February 29, 2024 • 36 mins
I just believe I was born loving this planet... And I realized she needed more voices to speak for her.
Lindsey Coffey, a former Miss Earth and model turned environmental activist, shares her transformation journey. Her love for the planet, witnessed firsthand through modeling assignments, led her to become a powerful voice for environmental advocacy. Lindsey discusses her initiatives in promoting sustainability and climate justice, emphasizing the importance of individual choice and action in environmental conservation.
Key points
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Early Love for Nature and Vegetarianism:
- Lindsey shares her childhood affinity for nature and animals, leading her to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle at just eight years old, reflecting her deep-rooted connection with the environment.
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Transition to Activism:
- Her journey into environmental activism was fueled by witnessing global environmental degradation and natural disasters during her modeling career, motivating her to become a voice for the planet.
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Empowering Individual Action:
- Lindsey emphasizes the importance of individual choices and elevating environmental awareness. She encourages people to use their unique skills, whether in speaking, writing, or educating, to make a positive impact.
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Multifaceted Activism Approach:
- Her activism spans various forms, from social media influence to on-ground activities like protests, cleanups, and lobbying for legislative reform. This diverse approach targets multiple demographics and locations globally.
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Overcoming Self-Doubt and Realizing Potential:
- Winning Miss Earth was a turning point for Lindsey, providing her the confidence to amplify her voice in environmental advocacy and realize her potential beyond traditional qualifications
to learn more
https://www.lindsey-coffey.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Are you satisfied with your understanding of sustainability?
If you are not, imagine a journey together, a pluralistic one,
with academia, innovators, startups, NGOs, all looking for solutions to the
greatest challenge of our time.
My name is Samuel Etini and this is the Sustainability Journey.
(00:30):
Welcome to another episode, and today we are going to discuss how you can frame
a career on sustainability with somebody that is coming from a sector that you
don't often associate with sustainability,
but has become now an activist and she has transitioned it using her skill and
brand and her capability to work.
(00:52):
A former Miss Earth, a model, and now an activist.
Lindsay Coffey is here with us today. Thank you so much, Lindsay,
for being here with us today.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy that we're able to connect.
And thank you for the intro.
It's definitely a unique and different background. So I appreciate it.
I'm just looking forward to our conversation.
(01:13):
Fantastic. And it's really something that I want to know more about you. I mean...
But then we ask our usual question. We want to know, who is Lindsay?
What is your sustainability journey?
Of course. We always have to know who is this person.
So ever since, I definitely do have a unique background, but ever since I was
young, I loved nature. I loved being outside.
(01:36):
I loved animals as well, where I declared my vegetarianism at just eight years
old when I actually found out what meat really was.
And I remember telling my mom, I don't eat meat. Animals are my friends.
I don't want to eat my friends.
And then even in middle school, I adopted a highway where I would spend my weekends
literally picking up trash.
(01:57):
What young kid wants to spend their weekends picking up litter on the side of the road? I mean, I did.
I was definitely that little oddball out. And I just believe I was born loving
this planet, loving the nature, loving the animals, like adopting that highway.
And then, then I had a significant turning point though, in my life,
(02:18):
where I ended up realizing how much beauty there was in this planet.
And I was able to have that opportunity through modeling where I did start traveling the world.
So I saw just how remarkable this planet really was.
But then unfortunately, I also saw so much devastation, a lot of devastation
(02:39):
that was happening as a consequence of our actions.
So one also being several natural disasters I've lived in, one being in Cape
Town, South Africa, and they had one of the worst water crisis in the history.
And I saw how much we were taking from our planet.
And I realized she needed more voices to speak for her.
(03:00):
And that's when I truly began my journey into activism. Yeah.
And fantastic. And it's really, you can see some patterns, people that from
all sorts of backgrounds that they came to the podcast, they have the turning
point, the eureka moment, then where they understood why and what they can do also for the planet.
And you have been at the forefront of modeling.
(03:23):
Now you have been also Miss Arts in 2020, if I recall correctly.
So you have been on the magazines that everybody will love to be the vogue of
this world and the other.
But we want to understand how this journey has really shaped now and how you
have turned it in towards, you know, you have you are also an influential person.
(03:44):
We have a lot of followers see how you have transformed yourself in an
influencer and an influencer for planet art yes
so i've definitely had a very incredible
journey a journey filled with
doubt though i i've learned
a lot and so i've always acted on my love for the planet as i mentioned even
(04:06):
when i was very young but winning miss earth which for those who don't know
about It is a environmental competition based on beauty pageants,
kind of standards and themes,
but they end up using kind of the glitz and glamour to kind of sway you into
(04:30):
wanting to, you know, watch the show. And then you come back.
To find out that all of these women are just intelligent, they're empathetic,
they're empowered, and they have so much to say about our planet and the solutions
that we have and what we can do about them.
So it's an environmentally based competition where we're fighting for climate justice.
(04:53):
And I competed against 82 nations and I became the first American to ever win it.
And so winning Miss Earth gave me that confidence to amplify my action voice.
So it had always been there, but now being able to win that I was showing myself,
not just other people, Hey, I actually do have something, something to say.
(05:14):
I was proving that to myself as well. So I felt completely underqualified to
speak about our climate because who's going to respect or even want to listen
to a model, someone who doesn't even have an environmental degree,
who works in an environmental field.
Now, this is where so many people end up falling into that trap where they underestimate
(05:36):
themselves and their capabilities.
And that is when I learned that education occurs inside and outside of the classroom.
If you follow your passion, you follow your purpose, nothing will stop you from
succeeding because the only person that can is yourself.
And I know sometimes it doesn't feel that way, But when you're able to take
a step back and reflect on your choices and where you are in life,
(05:59):
all of that does come back down to yourself.
And so the lesson shifted my perspective of myself and what I am capable of.
So before my goal was to clean like one mile or 1.6 kilometers of highway.
And now my goal is to literally clean up the entire world. It's given me so
(06:19):
much more confidence in myself and I am able to see my true potential now.
And I'm sure also the way being also a person that can influence and discuss
and reach a broader audience, young people and youth and young women,
so you can have also a strong influence on them.
(06:40):
And I want to ask a bit about, as an activist now, as an influencer,
what strategy do you employ to advocate for environmental issues?
Choose? So I know some people have niche, a little bit of niches and mine's
a little bit all over the place.
(07:01):
So I do personally, I focus on multiple forms of activism to target multiple
demographics as well as different locations around the globe.
And I also, modeling's played a part in that as well because I've been able
to travel as extensively as I've had because of it.
So I also do, as an influencer-based activist as well, I utilize social media and I do create content.
