Your country most likely has real green electricity providers, as they purchase or implement the appropriate capacities of green electricity for each customer. The other electricity providers only offer an electricity mix. The share of green electricity is sold more expensive as an eco-tariff to some customers, while the other customers theoretically only receive the shares of gas, coal, etc. http://www.imodeler.info/ro?key=CF8Gsu47BnYHLi5NHUWXKVA

It is always a consideration whether the further use of an older device does not require less energy or water than the production of a new, energy-efficient device. Therefore, the energy requirement along the entire product life cycle (from production to use to disposal) must be considered. Sometimes someone needs a different device and can't afford a new one - then a used device from someone who has bought a new, more economical device, of course, also makes sense. With some devices, the top values are only achieved with large quantities, i.e. washing machines with a lot of capacity. It is to see whether the top values also apply with lower filling quantities, for example for single households.

LED 'light bulbs' are now available for really all lamps, even with pleasantly warm light colors.

First of all: private use of hydropower is possible, but absolutely the exception and must be well considered legally and in its effects on ecosystems. We can also only operate wind power plants with consideration for our neighbors (noise development). Some properties are actually sufficiently exposed to the wind. But many are later disappointed with how little yield they have then. Citizen energy really makes sense - if, for example, residents join together in a cooperative and usually operate larger wind turbines nearby. This promotes the acceptance of wind power in the area and the return does not end up with the large investor, but with the local people.

Motion detectors make sense in all rooms including outdoor areas, where we potentially let the light burn for too long, for example in the hallway, basement, garage, etc. Of course, it is important that the light does not stay on for too long.

Standby power consumption is often reminded and extrapolated. For example, if a TV consumes 5 watts in standby, that is 120 watt hours (Wh) per day, i.e. about one eighth of a kilowatt hour, which costs about 35 cents. So hardly anyone will get up from the sofa for 5 cents a day and press the switch on the TV, or turn off the WLAN router at night, or shut down the computer. Or is it? And how many watt hours could be saved daily in all households? Would this consideration influence your actions?

Modern lamps require little electricity, and yet it is worthwhile not to let them burn unnecessarily, for example when we are not in the room for a long time.

The area that we need to live means the area that is sealed, the building material that is needed, and the space that needs to be heated - and all this against the background of social justice. When more people live in the household, they share rooms such as kitchen, living room or bathroom. In fact, the per capita area is constantly increasing because more older people live alone and longer in large houses and because there are more single households. Not everyone can now rebuild or move out, but those who take these steps can be proud to reduce the living space.

Long and hot showers mean water and energy consumption and ultimately high costs. The other effects are even more impressive in the network - or did you know that long showering can be responsible for refugees and the quality of life in Germany? http://www.imodeler.info/ro? key=Ceju1XNHCFZBJc2MpbAOl5Q We simply take a Spartaste when flushing the toilet for granted.

Appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers must specify a value for water consumption when buying new. It is therefore worthwhile to compare water and energy consumption equally and also to research corresponding test reports..

Intelligent ventilation does not mean too late and not too long. It is too late when we get tired when the air is used up, get a headache and the humidity becomes too high. It is too long when the air has already been replaced and is cool, but we also ventilate the materials (walls, furniture) even longer. Heat ultimately means that things or air vibrate. When the air is exchanged, but the objects and walls are still vibrating, the fresh air is quickly heated. Even if the walls get cold, mold can form on them and we need expensive heating energy to make everything vibrate again. By the way, CO2 measuring devices help to ventilate in time and not for too long. However, these should not be a useless gadget, but perhaps used for practice one after the other in the rooms and gladly lent. A nice game is the competition, how good the sense of the people in the room is to ventilate in time and not too long.

