Climate neutrality

#SIMPLIFY

To get us out of the unsureness-box into the empowerment-box this article gives you step by step information on things you can do on your own to get climate neutral. 

We as society of the world - as which we need to act to bring change - are ABLE to do something!

We do not need to wait for political support or a change in economy. 

It feels better to be empowered, so let's just be it!

• politics
• shopping
• • groceries
  • clothes
  • household
  • beauty
  • luxurious investments
• nutrition
• water
• electricity
• heating systems
• gardening
• reforestation
• recycling
• ocean cleaning
• saving existing forest
• climate neutrality projects

Here are some keywords for your search in Germany:

• Wahl-O-Mat
• Klimawahlcheck
• Parteien-Klimawandel-Klimaschutz

Reducing waste demands a small investment and conscious awareness:

• Prepare a shopping bag with textile shopping bags and textile vegetable bags, container for fruit
• shop local
• look for products in returnable containers or products that are not packed

Reducing waste is an issue in buying clothes, too. Use your textile shopping bags or order climate neutral delivery on top of these points:

• buy timeless quality
  Look for clothes with a long living cycle. Something that can have a history with you. Maybe something that already has a history.
• fair conditions in producing the clothes
  Ecological plants and good wages for workers as well as climate neutral transportation are investments in global climate neutrality.                 -->external link to best labels
• material check
  Unusual materials maybe more climate neutral than common clothing materials. Functional fibers out of recycled PET bottles, bamboo or hemp each have more advantages than just being better for the climate.
• buy local
  support local designers and small labels as well as second hand stores

How to get a clean house while staying climate neutral?

• Look for products that are packed in paper, for example
• • dish washing soap bar
  • powder detergent or methods without detergent
• vinegar instead of  fabric conditioner
• vinegar or citric acid for cleaning 
• hot water cleans best (mirror, windows)
• cloth towels instead of paper towels
• reusable gloves
• low waste refill products (e.g. everdrop)
• more swiping, less vacuuming
• use short, water saving washing programs 
• use less heat to wash clothes
• use washing bags like guppyfriend to reduce micro plastic emission in water
• bee wax textiles instead of aluminium foil or plastic wrap

Switching beauty products can have a big effect on your health and charisma.

• hair
• • shampooing with shampoo bars, aleppo soap with bay laurel or rye flour
  • use 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar in 1 litre water as conditioner
  • use fair trade ecological coconut oil or rose-hip oil for your hair lengths
  • let your hair air-dry
• teeth
• • use low waste toothbrush like bamboo toothbrush or a toothbrush with changeable brush compartment like yaweco, fuchs and others
  • you can DIY toothpaste or look for dent tabs or toothpaste in a glas container
• skin
• • support local soap shops or try out making your own body soap
  • self made body scrubs (e.g. coffee grounds and olive oil)
  • low waste or DIY deodorant (low waste deodorant creams come packed in glas or paper)
  • ecological and fair trade skin creams
• shaving
• • use shaving soap bar
  • buy double edged safety razor with blade
  • natural or DIY aftershave (alcohol, witch hazel, glycerin/lanolin, potash alum and essential oils)
• menstruation
• • use menstrual cup, washable sanitary towels or menstruation underwear

• look for green-IT-products
• opt for climate neutral delivery if you can
• yes, electric cars are better for environment
• can you buy it used?
• can you buy it local?

Think global. Buy local.

• or don't buy at all: pick wild salads and herbs that grow around you.
• same goes for other eatables like nuts, fruit, herbs. for a map of good locations in Europe use (and add to) mundraub.org
• buy 'misfits' at your local farmers'
• eat as much plant based as possible
• get to know your local superfoods
• organise in groups to press supermarkets to give away food that is close to best-before date to poor and needy people
• look to buy natural grown food instead of  something that grew in a chemical wasteland
• support farmers who look to enhance good soil and humus

Avoid bottled water! Instead...

