the ecological-friendliness of saving money

What is the purpose of Umweltfreundliches-sparen.de?

For many people and institutions, money is one of the most important factors for decisions. Often, questions of environmental-friendliness (including social aspects) are of minor importance. The aim of this website is to introduce you to the environmental-friendliness of saving money. If you become aware of your leverage as a consumer, you can actively shape the society through your behavior by no longer ignoring the issues of sustainability, environmental protection and nature conservation, but integrating them into your lifestyle. 

"What is not bought will not be produced in the long run!" 

Here you will find examples of how to make more or less ecologically correct and socially acceptable decisions in almost every situation, despite the often immense and certainly justified need to save money. And all of this can happen without having to restrict yourself excessively. It doesn't matter how many money you have available. It is just a matter of cutting unnecessary, unsustainable investments in favor of a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way of life. You will get a healthy life worth living. This kind of life isn't boring, but not for nothing.

You are invited to develop the ideas listed here further for yourself, to share the link to these websites and to come from theory into action! Would you like further advice or a project-related collaboration? Then contact me via the contact form!

What is the background of Umweltfreundliches-sparen.de? 

The domain www.umweltfreundliches-sparen.de was launched in 2019. It is a private initiative whose aim is to reconcile sustainable management/saving and environmental protection. The chapters offer helpful recommendations for environmentally-friendly saving in every situation. Here you can easily learn how to save money in an environmentally-friendly way. The recommendations for action are based on intensive, regular research in various media. These include diverse reports, research articles and other contributions from environmental and consumer organizations, the United Nations, the European Union, the European Environment Agency, the EAT-Lancet Commission, the World Health Organization, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI, Germany), different Centers for Disease Controll and Protection (CDC from USA, ECDC from Europe), different Environment Agencies (Germany, Switzerland), the EAWAG, ETHZ and the Helmholtz Center. In addition, information from research articles, reviews and training materials from different universities and research institutions/research groups, as well as from various federal offices, authorities and ministries are incorporated. In order to remain the recommendations as practical as possible, also non-scientific contributions from diverse educational institutions, cookbooks, life experience, contributions from TV and radio, newspaper articles, articles from journals, etc. can also be found here.

The recommendations for action are constantly updated, expanded and - as far as possible - kept up to date. They meet most of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, that are: 1 no poverty, 2 zero hunger, 3 good health and well-being, 4 quality education, 5 gender equality, 6 clean water and sanitation, 7 affordable and clean energy, 8 decent work and economic growth, 9 industry, innovation and infrastructure, 10 reduced inequality, 11 sustainable cities and communities, 12 responsible consumption and production, 13 climate action, 14 life below water, 15 life on land, 16 peace justice and strong institutions 17 partnerships for the goals.

Are there any important restrictions?

The author publishes her own point of view here. Despite thorough research and great care, errors cannot be ruled out. So, with all decisions you make, always be aware that these are recommendations that you always have to question in your individual situation! Therefore, you are responsible if you harm yourself or others, if you follow the recommendations for action listed here! Furthermore, I am not responsible for linked contents. Unless explicitly permitted, you may not simply use or reformulate the contents of this page for purposes other than private ecologically correct saving! It is therefore not permitted to create your own publications or to generate commercial projects from the content compiled here!

• You can only spend what you have. Don't go into debt! 
• Quality always comes before quantity! Whereby quality means above all the taste quality, high-quality processing, consideration of environmental criteria, fair trade, recycling, origin of the material, multiple uses, durability, etc. The design or a brand is secondary. 
• The production of food has costs that have to be paid for. Only those who are really in need should use the offers of the food banks or footsharing organizations! You can save costs by just throwing away really rotten food. Also do not buy rotten food, even if its cheaper! You can find out how you can recognize spoiled food in this lecture on spoilage of food from the ETH Zurich: link to the record (in german). 
• Buy only what you really need! Excess food can be processed to extend its shelf life (e.g. by boiling, freezing, baking, drying, fermenting, making ice cream, soups, etc.).
• Some customers press their fingers into fruit and vegetables to test, if they are ripe. Testing fruit and vegetables by pressing them accelerates the perishability of the goods. If you do without it, you can actively contribute to a reduction of organic waste and prices will stay lower!
• Keep a detailed budget book to get an overview of your income and expenses! 
• If you lose track of your expenses quickly, you should only pay with cash where possible! So you always see what you have available.
• Pay attention to what the cashier enters/reads at the checkout! With scanner cash registers in particular, duplication quickly occurs. Do the math while shopping and check your result against the checkout! 
• If you are sure that the billing was correct, you can do without the receipt at the checkout. That saves paper. 
• Worth to know, supermarkets without cash registers and cashiers save costs for personnel. In addition, the customer provide the supermarket with important customer data to increase its efficiency. If you don't want to support this process then avoid these supermarkets as well as cash registers without cashiers!
• If you do not have to value absolute cost control, you can also pay with the debit card/Visa/etc.! 
• Pay all bills immediately and keep both bills and proof of payment for a period of time to refute subsequent claims! 
• Take enough of your own cloth bags/rucksacks/baskets etc. with you when shopping! Don't forget to have your own bag for fruit and vegetables! 
• Use shopping lists and strictly adhere to them when shopping! There are also apps for mobile phones for shopping lists, which saves paper. If you have a limited budget, you should prioritize the individual items before each purchase! For example: staple food, rent, electricity, alimony, etc. are important; new clothes, alcohol or gambling not.
• If you create a meal plan for the coming week (e.g. at the weekend), you can make your shopping list more targeted.
• Keep a list (e.g. as a blackboard) in your kitchen, on which you document everything that has been used and what needs to be bought later! This list later serves as a shopping list and protects it from spontaneous purchases when shopping. 
• If you don't have a shopping list with you or like to go shopping spontaneously (without a plan), take a shopping basket instead of a shopping cart, if possible! Shopping baskets are much faster full and heavy. This is a simple way to limit your shopping.
• If you only need your own car for weekend shopping, it may be cheaper to do your shopping online and have it delivered to your home. The prices usually correspond to the retail prices; and for higher order values ​​(e.g. from 50 or 100 EUR order value) often you do not have to pay any delivery costs. So you can do without your car.
• If you have the time, you can split up your bulk purchase/the weekend shopping into several small purchases, and thus do without the car.
• Never go shopping hungry or thirsty!
• Don't fall for advertisements! Especially with personalized advertising, you are led to the bowl like a dog on a leash. Do not be a believer in the brand, but also try the inexpensive comparable products and opt for the quality!
• Do not run after every special offer, stay true to the quality and decide carefully and not spontaneously! For example: if you see a product in the store that you would like to buy spontaneously, go home first and think again! After a few days, the associated disadvantages often predominate. Use the following thought trick in your considerations: If you are offered a product with a 50% discount that you originally did not want, then buying it because of this discount isn't a saving. Instead, you spend unnecessarily money that you actually didn't want to spend for something that you don't need.
• A popular trick is to offer non-seasonal products (for instance: chocolate, clothes, etc.) as seasonal goods. Various manufacturers artificially shorten the availability of products by only offering them at certain times of the year or on public holidays. In doing so they can call for higher prices. Whenever you buy such kind of seasonal goods, consider whether you would buy them to the same extent and at this price, if the item were available all year round! Is the quality of the product really worth the price?
• Regional isn't organic. 
• The same applies to terms like "natural ingredients", "sustainable", or "nature". They are not the same as the term "organic". Read the description of contents and, if in doubt, pay attention to controlled certificates!