Vegan means refraining from fish, meat, milk, cheese and other animal foods. Unthinkable for many people, on the one hand because of the taste, and on the other hand because they consider it unhealthy. To the taste, it can be said: Among the extremely diverse vegan alternatives, something certainly tastes just as good or even better. We just have to try it - from vegan cheese to egg salad to burgers. Many celebrities and athletes are vegan. Vegan is booming. Regarding health, it must be said: Our early ancestors eat healthier than we eat today. There was mixed food with only little meat and fish and also little grain and instead more legumes. If you eat a vegan diet, you have to pay attention to two nutrients: vitamin B12 and unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids. B12 can be bought for sucking (or as an additive in foods that are no longer called organic). Omega 3 fatty acids are available in linseed and algae oil. After a few months vegan, a blood test can show whether there are deficiency symptoms. As a rule, vegans eat healthier and are fitter than others. What else does it bring: In addition to ethical reasons (keeping and killing animals), vegans help to prevent the deforestation of forests, because most areas in the world need the feed. In fact, we will not be able to feed the growing world population in the way we Germans. Vegans also prevent greenhouse gases from the methane emissions of cows, save enormous amounts of drinking water and prevent the pollution of soils, groundwater and waters.

Unlike the vegan diet, a vegetarian diet can also include milk, cheese or eggs. Vegetarian days are healthy, mean less animal husbandry and thus less consumption of land and water. People in the industrialized world consume more than three times more animal products, which according to the EAT-Lancet Commission would be healthy for us and the planet. We don't have to become vegans or vegetarians right away, but maybe just flexitarians.

Food from the region, from the weekly market and from the farm shop have not been transported far (there are of course also exceptions there) and strengthen the local economy. However, there are also inefficient short transport routes when vehicles with little load drive to the points of sale. E-mobility and cargo bikes can help here. Unfortunately, the regional is often also played out against the organic offer: regional, sprayed with pesticides food is not as good as regional organic food, and regional meat is not as good for the environment as the renunciation of meat.

Organic is extremely important for biodiversity. We have the greatest species extinction since the extinction of the dinosaurs and the consequences are greater than those of climate change. Pesticides and mineral fertilizers endanger our future. In addition, soils from organic farming usually store more carbon and thus help against the climate catastrophe. The counter-argument is often that the yields in organic farming are lower than in industrial agriculture and therefore more forests have to be cut down. This is true, for example, with cereals that are not unrestrictedly healthy. But if we eat less meat, waste less food and eat more healthy legumes, we have plenty of additional space available and can feed the entire world organically and even plant a little more forest. Organic is more expensive. But on the one hand, many costs can be saved by less meat and on the other hand, it can be bought and cooked intelligently …. of course, it is also to be questioned whether there must be such a low livelihood at all - environmental policy is also social policy.

Which is better - the organic apple from New Zealand or the sprayed apple from the region? Answer: both wrong. Organic food from the region means less transport and is therefore even better than organic food with wide transport.

Seasonal organic products in addition to regional organic products also have less energy expenditure for storage. In the respective months, other products are available seasonally, so that we can eat healthy and tasty all year round with little transport and storage effort with regard to a seasonal calendar.

Legumes are not only an alternative source of vegetable proter to animal products, but also extremely important for world nutrition. They bind nitrogen from the air in the soil and can achieve just as high yields in organic farming as in industrial agriculture. So we have to cut down fewer forests. In addition, legumes are healthier than cereals. Harari describes in Sapiens how we could probably get much older if we didn't eat so much cereal products. After all, legumes are important for bees and biodiversity. Lupine, for example, also grows in northern Germany and can be used for meat substitutes, yogurt, coffee substitutes, ice cream or even noodles.

Fortunately, tap water has long been a trend. There are drinking water dispensers in schools and the students have their drinking bottles with them, and managers also bring their drinking bottles to workshops. Many children do not even get used to the unhealthy sugar drinks. Tap water is more strictly controlled than bottled drinks and saves a lot of energy and packaging. Even with motorhomes or boats or in places with the smell of chlorine in the water, we can save a lot of money, energy and packaging through good and regularly exchanged filters.

Food is wasted from the field to the factories and transport routes to the throw away by us, the restaurants and the supermarkets. This ultimately means that more areas are needed for cultivation and thus forests are cut down and biodiversity is endangered with sprays and fertilizers. We can shop more specifically, throw away goods not only because of the best before date, save food in the household (e.g. freeze bananas or make durable spreads and soups from leftover vegetables yourself), save specifically rescued food (e.g. too small or wrinkled goods) and also donate leftover food in many places, e.g. to the food banks.

