Life is borrowed. What will you do with yours?

Most of us already care about the world we'll leave behind. But changing it for the better can feel overwhelming. We’re busy, distracted and often unsure where to start, so good intentions stay just that.

My book, Beautifully Borrowed, asks how we live and what we leave behind. It’s a slow, offline read, and it’s where we reflect. But reflection only goes so far. At some point, we have to act.

That’s why I’m building One Beautiful Road. It’s the companion app to the book, and it’s where those thoughts become small, quiet actions. There are four paths:

There are no leaderboards, no streaks and nothing to share unless you want to. Every action is yours, and yours alone.

If we can make doing good simple and natural, more of us will discover that making a difference isn’t a grand gesture. It’s part of how we live, and it’s how we become good ancestors for those who come after us.

About the project

One Beautiful Road is the flagship project of ‘apathy to action’, a research- and community-led initiative that aims to lift people who genuinely care from a place of apathy and helplessness to one of empathy, action and change.

I believe we all care, and we all want a better world, but we often feel stuck. If that sounds like you, I’d love you to join us. Try the app (there's an online Beta version on the website), tell us what you think and help shape something built on compassion, courage and genuine, positive action.

What the money will be used for

I’m giving the app 50% of my time for free and covering all technical development costs. Every £1,000 raised supports a month of research, strategy, project management and software development, which would cost at least five times as much commercially. If you want the biggest possible bang for your buck, you’ve found it.

The app is now open for Beta testing on the project website. Your support helps improve it and get it into more hands.

A little about me

First and foremost I’m a writer, a technologist and a strategist. I’ve dedicated most of my life to helping develop meaningful and impactful social and environmental solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. My work has been recognised by National Geographic, Silicon Valley and many international donors, and featured in the media around the world.

Despite a career spanning over two decades in the humanitarian and conservation sectors, my commitment to change has only accelerated over recent years, driven in large part by social upheaval, the vacuum in moral leadership, threats to democracy by big tech, the climate crisis, and a wider concern for the future of my young children. apathy to action is my latest attempt to put some of this right.

You can read more about me here and visit the apathy to action website where you'll find further details, and a link to our founding essay.

Thanks for reading, and remember - when we trade silence for courage, even the smallest action - donating included! - can spark a wave of change.

Let's do this.

Thank you.