(07:26):
But then I also have my boots-on-the-ground approach where I'm at live events,
I'm doing protests and demonstrations, seminars and cleanups, speaking events.
I collaborate with other environmental organizations and one of my,
you know, I don't like to choose favorites, but one of my, you know,
more what I'm very interested in is lobbying in D.C. for legislative reform.
(07:49):
And I also have a political science background.
So for me, I am a speaker and I'm a doer.
I just do things and I do excel at interpersonal communications because of my
background and how much I have traveled.
And this is where that traveling to different cultures through modeling played that significant role.
(08:10):
And I know my audience very well. I know how my efforts are best utilized.
And just for an example, when I am lobbying in D.C.
And I'm speaking to a conservative Republican who doesn't prioritize environmental
issues in any way, then I switch the narrative to an issue they are concerned
about. out. And then I tie it back into the environment.
(08:31):
So depending on the topic there, there are times though, where it's,
you know, more challenging than not, but the interesting thing about nature
is that it's tied into every single aspect of life.
And it's simply a matter of discovering the connection.
So balancing my advocacy with work and even my, my activism,
(08:56):
my, my work, even my personal life, it can be tricky at times and cause occasional
conflict, especially when I have those moments where I have to think outside
of the box. I have to give a lot of my time.
I have to just play it a certain way and strategize in a different way.
It can be very time consuming.
And I found out though, instead of looking at in kind of like a negative, overwhelming.
(09:23):
Conflict perspective, I see how my work has better served my advocacy.
And it has even provided me more opportunities, which has been remarkable.
And I honestly would never have thought that would be the case,
especially because with my background, who's going to take me seriously?
(09:45):
But it really has opened up so many doors. And it's allowed me to connect with
very powerful people and people in positions of power with celebrities in the
media, investors, business owners, governments.
And it allowed me to create this platform, such as on social media,
(10:06):
to address overconsumption, fast fashion, climate justice.
And because of everything that I have have done, my choices I've made in my
life up until this moment, it's almost like it has prepared me for this platform of advocacy.
And, oh, and yeah, oh, I was going to mention, like for those,
(10:28):
you know, for those even listening who do want to incorporate more activism
in their lives, like you don't have to go as big.
I know I mentioned a few things where I'm like, oh, I'm traveling the world.
I'm doing this and that. You don't have to go as big.
So like, Like, as I mentioned, I am, I'm a speaker, so I, I use my voice and
I, I use my skill sets and utilize my strengths.
(10:51):
And once we realize what our strengths are and utilize them,
that's where we will leave our greatest impact.
So if you are a speaker as well, like use your voice.
If you're a strong writer, write an educator, develop lesson plans for friends or family or students.
But regardless of what you do, you just always have to know your audience.
And it's not about convincing people to believe you.
(11:13):
It's always about encouraging those who are willing to act on it.
And that's where you can utilize your skill set to its greatest capacity and
effort and not to be kind of despondent or feeling that you're incapable of it.
Maybe because you're not going as big as other people because it's the baby
steps that get us to the bigger goals.
(11:35):
Fantastic, Lindsay. And I really like what you say then. And it's a wonderful,
tremendous piece of advice.
And I'm sure we'll come back to ask more advice to you in the episode,
because that is actually why I really like,
and why you have come to the show to share your experience.
You don't have the degree Oxford or about environmental sustainability,
(11:59):
or you are a climate scientist, but you can reach people.
And this is your strength and your capability, and you can influence behavior.
And what you said, act where your strengths are.
And passion, it's really your strength.
You have been there, as I mentioned. I mean, this wonderful Vogue or others
(12:21):
that everybody would love to be.
And you are now also using your skill sets in that world to influence back.
Especially, we all know that there are the significant impact of the fashion industry.
We all know it's well-recognized, it's scientifically demonstrated.
So what are you doing to influence a top model to drive change toward more sustainable practices?
(12:45):
Pieces, even with your initiatives, even targeting models, how to empower them and work.
So I really like that part of your work and activism.
Yes. So it's actually quite funny because I really started dabbling more into
the fashion industry and the harmful effects of it recently,
(13:06):
as in like the past couple years.
So I felt obligated to because of my job. And I started to feel like a hypocrite
that I'm working in this industry because.
Promoting almost over consumption. And even though I, of course,
(13:28):
I did have to take a step back and reflect, and I'm not the one creating these garments.
I'm not the one making the decisions behind these companies,
but I still felt a little hypocritical because I am working in an industry that
I know is very harmful and toxic.
And yet I wasn't doing anything about it. So at the end of the day,
(13:49):
though, it is a job. It is my income. I do love it.
It's a love-hate relationship, if I'm being honest, but I do love it.
And it's given me such an amazing and beautiful and special life.
But I also felt, okay, I could do more and I need to do more and I want to do do more.
(14:09):
So being a model in one of the worst industries that are affecting our environments.
I wanted to be able to at least use my voice and try and establish change or
at least raise the awareness where people can try and maybe people will be a
(14:33):
little bit more inclined to to listen or be interested in doing research on their own.
So now I say all that just in relation to the fashion industry specifically of what I've done.
I am a graduating fellow with the Remake organization and they fight for climate
justice and fair wage for garment workers within the industry.
(14:53):
And our activism consists of protests, demonstrations, social campaigns,
campaigns, panel discussions, push a lot of petitions. And we also lobby in DC as well.
So currently, we are working on pushing a bill called the Fabric Act,
which will completely just redesign the American garment manufacturing industry.
(15:13):
So there are five central pillars of the bill, and they all are focused around
accountability, transparency, and fair pay for the garment worker.
And in addition to the negative impact the industry has on our climate,
we advocate for for equal pay, because the low wages our garment workers receive
(15:36):
are what fuel overproduction,
resulting in an increase of 4% of global carbon emissions and produce 100 billion
units of clothes each year.
Now, if we do have higher wages and pay them a living wage, not only does that
increase their quality of life and, of course, reduce and minimize,
(15:56):
completely abolish, hopefully, modern day slavery, which is basically what it
is, we do have less production because of those higher wages.
We have better quality of products because of them. We have reduced emissions
and overall leave a greener footprint.
So there's so many things that I can do as a model in my industry where I can
just be talking to somebody at work and being like,
(16:18):
oh, there's actually a really cool alternative textile to use instead of this
and subtly drop something in something so so small,
or I can just be lobbying on Capitol Hill once again, trying to push these bills
to be able to pass law to reform policy and completely reshape the entire industry.
(16:39):
So it goes again, once again, from
big to small. And I always have to emphasize, you never have to go big.