Not having your own car, although there would be a driver's license, means not only saving money, but also raw materials, parking space and a lot of energy. In addition to flexibility and necessity in rural areas, car ownership means above all status, distinction and attribution (the infamous "phallus substitute with roaring sound). Alternatives are the bicycle, public transport and car sharing. For young people, the renunciation also means solidarity with those who cannot afford mopeds - as difficult as it is. Most households have never calculated the actual costs of their car ownership - from the purchase to taxes and insurance to energy and wear https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/05/one-less-car-how-this-country-is-encouraging-green-mobility/

Local public transport and also long-distance transport by train and bus (in the case of bus, the road infrastructure is still required) means considerably less energy and resource requirements than individual transport with cars or motorcycles. Long-distance buses only perform so well because they are limited to well-used routes, while the train also runs at unfavorable times and has to connect remote places, which then leads to less than half-full trains.

A premium SUV can weigh well over 2.5 tons and consumes more than twice as economical vehicles. Van, buses are similar - but sometimes have an authorization, for example as then actually used 7-seaters or for regular transports. For rare transports, there should be rental cars nearby or trailers. There is a global trend towards SUVs. These unconsciously give us the feeling of robustness, of getting through. They reinforce the so-called attribution or distinction need. We think we are the great car. At the same time, however, the same applies: Small cars are not necessarily more economical than larger cars - a Renault ZOE apparently consumes more than a Tesla Model Y. But larger cars consume more raw materials in the end. There is the expression SUV shame when you behave selfishly recklessly towards future generations through SUVs, comparable to flight shame.

Flying is a great experience for most people like experiencing distant places. Flying short distances should rightly lead to 'flight shame' - some countries are planning to ban domestic flights completely. The problem with flying is, on the one hand, that we travel a lot of kilometers, even if the energy requirement per kilometer and person is not so high. On the other hand, greenhouse gases are transported directly to the heights where they harm us. So we should only use the plane for rare long-distance trips and then rather stay longer in the places. Many, on the other hand, fly several times a year, partly within Europe - some even to sustainability conferences or just to spontaneously escape the harsh weather in Germany. Unfortunately, flying is even subsidized and is often cheaper than train or car.

No question - leaving the car and taking the bike is a proud feeling and healthy. If you don't want to exhaust yourself (for example, on the way to work), you can consider an e-bike. If you have a lot to transport, a cargo bike. Often we can also share a cargo bike with others. And if you shy away from bad weather, you will find great cycling clothing today, which completely refutes the argument.

Consistently separating waste, including green waste, glass and paper, is not as self-evident as can be assumed. Many make little effort here and don't really know what belongs in which bin. But also special waste, such as batteries, incandescent lamps, electrical appliances, etc. must be disposed of properly.

Non-recycled paper is often cheaper, but means cutting of forests, contamination of water during production and a high energy requirement. Recycled paper for toilet paper, writing paper, packaging, envelopes, wrapping paper, etc. should be a matter of course today. But we have to pay attention to it and choose it. Recycled paper is also snow-white, but it should then not be bleached with chlorine but oxygen.

After unpacked and for drinks after the tap water, the best thing we can do is to buy our food in reusable containers. (By the way, there are also reusable shipping boxes for office supplies as well as some regional delivery services). Also ask whether the containers are transported empty throughout Germany, or whether North German beer flows into the empty bottle of Bavarian beer and vice versa. Next question, what energy does it cost to clean the containers. Composite packaging or cans that are easy to recycle are the better alternative in some studies. In such studies, it is necessary to look closely at what is being compared. Ultimately, it is important to close regional cycles. Next question, whether the containers should be made of glass or plastic - glass is recycled more often, plastic is lighter and means less energy during transport.

Many things are actually thrown away, although others could still do something with it. It is more convenient for us not to repair it than to have a stand at the flea market or to have to send it for little money. But the good feeling of doing the right thing motivates.

Insect hotels or just old, higher tree stumps and dead wood on the ground, nesting boxes and, if useful, bat boxes are great ways to maximize biodiversity in your own environment.

In the past, it was considered controversial whether birds should be fed, or whether they forget to find food themselves and instead promote the concentration of many birds in one place diseases. Today it is clear that with our well-kept gardens, leaf vacuum cleaners and perfect combine harvesters, we leave too little for the birds and they have to be fed. Many argue that we should even feed them in the summer.

