Greenservations 8: Schrebergärten

It seems to me like 'Urban Farming' and 'Urban Gardening' is becoming all the rage in the states lately. I personally love the idea. Re-purposing unused urban space to grow food has a myriad of environmental benefits. Urban gardens are a better use of space. They can replace unused lots or buildings that are causing unnatural run off. Eating food from an urban garden also reduces the carbon footprint of the food because the transportation from origin to plate is significantly decreased. Plus, getting outside and gardening  every once in a while is good for you!

The Germans realized these environmental and health needs around the time of industrialization and urbanization. Large amounts of people were moving off their rural farms into the city to work. Around the mid 1800s, a doctor named Daniel Gottlob Moritz Schreber was writing publications that dealt with the subject of children's health and social consequences of urbanization during the Industrial Revolution. He is credited with starting the "Schreber Movement" which emphasized the importance of fresh air and appreciation of nature. This movement also started organized allotment gardening, or Schrebergärten.

I was pretty confused when I saw my first Schrebergärten. They kind of look like a mini neighborhood with little huts for houses. It is pretty rare for Germans to have a house with a yard since a majority of people live in apartments. My roomies informed me that the little plots of land are passed down through the generations, and it's pretty hard to get one! They have also told me that living in your Schrebergarten hut is frowned upon, but throwing parties in your Schrebergarten is encouraged. A little party/chill spot that provides you with health benefits and sustainable agriculture? The Germans know whats up.

Greenservations 7: Radfahren

I think I may have mentioned earlier that I bike to work everyday.  Well... practically everyday.  Sometimes I'm just too darn lazy.  Or sometimes it's raining so hard that I am literally soaked through to my underwear if I don't cower under an umbrella.  Oh, Wuppertal.  Back to the Greenservation at hand: Radfahren.  The sustainable observations about cycling versus driving are plentiful and apparent.  Since I've been rather scatterbrained lately, I searched for a list of 'the benefits of biking' online so I could organize my thoughts.  Here are a few of my favorites from the list:

1. On-going use of a bicycle has virtually NO carbon footprint.
2. Bicycling can be faster than walking, transit or motor vehicles.
3. Save travel money by biking. If the switch is from a car this includes purchase price, gas, tires, fluids, insurance, maintenance, washing, parking, etc.
4. Regular bicycling helps with personal weight management - new full-time bicycle commuters can expect to lose an average 13 pounds their first year of bicycle commuting if they maintain the same eating habits.
5. Bicyclists can ignore the highway traffic jam reports.
6. Reduces road kill and saves animals.
7. Biking is fun.

You should really check out the whole list for more great and environmentally friendly reasons to bike instead of drive!  Now, I'm going to continue to overwhelm you with statistics and reasons why you should get off your lazy bum (I'm lookin at you Mom and Dad) and get pedaling! According to a study from  Environmental Health Perspectives, if 30 million urban and suburban midwesterners replaced JUST HALF of their short car trips with cycling during JUST THE WARMEST six months of the year, they "could save approximately four trillion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 1,100 lives and $7 billion in mortality and health care costs for the region every year."  Boom.  Sustainable, healthy, and fiscally responsible.  What more could you want?  Oh, an awesome infographic about the benefits of biking? Here you go: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/bike-to-work-infographic-benefits-health_n_1145815.html

I really hope that the USA adopts a more bike-friendly mentality in the immediate future.  I've observed and experienced firsthand all the benefits of biking to work, and I have been lucky to do so since I live in such a bike-friendly country.  Everywhere I go I see racks of bikes on bikes on bikes!  Just look at what I get to be a part of! (Below left: Amsterdam, below right: Munich, bottom: Heidelberg)

I plan on seeing even more sweet bike action in a few weekends when Michelle and I head to Copenhagen, the city of bikerly love!  I hope this post has inspired you to green up your life by embracing the wonder that is biking.  If it hasn't inspired you to do that, maybe I've inspired you to work on your hyperlinking skills.  Bis später!

Greenservations 6: Solarenergie

Solarenergie is one of those German words that you 100% know what is means without knowing a lick of German.  That's right folks, this Greenservations post is dedicated to solar energy in Germany!  I've been meaning to write a post about this for a while, but after a record breaking weekend Germany is getting a lot of press for their solar power awesomeness, so I figure this week is fitting! 

Following the nuclear accident in Japan last year, Germany vowed to phase out all nuclear power operations, and have been focusing their attention on renewable options such as solar.  I'm actually a fan of nuclear power, but I can't complain about placing other renewables first. As you can see in the linked article, or by simply Googling 'solar power in Germany', there are lots of really impressive statistics surrounding Germany and their solar power initiatives.  For example:

• Last Friday and Saturday, Germany produced a WORLD RECORD 22 giggawatts of solar electricity per hour (equivalent to 20 nuclear power stations operating at full capacity)
• This meets 50% (WHAT?!) of the ENTIRE country's MIDDAY needs. (SUPER impressive)
• Germany instituted a feed-in tariff (FIT) system that required utilities to pay for solar energy production, no matter how big or small the source (so basically any Jens Schmo can plug in solar panels and get paid for it!)
• About 20% of Germany's annual electricity needs come from renewable sources

Before the record breaking weekend of solar production, I had definitely noticed Germany's enthusiasm for solar on my own.  When riding the Bahn through the German countryside, I can't help but notice all the little villages full of traditional houses retrofitted with solar panels on top of them!  I've tried to get pictures myself, but the train moves fast, so check out these to get an idea...


