Sweden Embassy together with WWF-Pakistan launches 7-day challenge to promote eco-friendly lifestyle
The seven-day Challenge to ‘Eat, Move, and Live Sustainably’ has been launched in Islamabad to encourage Pakistanis to live, eat and move smart for seven days
The campaign was launched by the Embassy of Sweden in Pakistan, together with WWF-Pakistan, on October 15, to promote eco-friendly lifestyle choices and create awareness about their impact on the environment.
The campaign will highlight small yet sustainable changes that individuals can make in their daily routines to reduce their individual carbon footprints. Climate activists, influencers, and policymakers will participate and actively promote the challenge through their social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Welcoming the participants at the event, Ambassador of Sweden to Pakistan Henrik Persson, said “Let’s start a more sustainable and smarter lifestyle together today! It can be as simple as saying no to single-use of plastic products or using a bicycle whenever you can to reduce your carbon footprint. Please be part of the solutions and the change, make a practical change in your daily lives from now on.”
He also indicated that there was huge potential for Pakistan and Sweden to collaborate further as both countries aspire to fight climate change and lead the green transition.”
Speaking at the event, Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, Syed Fakhar Imam, said that Pakistan is not a big emitter of heat-trapping greenhouse gases unlike big countries but the country has witnessed extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves in recent years. These extreme events spurred the government to launch several green initiatives to reduce the warming of the planet and protect lives and livelihoods.
In his speech, WWF-Pakistan’s Director General, Hammad Naqi Khan said that the Pakistan government, private sector and non-profit organizations are all aligned towards the preservation of natural resources but still the plastics account for 65 per cent of the total waste in Pakistan and 36 million tonnes of food go to waste every year.
“This campaign with the Embassy of Sweden is an effort to create awareness around this issue and address the missing link, by encouraging individuals to step up and make eco-friendly choices for a sustainable future,” Khan said.
During the event a panel of experts, including Swedish Company representatives from Tetra Pak Pakistan, Tundra Founder AB, and H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, shared their business strategies to address climate change.
Another panel featured the Chair of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board and experts from WWF-Pakistan. Saaf Suthra Sheher talked about rethinking lifestyle choices and discussed some of the easiest and most impactful habits on the individual level.
7-Day challenge
The 7-Day Challenge is a Swedish concept that has been successfully carried out in Kenya, Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia. It is a call to action inviting committed individuals to practice sustainable urban lifestyles that will potentially improve their quality of life.
Some examples of the challenge:
- Meatless Monday – Don’t eat meat or dairy. Eat delicious vegan food.
- Transportation Tuesday – Carpool, take public transport, bike, run, walk.
- Water Wednesday – Conserve water and learn how we can protect our water resources.
- Trashy Thursday – Refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, rot.
- Civic Friday – Educate yourself, friends and family about the policy solutions. Push for community and government action.
- Shop Green Saturday – Research which products and businesses are more sustainable to support a green economy.
- Nature Sunday – Spend time in nature.