You do what you can, you do what you're comfortable with, but there's just so
many choices that we have where we can employ our efforts and make an incredible impact.
Fantastic. It's really, I say, everybody can do their work and their choice.
(17:00):
And I think also being educated on how to make sustainable choices in fashion,
it's a very good first step for people.
And now you are also collaborating and more expanding your collaboration,
especially even for companies that want to transform a bit of merchandising.
We know that merchandising is something that we often overlook,
(17:20):
but there's an awful lot of products and things that are there.
Sometimes you go to a conference, you receive a lot of things,
so you prepare for your customers, and sometimes it ends up in the landfill.
So how you are transforming that and working with eco-brands,
can you explain a bit, eco-branders, how this wants to align towards a more
(17:43):
sustainable merchandising and sustainable goals?
Yes. So I'm so grateful that I was able to find EcoBranders.
And what EcoBranders is, is an online retailer providing eco-conscious branded
merchandise for companies, for nonprofits, schools,
government organizations, honestly, anyone who needs just customizable merchandise,
(18:05):
which really is everyone basically.
And so the promotional industry, which is what this is, is one of the worst
hidden environmental offenders.
And I say hidden because it goes hand in hand with the fashion industry.
It is part of the fashion industry, but it includes promotional merchandises,
(18:25):
everything and everywhere.
It includes clothing, accessories, drinkware, utensils, gadgets, tech.
So it's just all manufacturing and textiles. It's everything, whatever it may be.
And like, how much stuff do you own? You know, I'm sure you just have a lot
of stuff and it's all like either customizable merchandise.
It was a promotional merchandise from a company that has their logo on it.
(18:49):
It's literally everything.
So it's this stuff that comes through our hands every day that we don't think
about because it's so mindless.
So of course, it's a little different where you're going clothes shopping and
you look in your closet and you see all these clothes and you know how specifically
the fashion industry is affecting the environment.
But you're not thinking about the vase on your table or all like the 50 pens
(19:16):
that you have that you don't use anymore, or that's out of ink and dried up.
And it's just so much just stuff.
And so the textile and manufacturing industry is loosely regulated and eco-branders
is revolutionizing the business and marketing sectors through supply chain transparency, transparency,
(19:36):
carbon offsets, and sustainable production and sourcing of materials and products.
So eco-branders, we stand for mindfulness, for solutions, for an alternative way of doing things.
And today, we have options.
And eco-branders not only provides you with better choices, places,
(20:01):
but they educate the consumer and businesses on how to do better as well as
why we should, we should do better.
So they've been an incredible company from day one and it overlaps in the fashion
industry as a model where you would at first glance,
not think that there is much crossover or much in common, but promotional merchandise is.
(20:25):
Overflows into modeling because even you look at
louis vuitton they put their logo on
literally everything multiple times everyone is a walking billboard that
wears louis vuitton that's promotional merchandise so everything
that has come through our hands has been a
form of promotional merchandise no fantastic it's really
interesting and often overlook also me i
(20:46):
was not that aware of the impact on
the work of maybe the water bottle and maybe you have received 25
water water bottles and 25 from 25
companies wanting to reduce the use of plastic and
you end up with 25 at home and so
you have not really reduced the plastic and this is just a small example and
(21:08):
talking about example i really want to go a bit deeper on impact stories something
that you can share with our audience some few story of experience that highlight
your impact in work in sustainability.
In our environmental advocacy, and that you are proud of?
Yes. So I, again, since my platform is so, has so much variety,
(21:31):
I've done multiple things.
And some of my favorite opportunities, though, are when I do get to travel to
other countries as a guest or as a speaker.
And I always leave learning so much more than when I arrived,
which I am then able to take take that experience back with me and share it with others.
(21:52):
Because understanding how our climate affects different regions and communities
is one of the quickest ways to understand the degree of devastation and how
many factors play a part.
So despite this world, despite this being a worldwide crisis,
everyone faces different impacts at different intensities.
(22:15):
And being able to share those stories with people who are unable to see them
for themselves creates compassion.
It creates empathy and a connection to these places, even though you've never
set foot there, which is what we need in order to act collectively and change our planet.
And that's just an experience that creates more of an emotional impact on myself and of others.
(22:37):
But I really enjoy having having that emotional base in my activism,
because whenever you do make things personal, that is when people start to act.
And I feel that's a very, very important part within my platform.
(22:57):
But in other actual stories, I do really love to share policy impacts as I do
feel the truest solution to the climate crisis is within legislation.
So working with Remake, we are pushing companies to sign the Pakistan Accord,
which protects the health and safety of garment workers abroad as well.
(23:18):
And after several months, we were trying to get a lot of big name brands to sign on.
We call them like the Dirty Dozen. And we ended up getting a lot of bigger brands
to sign on, like Gap, H&M, American Eagle, Primark.
And then we were really trying to push for Levi's to sign on,
and they were not budging.
(23:40):
And we even held a demonstration in Times Square in front of the Levi's store to further sway them.
And it was a really great demonstration, very heartfelt, very emotional.
We even had garment workers from abroad in the Middle East come over and speak as well.
We had a truck circling the square advertising what we were doing.
(24:04):
We had three volunteers to lie down on the streets in sheets covered in what
looked what appeared to be blood to signify the death of the workers that were
experiencing abroad and the devastations that they were experiencing.
Experiencing and we were also supposed to kind of go into the Levi's store,
(24:25):
but all of that didn't go as planned because for some reason the,
the police showed up and I guess maybe someone tipped them off.
There's going to be a demonstration, but of course it's all peaceful.
We're not, it's not chaotic.
It's basically just having a speaking events in public.
(24:45):
And so we ended up not being able to sway Levi's as much as we wanted,
but we were able to make an impact.
At least raise awareness that something is going on because the bystanders that
are walking past us, they were
able to look up and research more details that we were providing them.
And a lot of them weren't even aware that this was happening.
(25:08):
So we weren't successful in having them sign on to the Pakistan Accord,
but fortunately a few months down the road, we found it out that they ended
up signing onto another accord and that is still helpful.
And it shows that they're stepping in the right direction.
And we played I know we played a significant role in that.
(25:30):
And also, yeah, it was amazing. Absolutely incredible.
And also, I know I've spoken a lot about remake, but I'm also a WWF ambassador,
which I also lobby on behalf of WWF.
And we're pushing for the Forest Act, which was reintroduced in the House and
the Senate as a bipartisan bill, which was great.
(25:50):
And the act would prohibit agricultural imports
that were linked to illegal deforestation and
report the importers of those agricultural products to know to have them be
transparent about their supply chains and ensure that their products do not
contribute to any type of illegal deforestation in any way, shape or form.
