The thing about the sustainability Recently, the issue of sustainability, not least because of the deals recently broadcast film "Now for the dump," on some
blog, if they not even employ almost exclusively with them (such as Juliet
Mixxed greens (lesenswert!))
Now, the very broad topic, so I would like to add my only 2 cents, so what I'm currently the main problems identified in my consumer behavior have what I want to change and especially what I have to change with my modest means ever
can .
I was brought up by my parents already very environmentally aware, so far some things for me have always been self-evident in the concrete green electricity, water can not run, repair dripping faucets, no overheat, own Take measures against heat loss, public transport prefer to pack fruit in a supermarket not individually in plastic bags to avoid a total packaging waste, natural materials prefer to separate the recycling, saving paper.
But lurking everywhere traps.
My palm oil in the moment of greatest concern: Palm oil. I want to really say much because I have to
elsewhere schonmal wrote a long entry to it.
Unfortunately this is a problem that many closed-and expensive natural cosmetics manufacturer nor the eyes. Only once again the completeness sake: There is a label for palm oil from "sustainably harvested" (RSPO), but this has caused in recent months for more
scandals, than could have been expected. It is specifically not only to individual cases, which is why companies such as Inika
, high ethical standards put in their products, refrain from palm oil, until there is a reliable distinction for sustainably grown palm oil.
I recommend anyone who is committed to environmental protection and is committed to sustainability, an intense interest in this topic. Even I know that palm oil is not completely avoidable. However, the consequences are so serious so serious for our future and the future of our world's cultural and biological diversity that we should understand the urgent as a major problem.
(If you're interested in more depth on this issue, I like to write again in detail about what I continue to research and link all relevant sources, films and information on both sides).
I (and I speak here of me all alone) have palm oil banished from my cosmetics, margarine without buying palm oil and fat (which is not healthy anyway) and replace
as far as possible palm oil-containing foods with palm oil-free. Easier It makes one's palm oil
white list.
oil Apart from the fact that oil is certainly finite (even if critics say again that this awareness is often used for price gouging), oil is a huge environmental disaster.
by the release of radioactivity
about the pollution of species-rich areas, up to date, particularly in the Niger Delta
(offered by a documentary
), wars, which are deemed that they performed only for this reason were daily organizer The list can probably continue to spin any themselves.
Contiguous to the problem of plastic. Here I would like to refer to an article in the above mentioned blog
Mixxed greens and on this point also cited the film "
Plastic Planet".
What to do?
oil is difficult, our entire culture is based on oil and especially as a vegan (and for strict vegetarians) is tight, and I would like to strongly point out that leather is not environmentally friendly alternative
(I link here aware Greenpeace not as an environmental and animal welfare organization, but even here the environment of an opinion or animal or environmental protection-oriented
information page). Also
plastic alternatives made from corn meal or spelled involving, first glance, the environmentalists have heart to cheer, one more than bitter taste: these are again food that are missing in other places and exacerbate world hunger problem considerably. As for palm oil are growing areas of the Third World, our "environmental friendliness" are victims. Rainforest Indians whose tribal area is being cleared, children are starving (generalized and simplistic, the relationships I have not unraveled again exactly).
I am of the opinion that only helps one thing: Limit. I need quite simply, not 50 pairs of shoes, I can also take bus or bike or train times and instead of plastic bags and bottles tuts just cotton, jute or glass.
When cleaning products and other things I make sure that they are not produced from oil.
I avoid waste produce to buy cheap alternatives that fall apart once again, technology sometimes buy second hand and not necessarily the latest phone every two years because I also functions quite simply do not need and separating waste. Too much more I see myself at the moment but also not able to do.
Modern slavery This is a topic that covers several aspects and, above all several stages of slavery.
Firstly because the clothing industry would be created in any unlawful work conditions, here it is long gone "only" child labor, so horrible this is. Not only that I want to have excluded, but also conditions such as 16h-days for seamstresses who would not find a chair or chatting with their employees may. Maternity leave are not met, people earn so little that they do not even himself, let alone feed their families. Sometimes I think to myself when I read such reports, that not even his slaves would treat, for there would be willfully damaging his property.
This is true for so many things for
battery factories in China worked out without mouth protection and groundwater pollution sustainable
KIK at home and abroad has become a symbol (as do the others
clothing companies not usually far behind), child labor
, the list goes endless.
would But I will concentrate on two topics very concisely: Chocolate and coffee.
In connection with a "Comedian" appeared on this blog already on the chocolate theme. I would like very, very strongly on
an article refer to Greenpeace because it got me to the topic. For this purpose, it is also a very excellent
documentation. caution is especially chocolate commanded
Many companies operate here greenwashing. Some now have a fair share of traded below 10% and pride themselves on, put it in the media often presented as if they were a "clean" companies. I would strongly indicates that there is still more than 90% from terrible conditions. The plantation owners deserve the chocolate not even enough to feed their own families, as the enslaved children is, everyone can imagine without much imagination.
Fair Trade Chocolate is now available in very high quality levels (eg Zotter). Since chocolate is by far not essential for me now is that fair trade is an exclusion criterion.
same goes for coffee.