Bringin' that house into the 21st century!



See all the blue on the roofs?

The German use of solar power, and other renewables, further supports my observation that Germans are just inherently more environmentally conscious than most other countries.  Not to mention they have a government that supports national environmental initiatives, such as solar power!  I found this interesting article comparing government subsidies and solar power in both the US and Germany.  My favorite stat from the infographic is that the US gets 3900% more sun than Germany, but Germany has 6000% more solar power than the US. What are we waiting for?!

What do you guys think, will the US ever be as gung-ho about solar as Germany? I hope so!

Greenservations 5: Lebensmittelläden

Alright so this might be a bit of a haphazard Greenservations post... but I've had a trying day so bear with me.  The theme of this Greenservation is 'Lebensmittelläden' or in English 'grocery stores'.  A lot of differences exist between German grocery stores and grocery stores in the USA, and most all of them have a tie-in with environmental responsibility.

First, the stores here are smaller but more frequently located than in the US.  There is a more limited selection of products, but no body minds at all (who really needs 35 different types of cereal anyway?!).  Since most Germans rely on walking or public transport, stores have to be situated nearby.  Smaller stores mean less energy to maintain, and less products mean less transportation required to get products from origin to plate.  Both these points contribute to lower carbon footprints.

Along with the first point, grocery stores (and most all stores) in Germany have way fewer hours of operation than those in the states.  They'll typically open around the same time in the morning, but in the evening, German stores close by 6pm (8pm if you're lucky!).  Why is this green?  Less hours of operation mean less energy required to keep the store running (lights, registers, etc), thus reducing the carbon footprint further. 

The last main difference between grocery stores in Germany and the US is that in Germany, you have to BYOSB - bring your own shopping bags.  I personally love this difference because I hate those cheap, flimsy grocery bags that no one knows what to do with (other than use them to pick up dog poop, or store stinky soccer cleats).  Reusable bags are awesome because they eliminate the need for wasteful plastic bags that ultimately end up as litter or garbage.

Also, Germans love organic food.  That greenservation is pretty self explanatory. 

Some other differences that don't necessarily have to do with being green... The prices you see in Germany are the prices you pay. Tax is included in all prices so your mental math is simplified.  Win!  Shopping carts don't really exist.  If you're at a store where they do, they usually require a monetary deposit to use them.  Nutella doesn't cost a million dollars here... and I've found that all groceries are much cheaper here than in the states.  Especially delicious cheeses. Double win!  All in all, I'm a much bigger fan of German grocery shopping than US grocery shopping.  Which style do you prefer?

This Greenservation was inspired because I am currently out of groceries.  So you all know what I'll be doing tonight! 

Greenservations 4: Mitfahrgelegenheit

This weekend, I went to Munich, and I had a rockin’ time getting there.  I’m going to tell you about a wonderful transportation option in Germany; Mitfahrgelegenheit.  I had always thought it would be an interesting adventure to hitchhike, and a Mitfahrgelegenheit is essentially a modern day form of hitchhiking.  Basically, there is this awesome website: http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de/ where you enter your destinations of departure and arrival.  The site will match you up with a driver who has posted about a trip they’re taking.  The drivers have some sort of description about their trip, such as how long they think it will take, how often/where they will stop, and how much they want riders to chip in for gas.

My ride to Munich was with a nice middle-aged guy named Lorenz.  He drives a new Audi A6 and requested 30 euro from each of his passengers.  This 30 euro was much cheaper than a Bahn ticket, which would have been around 70 euro (One way. Ouch.).  Lorenz and I rode with another girl and guy, and all four of us were headed to Munich to visit our special someones.  I think that I lucked out with my first ever Mitfahrgelegenheit, because it was seriously awesome.  The people were great, and I even got to cruise at 250 km/hr on the Autobahn (that’s about 155 mph. NO BIG DEAL.). 

There are many green observations that can be made about ride sharing.  While the opportunities for public transportation in Germany are widespread, sometimes they can be too expensive for the average poor college student.  I’m mostly thinking about ride sharing in the context of the USA.  Ride sharing is great because it fills up cars, and can potentially reduce the number of mostly empty cars on the roads.  One car filled with 4 people is an environmentally friendlier option than 4 cars all with only one person inside.  Automobiles have the greatest impact on air quality, so reducing the number of autos would directly correlate with improved air quality! 

