How did people once live in a climate-friendly way, long before the term “sustainability” existed? In Spain, traditional architecture with naturally cool cave houses offers inspiration, while in Japan the zero‑waste society of the Edo period serves as a model for today’s circular economy. Around Lake Constance, medieval communities were already using catch limits to ensure fish stocks for future generations. Indigenous fire practices in Canada and the floating Aztec gardens in Mexico reveal how “low‑tech” methods can help protect against megafires and rising seas – and why the solutions of tomorrow are often deeply rooted in the past.