It is hard to believe that the future of our diet depends on the use of pesticides and their influence on insects that have to pollinate our plants. Many pollinators are threatened with extinction and in addition to the purchase of organic, we can offer these insects flowers on our areas. In fact, some plants are neither bee-nor bird-friendly. On the other hand, fruit trees and most vegetables are already great opportunities to promote bees, bumblebees, etc. At the flower meadows there are one- and multi-year-olds.

The awareness of nature-friendly outdoor lighting has increased significantly, there are already so-called star cities that do not want to "pollute" the view of the night sky with light. The street lamps are about whether they shine into the trees or on the street and with which light color they attract how many insects/moths. But we can also do a lot wrong in our gardens, with too bright light, motion detectors that disturb hedgehogs, or those cheap solar lamps that are already hazardous waste with the purchase and do not let the garden get dark in the first place.

Road salt is convenient and safe, but a considerable burden for pets, the trees and the surface water. Replacing this with split means more effort, but it's worth it.

Actually, it is logical that green investments have to yield the most return - but to be fair, it must be said that at least in the short term, bad fluctuations also happen here. With the Ukraine attack by Russia, money was withdrawn from renewable energies and transferred to the old oil industry. Due to homemade problems, e-mobility does not get going and suddenly the prices of lithium suppliers are swaying. (not every lithium supplier is sustainable) On the other hand, investments in wind and solar parks or crowd financing of other sustainable projects, such as energy renovation, are solid.

At Fair-Trade, we usually think of the label of the same name - which is no longer in disrepute. But there are also other labels - some rather greenwashing, some quite trying to do better. Fair is not always the same as organic and organic is not always fair (but some labels combine both). The importance is immense: fair working conditions in the world ensure less migration, more climate protection and a more peaceful world. Extremely remarkable is the background of chocolate and the connection between child slavery (!) And the common products from Nutella to children's chocolate to the Mars bar: https://edition.cnn.com/world/freedom-project

Volunteering, whether at the fire brigade, in the sports club or the help in the neighborhood, is enormously important for togetherness and society.

We experience what happens all over the world when the successful depend on large parts of society: radical currents get influx, the climate catastrophe is denied, hatred against foreigners but also against their own politicians is stoked. Some "ego trolls" who want to punch through their interests are deliberately playing with such a breeding ground when, for example, conservative parties speak of ideology with the progressive parties or an automobile boss is against vaccination in order not to have to close his works, or others complain against wind power and e-mobility and pro-nuclear power without any expertise. Dissatisfied citizens take this up as 'troll lemmings', feel they belong to the common enemy images and complain on social media against everything that means change towards future viability. It is the fight for so-called memes and no longer, as in the past, solely for sovereignty of interpretation, especially since the experts agree on most questions. As uncomfortable as it is, we should therefore stand against it in social media and not wave off in frustration. In our environment, we can also get together with others and talk about politics or the design of togetherness - even if many do not want to talk about politics privately at all, because they have an opinion, but not the feeling that they can support it themselves. For example, there is the Open Society Day and regionally certainly many other initiatives. Politicians can motivate, join a party, go to public council meetings, and participate in demonstrations. Having been to Fridays for Future once is an experience! Companies can show attitude! Ideology is not the opinion of the other, but what is not scientifically proven robustly (i.e. more than a single study).

We afford much of what we afford, because others do it too. What we then have and do goes far beyond what we need to be happy. Therefore, every euro donated on our side is first of all a waiver of consumption. Whether the donated money simply leads to consumption elsewhere can be questioned. What does the youth fire brigade do with the donations, what Greenpeace, what plan Germany, what the riff reporters, etc.? A useful flashing angle is to be considered here so-called sources and sinks. The box of beer is gone for now, a sink. But if it leads to more people wanting to get involved in the youth fire brigade, it is a source of more good. However, many donations are also to be questioned - for example, when it comes to the scandals behind the clothing donations or some organizations spend the most money on administration. However, with a little research and taking into account donation seals, we find great opportunities. By the way, it is also popular not to give your own family gifts in kind, but very concrete donations such as hygiene articles or goats in developing countries. Among other things, Plan-Germany offers this. If then your own kids are proud not to get even more Zeuchs themselves, but to be able to tell their friends what good they have done in the world with their Christmas gift, then we are already in a better world. The bar for the willingness to donate can be one's own prosperity, which the linked online calculator calculates. If you have more than your environment, you should definitely consider donating more.