• Do not support companies that delude to be environmentally-friendly (for example with greenwashing products)! In addition to energy saving, a product should at least always meet basic standards for water and soil protection, the protection of a site-appropriate biodiversity, as well as air quality criteria. Here you are on the right side with certified organic goods. In addition, often these products are cheaper.
• At the moment, the transport of goods by modern cargo ships is more environmentally friendly than the transport of goods by plane. When shopping, decide against goods that have to be transported by plane, if there is an alternative (e.g. mangoes, banana)!
• If you have a choice, when shopping, choose goods that are produced on your continent (avocados, oranges, apples, meat, furniture, bicycles, shoes, etc.). For example, a conventionally produced avocado from South America, when bought in Europe, often has a worse environmental footprint than an organic steak produced in Europe. Of course, this only applies as long as the supply routes for raw materials required for the end product are not too diversified.
• Certified organic products are checked more regularly and are often subject to better ecological and social production conditions. If possible, pay attention to certificates (seals) that go beyond the simple organic seal when buying!
• Ask the retailer of your small village shop/district shop whether a sufficiently large range of (regional) organic products can be included in the range!
• Do not buy meat for which the rainforest has to be cut down for production or which is imported from other continents!
• Many cannot and do not want to do without meat. But you can become a flexitarian relatively easily by consuming a maximum of 300g of meat per week, while not changing the amount of milk and dairy products. This alone saves high costs for food. In addition, your greenhouse gas emissions as well as your overall environmental impact (water, soil, air, biodiversity, etc.) will be around 19% or 18% lower than the emissions and environmental costs of the diet of a Central European citizen (here Switzerland).
• How much greenhouse gases a cow produces depends largely on the type of husbandry. But race also plays an important role. Cattle that are raised exclusively for meat consumption cause comparatively high greenhouse gas emissions per animal. A cow has its highest greenhouse gas emissions in its first few years of life. The older a cow gets, the fewer greenhouse gases are produced per cow. If you eat less beef and more organic dairy products, you support the longer, more climate-friendly use of cattle.
• Those who eat eggs should also eat the soup chicken or the brother chicken, and whoever wears wool sweaters should also try the meat of the sheep! For a change, try various milk and meat products from sheep, lama, goat, etc.!
• Avoid buying, consuming or using genetically modified foods (plants and animals)! In the long run, genetically modified organisms endanger the biodiversity of our crops and cultivated animals as well as of wild plants and animals (see the Report of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 2019).
• Support agro-diversity by buying/growing old types of fruits and vegetables, or by consuming meat from old animal breeds. Here you will find a good overview article on the current loss of biodiversity of crops and animals and its consequences. 
• Today, many fish stocks are considered to be maximally fished to overfished. Thus, also pay attention to the attitude and origin of the fish. Certificates often show a sustainable fishing method or rearing (often not organic!). Wild capture (with a corresponding certificate) is usually the more environmentally friendly choice, also from the point of view of the animal. Like any other animal, also a fish feels pain. Here you can learn more about your favorite deep-sea fish and whether it is one of the overexploited species in its catchment area.
• Omega-3-fatty acids can also be found in dairy products, as well as various vegetable oils (rapeseed oil, linseed oil, etc.). That's why you don't have to eat fish.
• Although sea salt already contains enough iodine, extra iodine is often added to the table salt. So you don't have to eat fish because of the iodine either!
• Buy pots of fresh herbs (chives, mint, parsley, basil, etc.) instead of frozen herbs or herbs that have already been cut or chopped from the refrigerator! If you don't harvest all of the leaves, the herbs will grow back quickly and almost free of charge. 
• For special offers of products (e.g. seasonal goods) that you can freeze or store for longer, you should stock up on larger stocks! Butter, fish, meat, bread, vegetables, and berries, for example, can be frozen very well and used well beyond the best-before date. Then only thaw as much as you really need!
• Meat and sausage products don't always have to be fresh. Also buy cooked sausages from the jar or frozen meat! In doing so you help to ensure that animals can be slaughtered seasonally.
• Avoid the excessive purchase of unhealthy foods such as soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, sweets, ready meals with a high processing, etc.!
• You can make good organic ice cream (e.g. sorbet) and cakes by yourself, comparatively cheaply and easily. Different recipes can be found on the internet.
• Some discounters or shops reduce goods shortly before the best-before date or when storage rooms have to be created. Inquire about regular price reductions on site!
• See vouchers as a thank you to the customer, or as a compensation for your loyalty and expenses. Don't be tempted by coupons and discounts!
• Ask mail order companies to refrain from sending you advertising or catalogs by post! You can also view and order all offers online.
• Buy refill packs (e.g. detergent, cocoa)! This is usually cheaper and saves waste.
• When it comes to detergents and descaling agents, only use or buy liquid detergents or powder, not tabs! In contrast to tabs, the liquid detergents and powder can be dosed much more precisely and are often sufficient for significantly more applications than is indicated on the packaging. In addition, often it makes sense to reduce the concentration of the detergents compared to the manufacturer's instructions. It is worth testing different concentrations.
• Many legumes (peas, lentils, etc.) are much cheaper when dried than frozen or canned goods.
• Do not buy products that contain more air than goods (metaphorically spoken)!
• Also, do not buy any products that are in bulk packs, but are packed separately in them (e.g. cookies, bars, slices of bread, etc.).
• Don't buy sliced ​​bread! Use a knife, not the bread slicer, for cutting your bread. 
• When comparing products by price, you should always consider the reference size (weight or number of pieces)! But also note that goods that are too cheap are often synonymous with poor working/production conditions and poor quality of the raw materials used. 
• You can check here, for example, whether the brand you have purchased ensures fair working conditions: https://www.fairwear.org/brands/
• When buying your clothes, look out for the various seals of approval, such as GOTS, the Global Organic Textile Standard, the Responsible Wool Standard, the Responsible Down Standard, the good cashmere standard, the German seal grüner Knopf from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, or the iVN seal from the International Association of the Natural Textile Industry!
• Only buy electronic devices that can be repaired with little effort by yourself or a regional specialist! Waive electronic disposable items (e.g. various cell phones, some kitchen appliances, etc.)!
• Make use of guarantee periods and bring damaged goods back to the dealer!
• When shopping, always pay attention to the origin and quality of the goods (organic, recycling, fair trade, quality of processing, origin of materials, shelf life, catching method, multiple uses, etc.)!
• Where possible, check the seals printed on the goods! A little seal guide can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency (Germany). And with the apps ToxFox or Scan4Chem you can find out which pollutants a product contains. 
• Regional organic products are not always the better choice. In any case, pay attention to the quality of the organic product! In the long term, this will also force the local (regional) organic market to adapt.
• Don't be a believer in brands! Also try out the inexpensive comparison products!
• Be careful not to be duped! Report defective goods to the staff (service counter) or to the sales center (online)! Change the point of sale or the brand if nothing changes! 
• Also change the point of sale or the goods, if the prices are clearly inadequate overall!
• Whenever possible, buy products without packaging! Bring your own packaging where possible!
• For reasons of hygiene, it can be better if the products are packed in the processing company. For example, this applies to higher amounts of cheese, sausage products, meat or sweets.
• Above all, make sure that the packaging can be recycled!
• Use long-lasting carrier bags, backpacks, or bicycle bags!
• Paper bags or bags made of plastic (including fruit bags) can also be used several times (e.g. for the next purchase or as a bread bag for on the go).
