity für sich zu generieren sondern ganz aus aufrichtiger Liebe zu „ihr“. Guido ist einer dieser Menschen, der seine Liebe zur Natur und Umwelt zu seinem Lebensinhalt gemacht hat. Als ich ihn als @earthbased.soul bei Instagram kennenlernte merkte ich schnell wie aufrichtig er für eine Lösung einsteht. Gemeinsam mit seinem Sohn betreibt er mehrere Social Media Kanäle und berichtet über Ihr naturverbundenes Leben, klärt über Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt auf. Tolkien wäre bei ihren Bildern sicherlich das Herz aufgegangen. In meinem Interview sprechen Guido und ich darüber, warum er gerade dabei ist mit einer Welt-Flagge 1.000 Kilometer durch die Natur zu wandern, was wir alle für unsere Mutter Erde tun können und ihr erfahrt auch ein paar Hintergründe.
Wenn Ihr Guido und seinen Sohn auf Ihrer Mission für eine neue und bessere Heimat Erde unterstützen wollt, dann werdet doch (wie ich hehe) ihr Patreon. Ab 3€ monatlich könnt ihr das tun und euer Name wird ebenfalls auf der Flagge erscheinen.
1. You are one of the founders of Earth Based Project and sharing your „earth based lifestyle“ on social media. How did this project come to life and what is it all about?
I started this project together with my 23 years old son after realizing that the environment situation is deteriorating fast and that individual choices will make the difference in the crucial years ahead. Our project is about identifying new and old solutions to the environmental crisis and to share it with the largest possible number of people. After 2 years of activity we reach about 2 million people yearly with our IG channels only.
2. Earth Day 2021 (22nd April) marked the start of a very special journey for you: the Earth Flag Challenge. Could you share with us the details, like what it is about & what exactly are you doing?
This is a personal challenge to hike 1.000 Km carrying the Earth Flag in order to raise awareness on environmental issues. A special feature of this project is that I write the names of the supporters on the flag, symbolically bringing them with me along the trail.
3. You defined 13 principles for following a lifestyle that is honoring mother earth and helping to stop the climate crisis. What steps do you recommend for anyone who wants to start a more conscious & connected lifestyle?
First of all I recommend to choose a plant based diet. It has so many benefits on the ecological, ethical and health levels and it is easier to adopt than normally thought. The second step is to choose a full electric vehicle.
4. In your YouTube videos you’re sharing very inspiring ways to forage responsibly and to live in harmony with nature while hiking etc. Where did you gain all the knowledge and what resources do you recommend educating ourselves on ways to start?
From a personal family journey towards a sustainable lifestyle. We shifted to a plant based diet about 9 years ago and we did so many step to decrease our ecological impact.
5. Please share with us a little bit about your background. How did your desire to be an activist for our plant arise? How is your profession as a Biologist connected to all this?
I was always an activist and I spent my whole life fighting various battles for our beautiful planet. I began as a volunteer of a bird conservation association in my teenagers years, while teaching environmental education to primary students. Later on, during my university studies, I was involved in a red fox conservation project in Italy that brought to more restrictive regional laws. After that I spent many years in Subsaharan Africa involved in wildlife research and conservation projects.
6. Seeing all the news on the media about our climate crisis can leave you feeling shocked and numbed. Most of us feel like we can’t make a difference as long as the big corporations and governments continue their agendas. Is that so? What do you think?
Corporations and Governments will change only if people will change first. Thus it is crucial the change at individual level. We are indeed living extraordinary times and we should prepare ourselves for big lifestyle changes. I find that getting ready for the changes ahead and being active in environmental projects helps a lot to fight climate anxiety and the related stillness.
7. How do you connect with mother earth? Do you have a “natural” connection (aka. you’re born with it) or do you have any special rituals?
I was always be attracted by Nature and this was reinforced by a 2 years illness in my childhood that prevented me to go outside.
Nowadays I do my best to stay outdoor as much as possible and this helps me a lot to keep my inner balance. I also connect with Nature checking often the meteo and the ephemeris. Knowing at what time the sun and the moon rise and set, helps me to connect with nature and Universe.
8. A lot of people I talk to are in denial about the climate crisis. How do you approach skeptics most effectively?
I don’t. There is no more time for it. I choose to give my time and my energy to whom is already on a journey of sustainability and activism. With the dire climate situations on the news daily, skeptics are less and less every day. Who is still skeptic at this time, doesn’t deserve out precious time.
9. If the whole world had to listen to you for 1 minute, what would you say?
We are living in a beautiful world and it is time that we unite and face this challenging and urgent situation. We should be brave and embrace this situation as a unique chance to build a new, amazing, human civilization for us, our children and the future generations. Imagine for a moment a healed planet, united and in peace, focused on rebuilding what has been lost and building a new sustainable lifestyle for everybody. Imagine a thriving biodiversity and a smaller human population living in 100% sustainable communities. If you can imagine it, we can build it together.