(26:16):
So, and additionally to that, we're even targeting our local governments here
to push for EPR programs to develop them on the state and then hopefully federal level.
And for those who may not be familiar, that's their producer responsibility
programs to be able to hold our manufacturers and companies accountable for
the consequences that they end up creating.
(26:36):
So that's more on my personal stories, but even eco-branders,
they have a little bit more easy to digest, I guess, story of impacts.
But so even on impacts of EcoBrander specifically.
With each product sold, a percentage of it automatically goes to our partner
(27:00):
organizations that focus on ocean cleanups.
They focus on reforestation, CO2 reduction.
And we also offset our own emissions with the carbon fund partnership that we
have, which allows every single one of our orders to be shipped carbon neutral.
And we are also looking for opportunities to make every order as sustainable as possible.
(27:25):
For example, there was this one order, one of our clients purchased 14,000 water
bottles, so many water bottles, and we just talked about water bottles,
but thank goodness we don't have 14,000 of them in our cabinets.
This, but there's 14,000 water bottles, which are typically wrapped in individual single use.
(27:47):
Clear polyester plastic bags. And our CEO,
Stacey Matheson, she discussed alternative packaging options with our clients
and with the shipment facility where the client ultimately decided that they
were going to refuse the poly plastic and their bottles still arrived in absolutely excellent condition,
(28:09):
but they saved 14,000 pieces of plastic and significantly significantly reduce
the environmental impact of that order.
And being able to be in an industry or work with a company that is so mindful
and conscious about that, where every single company can do that,
the impact would be so great.
(28:31):
And all it takes is just to ask. All you have to do is just ask a question.
And that question ended up leading to just a reduction in harmful effects on
our environment, just from one question.
Well, and really, I can say a low-hanging fruit that was there.
And if you have the right consciousness, you can already start implementing
(28:55):
some small changes, which are not affecting really the way you operate,
but they really start the snowballing effect.
And if everybody started with the small things that can be done,
of course, already, we have already been one or two steps on the right direction. direction.
And on that, on the direction and the trajectory and the journey of Lindsay,
(29:16):
I want to discuss a bit more with you because you have mentioned big names,
you're working with acts in the States, at state level, federal level,
you are lobbying with big organization,
discussing, you're doing your activism on social media.
So looking forward, which are your plans and project do you have in the pipeline
for you, for Lindsay? And where do you want to take your your work.
(29:41):
I, of course, have tangible projects that are coming up that I do want to see come to life.
But overall, I aim to further develop my message of showing compassion towards our shared home.
And yes, the projects that I do really want to see come to fruition are very,
(30:03):
very important to me, but I feel the main focus overall should be determining
the best course of action in the present moment with the tool set that you currently have.
Because as even mentioned before, completing that step, those little baby steps
that will take you to the next one and the next one and so on and so forth until
(30:23):
you reach your goal, the one main objective that you've had.
And that's also where it gets so overwhelming for people by thinking too much
about the future and what I want to do, where I want to go, when you have to
really focus on what you're doing in the present moment moments and what the
present moment needs from you right now.
So I'll continue collaborating, creating, continue lobbying,
(30:46):
and focusing more on policy and inspiring people to raise our environmental consciousness.
And in terms of goals that I do want to see come to life, I do enjoy my interview
series that I'll do occasionally.
So I would want to focus a little bit more on that, just to connect to the public,
to connect to consumers,
(31:07):
to possibly other businesses where I can get a more in-depth feel of what's
going on behind their closed doors or what's going on within the consumer's mind,
see where they're at and just gauge how much work really even needs to be done,
which we know it's a lot, but it's nice to be able to raise that awareness for
other people who don't think about those things.
(31:30):
So it's always being able to bring projects to life that are going to leave
a significant impact and help people at least.
Even if you can't educate them fully, let them know that there's something going
on so they're aware of it.
And that's another thing where I feel a lot of people become despondent because
they think, oh, I have to teach everybody everything else.
(31:52):
I have to teach myself about this. I need to learn about X, Y, Z.
It's not becoming an expert in your field. Sometimes it's really just becoming aware of it.
I mean, of course, if you want to go into activism, it's nice to become an expert.
But if you're just trying to make a difference, even in your own life,
you don't have to be an expert about it. You just have to be aware.
(32:13):
You have to know that there is something going on and that you have choices
and decisions that you can make that affects it.
And fantastic. And this is another terrible piece of advice for our audience
that leads to our question.
Because you have achieved so much. You are now an activist.
You are a model. model, you have traveled the world, you have reached the peak
(32:37):
of the career, you have, as I say, all over the place.
But I really want to ask for somebody like me and others listening,
that's, as you said, which are the steps we can do to really make a difference in sustainability?
Which tips you can give to us?
(32:58):
So I do always give out a lot of tips and you can even find some More like practical
tips on my website and lindsay-coffee.com.
We will put it in the description of the podcast on the episode. So go and check it out.
Awesome. Thank you. And it's more practical advice where what you can do in
your own home, how you can limit and reduce your carbon footprint,
(33:23):
you know, using reusable products.
So there are things that, of course, you can make in your transitions in your
daily life that will leave an impact.
And there's also, I feel like a lot of the things that you can do,
it's very easy to acknowledge and kind of even research and find out.
(33:46):
So what I really like to push is what I feel the best thing you can do is to
just elevate your awareness about the world around you, the options that you
have, and the impacts we create.
And now I know everyone is on their own journey. They have a different skill set, different assets.
(34:07):
They're in different financial situations. And I know not everyone was born
with privilege, but everyone was born with choice.
So educate yourself, share your knowledge with others, vote,
petition, strengthen your your skill sets, as I even mentioned previously.
Kind of tailor them to your best abilities and strength within your actions.
(34:32):
We also have being able to utilize those actions and kind of transition those into an activist,
work mindset where you, if you are a great speaker, use your voice a little bit more.
If you do like, right, you know, write a little bit more and just take action
(34:53):
in any way that you you can.
And overall, be mindful and be compassionate and utilize your ability to choose.
Every decision that you make in your life has a consequence,
and it's up to us to decide if that consequence will be positive or negative.
That goes for decisions that affect the environment and even ones that affect your personal lives.
(35:17):
My number one piece of advice is to understand the power within choice.
And that's what I really like to push for people instead of,
yes, you can find out, turn off your lights before you leave,
but I want you to expand and elevate your environmental consciousness and your
awareness and understand that the power within the choices you have are so great and significant.
(35:41):
Fantastic piece of advice, Lindsay. I think I think it's really important and
is a strong call for action from everybody of us.
