
Ask HN: Advice to protect the environment as a developer/designer? - gpalayer
After seeing this french documentary (Frères des arbres: http:&#x2F;&#x2F;shr.gs&#x2F;UqAQ5pj) about a Papua lord trying to save the pristine forest of his land, I&#x27;m wondering how I could participate to help him protect his forest and our Earth. Apart from giving money or time to non-governmental organizations. Have you some advice to take a proactive posture? Eg.: search the web with ecosia.org?
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good_vibes
I've spent the last decade of my life answering this question with my day-to-
day life activities. I am only 27 and have no idea what our ultimate fate will
be, so take my advice for what it's worth.

The most important thing is to start with yourself and cultivate character.
All your future actions will be more effective if your foundation is sound.
How do your daily actions affect other lives? Think about your food, your
transportation, your consumption habits. How good of a designer, developer,
salesman are you? How much time do you spend a DAY learning, building,
pitching? Don't waste your life trying to change the world without changing
yourself first, this process will also change how you see the world as well.

So start small, stay grounded, and grow stronger with age. That's exactly what
I did and am still doing. I am going to enroll in Startup School and apply to
YC soon. If they don't accept me, I'm also applying to both HackReactor or
Galvanize Data Science. I also plan to hang around Stanford and Berkeley to
make friends following the same moral, intellectual, and creative compass. The
plan is to 'get so good, they can't ignore me'. I'm going ALL IN on my hope
that humanity can still live harmoniously with our home planet and expand
beyond it.

If you're for real about this, over time you will get to this level of urgency
and do what is needed for you to live in accordance with your conscience.
Earth will be fine whether or not we decide to live harmoniously with the rest
of the biosphere or not; when the Sun dies, the rest of the galaxy will take
thousands of years to even notice. So try to be humble, I still struggle with
this seeing the state of our planet but lead by example and whoever is ready
will follow.

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gpalayer
Yes. Thank you for your reply. That's the obvious way to improve.

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ada1981
For the earth >> Go vegan; buy local; join a coop; ditch your car;

For him >> screen his film; set up employer matching donations; reach out and
see if they need your skills;

Also >> fall in love; be an awesome partner and raise awake, self- confident
kids who have grown up playing outside

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pizza
I plan on reading _Sustainable Energy – without the hot air_ by David MacKay,
maybe you would want to do the same.

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gpalayer
I'll give it a try

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amorphid
My first thought is to contact to Papua Lord, or the maker of the documentary,
and ask them directly. My second guess is to make money as fast as you can, so
you can dedicate your time me to something that needs your skills. I am
focusing on the latter myself.

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gpalayer
Great idea. Thanks

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UK-AL
Make money. Donate it.

