Last week, I received a shocking news, a friend, the Founder of Crowdleaf, Ryan Carter has passed away…..

A young, passionate, dynamic champion in “green & sustainable things” has gone, but not his initiative, his in-depth vision in working towards making a cleaner planet. Not from a top position, not searching for recognition but from a humble heart represented by an amazing local initiative with vision. As the logo: ants working in the community, making small green steps that turn into resilient places to live on. That was, precisely Ryan´s work: a non-stop aim for looking to spaces to inform, teach and mobilize people towards a change. He addressed the most challenging aspect for becoming truly green societies: changing daily habits and build self-confidence that by citizens action, public initiatives will transform themselves and fix “all things green” at system level.

Should we change the approach, making of bottom up initiatives a source of all solutions for a complete change of the system? Or we just need to delegate on political leaders? Difficult questions for those that look in the public sector the source of all solutions and the only driver to change. However, when institutions become unreliable and inefficient we must look to new shapes of initiatives. In the end, the real responsibility comes from the citizens and this is why empowerment in action and feeling become paramount to lead a revolutionary green change.

The capacity to see beyond local limitations and skepticism it’s a challenge that only courageous people with purpose in their lives can hold successfully. 

Looking for multicultural approaches and expertise are other aspects that deliver resilience at global level. “Think global, act local” has never been so real. That is the attitude towards sustainability! Individual strength and expertise transforming into action. Is it true that this narrative about sustainability through personal action is seeing as a way to avoid public responsibilities, but is precisely through an active citizenship within a strong personal initiative that are going to make enough pressure to change the public sector.

The private sector is the other pillar that is also moving in a no coordinated way, in a sense also through personal passion and vision from entrepreneurs that are taking the responsibility of making profits without undermining the planet. But we need much more than that, we need to move towards a change of cultural codes under the belief that small gestures would lead to big transformative stages on the achievement of the Global Green Goals. Sustainability is basically about individual options on daily habits as: purchasing, transport, food, clothes, etc. and that its why personal initiatives are so important.

“Greening” the system starts from personal initiative and ends through a complete reform of the system. The capacity for a revolutionary local action comes from committed individuals that use their power as a tool to influence at local and/or global level. From the public sector we can expect a framework that re-order the political agenda. From the private sector we can hope that there is enough sense of responsibility and initiative to invest on the future –with or without legal framework-.

From individuals we need to rescue their creativity and their own resilience to get out from crises and reshape their lives around new structures and habits.

All the elements described above can be identified with Ryan’s work, the passion to make of a personal initiative a boost of innovation and local change within an international focus. The feeling of being empowered is a boost to change in itself and leads towards active and committed citizens that do not await from global institutions. Taking the lead is the road that Ryan took and is the one we must follow.

Let s follow his model and keep CrowdLeaf and all local initiatives alive by being open to new perspectives at local and global level. Making change is in our hands…the best legacy that Ryan has left us….

“Plant a tree, green the earth, clean the air, live happily ever after” Crowdleaf.org

*”A green environment by bottom up initiatives”? https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2019/01/30/a-green-environment-by-bottom-up-initiatives/

*How to be green and not die trying?

https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2018/10/03/how-to-be-green-and-not-die-trying/

* Do you have a green “purchasing” mind?

https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2018/02/28/do-you-have-a-green-purchasing-mind/