Happy Green Year! 7 really good resolutions

15.12.2020 - It's easy to get into a bad mood if you only focus on the latest news when it comes to the climate crisis. That's why it's all the more important to take your own actions seriously, but also to be lenient - with yourself and with others - after all, Rome wasn't built in a day. If you remain open to the problems and concerns of others, it is easier to engage in dialogue. Only then can solutions be worked out together. Because let's be honest, in the end we all have similar inner conflicts: driving the car again, ordering from the online giant, taking the plastic bag with us. That's why we've put together our good resolutions for 2021 for you - inspired by our employees at Steinbeis Papier.

1. Consume fewer animal products

Around 70 per cent of the direct greenhouse gas emissions associated with our diet are due to the consumption of animal products. The consumption of plant-based foods, on the other hand, only accounts for a third. This is shown by the results of the WWF's "Climate change on your plate" study. "Giving up ham sandwiches or hamburgers is active climate protection," said Tanja Dräger de Teran, WWF expert for climate protection and nutrition - back in 2012!¹

Resolutions for beginners: _{CO2 emissions}, water consumption, land use, antibiotics, health, animal suffering - enough reasons for a few meat-free days. That's what several Steinbeis employees thought this year. And they are right on trend. According to the Nuremberg-based consumer research company GfK, sales of meat substitutes have grown by more than 50 per cent in recent months^.2 Of course, a cauliflower instead of a soya cutlet would be healthier and more packaging-free. But it's a start. And a sensible one at that.

Advancedresolutions: The resolution with probably the greatest impact on our personal carbon footprint is to switch to a vegan lifestyle. If you remove animal-based foods from your diet, your diet will produce around 70 per cent fewer greenhouse gases^.3 "A vegan diet is probably the biggest lever for reducing your own ecological footprint", says Oxford scientist Joseph Poore in the news magazine "Spiegel"^.4 No other change, no other consumer behaviour has a greater and more direct impact on our ecological footprint. And none will make you feel better physically and mentally. Give it a try!⁵

2. Promoting renewable energy sources

Saving electricity is good for the carbon footprint, of course. We have already compiled various tips for you at the beginning of this year. we're going one step further in 2021:

Resolutions for beginners: Honestly, how long have you been planning to change your electricity provider? Next year is your year! When making your choice, make sure that it really is green electricity. Some large providers offer electricity from hydroelectric, wind and solar power, but at the same time continue to sell products that use coal energy, for example, under sonorous eco-names. And even green electricity is no guarantee of 100 per cent sustainability. Whether solar, hydro or wind, all renewable energy sources have advantages and disadvantages. But that is no reason to wait to make the switch, says Steinbeis employee Dirk Clasen, who has already implemented this resolution.

Resolutions for advanced users: It's not just large electricity providers that can switch to solar energy, but also you yourself. If you are lucky enough to be able to install your own solar system on your roof, the switch can even be financially worthwhile, as recent model calculations by Stiftung Warentest show: Anyone who pays a standard price for the system and uses 25 per cent of the electricity themselves will generate a return of 5.6 to 8.0 per cent, depending on the solar yield. Under optimal conditions, the return can even be in double figures^.6 Incidentally, the rental model is becoming increasingly established alongside the purchase of your own system, so that higher investments and therefore investment risks can be reduced^.7

3. Collecting rubbish

Nobody is really happy about rubbish in nature. Nevertheless, you can hardly go for a walk without seeing cigarette packets, beer cans and handkerchiefs. Therefore, the basis for less rubbish in nature is a more conscious approach. Sounds a bit too simple? No problem, you can find more inspiration for 2021 here:

Resolutions for beginners: Carien Peters has long been fed up with the amount of waste in nature. That's why she and her husband go out every day in search of at least three items that have no place in the environment. Once back home, she disposes of them properly. The sustainable treasure hunt continues on holiday too: "When we have time off, we really get stuck in and look for more every day." So next time you go for a walk or on your way to work, make a resolution to pick up at least three items.

Advancedresolutions: Like Carien Peters, many people are now on the lookout for unloved traces of civilisation in nature. This is why nature associations such as NABU or local sustainable community groups organise waste collection campaigns in many places, where everyone is welcome. Every year, people all over the world take part in the biggest campaign: World Cleanup Day, which will take place on 18 September 2021. You can find more information here.

4. Produce less waste

Even better than collecting rubbish? Producing none at all. The new eco-gurus of the Less or Zero Waste movement are leading the way - with some astonishing results. Or can you imagine that all the rubbish you accumulate in a year would only fit into a single jar? Let yourself be inspired by so much zest for action - your annual rubbish doesn't have to fit into a jar.