• Buy drinks only in glass or reusable plastic bottles! Like glass bottles, reusable plastic bottles are filled several times, but are much more stable and lighter than glass bottles. This makes them a real alternative to glassware, especially when traveling or doing sports. Today you can buy reusable plastic bottles made from up to 100% recycled material. The production of plant-based plastic bottles is currently still very complex and takes up an unnecessarily large amount of agricultural land. Glass bottles, on the other hand, are suitable for household use and for people who have taste problems with plastic bottles. In addition, sand (the raw material for glass and silicone) is also a resource. So make sure that all bottles either made of glass or plastic are disposed of appropriately or brought back to the retailer!
• If your tap water is harmless to health, you should refrain from purchasing additional water for financial reasons! Water containing chlorine can be filtered or boiled.
• In some areas there are drinking water wells or sources where you can get water for free.
• The production of most of the cut flowers sold here is neither ecologically harmless, nor are the working conditions fair. If possible, only buy cut flowers from regional organic farms or just do without them! The flowers you have picked yourself from your own garden or from the green flower meadow are also suitable for one or the other bouquet.
• When buying fresh fruit and vegetables, make sure that - as far as possible - they are seasonal goods!
• Green asparagus tastes almost the same as white asparagus, is healthier and is often grown without the use of plastic. Keep such differences in mind when making your purchase decision!
• Sometimes buying organic food from the producer (farm shop, street stall) is cheaper than from a retailer. Compare the prices and use the possibilities on site! 
• If you only need tomatoes for cooking, then it pays to buy the cheap canned organic tomatoes. Usually, these are tomatoes that are harvested and directly processed when ripe. The cans can be recycled and you will help reduce the number of rotten tomatoes in the supermarket in the long run. The same applies to some other vegetables. Examples are corn, beetroot, or green beans.
• When buying new electrical devices, only buy energy efficient devices! You can find a small product information on the website of the Federal Environment Agency (Germany). 
• Only replace electrical devices that are completely out of date or can no longer be repaired! See the WHO website for an example of the real environmental cost of e-waste, the children's health.
• Do handicrafts, sew or crochet your Christmas tree or your carnival costume yourself, or buy an artificial Christmas tree made from renewable raw materials! You can find ideas for this on the Internet. 
• On Christmas and on Birthday, usually one present is enough. Talk to the other donors and buy one gift together (the right one)! Often the self-made gift is a lot more fun. Also make it very clear to your relatives and friends that you would rather not like to have a present, if so! Those who have received too many gifts can sell them, give them back or give them away to those in need.
• When placing orders, it can be worthwhile if you place bulk orders (e.g. with family members or friends). Some mail order companies waive shipping costs or grant discounts for a certain amount. 
• Avoid orders that are mainly intended for selection or as pastime (private fashion shows, etc.)! Before ordering, find out exactly what size you need, what color and shape you like best, what space you have available in your apartment, etc.! If possible, only order what you really want to keep!
• Avoid buying unnecessary kitchen appliances, such as the thermomixer, the fully automatic coffee machine, the rice cooker, the ice machine, the juicer, the bread slicer, etc.! Usually, a private household does not need these appliances to prepare the corresponding meals.
• Do not buy your children products that are purportedly designed for them! This includes, for example, children's sausage, some cosmetics for children, various sweets and soft drinks for children, wine for children, etc.. These are often just targeted marketing strategies.
• Don't be addicted to/don't buy fast fashion!
• When buying books: paperbacks are usually cheaper than hardcover books; e-books are the cheapest and take up almost no space; you can get used books for free from the library on site, or cheaply in appropriate antiquarian bookshops.
• For e-books, you do not need an extra e-book reader. You can download the appropriate software/app for reading e-books from the Internet free of charge and install it on your tablet, laptop or larger smartphone.
• Avoid shopping for nostalgic reasons (e.g. the chocolate you got from your grandmother as a child, the Whisky that your Grandpa had always drank, the video game your classmates always had, the sports jacket for which there was never any money in the past, the antique car that you always wanted to have, etc.).
• Data protection applies to both the analog and the digital world. Always pay attention to your personal data, both in the digital world and when shopping in analogue! The data you provide will influence future decisions. So always decide carefully and responsibly which information you disclose about yourself!

• On a global scale, only 20% of the wastewater is treated before being released into the environment.
• In regions with water scarcity, a modern composting toilet (without flushing) can also be significantly cheaper in the long run. 
• Where there are central waste water treatment plants/sewage treatment plants, mostly the pipelines are designed for a high flow rate. If the flow rate is too low, the biofilm can quickly clog the pipe. Under this terms you have to find the balance, even in dry regions, or you have to adjust the pipe system accordingly in the long term!
• Don't throw your trash down the toilet! The garbage can clog the pipe system. Handkerchiefs or kitchen paper can also clog the pipeline, as this paper does not degrade sufficiently.
• Since various drugs/medicines can only be insufficiently broken down in the sewage treatment plants, these should not be disposed of in the toilet, but always in the household waste (or in the responsible pharmacy)!
• For hygienic reasons, you should wash yourself regularly even when there is a lack of water! At extreme water scarcity, you can wash yourself in the classic way with a washcloth in the sink or wash bowl and use the flushing or washing water to flush the toilet.
• If the lye (dishwater) you use for washing up or body care is not too strong, you can possibly use the waste water to water your garden plants. 
• If used correctly, modern electrical appliances, such as washing machines, refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, can both help to save large amounts of water and ensure hygiene standards, and thus reduce the spread of diseases. That is why there should at least be inexpensive laundromats (self-service laundry) even in poorer regions!
• With poor water quality water should always be boiled (or filtered), even if it is only used for body care!
• Avoid the excessive use of disinfectants in your household! An excessive and incorrect use can encourage the spread of resistant germs. 
• If you have the opportunity, you can organize custom water from rainwater bins or capture fog and snow. However, this water is not entirely suitable for personal hygiene or consumption. Filter it accordingly or boil it beforehand!
• Where the inflow of the taps can be regulated manually, there is no need for an extra water-saving insert to reduce the flow. Much more water can be saved, when turning off the water while showering or brushing the teeth.
• Hair can clog drains and pipes. Prevent clogging with appropriate sieve inserts in the drain and empty them after each use!
• Clogged drain pipes can be cleaned mechanically (for example with a mechanical suction bell, a plunger). For regular cleaning in between, you can pour a suitable lye (e.g. 1 bio dishwasher tablet with 1 liter of boiling water) or from time to time a biodegradable, non-aggressive pipe cleaner into the drain. 
• In the bathroom, dirty grouts or narrow gaps can be easily cleaned with an old, but clean toothbrush and the appropriate organic cleaning agents or household agents (organic washing powder, lye made from organic soap, a thin layer of soap to kill and remove the biofilm, etc.). 
• Organic washing powder is often better suited for cleaning soiled surfaces than bathroom cleaning agents that are contaminated with microplastics.
• According to the Federal Environment Agency (Germany), microfiber cloths can reduce the use of cleaning agents. On the other hand, alkalis (cleaning agents) keep the pipes free and cloths made of cotton can be produced in a sustainable way, microfiber not (they are made from petroleum). If possible, do not buy new microfiber towels or cloths! But don't just throw away what you already have! With good care, they have a very long shelf life.
• Do not use toilet stones to clean the toilet!
• Do without make-up and varnished fingernails!
• Microbes that can cause acne are everywhere where people live. If you don't want to get acne on your face, you should wash your hands and face regularly and touch your face as little as possible! Severe acne can also be a sign of malnutrition.
