Tips for more climate protection

Every person in Germany currently causes an average of 7.9 tonnes ofCO2 per year. In order to protect the environment and climate for future generations, we would have to drastically reduce to two tonnes of carbon dioxide per capita per year.

Some people consume a lot of energy, others less. Some pay attention to their consumption, others may not have given it much thought yet. Everyone is different, but they all have one thing in common: habits can be changed. The sum of small changes alone leads to bigCO2 savings if many people join in.

Join in and protect the climate

And climate protection is not that difficult in Münsterland: change your electricity provider and use green electricity, leave your car at home more often to walk or cycle short distances, go on holiday in the region or simply buy regional products. If everyone makes a small contribution, the world will be a little better.

CO2 calculator

You want to know what yourCO2 footprint actually looks like? You can do that on the website of the Federal Environment Agency. There you have to answer questions on the topics of living, consumption, nutrition or mobility and you will then receive your personalCO2 balance.

You too can help to make Münsterland a climate country! We'll give you a few tips:

Buy regional products at the farm shop
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Fölting
Gardening yourself and planting vegetables
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Fölting
Regional is climate-friendly!
© Münsterland e.V./Christoph Steinweg

Tip 1: Green electricity

Eco-electricity is not just eco-electricity: only certified tariffs reliably supply electricity from the sun, wind and water and at the same time promote great projects for renewable energies. Why it is important to pay attention to certification is explained by the NRW consumer advice centre here.

You can also invest directly in the energy transition and contribute to new wind and solar plants by buying shares in a citizens' energy cooperative. These cooperatives often allow citizens to participate in the energy transition with small amounts of money and to benefit from the returns. Electricity generation is no longer in the hands of large corporations. There are citizen cooperatives in all corners of the region. Maybe there is one for you?

Further information

How can you tell who is really promoting the energy transition? The two seals on the left will help you find certified electricity products.

Tip 2: Regional also tastes good for the climate

Tomatoes taste best in August. That's when they come straight from the field. Strawberry tart is delicious in June and lamb's lettuce in winter. Everything has its time and that even increases the anticipation. You can get fresh produce from Münsterland in many supermarkets, in organic and farm shops and, of course, at the weekly market. And short distances are good for the climate and the wallet. You can also recognise regional products by the Münsterland seal.

  • Two vegetarian days a week save a lot ofCO2: Almost 70 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of our diet are due to animal products. That's why it helps to eat more fruit and vegetables and less meat and sausage. It's also really good for your health.
  • Organic is best: Top chefs swear by the quality of organically produced food. Once you've tasted the difference, you won't want to give up this pleasure. Organic farming is also good for the soil and groundwater and, of course, for bees, butterflies and the like - simply because no pesticides are used.
  • Zero eggs are best: the number on the shell gives it away: a hen like this lives on an organic farm (0) in Germany (D). She is allowed to run on meadows, scratch in the ground and fight over worms. The higher the number, the worse for the hen. The 3 on the shell means torturous battery farming. The colourful party eggs are almost always 3s. Please don't buy them!
  • Use leftovers creatively: 82 kilos of food end up in the dustbin every year - per person! That's two shopping trolleys packed full. What a shame when so much food is produced and transported for the bin. Better: avoid double purchases and simply conjure up creative meals with leftovers.
  • Cheap always has its price: a 2-euro cutlet or a 70-cent milk come from industrial production - and we all know what factory farming means for animals. In the end, we decide what goes on the table.
  • Kraneberger is top: water from the tap doesn't have to be lugged around and is the best-studied food. Also good: the genuine reusable glass bottle. Reusable glass bottles are filled up to 50 times. That saves valuable resources.
  • My coffee only fair: Those who can live from their own work do not have to leave their homeland out of necessity. Fairtrade stands for fair prices and for more justice in international trade. There is coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas, flowers and much more.

Did you know?

Since January 2023, restaurants, caterers, canteens and delivery services have been required to offer reusable containers as an alternative to single-use packaging for takeaway and delivery of food and drink. Small suppliers are exempt, but you can now have your own container filled.

Best organic
© Münsterland e.V./Philipp Fölting
Further information

Tip 3: Recycled paper

Trees have never been so important. They turn exhaust gases into oxygen - every child knows that. Forests are indispensable as hugeCO2 sinks. But never before have trees been so endangered: they fall for palm oil, fodder soya and paper, and almost every second tree ends up in a paper factory. So even jungle giants end up as toilet paper.

Protecting trees with recycled paper

Paper does not have to be made from wood. After all, what do we separate our waste paper for - at home, in the office or at school? If we use recycled paper, the trees stay in the forest and much less energy, water and chemicals are wasted. Just always buy toilet paper, kitchen rolls, exercise books and printing paper with the Blue Angel.

Youcan rely on it: The Blue Angel is the oldest environmental label in the world. It guarantees 100 per cent recycled paper content and the highest quality, for example in printing.

Tip 4: Turn off the juice to power guzzlers

Simply take your last electricity bill and compare it with those of your friends. In addition, you can use the CO2-online electricity mirror to classify your consumption.

The free ecoGator app helps you compare different appliances.

  • Sort out second refrigerators: Secondary refrigerators in the basement are often completely outdated appliances that significantly increase the electricity bill.

