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.

So-called balcony power plants are the entry into energy awareness. One to two panels connected to an inverter with a maximum of 800 watts can currently be purchased without VAT. They pay off after a few years - depending on how many devices we have running during the day (washing machine, refrigerator, lawn mower, ...). The panels can also perform more than 800 W, for example so that they can also reach the maximum 800 W of the inverter in the morning and afternoon. They help us to understand the calculation in watts and to see the benefits when we turn on the dishwasher in the sunshine, and not in the evening. Such load management is the future when electricity tariffs are adapted to the supply of wind and sun. In addition, the owners of balcony power plants are of course proud of their contribution to a better world and infect others. The mostly complete set from the hardware store or the Internet can be screwed storm-proof even to the south or half to the east and west and then simply plug into the socket and the electricity finds the shortest way, without this amount of electricity running through the meter from the outside and having to be paid for. Conversely, however, the unused electricity usually flows uncounted (old meters run backwards and then count :-) into the grid and pleases the electricity provider.

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.

Apart from the fact that every device can have a high power consumption, a refrigerator is not regularly defrosted, the door seal is leaking, the washing machine is driven with too high temperatures and spin numbers, etc., there are still some unnecessary things that consume a lot of electricity: Tumble dryer, sauna, dehumidifier, pond pumps, aquarium heaters, terrace heaters, etc. The easiest way is to see to what extent you deviate from the average consumption in Germany and then think about what it is. If you are charging an electric car at home, you should see what can be attributed to it (either the car offers this evaluation or you use a separate electricity meter for this).

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.

Thermal insulation is extremely important. Investing here means saving energy and costs. The argument that building will then become too expensive must be clearly put into perspective. One way, of course, is to have to insulate smaller living spaces. The other to become generally more efficient when building. Then ecological building materials will also become affordable. Old houses that can no longer be sensibly insulated are perhaps worth so much more as a new building that financing is not a problem. (Note: the figures are for Germany)

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..

We can use rainwater at least for garden irrigation in the case of unproblematic materials of the roof. With significantly more effort also for washing machine and toilet flushing. Even if it takes quite a long time economically before it's worth it, it's a good thing.

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.

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.

We are used to the fact that everything is packed and we don't care much about the packaging. For some foods, the packaging is more expensive in the production than the content. Paying attention to the packaging sends a signal to manufacturers and retailers. For food, there are so-called unpackaged shops or at least the possibility of using deposit containers (own step) or cotton bags brought along for loose vegetables and fruit. In basically all markets, we should have our own bags with us.

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.

The minimum is the use of the compost bin of the disposal company. If you have a garden, you should create the compost yourself and see what everything can do on it, from the coffee filter to the bowls of organic fruits and vegetables to, of course, the garden 'waste'. Food leftovers do not belong in the compost because of the danger of rats. However, there are also possibilities here. For example, Bokashi with so-called effective microorganisms are a way to ferment the compost with vinegar so that it can then be grounded directly by compost worms. To support the microorganisms (EM^2), plant char and clay mineral can still be added. By the way, the biochar can also be made quite practically with pyrolysis cookers from your own tree pruning from the garden - a nice alternative to grilling and a separate point in the list of possible steps. Such a compost then stores a lot of carbon (CO2) and moisture against dry summers and ensures high yields in the garden. In fact, many compost heaps are more likely to focus on physical decomposition and release of a lot of CO2.

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.

Surface sealing is a problem not only in growing civilizations, but also in Germany. We live on too much living space, are still building new streets and courtyard driveways and our terraces are also getting bigger and bigger. To specifically dispense with living space here, to build in height, water-permeable paving, green roofs (own point) and, weighing up all the advantages and disadvantages, expanding your own house to the height in order to enable more people to live on the same sealed area, are valuable steps. By the way, an English lawn is ecologically not very valuable, for example, compared to a flower or clover meadow or a vegetable garden.

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.

Do we harm the regional organic farmers if we now plant something in the garden ourselves? No, because hardly anyone will be able to take care of themselves. Rather, the main problem is the use of land. English lawns, ornamental plants, weed destruction, etc. harm the soil and biodiversity. Instead, nature-friendly crops are needed. It's a great feeling to grow something yourself, be it the smoothie grass on the windowsill or the tomatoes on the balcony. If you have little time for the garden, you should deal with permaculture and perennial plants.

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.

This is about living and working in the region, about strengthening the community. The birdhouse from a social workshop or the PV system from the electrician on site (if he has further training).

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

Many people who earn above average can only do this because others earn below average. The gap between rich and poor is getting bigger and bigger. Consumers complain about cheap wages, but the price increase by 50 cents is rarely accepted. What we deserve is not, as liberals or neoliberals like to think, just a question of diligence. It is the product (!) out of diligence, skill, and the right framework conditions. Anyone who knows many talented and hard-working people who are simply not lucky develops empathy and is willing to pay more, even if it is through tips.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

This does not refer to the skater track or the artificial turf sports field, but motorsport, skiing on artificially snowy slopes, kiting in bird protection areas, sailboats with biocides on the underwater ship, golfing with high use of water and pesticides, quad rides into nature, skydiving, etc. Of course, these hobbies are fun, which is why it is rewarded if we actively choose the more environmentally friendly alternatives here and thus achieve a rethink with others.