Ep.1 The one with Mihai Toader-Pasti
Our first video interview tells the story of Mihai, a European Hero who has a vision to make our buildings greener and our lives more sustainable. #SustainabilityCc: EFdeN#EuropeanHeroes
Posted by European Heroes on Friday, April 20, 2018
For European Heroes, several activists across the continent are telling their stories about engaging in a topic they are passionate about. Romanian Mihai Toader-Pasti develops sustainable homes as general manager of EFdeN in Bucharest, and spoke with us about the topic of sustainability.
What do you think is the main reason why some people don’t care about sustainability?
The main reason people don’t care is that it is not on the public agenda, we are not discussing enough it and we tend to analyse something as being important on how often people are talking about that. This is due to the fact that climate change and pollution don’t seem something urgent today.
The problem with this approach is that it takes tens of years to break it and tens of years to solve it. It is similar to education, you act now and you see the results in the future, depending on the good or bad decisions we take today, individually and collectively.
If you were a high-up politician, what would you change in terms of making society care more about sustainability?
I don’t think I could change anything and I am not a fan of revolutions. I don’t think there’s a magical solution that could change something so complex and vast in just one day. But one of the first things I would do if I held such a role would be to get civil society and NGOs on board in decision-making, in making policies and creating support for the legislation. There is so much knowledge and expertise out there that is not used properly.
So how does one become an activist for sustainability?
Just get started with your idea. Find the problem, and set an ambitious, but achievable goal for it. Test your initial idea and gather a team. If you don’t want to build something that is completely new, you can always find a cause exciting enough and join it. Under any circumstances, if you trust your team and your mission, do not give up on them! It’s crucial to make understanding this world your priority. Complaining or feeling sad is not helping anyone, so stay positive!
Do you have a personal motto?
I love lots of mottoes, but if I have to choose one, would be: ”aim for the moon, even if you fail, you’ll land amongst the stars.”
Want to learn more? See Mihai-Toader-Pasti’s recommendations for inspiration:
Michael Bloomberg: Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet (2017)
Paul Hawken: Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming (2017)