One of the coolest publishers: Willem Vreeswijk

In the Netherlands he’s an enthusiast and thought-provoking ambassador of a new financial approach, one based on ethics and responsible entrepreneurship: Willem Vreeswijk, founder of New Financial Forum and publisher of New Financial Magazine. By showing best practices, and organizing seminars and workshops Willem Vreeswijk contributes to a better financial service industry in the Netherlands – ‘business as it can be’.

Now Willem Vreeswijk is a very cool sponsor of Cool Down the Planet. He adopted Noreen Sham’s report about the so-called Heat Island Effect, making the Pakistan metropole Karachi one of the hottest places on Earth. Thank you very much Willem!

A short interview with Willem Vreeswijk:

How do you regard the problem of ‘climate change’?
The problem of ‘Climate change’ is the second biggest problem humans are facing. The biggest problem we are facing is a value crises. If we are able to embrace our values again, humanity can solve any problem. Also climate change. And other big problems. Millions of children under the age of 5 die of diseases that are easy to prevent, two billion people live on less than 3 dollars a day, 1% of human beings own more than the other 99%, the 64 richest people own as much as 3 billion other people and the gap is getting bigger and bigger. Important issue is our interest system. And what about food? 30 to 50% of food production lost in global supply chains/rubbish bins and we need only 10% of this thrown away food to solve the global food problem. We kill 50 billion animals per year for our food production and with the food for these animals we can solve entire food problems. And so on. If we change our values, we can solve all problems. If we build this systems, we also can build new systems.

What’s worrying you most?
I’m worrying about the time that is really running out. We are destroying the Arctic. In 20-25 years it will be gone. So what? Well, the Arctic is the airco of our world. Without our airco our planet (we only have one) will heaten up, wich results in more heavy storms, more heavy weathers, less fertile soil, more poverty, more refugees, less biodiversity. So what? You can see it already in the Netherlands as well. The wild flowers are almost gone. In a few decades the number of insects decreased with 80%. Without insects, birds can not exist. Without birds our ecology system comes to an end, including humanity.

Do you have any idea what kind of ‘coolest solution’ mankind could help?
Be 100% resonsible about what you wear, by whom your clothes are made and in what conditions, what you eat, how people get payed for the products you buy, what news you see and believe, how you travel, where you are banking, where you work, where you shop, how you treat people, how you judge, how you treat yourself and others, etc. Change begins with you.

How do you – small scale – add to the remedy yourself?
I try to be aware as much as possible about the choices I can make by myself (and I’m learning each day). I’m the founder of the foudation New Financial Forum which inspires people to build a society based on love and give examples of people who really make the difference (yes, it is possible, so just make a start yourself as well and stop pointing at others) and I’m trying to support people who like to make a contribution to a better world. I take 100% responsibility about everything in my life. I’m a vegetarian, try to eat as much biological food as I can, try to wear clothes that are not made by children or people in bad circumstances, try to listen to positive news, believe in people and like to contribute to a society founded on love and trust.

What made you supporting our new video channel Cool Down the Planet?
Everything that helps increasing the awareness about the Climate Change needs support. Cool Down the Planet is a very good example. No talking, no ideas, just show us the facts. Cool Down the Planet will help to cool down the planet. Need I say more?