• use refillable water bottles and tap water
• • not all tap water is drinkable or should be drunk. If you question the tap water quality look for tests at your local water companies
  • invest in a good water filtering system or reverse osmosis system
  • if possible in your country use your own well
• if you want to have more taste than 'just water' try out
• • herbal tea, hot or cold
  • sirup from wild herbs
  • sirup from (wild) berries
  • juice you made yourself
  • lemon water, cucumber water, mint water

Invest in renewable energy

• wind
• solar (photovoltaik)
• water
• geothermic heat
• biomass

• heating efficiency: best systems seem to be:
• • high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells
  • geothermal energy systems
• to increase the efficiency of other systems you can:
• • change your thermostat system (e.g. tado)
  • short and intensive ventilation
  • dress warmer
  • insulate
  • cuddle more ;)

It is most satisfying to eat homegrown food. The following methods prove to have the best results for harvest and climate:

• composting, bokashi and green smoothies for humus
  we used up most of the rich soil of the earth. When you start gardening you should start with the soil. 
• permaculture and eatable forests
  a good mix of neighbouring plants who enable and support each other, eatable plants mixed with green manure and a minimum investment that lead to a high output are just some parts of what makes permaculture attractive. The high biodiversity of plants and insects makes it vital for the survival of agriculture in future.
• vertical gardening
  even when you live in a small space gardening is possible and even attractive! Here, too, you can use bokashi and effective microorganism to increase the quality of the soil.
• hydroculture
  If you prefer fish to all other animals you can still have an amazing garden: the water of the fish nourishes plants that grow directly on the water without soil. the plants clean the water for the fish. a complete ecosystem with tasty outcome.

You can live your life nearly like before and still help planting trees.

• ECOSIA
  a search engine that plants trees when you use it
• 'green' accounts
  some banks offer green accounts that plant trees for every ...€/$ that you spend. Since one has to spend anyway (rent, bills, you know what I mean) you may as well use an account that offers this option. (E.g. bunq)
  And while you're at it: ecosia green banks that invest in sustainable projects. Let your money work for the future of humanity.
• non-profit organisations for your x-mas support instead of presents (e.g. Klimaschutz durch Aufforstung, plant-my-tree, citizen forests, waldhilfe.de)
• support your local reforestation groups: ask forest rangers where you can volunteer. It is most satisfying to plant a tree.

Recycling is not a religion. You don't need to decide if you believe it works (which it does with some materials) or if you think if will end up in a landfill either way (which it does not if your country contributes to recycling).

• Look for information about your recycling system
  for Berlin you can find information here
• upcycle used clothes, building materials, packaging
  look for inspiration online (with ecosia and plant a tree)
• voice your will to avoid waste: demand less plastic wrapping in shops, make aware of awesome new products to replace plastic (also worth an online search e.g. at lead innovation blog)

You can support ocean cleanups by

• collecting garbage yourself (all rivers lead to the seas, so you can clean your local river or canal, too)
• supporting an ocean cleanup non-profit like theoceancleanup.com or bigblueoceancleanup.org
• creating awareness
  the context is, unsurprisingly, very shocking. Not only is plastic re-entering the food-chain, which would be shocking on its own. The ocean was a well-balanced eco system, which now is disturbed by said garbage patches, oil spill, container and cruise ships, drained of its riches by the fishing industry - just to name a few. There is lots of behavioural change possible for each one of us to support the oceans.

Old, naturally grown forests are important for climate stability. Most local governments try to find a way to keep their forests alive during the changes to come. Get informed and invest some of your time supporting your local forest projects.

• in Berlin the Grunewald is artificially changed to become a mixed forest. Go for a walk here to inform yourself.
• support wohllebens waldakademie or NABU to protect old forests

Before you jump into action find out how big your carbon footprint is:

• carbon footprint calculator (use any other you like)

Then look for an organisation you'd like to invest in. Here are some:

• if you like technology check out the app "KLIMA" from climate labs
• team climate invests in rain forest reforestation, clean drinking water and renewable energy
• plant-my-tree plants trees in Germany
• planted supports climate protection projects and plants trees in Germany 

If you know another project I could add here, please let me know!