Resolutions for beginners: One way to produce less waste is to switch to alternatives that need to be replaced less often. Steinbeis employee Anja Kröger, for example, uses beeswax cloths instead of cling film. (You can find a detailed article on the topic here.) This reusable instead of disposable philosophy is now (once again) possible for many household products, from cotton pads, cloth nappies and razors to glass bottles, vegetable bags and coffee cups.

Resolutions for the advanced: private end consumers in Germany produced an average of around 108 kilos of packaging waste per capita in 2018^.8 If you want to save money here, it's no longer that difficult: like Steinbeis employee Martina Zonzalla, you can buy unpackaged food such as pasta, rice, nuts and spices in one of the many unpackaged shops. You can also simply leave out the packaged fruit and vegetables and opt for unpackaged goods instead.

5. Use plastic more carefully

The Germany-wide ban on the sale of disposable plastic items, which comes into force on 3 July 2021, sets the direction of travel: Away from careless use of plastic. After all, the plastic that we produce at great technical and energy expense is a valuable resource that we can use in an incredible variety of ways - and we should treat it accordingly. (You can find out more about plastic as a raw material here)

Resolutions for beginners: Plastic is bad, so let's throw away all plastic cans and buy everything made of glass and bamboo? Rubbish! That would actually be counterproductive, as it would consume new resources (and produce waste at the same time). Instead, our New Year's resolution is to be mindful of plastic. This means treating plastic items that we already own more carefully in order to extend their shelf life. New purchases where plastic cannot be avoided can be bought second-hand if possible - this not only saves resources, but also your wallet. Alternatively, you can make sure you only buy recycled plastic, like Mercedes Conde Roig: "There are now so many manufacturers who work with recycled plastic and you can't tell the difference anyway," explains the Steinbeis employee.

Resolutions for advanced users: If that doesn't go far enough, you can switch to sustainable alternatives wherever possible. For example, Ann-Kathrin Braun and her family have been doing without plastic bags in the fruit and vegetable department since this year. "We've also bought these super-practical vegetable nets," says the Steinbeis employee. And if you forget the bags? Then just put the three apples on the conveyor belt without the bag. The cashiers will forgive you - guaranteed.

6. Use organic cleaning products

Conventional cleaners contain a wide range of questionable substances that are not sustainable. These include various surfactants made from petroleum or palm oil, whose negative effects on the environment have already been discussed in detail here. If we use these products for cleaning, the surfactants are released into the environment via waste water and can harm aquatic organisms. The same applies to fragrances, of which only 26 particularly allergenic ones are subject to ^declaration9, and preservatives. What's more, all of these substances can also be harmful to our health^.10 So it's high time we got rid of the chemicals.

Resolutions for beginners: Steinbeis employee Anja Kröger has therefore only been using organic cleaning products since last year. "Above all, I make sure that the products have certain certifications, such as the Blue Angel. I also only buy cleaning products based on citric acid."

Advancedresolutions: did you know that? You can replace almost all cleaning agents with simple household remedies such as citric acid, vinegar, soda and baking soda. This protects the environment, reduces packaging waste and also saves money. Why not resolve to make your own cleaning products next year? You can now find numerous articles on the internet dedicated to this topic^.11

7. Switch to alternative modes of transport

The proportion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is constantly growing - last year even saw a new high. Corona is only causing a "tiny dent in an otherwise upward trend"^.12 But there is also good news: On average, cars now have a lower impact on the environment and climate than in the past. Stricter emissions regulations have led to better technology and higher quality fuel^.13 However, this hardly means that we can sit back and relax, but rather shows that something really can change. Numerous sustainable developments are fuelling hopes of a sustainable mobility turnaround. And until then? Let's make some resolutions for next year:

Resolutions for beginners:inside: One way Steinbeis employee Dirk Clasen wants to counteract air pollution next year is by donating to sustainability programmes. "My goal is to offset the_{CO2 emissions} I cause on my journey to work. I just have to choose the right project. The range is now quite wide." You can find extensive information on what is important when making your choice here.

Resolutions for advanced travellers: Even better than compensating: Switch to public transport or cycling as often as possible, as Steinbeis employee Benjamin Höckendorf does: "Even shopping in my home town can be done by bike. For a long time now, I've only been going to the bakery every Sunday by bike or jogging - regardless of the weather." The same applies to the journey to work, of course, even if it sometimes takes a bit of effort. Especially when home and work are not far apart, as Steinbeis employee Veronika Warmers knows from her own experience: "Cycling would be the most sustainable choice for my journey to work - but I often prefer the car, and I'm never at a loss for excuses to myself. Nevertheless, when the weather is dry in 2021, I will leave the car behind and hop on my bike."