  • Defrost refrigerators and freezers regularly: Defrosting your fridge or freezer is quite easy and doesn't cost any money. Depending on the icing, defrosting usually takes no longer than an hour. In return, you can save about 15 to 45 percent energy per year. CO2-online tells you how best to proceed.

  • Save hot water: Economy shower heads and aerators work wonders. Under-the-sink boilers use a lot of energy because they keep the water at a constant temperature. Electronically controlled instantaneous water heaters are better.

  • 90 degrees and pre-wash are out: Your washing machine uses most of its electricity to heat the water. So the lower the temperature, the better. And with modern detergents, your laundry gets clean even at low temperatures. That's also the secret of eco programmes: they use much less electricity at low temperatures, even though they run longer. A full drum should be standard.

  • Air conditioners waste a lot of energy: better: open all windows in the morning and evening and make sure there is a draught. During the day, lower the shutters and keep the heat out. Or use a fan if necessary.

  • Just one click to protect the climate: In standby mode, electronic devices draw energy hour after hour. With a power strip that can be switched off, you can immediately and significantly reduce your electricity bill.

  • Become Sherlock Holmes: track down the electronic money wasters in your home. Electricity meters can be rented free of charge from your local authority or from the consumer advice centre.

  • Unplug your smartphone from the socket as soon as the device is charged. And always switch off the GPS module when it is not in use. Switch off the internet router not only during your holiday, but also at night, if you can do without your landline phone. This regular rebooting even helps it to function properly.

  • Turn down the heating - put on your jumper! One degree less room temperature saves six percent heating energy. That's a lot. So: In autumn and winter, simply wear a jumper over your T-shirt or a cosy woollen jacket.

Tip 5: Climate-friendly internet access

Every year, the use of the internet produces as many emissions worldwide as air traffic. And computers and laptops also eat up a lot of energy. However, small changes and technical tricks can reduce this power consumption:

Let me ecosia this ...

All search engines consume an extremely large amount of energy with their servers. Green search engines, however, consistently use electricity from renewable sources, and in addition they invest a large part of their income in tree plantations in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. So if you use search engines like Ecosia and Co. you are doing good.

Notebook beats computer

A multimedia PC consumes seven times more electricity than a laptop with comparable equipment. Tablets and mobile phones consume even less electricity. Always close all applications that are not needed to reduce computing power and electricity consumption. Give your monitor a break during your lunch break. By the way, it is not necessary to close applications.

If possible, you can download songs, podcasts or videos once on the WLAN instead of streaming them over and over again. Streaming on-demand produces more than 300 million tonnes ofCO2 globally every year - as much as the whole of Spain emits in a year. 80 per cent of global data traffic consists of video data.

Tip 6: Join in and be part of it

There are certainly opportunities in your town or municipality to make Münsterland a climate land together. Perhaps as a member of an environmental association, a climate alliance, an environmental advisory board, Fridays for future, Parents for future or other initiatives? Or you are simply a good neighbour and like to share:

Share and lend

A drill is used for an average of only 13 minutes in its entire life. A car sits around 23 out of 24 hours a day. Car, drill, lawn mower, shredder - you can really borrow or share everything. And there is more space in the cellar. In addition to this relief, there is guaranteed to be a big plus in your account because you only pay a share or only for use.

Sharing and with each other

When we do things together, it usually goes faster, is more fun and works better. Sharing a car or setting up a car pool, cultivating a garden together or living together, going on a bicycle tour, planning a hiking tour ...

Good value instead of cheap goods

Second-hand shops, recycling exchanges and Oxfam shops offer a high-quality and attractive range of second-hand furniture, clothes, books and household goods. Such shops preserve values and offer unique items that cannot be bought in conventional shops. They develop ideas. They cooperate with art and culture and initiate educational projects, for example workshops for school classes. Second-hand platforms are also a good way to save money and emissions and perhaps find something really special.

Renting instead of buying

Products that are only needed seasonally, such as the scarifier for the lawn in spring or clothes for a special occasion, can be easily rented. This already exists today and could be used more widely in the future.

Repairing instead of buying new

In a repair café, you can have your hi-fi system, bicycle or toys repaired. A repair café is a collectively organised form of self-help. Volunteers offer their knowledge free of charge because they are interested in technology, DIY and handicrafts. In a place like this, coffee and cake are just as important as screwdrivers and soldering irons. This strengthens the neighbourhood and mutual support. There's sure to be one near you! You can find some repair cafés listed here. Your municipality is not listed? Ask your local climate protection officer, maybe they have a tip for you.

Be a role model

Whether as a mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, teacher, nursery school teacher or pastor ... We can all ride a bicycle, use recycled paper, switch to green electricity, eat less meat, avoid air travel, invest money carbon-free - and be a role model for our children.

#CurveWar: The climate protection podcast of the district of Steinfurt

There can be no future without climate protection. The first consequences of climate change are already clearly noticeable - all the more important it is now to get our act together in terms of climate protection. But where do we start? In the podcast #Kurvekriegen from the district of Steinfurt, listeners can expect exciting conversations with regional and supra-regional actors on topics such as sustainability, renewable energies, climate education, hydrogen, municipal climate protection, e-mobility and much more.

In addition to special insights into current developments and regional projects in the district of Steinfurt, there are many useful climate protection tips "to go", with which everyday life can easily be made more sustainable.

TO THE PODCAST ...

Even more climate protection

Münsterland is climate land