• If possible, use biodegradable organic cleaning agents for your personal hygiene! Often the classic (organic) soap is enough. Use organic soap and jute bags instead of shower gel! A cheap (organic) hand soap is usually sufficient.
• Organic soap is also available as shampoo.
• If you have the time, you can also make various organic cleaning agents, sanitary articles, etc. by yourself. Ideas and recipes can be found on the Internet.
• Do not buy your children cosmetics (especially not make-up) that are purportedly designed for them! These are often just targeted marketing strategies. 
• Those who have little or no hair can do without shampoo.
• The clean washcloth can replace the peeling and is reusable.
• Healing Earth is a resource, and mining it destroys landscapes. It should therefore not be used for body care or beauty treatments!
• Regular personal hygiene often saves the excessive use of deodorant and perfume. 
• Do not use strongly scented deodorants and perfumes! Those who eat healthily, wash themself regularly and wear clean clothes rarely stink.
• Going barefoot regularly and taking adequate foot care will also prevent from athlete's foot (tinea pedis) as well as from problems with excessive callus. You don't need additional products for foot care. 
• If you still have problems with excessive callus formation on your feet, you should care for your feet accordingly with organic foot creams! Moreover, use a corneal rasp/file instead of a pumice that becomes worn! In addition, the pumice stone is a resource that cannot be recycled. The corneal rasp/file lasts for generations and is mostly completely recyclable. 
• You can wash your hands with cold water in between. 
• Use deodorants that have been filled in glass bottles!
• Use brushes and combs made of wood!
• Refrain from coloring or straightening your hair! And nobody needs a perm.
• If you still want to dye your hair, then use the available organic hair dyes! You can find a selection of different colors in health food stores, for example.
• Whenever possible, let your hair air dry (e.g. on vacation, on the weekend)!
• If you keep your hair short, you need less shampoo and unnecessary hair accessories such as elastic bands, clips, etc..
• Not all types of hair need conditioners. Often, the wrong washing technique causes hair to become matted (e.g. washing hair over the head and rubbing it dry).
• Some of the easy hairstyles can also be cut by friends or family members.
• Think about whether you really need to fix your hair with hair gel/lacquer/spray etc.! If you prefer a fixed hairstyle, then for the sake of your health avoid substances that need to be sprayed on your hair and use organic products!
• Women should question the use of their monthly hygiene articles! Reusable alternatives such as the menstrual cup or fabric pads can be found at alternative online mail order companies or in your pharmacy and drugstore. Fabric pads can also be handcrafted yourself. Always adhere to the hygiene regulations when using these products (see instruction leaflet)!
• Reusable hygiene articles are also available for people with incontinence (fabric pads, special underwear) or babies (diapers). 
• In most cases, disposable hygiene products should be thrown away with the household waste and not in the toilet. 
• If they don't have incontinence and change their underwear regularly, women outside of menstruation don't need panty liners. Modern washing machines and detergents can clean the underwear very well. 
• Wood is too valuable to just throw it straight down the toilet. Buy recycled toilet paper, that is available in different designs and qualities! 
• If water scarcity is not a problem for you, then the use of a bidet or shower toilet can be worthwhile in the long run. However, you should urgently ensure compliance with hygiene standards! 
• If you don't have a cold, etc., you can use a classic handkerchief made of cotton to blow your nose. This can be sewn from old clothes.
• With ear sticks/cotton buds, the handle can also be made of cardboard. Often you don't need ear sticks either.
• The range of affordable organic creams for every skin type is constantly increasing. In midsummer you can do without a cream (except for the microplastic-free sunscreen).
• Razor blades with razors replace the disposable razor (also for women). In the long run, the epilator might be cheaper and saves waste. Do not use chemical hair removers! Also, consider whether you need to shave at all! 
• Make sure to separate your waste in the bathroom too!
• A clean, dry bathroom does not require any additional (artificial) fragrances (e.g. scented candles, room sprays, etc.). 
• Various electrical devices, such as the washing machine, hair dryer, etc., can be bought used. 
• Well-ventilated, clean, warm bathrooms in which the surfaces are dried after every bath or shower usually do not go moldy.

• Don't be addicted to/don't buy fast fashion! It's just a sales strategy. When buying clothes, look for their durability, the possibility to sell them when used and that they can be recycled!
• Do not buy or wear counterfeit fashion! The working conditions are unfair and harm to the environment. The fashion itself is of lower quality and can be harm to your health.
• Use layered clothing to adapt your clothing to the current temperatures at home and on the go!
• Classic, thick wool socks and lined slippers (e.g. made of organic fleece) help against cold feet.
• With woolen underwear, woolen jumpers, cardigans, or woolen blankets, you can warm the entire body without provoking burns, such as those caused by electric blankets. In doing so, you do not waste electricity or unnecessary heating energy.
• Repairing clothes and shoes always goes before new purchase. 
• Trousers and shirts that have been over-mended are particularly fashionable. Based on worn out clothes, duvet covers or old curtains you can also make new clothes, tablecloths, handy pockets, carrier bags, curtains or the like. Check the Internet with the keyword upcycling/downcycling for further ideas! 
• Items of clothing that have loose their color, such as trousers, T-shirts and dresses, can easily be re-dyed inexpensively with organic dyes.
• Socks, shirts, etc. can be darned to a certain extent.
• If only the slider has popped out of the zipper, but is still there, then a broken zipper can be repaired free of charge: either you can thread the old slider directly or you thread it with the help of a small cut between the teeth, at the top of the zipper (under the top stopper). The cut must be sewn afterwards! The broken or missing handle plate can, for example, be replaced with a self-made string/cord. If the slider was lost, a new one can be bought for a fraction of the cost of a new zipper.
• When buying bed linen, make sure that the material is robust and can be repaired easily and cheaply! For example, buttons or ribbons can be replaced more easily and cheaply than zippers. It is also possible to buy bed linen without closures. The same applies to various items of clothing. And bed sheets usually do very well without an elastic band.
• Sewing or knitting yourself is modern and saves costs. Various small businesses sell self-made clothing online or regionally at markets.
• Do not buy digital/virtual fashion! Purely digital goods also consume energy and thus resources. You can save this money.
• Not only for the needy, second-hand shops or flea markets are an inexpensive alternative to buying new and used clothes. Even the local second-hand shops now also offer their goods on the Internet, or provide a pick-up and delivery service.
• When buying a new one, pay attention not only to sustainably produced products, but also to Fairtrade standards (including shoes)!
• You can check here, for example, whether the brand you have purchased ensures fair working conditions: https://www.fairwear.org/brands/.
• When buying your clothes, look out for the various seals of approval such as GOTS , the Global Organic Textile Standard, the Responsible Wool Standard, the Responsible Down Standard, the good cashmere standard, the German seal Grüner Knopf from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development or the iVN seal from the International Association of the Natural Textile Industry! Where there is not a sufficiently good selection of certified clothing, one should opt for the plant-based alternative or better do without new clothes.
• Shoes should be chosen so that they can be cleaned and cared for with environmentally friendly means (e.g. with wax).
• High quality clothing pays off in the long run. As a rule of thumb: quality goes before quantity!
• Outdoor clothing often contains PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated chemicals) since it should be waterproof.  When buying new outdoor clothing, opt for PFAS-free alternatives (umbrella, waxed jackets, etc.), whenever possible! In some cases, these alternatives are even significantly cheaper.
• Different materials are suitable for the production of sustainably produced garments. Examples are organic linen, wool from sustainably farmed sheep and organic cotton. But leather from sustainable animal husbandry appropriate to the species is also suitable for the production of long-lasting, sustainably produced clothing (including footwear).