And also, I think the podcast is a way to give voice to people like you,
for people that come in from all sorts of backgrounds.
But they have, as we say, plural perspective and common objective.
(36:03):
And the real, the common objective is our planet, our earth,
and also our responsibility towards the future generation.
Thank you so much, Lindsay, for this wonderful job. It's been a pleasure and honor having you.
No, thank you so much. It's been an absolute pleasure. I'm so happy we're able to connect.
And I really enjoyed speaking with you. And I know you've done so much as well.
(36:24):
So thank you so much for using your platform to educate others as well and share
other stories just to make this world a little bit better. So thank you.
Fantastic. Thank you so much, Lindsay. Are you satisfied after this wonderful episode?
Let's continue together our sustainability journey.
(36:45):
Thank you.
Are you satisfied with your understanding of sustainability?
If you are not, imagine a journey together, a pluralistic one,
with academia, innovators, startups, NGOs, all looking for solutions to the
greatest challenge of our time.
My name is Samuel Etini and this is the Sustainability Journey.
(00:30):
Welcome to another episode, and today we are going to discuss how you can frame
a career on sustainability with somebody that is coming from a sector that you
don't often associate with sustainability,
but has become now an activist and she has transitioned it using her skill and
brand and her capability to work.
(00:52):
A former Miss Earth, a model, and now an activist.
Lindsay Coffey is here with us today. Thank you so much, Lindsay,
for being here with us today.
Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy that we're able to connect.
And thank you for the intro.
It's definitely a unique and different background. So I appreciate it.
I'm just looking forward to our conversation.
(01:13):
Fantastic. And it's really something that I want to know more about you. I mean...
But then we ask our usual question. We want to know, who is Lindsay?
What is your sustainability journey?
Of course. We always have to know who is this person.
So ever since, I definitely do have a unique background, but ever since I was
young, I loved nature. I loved being outside.
(01:36):
I loved animals as well, where I declared my vegetarianism at just eight years
old when I actually found out what meat really was.
And I remember telling my mom, I don't eat meat. Animals are my friends.
I don't want to eat my friends.
And then even in middle school, I adopted a highway where I would spend my weekends
literally picking up trash.
(01:57):
What young kid wants to spend their weekends picking up litter on the side of the road? I mean, I did.
I was definitely that little oddball out. And I just believe I was born loving
this planet, loving the nature, loving the animals, like adopting that highway.
And then, then I had a significant turning point though, in my life,
(02:18):
where I ended up realizing how much beauty there was in this planet.
And I was able to have that opportunity through modeling where I did start traveling the world.
So I saw just how remarkable this planet really was.
But then unfortunately, I also saw so much devastation, a lot of devastation
(02:39):
that was happening as a consequence of our actions.
So one also being several natural disasters I've lived in, one being in Cape
Town, South Africa, and they had one of the worst water crisis in the history.
And I saw how much we were taking from our planet.
And I realized she needed more voices to speak for her.
(03:00):
And that's when I truly began my journey into activism. Yeah.
And fantastic. And it's really, you can see some patterns, people that from
all sorts of backgrounds that they came to the podcast, they have the turning
point, the eureka moment, then where they understood why and what they can do also for the planet.
And you have been at the forefront of modeling.
(03:23):
Now you have been also Miss Arts in 2020, if I recall correctly.
So you have been on the magazines that everybody will love to be the vogue of
this world and the other.
But we want to understand how this journey has really shaped now and how you
have turned it in towards, you know, you have you are also an influential person.
(03:44):
We have a lot of followers see how you have transformed yourself in an
influencer and an influencer for planet art yes
so i've definitely had a very incredible
journey a journey filled with
doubt though i i've learned
a lot and so i've always acted on my love for the planet as i mentioned even
(04:06):
when i was very young but winning miss earth which for those who don't know
about It is a environmental competition based on beauty pageants,
kind of standards and themes,
but they end up using kind of the glitz and glamour to kind of sway you into
(04:30):
wanting to, you know, watch the show. And then you come back.
To find out that all of these women are just intelligent, they're empathetic,
they're empowered, and they have so much to say about our planet and the solutions
that we have and what we can do about them.
So it's an environmentally based competition where we're fighting for climate justice.
(04:53):
And I competed against 82 nations and I became the first American to ever win it.
And so winning Miss Earth gave me that confidence to amplify my action voice.
So it had always been there, but now being able to win that I was showing myself,
not just other people, Hey, I actually do have something, something to say.
(05:14):
I was proving that to myself as well. So I felt completely underqualified to
speak about our climate because who's going to respect or even want to listen
to a model, someone who doesn't even have an environmental degree,
who works in an environmental field.
Now, this is where so many people end up falling into that trap where they underestimate
(05:36):
themselves and their capabilities.
And that is when I learned that education occurs inside and outside of the classroom.
If you follow your passion, you follow your purpose, nothing will stop you from
succeeding because the only person that can is yourself.
And I know sometimes it doesn't feel that way, But when you're able to take
a step back and reflect on your choices and where you are in life,
(05:59):
all of that does come back down to yourself.
And so the lesson shifted my perspective of myself and what I am capable of.
So before my goal was to clean like one mile or 1.6 kilometers of highway.
And now my goal is to literally clean up the entire world. It's given me so
(06:19):
much more confidence in myself and I am able to see my true potential now.
And I'm sure also the way being also a person that can influence and discuss
and reach a broader audience, young people and youth and young women,
so you can have also a strong influence on them.
(06:40):
And I want to ask a bit about, as an activist now, as an influencer,
what strategy do you employ to advocate for environmental issues?
Choose? So I know some people have niche, a little bit of niches and mine's
a little bit all over the place.
(07:01):
So I do personally, I focus on multiple forms of activism to target multiple
demographics as well as different locations around the globe.
And I also, modeling's played a part in that as well because I've been able
to travel as extensively as I've had because of it.
So I also do, as an influencer-based activist as well, I utilize social media and I do create content.
(07:26):
But then I also have my boots-on-the-ground approach where I'm at live events,
I'm doing protests and demonstrations, seminars and cleanups, speaking events.
I collaborate with other environmental organizations and one of my,
you know, I don't like to choose favorites, but one of my, you know,
more what I'm very interested in is lobbying in D.C. for legislative reform.
(07:49):
And I also have a political science background.
So for me, I am a speaker and I'm a doer.
I just do things and I do excel at interpersonal communications because of my
background and how much I have traveled.
And this is where that traveling to different cultures through modeling played that significant role.
(08:10):
And I know my audience very well. I know how my efforts are best utilized.
And just for an example, when I am lobbying in D.C.
