Our aim with this occasional series is to share sustainability ideas using a very personal approach. We will be featuring a variety of DMG employees and their individual tips for making everyday life more sustainable. Today: Dr Hoda Esbak, Head of Chemical Development
Hoda feels that sustainability discussions often fail to recognise that we aren’t destroying the Earth as much as our own living environment. ‘Earth will ultimately recover from us and it doesn’t matter to it or the universe whether we ever existed’. Hoda hopes that this perspective will motivate more people (from a self-interest angle) to take action. ‘Everyone can do their bit and implement something in their everyday life, even if it’s just small changes’.
3 sustainability tips from Dr Hoda Esbak
Try out mobility alternatives
During the pandemic, Hoda braved an experiment: She sold her car and switched to cycling, car sharing and public transport. Her verdict is a positive one, ‘I can count the times I’ve missed my car on one hand’.
Choose upcycling and pre-loved items
Hoda enjoys upcycling, in other words refurbishing and repurposing old objects like furniture, for example. She is also a fan of second-hand or pre-loved items. She likes the term ‘pre-loved’ as it really communicates that objects have a history, and she loves finding out stories at flea markets.
Be open to new things
A more sustainable diet perhaps? A bit of curiosity and openness can lead to surprising possibilities. ‘For example, I would never have thought of buying celeriac before, but now I just look for new recipe ideas and am discovering delicious dishes along the way’.