• Everyday underwear doesn't need plastic, silicone or metal.
• Outerwear, in particular, only needs to be washed when it is dirty. Wear the outerwear several times!
• Garments will last longer if they are washed at lower temperatures. Washing at low temperatures also saves a lot of energy. Do not use the washing machine until it is full!
• Outer clothing made of wool (sweaters, cardigans) often does not have to be washed. If the clothes are not soiled, airing them out is usually sufficient. 
• Bags, backpacks, etc. can be repaired and cleaned. Cleaning can often be done in your own washing machine, even at low temperatures.
• Some of the shoes made of textile can be cleaned in your own washing machine at low temperatures.
• With regular care with appropriate shoe creams and waxes good shoes will last for many years.
• If available and to your taste, buy locally (for instance in Europe) produced clothing (including your shoes)!
• Where possible, don't buy new clothes that are made of synthetic fibers (nylon socks, T-shirts, sweaters, etc.)!
• Some retailers already offer synthetic clothing made from recycled plastic. Especially with sportswear, this is a real alternative, although functional pieces of woolen clothing can already be found in the stores.
• Old, well-cared clothes can either be given away or sold. 
• Costumes for the carnival can also be sewn from old clothes.
• Expensive ball dresses, costumes, or suits can be borrowed.
• Regional collection points as the food bank, the workers' welfare organization or the Red Cross pass on well-preserved items of clothing directly to those in need on site. There, also donations of old blankets or sleeping bags are accepted.
• Always prefer to give your old clothes into the used clothes donation, instead of throwing it away in the rubbish bin! Even the fibers can be partially processed further.
• Not everything has to be ironed. In particular, towels, bed linen, curtains, sports equipment, jeans, socks, undershirts, etc. can also be worn/used without ironing. 
• Further facts and figures on the ecological footprint of our clothes can also be found on the websites of werte-umwelt.de.

• The conversion to 100% low-CO₂, renewable energy and sustainable use of resources can succeed without any problems, if all unnecessary energy guzzlers are switched off (e.g. efficient and energetic renovation of buildings, passive houses, efficient use of transport routes, significant reduction of commuting, regional organic agriculture with local energy generation, exploitation of synergies, etc.). Below you will find topic-related examples that can even save you money if you implement them.
• Pay attention to waste separation and appropriate waste disposal! You will find all the relevant information on the website of your local recycling center/civic amenity site.
• Inquire at your local disposal company about free disposal options for bulky waste (furniture, electrical appliances, etc.) and hazardous materials (paints, batteries, etc.)! Locally there might be big differences. 
• Often, you can save a lot of money by crushing the waste properly before disposing it in the garbage cans (e.g. folding the cardboard boxes).
• Adjust the size of your apartment/house to your real needs! Moving to a smaller or larger apartment/house can also be worthwhile.
• The shared apartment (flat-sharing community) is suitable for people of different ages to save money. In addition, you are usually not alone in a shared apartment (except in purely purpose-built communities). 
• For one or the other, living in a city apartment is primarily of practical benefit (families, senior citizens, etc.). The short distances to the doctor, to educational institutions, work, shopping or leisure opportunities make the own car superfluous.
• Check your insurances for unnecessary or duplicate items! Examples are: older cars do not have to be fully insured; the insurance is often cheaper, if you pay your premium annually; smaller households with low-quality, easily replaceable furniture do not require household insurance; since each one will be buried in the one or another way after death, nobody needs a death insurance; etc..
• As a rule of thumb: with insurances always ask yourself "How much the damage can actually be and whether the insurance company will then pay for it without a long-term legal dispute?"! Only in the second step you should ask yourself "How often the damage actually occurs?"!
• In order to avoid unnecessary commute for children and pensioners, you should also lobby for smaller village schools, doctors' surgeries and village shops in your village community!
• Who invests early in age-appropriate residential property (own house or apartment) can save on rent in old age or generate additional rental income. 
• Do not build low-rise buildings, such as bungalows! These seal an unnecessarily large amount of floor space. Modern houses should be built multy-level and, if possible, also allow large-scale modifications, like the addition of further levels, later. 
• Even if it takes longer, it is often cheaper when buying an existing house/apartment, and retrofitting it following ecologically standards, than building a new one. However, where necessary, don't be afraid to tear down old buildings to make room for new ones! 
• Protective agents for building materials are an important source of major environmental pollution (e. g. Mecoprop, Diuron, Terbutryn, etc.). They get into soil and water through weathering and rain, or contaminate the (room) air as volatile substances. When renovating houses and building new ones, look for building materials (including paints, wood preservatives and insulation materials) that have the appropriate certificates attesting the absence of environmentally harmful chemicals. For Germany, for example, the Blue Angel is recommended. An expert building biologist can also provide information and should be involved in larger measures. You can find more information on this, for example, on the websites of the German Federal Environment Agency or on the websites of the Association of Swiss Wastewater and Water Protection Experts.
• Since the formation of fertile soils takes millennia, when building a new house also the demolition of it should be considered! In order to ensure the fastest possible recultivation of areas that become free, new buildings should be built without a basement, if possible! Too much of the soil is removed with a basement.
• When building a new house, make sure that the light gray water (waste water from the washing machine, shower, etc.; it's without kitchen sink and dishwasher water, that contain fats, salts and detergents) is collected separately and used several times (e.g. for flushing the toilet)! In doing so, you will save a lot of drinking water. However, when using the light gray water, take care only to use biodegradable soaps and detergents! Aggressive cleaning agents such as conventional pipe cleaners are not to be used!
• Also rainwater cisterns can be installed in order to water the garden or the animals with the collected rainwater. Rainwater (filtered or boiled) might also be used as drinking water. In some cases, existing buildings can be retrofitted accordingly. Inquire about the (funding) options on site! 
• With comparatively little effort, you can save a lot of energy, if you have a device for heat recovery from shower waste water installed when building the shower.
• Where possible, make sure that the wastewater (urine and faeces) is properly separated and treated according to a sustainable recycling economy! Wastewater can be reused for various purposes (fertilizer, etc.). The same applies to waste. On some properties, some of the waste can be recycled directly (e.g. on the compost).
• In regions with water scarcity, a modern composting toilet/dry toilet (without flushing) can also be significantly cheaper in the long run. The excreta can be reused as fertilizer. 
• If possible, do not use concrete in new buildings or as a pavement! The production of concrete requires a lot of sand, water and energy, and an unnecessarily high amount of CO₂ is released.
• Wood is only an environmentally friendly/renewable solution for buildings as long as it is not over-used. There are many alternative raw materials that can be used in construction projects (clay, flacks, stones, etc.).
• If possible, use regional building materials in all building projects! Examples are: building materials from demolished houses, wood from local forests, granite or sand-lime brick from the local quarry, straw, clay, etc..
• In high-rise buildings, use the stairs as often as possible and avoid an unnecessary use of the elevator!
• Do not move into houses or apartments where old electric boilers or old electric heaters are installed (night-storage heaters, etc.)! Do not install any electric boilers or heaters yourself, if they are not designated energy-saving devices! 
• Do not use a fireplace!
• Do not use patio heaters!
• Avoid useless campfires (e.g. in the fire bowl in the garden)!
• Make sure that your house is adequately insulated (insulated walls, windows, doors, etc.)!
• A heating system must always be suitable for the respective house and its energy requirements. So before you install a new, supposedly environmentally friendly heating system in an existing house, the house have to be redeveloped/renovated and insulated accordingly!
