Happy New Year 2025!

People
Planet
Purpose

Season’s Greetings 2024

Traditionally, this is the time of year when the GAIA Insights Team takes time to pause and reflect. We like to look back and appraise the year that has passed. What happened to us as a company? How do we feel as people? After several years of high volatility and extreme uncertainty, 2024 finally felt like we are settling in a new normal. While the world around us seems to get crazier every time we turn on the news, we are finding our new way of being. Being at peace with not knowing. Being grateful for what we have. Just being present for each other.

By now, VUCA has definitely become BANI: volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous are no longer enough to describe the state of the world we live in. Instead, it’s brittle, anxious, non-linear and incomprehensible. No wonder many people feel overwhelmed, stressed and scared – we share these feelings. Whether it is eco-anxiety, fear of social unrest and political division, or concern for peace – all of these worries are real and impact our mental and emotional well-being.

And while we acknowledge these emotions, we choose to not let them define us. We choose to act. We know through our actions, both individually and as a collective, we can make a difference.

The hum of the bees
is the voice of the garden.

Elizabeth Lawrence

Will you help us make a difference?

Inspired by how seemingly tiny contributors can create significant change, we’re reminded of the world of insects – small yet mighty forces that play an essential role in maintaining the balance of our ecosystems. Did you know that insects are crucial for a stable climate and contribute significantly to biodiversity? While bees often take the spotlight as pollinators, many other insects also serve as unsung heroes in preserving the health of threatened ecosystems. Their work is indispensable in ensuring the survival of plants, animals, and the very environments we rely on. Insects may be small, but their impact on our planet is nothing short of monumental:

Bees, bugs, earthworms and ants, beetles, moths or dragonflies, they all play vital roles in maintaining the stability and health of ecosystems. They are involved in processes like pollination, decomposition, nutrient cycling, soil aeration, pest control, and providing food for other wildlife. The deeper you dig into the topic, the more amazing it gets: For example, did you know that bees are climate heroes? Or that spiders are far more than just creepy crawlers? Or that butterflies are indicators of ecosystem health? Protecting insects is therefore crucial to preserve biodiversity and ensure future life on Earth.

All of this is why we decided to make building a bug hotel our action theme this year! Whether you want to build a sophisticated Buggingham Palace or a very simple cardboard structure with zero need for power tools or how-to know-how, there are ways everyone can get involved! Not having a proper garden is no excuse – a tiny balcony or even a public green space in your community will do. If you can pile up small logs, larger sticks and stuff the gaps with twigs and dry leaves, you can build a log pile lodge! Countless online resources offer plenty of examples for inspiration with Do It Yourself (DIY) instructions.

Now, how can you help?

By building a bug hotel! Whether you prefer to use natural material such as leaves, straw, bamboo, pine cones or dead wood, or whether you decide to upcycle old bricks, egg boxes, tin cans, broken ceramic pots or yogurt containers – we invite you to take a photo of your creative artwork and share it! For every image you upload on social media by December 20th, using the hashtag #DIYBugHotel and tagging GAIA Insights in your post, we will increase our contribution to selected charities – because we care about People, Planet and Purpose.

These three pillars have been guiding GAIA Insights from its inception, and giving back is in our DNA. Ever since our company was established in 2012, we have made sure that we support causes that share our desire to make the world a better place. For over a decade we have been donating to organizations with similar intentions at heart. This year’s main donation will be made to the World Wildlife Fund with additional smaller donations given to PLAN International and SOS Children’s Villages. Together, we can help restore the balance of ecosystems by helping insects find a home!

Please join us: #DIYBugHotel