Both organ and blood and plasma donations or even bone marrow donations cost us overcoming - until we or our loved ones are dependent on it. Here, too, the same applies - those who do it can be proud of themselves.

Many enjoy the variety through new garments or simply grow quickly. If you only wear clothes for shorts, you should try second clothes and at least sell your no longer worn clothes or donate to a social shop. Others wear few pieces of clothing without a claim to variety until they fall apart. Of course, this is best done with higher-quality garments.

Globally, conventional cotton is an environmental problem due to the use of sprays and the high water consumption. In addition, the textile factories poison entire rivers and exploit people during conventional dyeing. In addition to ecological cotton, there are other natural fibers with sometimes much less damage to the environment. In the case of virgin wool, attention must be paid to the certification, which excludes animal suffering. By the way, there is now also outdoor clothing made of densely woven organic cotton as an alternative to the plastic fibers. Plastic fibers always allow microplastics to enter the wastewater during washing and microplastics in the environment may lead to multi-resistant super germs - a long history. With the points for clothing, if you do not buy conventional cotton, but choose sometimes recycled and sometimes organic cotton, you can give yourself a full 3 points for both. By the way, organic is also possible with curtains, tablecloths and bed linen!!!

Even large, conventional clothing stores sometimes take back old clothes and promise to produce new yarns from them. Often the problem is the quality of short-lived clothing, which is then difficult to recycle and yet ends up in the waste incineration plant or on the dump in developing countries. With the points for clothing, if you do not buy conventional cotton, but choose sometimes recycled and sometimes organic cotton, you can give yourself a full 3 points for both.

In particular, the manufacturers of outdoor clothing now use recycled PET bottles for their yarns and they also do without the worst chemicals, such as PFCs. Nevertheless, the question is always whether we have to wear clothes that are designed for the Himalayas in everyday life. Because synthetic fibers also release microplastics from the plastic fleece sweater to the wastewater. Some use a washing bag that is supposed to collect these plastic fiber remains. Of course, the three points only apply to clothing that is not made with organic natural fibers, such as swimming trunks or trekking sandals.

Vegan shoes and belts are no longer distinguishable from their leather variants. And who pays attention to the fact that the tanning processes do not allow heavy metals to enter the environment or that the leather is certified accordingly? We should be careful with some plastics, such as PVC with plasticizers, which are also not good for the environment.

All major drugstore discounters now have natural cosmetics in all areas - from deodorant to lipstick and sunscreen (although sustainable sunscreens are a real challenge, as tests prove again and again). On the one hand, natural cosmetics are usually healthier, and on the other hand, no non-degradable substances enter the environment and no animals have been tortured to test the effects.

Organic cleaning agents can be found in all supermarkets and drugstores. Essential features are biodegradability and, of course, the vegetable raw materials as an alternative to petroleum-based raw materials. Even if conventional cleaning agents are classified as safe, organic cleaning agents are certainly more harmless.

Many furniture cannot stand being moved or even disassembled and reassembled. They are primarily cheap and the business model is that after a few years we want to buy new furniture. Looking at how valuable the furniture is and then being able to repair it takes us a whole lot further on the way to a better world. It is also amazing what good pieces there are on the used market.

Many devices from vacuum cleaners to cordless screwdrivers to TVs are amazingly inexpensive today. Relying on valuable devices that last a long time, or even buying used devices, helps to save raw materials and energy. Look for refurbished products.

Unfortunately, many devices can no longer be repaired at all, for example if the control unit breaks down from the washing machine and costs more than a new washing machine. And yet there are workshops that also repair mobile phones, washing machines, lawn mowers, etc. - and even if it is as expensive as a new device, it is the good feeling of having done something for a better world again.

Having something new makes you happy. We are offered more and more technical products, from flashing children's shoes to cheap e-scooters to the grill with a built-in fan. To consider here whether it can also be done without it and how long the devices will last and what the disposal of such electronic waste means emancipates us from the consumer traps.

Firecrackers and fireworks are a problem in every respect: for the animal world, the environment and the people who produce them. The ultrafine particles pollution is horrendous. And all this only because people (mostly men) hope for attention and admiration about this.