• A modern house, but also adequately energetically renovated buildings, is already built in such a way that it neither requires an additional cooling (air conditioning) nor a heating (e.g. a passive house). Where a house still has to be heated (e.g. because of the unfavorable location), avoid using organic (including fossil) fuels, and use green electricity instead (e.g. use a heat exchanger, or a heat pump, etc.)!
• Instead of the classic lithium-ion batteries, also technologies like the Organic SolidFlow storage, which is much more resource-efficient, can be used for house building.
• Use synergies: share batteries and solar panels with neighbors or use the battery of your electric car as energy saving system for the whole house!
• Where walls are dry, the classic tapestry ensures a warmer room climate and is an additional wall insulation.
• Radiators should always stand freely, so that the room can be adequately heated!
• Anyone who wants to save heating or electricity costs (including costs for cooling) must actively ensure that unused electricity consumers are switched off (light sources, fans, etc.), that windows are closed, that blinds are closed or opend in the evening or during the day, depending on the incidence of the sun, or that the heating temperature in unused rooms or at night (or on sunny days) is reduced accordingly! This can be very time-consuming and has the potential for controversy. A smart house that automatically controls these basic functions can help to save high costs. With smart houses, however, make sure that you do not digitize too much unnecessarily! A private household usually does not need a washing machine/stove/refrigerator/etc., that is controlled via a smart phone.
• When building a new house or buying a used house/apartment, its appropriate to ensure that both the building fabric and the inventory do not have any unnecessary harmful substances and protect against noise pollution. A qualified assessment of the house from a building biologist may be worthwhile in the long term.
• If you live in the countryside, it might make sense to ask your employer for a home office. You can also use the offers of commuter communities (for schoolchildren and professionals); Children may also go to boarding school. 
• Whenever possible, pursue long-term goals for your home furnishings! Thereby, pay attention to quality, not quantity! High-quality furniture can be second-hand and, even when new, is not necessarily the more expensive one.
• Various electrical appliances, such as the washing machine, the oven, the dishwasher, the small kitchen appliances, the television, the iron, etc. can be bought used. When buying used devices, always pay attention to their quality (the current condition of the devices) and the expected service life! Sometimes used devices can also be repaired inexpensively. 
• When it comes to the choose of a new or used stove, oven or grill, - where possible - always choose that one that can be operated without fuels such as petroleum gas, coal or wood (e.g. electric stove)! If used frequently, a new acquisition can be worthwhile in the long term.
• Check if your city offers the possibility of free repair aids, such as the repair café!
• Reconditioned used furniture is not always a cheaper, but usually a more durable alternative to buying new ones. You can find them on the used furniture market, on the Internet, at the flea market, or in your own shed.
• Furniture made from combination materials (plywood cabinets with wood veneer, furniture made from fabric, cardboard, bamboo, etc.) is often significantly cheaper than solid wood furniture; and with good care, this furniture can also last for generations.
• Old armchairs, sofas and chairs can often be reupholstered and painted. Sometimes a simple throw over as a fabric protector is sufficient. When you re-cover upholstered furniture, always make sure that the upholstery is still firm enough! Upholstered furniture that has sagged can damage your health and should be disposed of in the bulky waste!
• Do not buy tropical wood! You can find information on the origin of the wood used on the attached seals. You can find a little seal customer on the website of the Federal Environment Agency. 
• Free, good furniture can sometimes be found in the bulky waste. Inquire with the municipality or the former owner whether you can help yourself!
• Sustainably produced, environmentally friendly (organic) furniture polishes made from simple beeswax, linseed oil, etc. are suitable for the care of sensitive wooden furniture. In many cases oils like organic linseed oil can also be used directly. Find out about the possibilities and refrain from using synthetically produced products! However, always pay attention to the relevant certificates of used polishes and waxes!
• Apart from regular cleaning, surface-sealed furniture does not require any additional furniture care. Adequate tablecloths offer additional protection.
• Reduce the use of the vacuum cleaner! The classic broom is often sufficient for simple cleaning.
• Classic corded vacuum cleaners do not have a battery and are usually more thorough/cleaner and cheaper than cordless vacuum cleaners. In addition, the battery of cordless vacuum cleaners often has to be replaced during the regular product lifespan. Thus, despite their slightly higher power consumption, corded vacuum cleaners score points in the area of resource conservation, especially when the power is obtained from renewable, low-CO₂ energies.
• Avoid unnecessary design elements in your home!
• Avoid unnecessary innovations, such as the CO₂ traffic light for the apartment, bugging devices and intercom systems within the apartment or the house, so-called automatic, intelligent, personal assistants (computer software), etc.!
• Central and southern European households, as well as all other warmer regions of the world, do not need their own sauna in the house or apartment!
• Especially in dry regions, nobody needs their own swimming pool! It is better to plant shade-giving (fruit) trees or shrubs that are adapted to the local climatic conditions.
• If you don't want to do without your own swimming pool, avoid the use of chemical disinfectants! Sunlight and a proper personal hygiene ensure sufficiently clean water. Please also read this article about pool hygiene and how to disposal pool water (in German).
• In addition, it can be advantageous to only use mobile swimming pools that can be easily dismantled and resold later.
• Where possible, avoid buying everyday objects or furniture made of plastic and metal! Some things can be replaced by wood, ceramics, cardboard, etc..
• Furniture (including carpets, fabrics, porcelain, pictures, electronic devices, etc.) can often be repaired and used for generations. Therefore, pay attention to the quality (workmanship and material) and not the quantity when buying a new one!
• Some mattresses will last longer, if they are turned regularly (weekly). 
• Only buy pillows and covers made of organic materials! Most pillows and covers can be cleaned for several times and thus used for many years. Thereby, always follow the care instructions exactly when caring for your bedding! Down may only be cleaned with a wool/down detergent. These detergents are also available in organic quality.
• Also try smaller sized pillows! Half the size often costs half the price and is usually sufficient. Some organic manufacturers already provide pillows with a zipper and refill material so you can vary the size individually.
• When buying bed linen, make sure that the material is robust and can be repaired easily and cheaply! For example, buttons or ribbons can be replaced more easily and cheaply than zippers. It is also possible to buy bed linen without closures. The same applies to various items of clothing. Also, bed sheets usually do very well without an elastic band.
• If you do not have a specific size, a simple rolling slatted frame made from wood might be sufficient for new mattresses. Older mattresses - that are not worn out or even rotten - can easily be upgraded with an adjustable slatted frame and an upholstery. The cover of the mattress should be cleaned regularly! To prevent moldiness, mattresses should never lie directly on the floor!
• Most of the furniture stores/electronic stores/hardware stores offer the possibility to order/reserve goods by phone or online to your local store, that are offered online. You can pick the goods up there directly, whereby the same conditions apply. In addition, you can test everything before buying, and you can save a considerable part of the delivery costs, if you pick it up yourself. Sometimes it might also be worth to wait for regular clearance sales of the warehouse. If possible, secure jobs and buy locally, but only as long as the quality is good enought! 
• Inexpensive, durable and sometimes beautiful items (including porcelain, glassware, lamps and various pieces of furniture) can also be found in regional buying and selling shops or in furniture stores for socially disadvantaged people.
• Maintaining or repairing electrical appliances (radio, television, computer, iron, etc.) is often cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying a new one.
• When buying a new one, it is worth investing more in the long term. With devices that you use regularly (e.g. iron, television, radio, kitchen machines), make sure that the components are appropriately stable and that the device can be easily repaired! Gears or screws should not be made of plastic! In addition, the components should be screwed and not riveted or simply glued, etc.!
