Resilient By Design
Resilient by Design is a journal of exploration into the inherent resilience of the world around us—how systems naturally adapt, regenerate, and thrive by design. It invites you to uncover these awe-inspiring patterns of existence and rewrite our personal and collective narratives with wisdom, strength, and intention.
Small Shifts, Big Ripples.
Articles by Pillar
Everything is connected.
Everything is connected.
Smarter Tech: Harnessing Digital Power Responsibly
From streaming our favorite shows to storing photos in the cloud, the internet is not as intangible as it seems—it relies on vast data centers that consume enormous amounts of electricity, often fueled by non-renewable energy.
Practice Water Conservation: Protecting Our Most Vital Resource
Water is the lifeblood of our planet, essential to every living being and system on Earth. Yet, despite its abundance, only 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater—and less than 1% of that is accessible for human use. Simple changes in our daily lives can significantly impact this critical resource.
Greener Money: Aligning Your Finances with a Sustainable Future
While many traditional banks and investment platforms contribute to industries that accelerate climate change, eco-friendly banking and sustainable investments offer a powerful way to ensure your money aligns with your values.
Change How You Eat: A Path to Sustainable Living
Our dietary choices shape ecosystems, fuel industries, and influence the trajectory of climate change. The good news? Small, intentional shifts in how we eat can yield transformative results, both for the environment and for ourselves.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint: A Path Toward Sustainable Living
Globally, the average carbon footprint per person is 4 tons per year, but to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, we must reduce this to 2 tons or less by 2050.
Reimagining Transportation: The Road to a Sustainable Future
Globally, transportation accounts for nearly 24% of CO₂ emissions, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels. But this is not just a story of problems; it’s a story of opportunity—one where innovation, collaboration, and bold vision can transform how we move through the world.
Conserve Energy at Home: Small Changes, Big Impact
Every flick of a switch and every appliance we plug in draws from a complex energy grid that powers modern life. But this convenience comes at a cost: the energy we consume at home accounts for approximately 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Reducing Food Waste: A Simple Solution to a Global Problem
Every year, approximately 1.3 billion tons of food—a third of all food produced globally—is wasted. This staggering figure isn’t just about squandered resources; it has profound environmental, economic, and social consequences.
Rising Temperatures: A Global Crisis in Motion
Understanding the scope and urgency of rising temperatures is critical—not only to addressing the crisis but also to unlocking the solutions that can restore balance and resilience to the systems that sustain life on Earth.
Equitable Solutions: Climate Justice and Empowerment in the Fight Against Climate Change
The world’s most vulnerable populations, often the least responsible for global emissions, bear the brunt of rising temperatures, extreme weather, and resource scarcity.
Circular Economies: Redesigning the Future to End Waste
For centuries, the global economy has operated on a linear model: take resources, make products, and discard waste. While this approach fueled industrial revolutions and unprecedented growth, it has left us with a fragile planet facing depleted resources, overflowing landfills, and ecosystems on the brink of collapse.
Regenerative Land Use: Healing the Earth
Regenerative agriculture represents a paradigm shift in how we grow food, moving beyond extractive practices to ones that enhance soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem function. It leverages natural processes to rebuild degraded land while maintaining or increasing crop yields.
Understanding Climate Change’s Complexity and Opportunity
Understanding the true scale of the challenge is essential for addressing it. More than just a crisis, climate change is a call to rethink humanity’s relationship with the planet and each other. This is not just a story of danger but one of opportunity—an invitation to build a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient future.
Wood Carving of the Māori: An Art Form That Bridges Generations
Far more than decorative art, whakairo is a deeply symbolic practice that connects the living to their ancestors, the natural world, and the divine. These carvings tell stories of lineage, spirituality, and nature, preserving traditions that have endured for centuries.
Berber Weaving Traditions: Threads of Culture, Sustainability, and Craftsmanship
The Berber weaving tradition stretches back thousands of years, shaped by the unique geography and cultural practices of Morocco. From the snow-capped Atlas Mountains to the sandy expanse of the Sahara, each region contributes its own motifs, materials, and techniques to the tradition.
Andean Textiles: Weaving the Threads of Culture, Nature, and Sustainability
In the Andes, weaving is far more than a craft—it is a way of life. From the highlands of Peru to Bolivia and Ecuador, the process of creating textiles reflects a harmonious relationship with the environment.
Kintsugi: The Art of Repairing What is Broken
In the Japanese tradition of kintsugi, broken pottery is not discarded but transformed. The cracks are repaired with lacquer and dusted with gold, silver, or platinum, turning each fracture into a gilded seam that celebrates the object’s history.
Shinto Tree Blessings in Japan: Honoring the Sacred Connection Between Humans and Nature
Shinto, Japan’s indigenous spiritual tradition, is deeply rooted in nature worship. It is a faith without a single deity or scripture, emphasizing instead the reverence of kami—spirits believed to inhabit all aspects of the natural world, from rivers and mountains to stones and trees.
Balinese Nyepi: A Day of Silence and Renewal
On Nyepi, the Balinese Day of Silence, the island enters a state of profound stillness—no work, no travel, no lights, no noise. Even Bali’s usually busy airport closes, making it one of the few places in the modern world where an entire society embraces absolute quiet.
Hadzabe Rain Ceremonies: Honoring Water as the Giver of Life
In the arid landscapes of northern Tanzania, where survival is closely tied to the rhythms of nature, the Hadzabe people—a small, nomadic hunter-gatherer community—practice a profound ritual: rain ceremonies.