The thing that I might love most about Mitfahrgelegenheit is the attitude that Germans have towards it.  It is a completely common option for travel.  I think that things that are both environmentally and fiscally responsible aren’t even a question to Germans, they are just something that everyone accepts as the best option.  I wish that everyone had that mentality in the states.  I’m definitely going to take advantage of Mitfahrgelegenheit again, and I wonder if it will ever be established in the USA. 

Here’s a good website about the benefits of ridesharing: http://www.bnl.gov/rideshare/benefits.asp

Greenservations 3: Biomüll

Sure composting exists in the US, but it is not practiced as widely or strictly as it is here in Germany.  Biomüll is all organic waste; fruits, veggies, and some napkins for example.  It’s essentially compost.  Wikipedia say that “From 1990 to 2004, the collection of organic waste in Germany has increased tenfold to 10 million tons / year”.  Man I love Wikipedia, and the Germans.  People in Germany have such a heightened sense of environmental responsibility.  It is just inherently a part of how they live their lives; I wish we had this widespread collective mentality in the states. 

I’m amazed by how seriously the Germans take their waste separations (a post dedicated to that will come later).  In my apartment, we have separate “garbage” cans for plastics, paper, regular waste, and Biomüll.  Those receptacles were listed by order of size, largest to smallest.  That’s right, our largest receptacle is for plastic recyclables, then paper recyclables, and then regular waste and Biomüll are about the same size.  Can you believe that?! Nearly EVERYTHING is recycled or composted here.  And the “garbage men” pick up all of the separated items on a building to building basis. It’s a fantastic system. 

Biomüll separation isn’t just something that you do at your household, waste bins in public places have places for Biomüll disposal also.  At work, we have waste separation bins too!  I was truly astounded by how commonplace and accepted composting is here in Germany.  I mean, I got scolded for tossing my apple core in the regular waste bin (in my defense, it was before I knew where our work Biomüll container was located).  I wonder when composting is going to become this widely practiced in the states?  Is curbside compost pick-up in our near future?  I sure hope so, because it’s a truly brilliant and sustainable concept.  What do you guys think?

Greenservations 2: Pfand Zurück

I know you’ve all been anxiously awaiting another Greenservations post… and I’m sorry it has taken me this long to deliver!  This Greenservations post focuses on the policy of ‘Pfand Zurück’ which literally translates to ‘deposit back’.  Here in Germany, the Government has put in place container-deposit legislation which requires collection of a monetary deposit on soft-drink, juice, milk, water, alcoholic-beverage, and other containers at the point of sale. When the bottle or container is returned to an authorized redemption center, the deposit is refunded to the redeemer.  Deposits can range anywhere from € 0.08 for small plastic bottles to € 0.25 for large, reusable glass bottles.  Remember when I told you all about ‘Kastens’ of beer?  Well a Kasten is a plastic crate of twenty 0.50 liter glass bottles of beer.  An average Kasten of beer costs about 18 euros, and that’s INCLUDING a Pfand of anywhere from 4 to 6 euros! Yes, beer really IS that cheap here.  Unglaublich.

We have a similar policy in the United States, but it is not as widely used and accepted as the Pfand here in Germany.  In the US, we have what are called ‘Bottle Bills’ where in certain states where a bill has been passed, people can get back a deposit for their containers.  There are currently 11 states in the U.S. with container deposit legislation; California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont.  The deposit amount for bottles and containers in the States is no where near as high as in Germany, which might be why not as many people take advantage of it.  The only people you ever see returning cans are the kind, shopping cart pushing bums who clean up the streets of Clifton after a raucous weekend of partying.  The deposits in the states are only 5¢ to 15¢, far less than in Germany when you take the exchange rate into account.  People always see it on their cans, “this can has a 5¢ cash value” or something like that, but they don’t care, or don’t know how to take advantage of the deposit legislation. 

I see many great benefits to Pfand or container deposit legislation.  For one, it truly encourages recycling and serves as a good complement to curbside recycling programs.  Most noticeably in Germany, Pfand reduces beverage container litter along streets, in lakes and rivers, and on other public or private properties.  That is one thing I have noticed about Germany, no where NEAR as much litter as in the US.  Along with that point, places with container deposit legislation in place are less likely to have broken glass on the roads and sidewalks.  It is unarguable that people are going to be less likely to litter when there is monetary incentive to return bottles and containers to appropriate places.  I wonder if deposit legislation will ever become as widely accepted in the US as it is here in Germany…  What do you guys think?

Greenservations 1

In addition to posting about my international adventures... I'm also going to be posting about observations I have about sustainability practices in Germany. I'm going to call these posts Green Observations or 'Greenservations'. I've already noticed a lot of subtle differences in my 24 hours here.

A couple of Greenservations from my travels so far:

1. On the plane (flight operated by a German airline)

• Reusable metal silverware (not the typical throw away plastic kind)
• Reusable food trays and containers
• Recycling

2. Low flow toilets everywhere

3. Very organized and emphasized recycling in all public places - separated into paper, plastic, glass, and waste

4. Automatic lighting in the hostel - hallway lights come on when you walk out of your room

Future posts will probably (hopefully) include pictures!