• Keep the lights off in all rooms where you are not and use energy saving lamps (for instance LED lamps) where possible! Always ensure that you dispose of the lamps correctly!
• Do not use lamps/illumination as a design element (e.g. illumination of pictures, bookshelves, unused armchairs, etc.)!
• In passageways, it can be worth installing a motion detector that automatically switches the light on or off. 
• Do you really have to repaint the newly occupied apartment or house? That harms you and the environment.
• Furniture should not be placed against outside walls (risk of mold formation!)!
• Smaller carpets and floor runners can also be cleaned in your own bathtub with a hair wash or wool detergent. In winter, carpets can also be tapped in the traditional way in the clean snow. You can dry the carpets in the garden or on the balcony on the drying rack. 
• Floor coverings usually do not have to be glued.
• Do not use PVC or other plastics for flooring! Where possible, do not use plastic windows or doors!
• Old wooden windows can be sanded down and repainted with little effort and at low cost. Also, window putty for insulating the joints is available cheaply in every hardware store. 
• The right plants in the interior can significantly improve the indoor climate. However, this does not apply to every room and every apartment!
• If the air in the room is too dry, you can dry the laundry in the apartment/house to increase the humidity. Use wooden clothespins, not plastic! If you already have plastic clips, you can of course continue to use them!
• Never use the drying rack (tumble dryer) in rooms without adequate ventilation!
• Only use the electric tumble dryer in exceptional cases! Electric clothes dryers use a lot of energy.
• If you can afford it, you should only use green electricity! Also turn off all electrical appliances that you do not need (televisions, computers, lights, etc.)! Even at Christmas the whole house doesn't have to be lit up. 
• Also, switch off the WiFi when you don't need it and use radio-free telephones, or only those that adapt to the actual range!
• A normal family household needs only one television. And this should only be used at set times. 
• Also, consciously leave your cell phone and tablet switched off more often!
• Do without the home cinema or concert equipment! A simple, energy-efficient television and a smaller music system are completely sufficient for a normal household.
• For most households, the range of public television broadcasters is sufficient. The range of media libraries in particular is very extensive and can be accessed at any time. 
• Avoid an excessive use of video or music streaming services! Especially if you want to watch the same music or the same film more often, buying a new or a used DVD or CD/or downloading an MP3 can be more environmentally friendly and cheaper. Try to whatch films offline and use the offers of video rental shops or your public library!
• The same applies to books. If you read books several times (e.g. text books), it can also be more beneficial for the environment, if you buy them bound/used, or if you download important books and read them offline. You can also use the offers of local public libraries.
• If you are susceptible to the influence of advertising, avoid television channels that are primarily funded by advertising!
• Do not use the washing machine until it is full! And wash your laundry at lower temperatures, if possible (30°C instead of 40°C, 60°C or 40°C instead of 90°C). If the laundry is only slightly soiled and you have clean water, it can also be washed at 20°C. Compared to washing at 40 ° C, this can save over 60% of energy costs.
• You can increase the lifespan of household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers, if you clean them regularly.
• Classic batteries can also be recharged to a certain extent. But always make sure that you do not overcharge the batteries when charging! Rechargeable batteries and batteries should be stored in a cool (e.g. in the refrigerator) and dry place. 
• Hair can clog drains and pipes. Prevent clogging with appropriate sieve inserts in the drain basin and empty them after each use!
• Clogged drainage pipes can be cleaned mechanically (e.g. with a suction bell/plunger). For regular cleaning in between, you can pour a suitable brine (1 tablespoon of organic washing powder or an organic dishwasher tab and 1 liter of hot water) or occasionally a biodegradable, non-aggressive pipe cleaner (diluted accordingly) into the drain.
• Water can be saved easily and free of charge by carefully regulating the flow of the water tap. Much more water can be saved, when turning off the water while showering or brushing the teeth.
• In addition, it can be worth purchasing water-saving inserts, which can reduce the flow in different ways (e.g. water volume controller, aerator, etc.).
• Repair broken heaters and water pipes! 
• The installation of automatic ventilators in the heating body is gentle on the material where frequent venting is required. Use only venters free of plastic.
• Solar systems (photovoltaic/collectors), etc. are worthwhile in the long term. An example: many single-family houses have sufficient roof area to generate enough electricity with the help of solar energy to either refuel an electric car or for hot water preparation. Often the combined use is possible. In particular, sloping roof surfaces, which are rather not suitable for green roofs, can often be used to generate solar energy (electricity or heat).
• Many municipalities subsidize the installation of solar systems, even on a small scale. Inquire locally about the options and take advantage of these subsidies, as balconies and gardens can also provide sufficient space for a small photovoltaic system.
• Geothermal heating and cooling might be an efficient solution for larger building complexes. But, the dangers for the environment cannot be adequately foreseen (earthquakes, subsidence, etc.). Alternatively, terrestrial heat energy, or thermal energy from lakes and rivers, as well as biogas plants can be used. But even with these techniques, the environmental compatibility must be checked and permanently monitored!
• Also consider alternative techniques for heating and hot water preparation via double use! For example, the waste heat from various electrical devices (oven, etc.) can be used as free heating; or heating systems can heat the drinking water at the same time through heat exchange.
• Avoid the use of fossil fuels for heating and water heating (for example: coal, gas, petroleum, peat, etc.)!
• Heating too much harms you and the environment almost as much as heating too little. Try to find a healthy mean and avoid unnecessary mold growth in the interior!
• Moisture on windows can be easily removed with a dry, clean (dish) towel. Moisture from rooms can be removed by ventilating them regularly.
• You can find good recommendations for action for balanced heating and ventilation on the website of the Federal Environment Agency. You can also watch this video from Lebenshilfe Lüneburg.
• Heating with wood pellets as well as Easter fire, or garden fire in the fire bowl (including Swedish fire) isn't CO₂-neutral. A tree takes decades, centuries, and sometimes even several thousand years to reach a size that could justify economically viable felling. Burning, on the other hand, takes a few minutes to a few hours.
• Incorrect heating costs a lot of money and is harmful to the environment. Therefore, be informed before any conversion or new construction takes place! For example, professional advice can be obtained from a local consumer protection agency/organization. As a rule of thumb: always bear in mind that supposedly higher acquisition costs are often amortized by financial supports from the government, the EU, or lower operating costs. A term of 20 years should be used as standard in the planning phase to calculate all costs (heating systems usually run longer)!
• If possible, a new building should either be a net zero energy building, a plus-energy building or an energy self-sufficient building! Higher costs will amortize over time.
• Conversions/restorations of old buildings should at least adhere to the standards for passive houses, or zero-energy- and zero-waste-buildings! Thereby, concerns of monument protection should never lead to a prohibition of important actions on the protection of the environment (including social aspects)!
• In the cold season you can use blankets, sweaters, slippers and hot water bottles in the living rooms. Leaking doors and windows should be sealed. Curtains, tapestries and blinds can provide additional insulation. 
• A private household does not need air conditioning! Even the classic fan uses less energy than the air conditioner. However, in the long run, an extensive energetic renovation of the house is always the better alternative.
• In the warm season, simple measures such as loose, light-colored clothing, the classic hand fan, a cold shower, a cold drink (tap water) from your refrigerator, as well as cooling off hands, arms, legs and feets in a cold water bath (Kneipp treatments), or with a thermal/cooling pack from your own freezer help. The latter is also possible in front of the television. Light ventilation can provide a cooling airflow. In the garden and on the go, the umbrella can also be used as a parasol. 