That being said, the price differences are not so significant in the cafeteria of my university in the cup of coffee costs 10 cents more fair. I'll pay you.
for clothing (not that I would not have been more than enough of it) I pay now also consistently fair trade. I want and can not support anything more for my luxury.
Food production and transport One issue to me, quite frankly, still does not fall very easily.
In itself, for climate, environment, all that should (I think this is self-explanatory?) Consume most regionally.
I love mangoes, avocados, bananas, but when I watch you, where my daily food comes from, I sometimes fear that I have the environmental performance of a small coal-fired power plant. Of course, the
may seem ridiculous, especially in light of the energy demand for animal food. However, we must ask ourselves, is whether I with my purchase food from all continents of the World must gather and, above all, where exactly they come from.
region is not the same growing area. There are actually countries, even if it is for us, Central Europeans difficult to see where agriculture and other factors, the Sun
drinking water becoming scarce that people
thirst. We enrich at their expense. Even for such nonsensical things such as flowers (
caution PDF). Most things are not grown with no impact in the middle of the desert. What does that mean
for me? I buy as much as possible locally. This is not just about the strawberries that I do without in the winter, it pays for to observe all fresh produce the country of origin. Just because it theoretically apples are in Europe, that is, that is unfortunately not that they were not flown in from South Africa.
Conclusion They are by far not all the relevant sites. A few (cattle, drive a car I've ,...) omitted because they tell me specifically because of my lifestyle does not relate to others I have had quite simply fall by the wayside, because that would be beyond the scope.
runs in the end it always with me out on a trade situation. You can not purely and simply live non-invasive, at least not as long as you want to remain preserved as part of society.
I am not Diogenes, and honestly it would not be. However, I see my responsibility to my harmful impact on the world and my fellow human beings and fellow creatures to minimize as much as possible.
This is the claim which I, out of my ethics, put on myself. I can not enjoy when I know that is made by my fleeting pleasure of finishing off all the cultures that I, at least by my consumption contributed or the manufacturer implicitly give my permission. I will not be part of a society that depends shamelessly with its quasi-imperialist behavior against all my principles. I will quite simply give up what I actually for untenable and unsustainable think what I can not support and will.
what extent my own small contribution to help may be questionable, as long as it only goes to the waiver, here is the mass demand. By then, however, where I can make positive reinforcement by something (such as in fair trade products)
my influence is measurable in concrete terms and I improve living conditions and create incentives to demand and, especially, alternatives for the local people.
now I buy a lot of second hand (which I had never before imagined, and I come from a family in which one has no need for the
) and give away, or donate used / used Things rather than simply throw in the bin. What is really broken is recycled as much as possible.
I too have vices. Also, I'm not always dominated, sometimes I have to quarrel informed me so much with my fate and would just like to go for shopping and not think of Australia's sheep tortured, yet exploited children and environmental degradation need and consume just pointless.
But I can not. Somehow, as if you jumped through a glass, and can not go back because what was hidden behind their own reflection, not by their own vanity, may be covered.
I stand for a few years ago in a jungle of cruelty. Everything which I measure my moral values is what I am doing destroyed. Sometimes I feel like I am in Brecht's poem, To Posterity, even if the relationship really is not the same.
It's late. We believe
not like it, but I'm sitting now for almost three hours on this entry and until I read it correct, it is once again well after midnight.
I wanted to accuse anyone, I just want to make clear just what moves me at the moment where to go and what my journey is to me as part of the sustainability debate flared up again and again haunt the mind.
you feel free to comment, I'm curious about your opinion.
Really To the Coming
I
, I live in dark times!
A guileless word is an absurdity. A smooth forehead
Indicates insensitivity. The Laughing
has received the devastating news not only
.
What are these times when
A conversation about trees is almost a crime Because it is
a kind of silence about injustice!
he who walks calmly across the street
Is he not out of reach of his friends
In trouble?
It's true: I work for my living
But believe me, that's just a coincidence. Nothing
From what I do, I am authorized to eat my fill.
I am spared by chance. (If my luck, I'm lost.)
They tell me: eat and drink! Be glad you did!
But how can I eat and drink, when I
snatch the hungry, what I eat, and my glass of water
who thirst?
.. and yet I eat and drink I would be happy to
as in the old books, what wisdom is:
Avoid the strife of the world and
spend the short time without fear
do without violence
repay evil with good
not meet his needs in mind but as
Applies to all that I can not.
Really, I live in dark times!
II
[...]
III
you, which you will emerge from the flood
In which we have sunk
Remember, if you speak of our weaknesses, Also of the dark period
The Flee her.
We went however, more variable than our shoes
countries through the class war, despairing
When there was only injustice and no outrage
We know.
; Even the hatred of squalor
Distorts the trains.
Even anger against injustice Makes the voice hoarse
. Ah, we
We wanted to prepare the ground not ourselves be kind of kindness Could
.
But you, when will it happen
That man to man Think of us a helper
With forbearance. Bertolt Brecht could
