20 ways to reduce CO2 emission

All over the world there are roughly 33 billions tons of carbon dioxide emitted every year. More than half of said amount is produced in China (23%), the US (19%) and the 27 countries in the European Union (17%). source and source
Although a lot is produced by industry, the biggest part - around a quarter of the overall CO₂ emission - is released during energy production. Compared to these the transportation sector's emissions may seem small, but in this sector almost all the energy is produced by using fossil fuels, so there is a big opportunity there to reduce emissions. source

In the following I compiled 20 easy ways and opportunities to reduce your personal carbon foot print.

1. Walk or take your bike whenever it's possible
2. Use public transport
3. Go by train instead of flying, if possible
4. Buy electric cars
5. Use car sharing platforms
6. If your car is very old, invest in a new car that doesn't need as much fuel
7. Take vacations close to where you live
8. Combine trips, e.g. shop at stores on the same route
9. If possible, work from home
10. Buy local food and reduce food miles - visit this website to calculate food miles
11. Grow your own food - there are quite a few herbs, vegetables and fruits that are very easy to grow
12. Don't waste food
13. Eat less red meat - for more information read this article by The Guardian
14. Use renewable energy like sun or wind power
15. Cut back on your energy use and reduce waste
16. Plant trees
17. Buy carbon credits which will be used to make up for the CO₂ you couldn't avoid producing
18. Recycle as much as possible
19. Send e-mails rather than actual letters
20. Read newspapers and journals online

I really do hope that everybody takes up this opportunity and picks one or two of the options above to actively do something against the ongoing climate change. I'd love to hear which ones you picked and how it worked out.

Xoxo, have a wonderful week!

Makes me smile - Animal edition

Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to put on a big dazzling smile. Here are a few pictures of animal babies that always make me smile.

sources (from left to right): 1 2 3 4 5

Xoxo, have a fabulous week!

"Sugarfree" Cotton Candy

A long, long time ago, I posted a few nail designs here, today I've got another one for you! A few weeks ago I found this amazing idea for Cotton Candy Nails on Youtube and decided to give it a try. It kinda looked a little tricky, but I was surprised how easy it actually was and how great the outcome looked! But see for yourself:

In case you are interested in a how-to, klick here for the video.

And, because my introduction to this post made me think of Don McLean's American Pie, here's the video:

Xoxo, have fun creating "sugarfree" Cotton Candy!

20 ways to save electricity

... and cutting your electricity bill

Every year, US residentials use 4 billion dollars worth of stand-by power, which accounts for 5% of all residential electricity use in the US. source
A lot of the energy we use is still produced in coal powerstations and nuclear power plants, so in order to protect our environment and in further concequence ourselves, we need to cut back on our use of electricity. Below I have compiled 20 ways on how to do so.

1. Make the most of natural light - open your curtains and shades
2. Turn off the lights when leaving a room
3. Use energy-saving bulbs
4. Use lower powered bulbs
5. When you don't need full light use up those half-used candles you've got lying around - as a bonus candle light creates a romantic atmosphere
6. Turn electric devices such as radio, TV or Computer off when not in use
7. Don't leave devices on stand-by
8. Unplug your phone chargers - they do use a little electricity even though they are not in use
9. Don't blow-dry your hair, let it dry naturally
10. Use solar heaters to heat water
11. Use less hot water
12. Produce your own electricity with photovoltaic panels
13. Turn down the temperature on the washing mashine
14. Air-dry your laundry. You don't even need sunshine, a cloudy day is just fine, too
15. Replace old appliances with new, energy saving ones
16. Use your air conditioner less
17. Try opening your cooler/freezer/fridge as short as possible
18. Boil water with a kettle rather than on the stove
19. Use lids on your pots when cooking and keep the pots closed for as long as possible
20. Turn off the stove 5 and the oven 10 minutes before reaching the cooking time

I hope, you'll be able to adopt a few of the suggestions above in order to cut your electricity use and save some money.
Have you got other ideas on how to save electricity?

Xoxo, have a great week!

Pinterest Favorites: Summer Investments

Summer's in full swing and I've been dreaming of wonderful, wonderful things that I'd invest in if I had a little (or a lot) more money to fling away. Unfortunately I've just bought a car, so I don't really have too much spare money right now. Anyway, one can always dream, right?

I'm dreaming of spending hot summer days on an elegant yacht, reading lots of books in my very own tree house and watching the hot life guards from my beach lounger right on the waterfront. At night, I'd like to dance, chat and sip champagne - all dressed up in insanely expensive, fabulous chiffon gowns.

sources: yacht - beach lounger - tree house

sources: white gown - red gown

What are you dreaming of this summer?

Xoxo, have a great summer!! Enjoy the sun, heat, beach, holidays...!!