And I'm speaking to a conservative Republican who doesn't prioritize environmental
issues in any way, then I switch the narrative to an issue they are concerned
about. out. And then I tie it back into the environment.
(08:31):
So depending on the topic there, there are times though, where it's,
you know, more challenging than not, but the interesting thing about nature
is that it's tied into every single aspect of life.
And it's simply a matter of discovering the connection.
So balancing my advocacy with work and even my, my activism,
(08:56):
my, my work, even my personal life, it can be tricky at times and cause occasional
conflict, especially when I have those moments where I have to think outside
of the box. I have to give a lot of my time.
I have to just play it a certain way and strategize in a different way.
It can be very time consuming.
And I found out though, instead of looking at in kind of like a negative, overwhelming.
(09:23):
Conflict perspective, I see how my work has better served my advocacy.
And it has even provided me more opportunities, which has been remarkable.
And I honestly would never have thought that would be the case,
especially because with my background, who's going to take me seriously?
(09:45):
But it really has opened up so many doors. And it's allowed me to connect with
very powerful people and people in positions of power with celebrities in the
media, investors, business owners, governments.
And it allowed me to create this platform, such as on social media,
(10:06):
to address overconsumption, fast fashion, climate justice.
And because of everything that I have have done, my choices I've made in my
life up until this moment, it's almost like it has prepared me for this platform of advocacy.
And, oh, and yeah, oh, I was going to mention, like for those,
(10:28):
you know, for those even listening who do want to incorporate more activism
in their lives, like you don't have to go as big.
I know I mentioned a few things where I'm like, oh, I'm traveling the world.
I'm doing this and that. You don't have to go as big.
So like, Like, as I mentioned, I am, I'm a speaker, so I, I use my voice and
I, I use my skill sets and utilize my strengths.
(10:51):
And once we realize what our strengths are and utilize them,
that's where we will leave our greatest impact.
So if you are a speaker as well, like use your voice.
If you're a strong writer, write an educator, develop lesson plans for friends or family or students.
But regardless of what you do, you just always have to know your audience.
And it's not about convincing people to believe you.
(11:13):
It's always about encouraging those who are willing to act on it.
And that's where you can utilize your skill set to its greatest capacity and
effort and not to be kind of despondent or feeling that you're incapable of it.
Maybe because you're not going as big as other people because it's the baby
steps that get us to the bigger goals.
(11:35):
Fantastic, Lindsay. And I really like what you say then. And it's a wonderful,
tremendous piece of advice.
And I'm sure we'll come back to ask more advice to you in the episode,
because that is actually why I really like,
and why you have come to the show to share your experience.
You don't have the degree Oxford or about environmental sustainability,
(11:59):
or you are a climate scientist, but you can reach people.
And this is your strength and your capability, and you can influence behavior.
And what you said, act where your strengths are.
And passion, it's really your strength.
You have been there, as I mentioned. I mean, this wonderful Vogue or others
(12:21):
that everybody would love to be.
And you are now also using your skill sets in that world to influence back.
Especially, we all know that there are the significant impact of the fashion industry.
We all know it's well-recognized, it's scientifically demonstrated.
So what are you doing to influence a top model to drive change toward more sustainable practices?
(12:45):
Pieces, even with your initiatives, even targeting models, how to empower them and work.
So I really like that part of your work and activism.
Yes. So it's actually quite funny because I really started dabbling more into
the fashion industry and the harmful effects of it recently,
(13:06):
as in like the past couple years.
So I felt obligated to because of my job. And I started to feel like a hypocrite
that I'm working in this industry because.
Promoting almost over consumption. And even though I, of course,
(13:28):
I did have to take a step back and reflect, and I'm not the one creating these garments.
I'm not the one making the decisions behind these companies,
but I still felt a little hypocritical because I am working in an industry that
I know is very harmful and toxic.
And yet I wasn't doing anything about it. So at the end of the day,
(13:49):
though, it is a job. It is my income. I do love it.
It's a love-hate relationship, if I'm being honest, but I do love it.
And it's given me such an amazing and beautiful and special life.
But I also felt, okay, I could do more and I need to do more and I want to do do more.
(14:09):
So being a model in one of the worst industries that are affecting our environments.
I wanted to be able to at least use my voice and try and establish change or
at least raise the awareness where people can try and maybe people will be a
(14:33):
little bit more inclined to to listen or be interested in doing research on their own.
So now I say all that just in relation to the fashion industry specifically of what I've done.
I am a graduating fellow with the Remake organization and they fight for climate
justice and fair wage for garment workers within the industry.
(14:53):
And our activism consists of protests, demonstrations, social campaigns,
campaigns, panel discussions, push a lot of petitions. And we also lobby in DC as well.
So currently, we are working on pushing a bill called the Fabric Act,
which will completely just redesign the American garment manufacturing industry.
(15:13):
So there are five central pillars of the bill, and they all are focused around
accountability, transparency, and fair pay for the garment worker.
And in addition to the negative impact the industry has on our climate,
we advocate for for equal pay, because the low wages our garment workers receive
(15:36):
are what fuel overproduction,
resulting in an increase of 4% of global carbon emissions and produce 100 billion
units of clothes each year.
Now, if we do have higher wages and pay them a living wage, not only does that
increase their quality of life and, of course, reduce and minimize,
(15:56):
completely abolish, hopefully, modern day slavery, which is basically what it
is, we do have less production because of those higher wages.
We have better quality of products because of them. We have reduced emissions
and overall leave a greener footprint.
So there's so many things that I can do as a model in my industry where I can
just be talking to somebody at work and being like,
(16:18):
oh, there's actually a really cool alternative textile to use instead of this
and subtly drop something in something so so small,
or I can just be lobbying on Capitol Hill once again, trying to push these bills
to be able to pass law to reform policy and completely reshape the entire industry.
(16:39):
So it goes again, once again, from
big to small. And I always have to emphasize, you never have to go big.
You do what you can, you do what you're comfortable with, but there's just so
many choices that we have where we can employ our efforts and make an incredible impact.
Fantastic. It's really, I say, everybody can do their work and their choice.
(17:00):
And I think also being educated on how to make sustainable choices in fashion,
it's a very good first step for people.
And now you are also collaborating and more expanding your collaboration,
especially even for companies that want to transform a bit of merchandising.
We know that merchandising is something that we often overlook,
(17:20):
but there's an awful lot of products and things that are there.
Sometimes you go to a conference, you receive a lot of things,
so you prepare for your customers, and sometimes it ends up in the landfill.
So how you are transforming that and working with eco-brands,
can you explain a bit, eco-branders, how this wants to align towards a more
(17:43):
sustainable merchandising and sustainable goals?
