Tax yourself

What is it?
Until we get internationally fair trade rules and ecologically honest prices, we can tax ourselves individually and give the tax money to organisations that work on the issues that are to be resolved by international standards and government policies in the future.

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
Many taxes are contributing to distorting our economy in a way that is bad for the environment and for people. Many negative external effects are not included in prices. As aware persons we promote taxes on pollution (like on gasoline or kerosene) and aim to pay ecologically and socially fair prices for all products (like in fair trade). Unfortunately in many fields those taxes and fair prices are not yet implemented. So we just wait until our government decides to do this, right? No, not right! We don’t have to wait! Simply tax yourself! Whenever you have no alternative to a polluting or unfair product, put a corresponding amount into an organisation that promotes environmental protection or sustainable development or fair rules for trade. I am taxing myself for my lifestyle which unfortunately includes many unfair and polluting aspects by paying the education for an AIDS orphan in Uganda. I believe that there should be normal trade and government mechanisms in place that allow this child to study, but in our world of today there is a lot of structural injustice. It takes time to change these structures. So until we get to change them I will directly do the transfer. Another advantage is that you can choose which organisation does good and efficient work and support them. If it was government-organised you wouldn’t always be so sure.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
I guess you simply have to do it. It is like an internal contract that you do with yourself. Please feel free to share your achievements in this field with the others in the ecology group!

The climate ticket

What is it?

Airplanes produce greenhouse gases. To stop climate change, we have to fly less, and those who can afford to fly (and cannot avoid it) should make up for the damage they cause. You can do so by buying an extra “climate ticket” for every trip. It calculates the amount of emissions that you produced in your flight. Exactly the same amount of emissions will be reduced in a project in a southern country. An example: gas cooking in India is replaced by solar cooking. This is a good way to finance projects of renewable energy in the South.


How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?

It has an impact on several levels: It raises the cost of flying for those who participate. It helps to build a renewable energy infrastructure in countries that would otherwise opt for fossil fuels. The most ecological solution is to eliminate the reason for the flight and avoid flying. That way the infrastructure for airplanes and flights will stop growing so fast.


Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?

You can find more information, calculate your emissions and buy a climate ticket through www.myclimate.org or www.atmosfair.com

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

What is it?
NGOs, business, local communities and others have joined together and developed standards for sustainable forestry. If a forest is managed according to FSC standards, the wood can carry the FSC logo.

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
The value of this scheme can hardly be overestimated. FSC is a very strong incentive to manage forests sustainably instead of “mining” them - cutting down as much as possible at once and then and then moving on, leaving “empty” land behind. Unfortunately that is still the dominant form of forest exploitation for the market in many countries.
If you get FSC wood, you can be sure, that it is produced in a responsible way. If a product is not FSC certified you can almost be sure that it does come from some form of forest destruction or degradation!

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
Ask for FSC certified products in the stores where you buy things made from wood. They may not yet be aware of FSC and need a little help from friendly customers to understand the need of protecting our forests!
Information can be found at www.fsc.org

Hugging trees

What is it?
Can another person be your friend? Yes. Can a dog be your friend? Yes. Can a tree be your friend? Yes! Find a tree that you feel attracted to, that you like very much and give him a hug. You can love him. That's okay. It is another living being, just like we are. His ways of communication are different from ours, but just as for us, love does him good!

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
Once you can do this whole-heartedly you will have learned one of the most important lessons: that our world is full of living beings. And that life is sacred.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
Just do it.

Immortal presents

What is it?
If you give someone a present, you wouldn't want it to disappear after a short while, right? Unfortunately any material object will decay with time. If you would like to make your present immortal, the way to go is to give experiences, not objects. Just think about activities that the person enjoys, or even better - that you both enjoy. Give such an experience. This could be a massage, a dinner, a bike-tour, an evening of playing cards,.....

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
On the one hand it saves the resources that would go into producing the object you would have given as a present. (the object itself plus its ecological backpack) On the other hand it reminds you of what is important in life and what is not. We tend to be too materialistic these days.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
Do you need any more ideas/suggestions? Then just do a brainstorming: Take a sheet of paper and write down 100 things that people enjoy doing. Among those things you will surely find some good ideas for your immortal present.

Eco job

What is it?
If you want to change the world to be more environmentally friendly and socially just, you could work on that full time. It is possible to make your calling a profession!

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
We need to get a dynamic going in many, many fields. The more people do this professionally, the faster and easier it can work out. If you dream of clean air and water for everyone, fair trade worldwide, biodiversity that is protected for our children or a 100% renewable energy future, why not find a way to work towards these goals and make a living at the same time? There are many NGOs, government programmes and even businesses out there that make good contributions towards those goals. And many have been started by courageous individuals who decided one day to take things into their own hands.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
Grégoire (HC:gregoire) has started his own small business, selling organic vegetable oils. Kjell is planning to work on indigenous people and intercultural understanding full-time even though there is no such project or workplace yet. If you have an idea and could use some advice to get started, don’t hesitate to ask us.

Positive communication

What is it?
Saying yes instead of no. Seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. Looking at the positive things and reinforcing them before dedicating any time to the negative ones. Thinking positive, win-win, assuming the best, friendly thoughts.

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
We eco people have an interesting tendency: we tend to believe that we are somehow behaving “better” than other people by protecting the environment. That is a very dangerous belief. Can you imagine a person, communicating to you – openly or in a subtle, implicit way – “I am better than you”? What’s the feeling that you get? Do you like him and feel you want to follow their example or do you close yourself and let him talk whatever he likes, because he thinks he is better anyway? I guess, the second case is quite a common situation for any ecologically-minded person with some missionary spirit.
Drop that! Nobody is better or worse than the other. Tomorrow you may wake up from the matrix and discover the whole world was just a fake. So take it easy, do what you can to help the environment, but not more! Don’t talk if the other doesn’t really want to listen.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
I am afraid I know of no resources for this particular topic. If you come across any, please let me know!
For sure it takes a lot of practice. If you manage to shut up only one negative comment every day and make one additional positive comment every day, you will be a master in no time!

The soapnut

What is it?
The shells of the nut from a tree (Sapindus trifoliatus and S. mukorosiii) which grows in India and Nepal are a natural detergent to wash your clothes. They contain the substance "saponine" which has the same effect as soap. You can simply put a little cotton sachet or a sock with 4-5 half nutshells into your full washing machine and you won’t need any detergent any more!

How does it relate to ecology/sustainability?
The detergents most of us use to wash our clothes are produced in an industrial process, requiring energy and raw materials, leaving behind waste and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, some of them are problematic for the river ecosystems they eventually end up in. By using the soapnut, you reduce the material and energy input for your clean clothes (though not necessarily the transport effort!) The soapnut is – of course – biodegradable.

Where can I get more information?/Where can I get it?
In Nepal and India it is used traditionally. In Germany it is on sale in organic food stores (“Bioläden”). For more information on the web, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus and http://www.gogreen.cellande.co.uk/shop/products/soapnuts/soapnuts.htm or www.waschnuss.info (in German)