Yes. So I'm so grateful that I was able to find EcoBranders.
And what EcoBranders is, is an online retailer providing eco-conscious branded
merchandise for companies, for nonprofits, schools,
government organizations, honestly, anyone who needs just customizable merchandise,
(18:05):
which really is everyone basically.
And so the promotional industry, which is what this is, is one of the worst
hidden environmental offenders.
And I say hidden because it goes hand in hand with the fashion industry.
It is part of the fashion industry, but it includes promotional merchandises,
(18:25):
everything and everywhere.
It includes clothing, accessories, drinkware, utensils, gadgets, tech.
So it's just all manufacturing and textiles. It's everything, whatever it may be.
And like, how much stuff do you own? You know, I'm sure you just have a lot
of stuff and it's all like either customizable merchandise.
It was a promotional merchandise from a company that has their logo on it.
(18:49):
It's literally everything.
So it's this stuff that comes through our hands every day that we don't think
about because it's so mindless.
So of course, it's a little different where you're going clothes shopping and
you look in your closet and you see all these clothes and you know how specifically
the fashion industry is affecting the environment.
But you're not thinking about the vase on your table or all like the 50 pens
(19:16):
that you have that you don't use anymore, or that's out of ink and dried up.
And it's just so much just stuff.
And so the textile and manufacturing industry is loosely regulated and eco-branders
is revolutionizing the business and marketing sectors through supply chain transparency, transparency,
(19:36):
carbon offsets, and sustainable production and sourcing of materials and products.
So eco-branders, we stand for mindfulness, for solutions, for an alternative way of doing things.
And today, we have options.
And eco-branders not only provides you with better choices, places,
(20:01):
but they educate the consumer and businesses on how to do better as well as
why we should, we should do better.
So they've been an incredible company from day one and it overlaps in the fashion
industry as a model where you would at first glance,
not think that there is much crossover or much in common, but promotional merchandise is.
(20:25):
Overflows into modeling because even you look at
louis vuitton they put their logo on
literally everything multiple times everyone is a walking billboard that
wears louis vuitton that's promotional merchandise so everything
that has come through our hands has been a
form of promotional merchandise no fantastic it's really
interesting and often overlook also me i
(20:46):
was not that aware of the impact on
the work of maybe the water bottle and maybe you have received 25
water water bottles and 25 from 25
companies wanting to reduce the use of plastic and
you end up with 25 at home and so
you have not really reduced the plastic and this is just a small example and
(21:08):
talking about example i really want to go a bit deeper on impact stories something
that you can share with our audience some few story of experience that highlight
your impact in work in sustainability.
In our environmental advocacy, and that you are proud of?
Yes. So I, again, since my platform is so, has so much variety,
(21:31):
I've done multiple things.
And some of my favorite opportunities, though, are when I do get to travel to
other countries as a guest or as a speaker.
And I always leave learning so much more than when I arrived,
which I am then able to take take that experience back with me and share it with others.
(21:52):
Because understanding how our climate affects different regions and communities
is one of the quickest ways to understand the degree of devastation and how
many factors play a part.
So despite this world, despite this being a worldwide crisis,
everyone faces different impacts at different intensities.
(22:15):
And being able to share those stories with people who are unable to see them
for themselves creates compassion.
It creates empathy and a connection to these places, even though you've never
set foot there, which is what we need in order to act collectively and change our planet.
And that's just an experience that creates more of an emotional impact on myself and of others.
(22:37):
But I really enjoy having having that emotional base in my activism,
because whenever you do make things personal, that is when people start to act.
And I feel that's a very, very important part within my platform.
(22:57):
But in other actual stories, I do really love to share policy impacts as I do
feel the truest solution to the climate crisis is within legislation.
So working with Remake, we are pushing companies to sign the Pakistan Accord,
which protects the health and safety of garment workers abroad as well.
(23:18):
And after several months, we were trying to get a lot of big name brands to sign on.
We call them like the Dirty Dozen. And we ended up getting a lot of bigger brands
to sign on, like Gap, H&M, American Eagle, Primark.
And then we were really trying to push for Levi's to sign on,
and they were not budging.
(23:40):
And we even held a demonstration in Times Square in front of the Levi's store to further sway them.
And it was a really great demonstration, very heartfelt, very emotional.
We even had garment workers from abroad in the Middle East come over and speak as well.
We had a truck circling the square advertising what we were doing.
(24:04):
We had three volunteers to lie down on the streets in sheets covered in what
looked what appeared to be blood to signify the death of the workers that were
experiencing abroad and the devastations that they were experiencing.
Experiencing and we were also supposed to kind of go into the Levi's store,
(24:25):
but all of that didn't go as planned because for some reason the,
the police showed up and I guess maybe someone tipped them off.
There's going to be a demonstration, but of course it's all peaceful.
We're not, it's not chaotic.
It's basically just having a speaking events in public.
(24:45):
And so we ended up not being able to sway Levi's as much as we wanted,
but we were able to make an impact.
At least raise awareness that something is going on because the bystanders that
are walking past us, they were
able to look up and research more details that we were providing them.
And a lot of them weren't even aware that this was happening.
(25:08):
So we weren't successful in having them sign on to the Pakistan Accord,
but fortunately a few months down the road, we found it out that they ended
up signing onto another accord and that is still helpful.
And it shows that they're stepping in the right direction.
And we played I know we played a significant role in that.
(25:30):
And also, yeah, it was amazing. Absolutely incredible.
And also, I know I've spoken a lot about remake, but I'm also a WWF ambassador,
which I also lobby on behalf of WWF.
And we're pushing for the Forest Act, which was reintroduced in the House and
the Senate as a bipartisan bill, which was great.
(25:50):
And the act would prohibit agricultural imports
that were linked to illegal deforestation and
report the importers of those agricultural products to know to have them be
transparent about their supply chains and ensure that their products do not
contribute to any type of illegal deforestation in any way, shape or form.
(26:16):
So, and additionally to that, we're even targeting our local governments here
to push for EPR programs to develop them on the state and then hopefully federal level.
And for those who may not be familiar, that's their producer responsibility
programs to be able to hold our manufacturers and companies accountable for
the consequences that they end up creating.
(26:36):
So that's more on my personal stories, but even eco-branders,
they have a little bit more easy to digest, I guess, story of impacts.
But so even on impacts of EcoBrander specifically.
With each product sold, a percentage of it automatically goes to our partner
(27:00):
organizations that focus on ocean cleanups.
They focus on reforestation, CO2 reduction.
And we also offset our own emissions with the carbon fund partnership that we
have, which allows every single one of our orders to be shipped carbon neutral.
And we are also looking for opportunities to make every order as sustainable as possible.
(27:25):
For example, there was this one order, one of our clients purchased 14,000 water
bottles, so many water bottles, and we just talked about water bottles,
but thank goodness we don't have 14,000 of them in our cabinets.
This, but there's 14,000 water bottles, which are typically wrapped in individual single use.
(27:47):
Clear polyester plastic bags. And our CEO,
Stacey Matheson, she discussed alternative packaging options with our clients
and with the shipment facility where the client ultimately decided that they
were going to refuse the poly plastic and their bottles still arrived in absolutely excellent condition,
(28:09):
but they saved 14,000 pieces of plastic and significantly significantly reduce
the environmental impact of that order.
And being able to be in an industry or work with a company that is so mindful
and conscious about that, where every single company can do that,
the impact would be so great.
(28:31):
And all it takes is just to ask. All you have to do is just ask a question.
And that question ended up leading to just a reduction in harmful effects on
our environment, just from one question.
Well, and really, I can say a low-hanging fruit that was there.
And if you have the right consciousness, you can already start implementing
(28:55):
some small changes, which are not affecting really the way you operate,
but they really start the snowballing effect.
And if everybody started with the small things that can be done,
of course, already, we have already been one or two steps on the right direction. direction.
And on that, on the direction and the trajectory and the journey of Lindsay,
(29:16):
I want to discuss a bit more with you because you have mentioned big names,
you're working with acts in the States, at state level, federal level,
you are lobbying with big organization,
discussing, you're doing your activism on social media.
So looking forward, which are your plans and project do you have in the pipeline
for you, for Lindsay? And where do you want to take your your work.
(29:41):
I, of course, have tangible projects that are coming up that I do want to see come to life.
But overall, I aim to further develop my message of showing compassion towards our shared home.
And yes, the projects that I do really want to see come to fruition are very,
(30:03):
very important to me, but I feel the main focus overall should be determining
the best course of action in the present moment with the tool set that you currently have.
Because as even mentioned before, completing that step, those little baby steps
that will take you to the next one and the next one and so on and so forth until
(30:23):
you reach your goal, the one main objective that you've had.
And that's also where it gets so overwhelming for people by thinking too much
about the future and what I want to do, where I want to go, when you have to
really focus on what you're doing in the present moment moments and what the
present moment needs from you right now.
So I'll continue collaborating, creating, continue lobbying,
(30:46):
and focusing more on policy and inspiring people to raise our environmental consciousness.
And in terms of goals that I do want to see come to life, I do enjoy my interview
series that I'll do occasionally.
So I would want to focus a little bit more on that, just to connect to the public,
to connect to consumers,
(31:07):
to possibly other businesses where I can get a more in-depth feel of what's
going on behind their closed doors or what's going on within the consumer's mind,
see where they're at and just gauge how much work really even needs to be done,
which we know it's a lot, but it's nice to be able to raise that awareness for
other people who don't think about those things.
(31:30):
So it's always being able to bring projects to life that are going to leave
a significant impact and help people at least.
Even if you can't educate them fully, let them know that there's something going
on so they're aware of it.
And that's another thing where I feel a lot of people become despondent because
they think, oh, I have to teach everybody everything else.
(31:52):
I have to teach myself about this. I need to learn about X, Y, Z.
It's not becoming an expert in your field. Sometimes it's really just becoming aware of it.
I mean, of course, if you want to go into activism, it's nice to become an expert.
But if you're just trying to make a difference, even in your own life,
you don't have to be an expert about it. You just have to be aware.
(32:13):
You have to know that there is something going on and that you have choices
and decisions that you can make that affects it.
And fantastic. And this is another terrible piece of advice for our audience
that leads to our question.
Because you have achieved so much. You are now an activist.
You are a model. model, you have traveled the world, you have reached the peak
(32:37):
of the career, you have, as I say, all over the place.
But I really want to ask for somebody like me and others listening,
that's, as you said, which are the steps we can do to really make a difference in sustainability?
Which tips you can give to us?
(32:58):
So I do always give out a lot of tips and you can even find some More like practical
tips on my website and lindsay-coffee.com.
We will put it in the description of the podcast on the episode. So go and check it out.
Awesome. Thank you. And it's more practical advice where what you can do in
your own home, how you can limit and reduce your carbon footprint,
(33:23):
you know, using reusable products.
So there are things that, of course, you can make in your transitions in your
daily life that will leave an impact.
And there's also, I feel like a lot of the things that you can do,
it's very easy to acknowledge and kind of even research and find out.
(33:46):
So what I really like to push is what I feel the best thing you can do is to
just elevate your awareness about the world around you, the options that you
have, and the impacts we create.
And now I know everyone is on their own journey. They have a different skill set, different assets.
(34:07):
They're in different financial situations. And I know not everyone was born
with privilege, but everyone was born with choice.
So educate yourself, share your knowledge with others, vote,
petition, strengthen your your skill sets, as I even mentioned previously.
Kind of tailor them to your best abilities and strength within your actions.
(34:32):
We also have being able to utilize those actions and kind of transition those into an activist,
work mindset where you, if you are a great speaker, use your voice a little bit more.
If you do like, right, you know, write a little bit more and just take action
(34:53):
in any way that you you can.
And overall, be mindful and be compassionate and utilize your ability to choose.
Every decision that you make in your life has a consequence,
and it's up to us to decide if that consequence will be positive or negative.
That goes for decisions that affect the environment and even ones that affect your personal lives.
(35:17):
My number one piece of advice is to understand the power within choice.
And that's what I really like to push for people instead of,
yes, you can find out, turn off your lights before you leave,
but I want you to expand and elevate your environmental consciousness and your
awareness and understand that the power within the choices you have are so great and significant.
(35:41):
Fantastic piece of advice, Lindsay. I think I think it's really important and
is a strong call for action from everybody of us.
And also, I think the podcast is a way to give voice to people like you,
for people that come in from all sorts of backgrounds.
But they have, as we say, plural perspective and common objective.
(36:03):
And the real, the common objective is our planet, our earth,
and also our responsibility towards the future generation.
Thank you so much, Lindsay, for this wonderful job. It's been a pleasure and honor having you.
No, thank you so much. It's been an absolute pleasure. I'm so happy we're able to connect.
And I really enjoyed speaking with you. And I know you've done so much as well.
(36:24):
So thank you so much for using your platform to educate others as well and share
other stories just to make this world a little bit better. So thank you.
Fantastic. Thank you so much, Lindsay. Are you satisfied after this wonderful episode?
Let's continue together our sustainability journey.
(36:45):
Thank you.
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