• In warm areas, you can avoid the use of air conditioning systems in private apartments and houses by darkening the rooms with curtains and blinds, as well as airing them counter-cyclically (overnight, or only in the morning and in the evening). Tiled interiors or stone and terracotta floors also improve the indoor climate.
• In the case of a new building, the walls can be built solid. Windows can be aligned according to the sunny and shady sides and fitted with awnings.
• Avoid unnecessary surface sealing! As a rule of thumb: when buying a house or apartment, you should use the apartments or houses that have already been built! Dare to tear down the old, really ailing houses and create space for something new! Various materials can be reused.
• When tearing down houses, always make sure that the various materials are re-used (e.g. bricks, doors, stairs, etc.)!
• You can also use the roof of your house for expansion. Depending on the load-bearing capacity, additional floors can be added. 
• For environmentally friendly conversions or renovations in some countries state subsidies are available. 
• Adapt the color of your house to the local climate (light in warm regions, darker in cold regions)!
• Do not build houses in wetlands (bogs, floodplain areas, etc.)! If you have no other choice, then the houses should be raised significantly to prevent damage from water ingress! In addition, these houses must be appropriately secured (e.g. with piles) to ensure stability!
• When building a new building, always make sure that all the materials used can be reused or recycled when the house is dismantled! Thereby, direct re-use, which is more sustainable than recycling, comes first!
• Also, use re-use or recycling materials (secondary materials) for new buildings! Make sure that the principals of recycling economy are implemented as its best!
• Where possible, building materials made from renewable raw materials should also be used (wood, cotton, straw, hemp, seaweed, etc.)! It should be noted that these materials are only environmentally friendly as long as they are not over-used.
• More detailed tips on more environmentally friendly heating and construction can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency. Inquire about the possibilities that actually exist before building a new one or renovating it! 
• House walls that are greened with plants suitable for the location (including green roofs) can reduce the energy consumption of a house and contribute to a increasing biodiversity. Depending on the density and thickness of the greenery, the house is drastically cooled in summer by the transpiration of the plants, and in winter the outer wall or roof is given an additional layer of insulation, which can significantly reduce the heat loss of the house. Plants such as trees and planted pergolas cool much better in summer than artificial awnings. Appropriate maintenance is of course required for such installations.
• In the case of green walls, the best effect can be expected from plantings that are planted at some distance from the outer wall and rooted in the ground.
• Solar systems, such as solar panels, and green roofs are not mutually exclusive. On many roofs, with suitable plants, both measures can be implemented simultaneously. The same also applies to a modern house insulation and an exterior wall greening. In many cases, this even creates synergies (rainwater retention, cooling through transpiration, improvement of the microclimate, additional insulation, etc.). More information on this topic can be found here. 
• Also, plant window sills, roof surfaces, and walls! Depending on the individual statics of the house, some roofs are suitable for simple greening, others for an extensive roof garden. Walls can easily be planted with plants such as ivy and roses. The flowers can supply various insects even in late summer and autumn.
• Not every "pest" infestation requires pest control! Wasps and other insects often go away on their own and leave you alone, if you don't attack them. Check with your local environmental protection association such as BUND or NABU before you do anything against them!
• Rats, but also mosquitoes or similar pests can be kept away from houses or apartments by suitable insulation (nets, fragrances, etc.). This saves the use of toxins that can also get into beneficial insects via the food chain.
• If you don't want an excess of insects in your garden, you can increase the number of predators by feeding the wintering songbirds in the cold season. Vice versa, this can also lead to a reduced number of pollinating insects. Try to find the happy medium!
• Avoid open water areas such as puddles, ponds, fountains or irrigation water residues in the flower pot in the immediate vicinity of your house (or on the balcony)! Small areas of water can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes. 
• Plant your garden pond with submerged plants, which provide oxygen in the water and sediment, and clear out the sludge regularly!
• Do not use peat as a plant substrate! A substrate that contains a mixture of clay minerals and compost is also often suitable. You can find more information on this, for example, on the NABU website.
• To ensure a sufficient groundwater rebuilding, it is important to avoid unnecessary surface sealings.
• Wherever possible, ensure that your property is covered with dense vegetation! If possible, use the naturally existing substrate of the subsurface and ensure a site-appropriate biodiversity (rock gardens, flower beds, meadows, fruit trees, grapevines to provide shade, etc.)! You can find ideas in gardening clubs, in specialist books or on the Internet. It may also be worthwhile to take advice from a professional gardener.
• Use scythes, or manual, fuel-free lawn mowers, to mow your lawn! Do not use the grass trimmer!
• If you have the space and time to do so, grow as much plants as you can! Use only biologically harmless pesticides and fertilizers (such as nettle stock, legumes, chamomile stock, compost, horse manure, cow dung, coffee residues, urine, etc.)! Some farm animals (such as chickens, guinea fowls, ducks, geese, sheep and goats) can also be kept on appropriate farms and save the need to mow the lawn or to use mineral fertilizers.
• Those who want to (and are able to) keep laying hens can organize their chickens from factory farming, for example, via rettet-das-huhn.de. 
• You increase the strength of the shells of chicken eggs when you feed eggshells to the chickens. 
• Chickens, ducks, etc. can also be fed with various kitchen waste, worms from the dung heap/compost, as well as duckweed or leeches from the garden pond.
• Too much self-produced fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, wool, etc. can be sold on local markets and in some cases also in organic shops, or to neighbors and colleagues.
• The use of additional fertilizers and pesticides can generally be avoided to a large extent through a combined planting and keeping of different coordinated animal and plant species (keywords: permaculture, mixed cultivation). 
• You can produce free organic fertilizer for your house and garden plants yourself. Instructions or suggestions can be found on the Internet, for example.
• Also, good and inexpensive fertilizers come from non-contaminated, human excreta (faeces and urine). For example, modern composting toilets (dry toilets) separate the waste into liquids/urine and solids/faeces, so that the urine can be used directly as liquid fertilizer and the solids can be composted. This procedure requires substancial expertise. It must be ensured that the human excreta are not contaminated as well as pest infestation (rats, etc.) isn't given any chance.
• A large part of the garden waste can be composted privately or given to the local recycling center free of charge. Avoid the pointless burning of garden waste! Wood cuttings/wood chips can be used as fuel for heating or as mulch for other garden plants as protection against frost and as fertilizer.
• In warmer areas, mulch also serves as protection against evaporation, for instance on vegetable patches.
• Some garden tools that are regularly needed in the garden can also be bought and used jointly (e.g. with friends). Also calculate whether renting these garden tools is worthwhile for you in the long term! Inquire about prices in specialized shops!
• Whenever possible, prefer buying devices that are made of wood! Examples can be: ladders made of wood, brooms and rakes with wooden handles, etc..
• Do not mow your lawn before the first bloom or when it is dry!
• Avoid open fires in the garden! Do not use the fire in the firebowl!
• If possible, cut your hedge with the classic hedge trimmer (manually)!
• Also, ensure that various wildflowers grow in your garden!
• Refrain from using weed killers! The small field can simply be weeded. The "weeds" can be composted. There is no need to pull away weeds on sidewalks! They become step away. 
• Do not buy or use counterfeit pesticides! Working conditions are usually unfair and harmful to the environment. In addition, the pesticides themselves can be harmful to your health and the local environment.
• Some mixed cultures also suppress the growth of "weeds" or pest infestation in a completely natural way. The use of mulch has a similar effect.
• Mulch for the garden can be obtained partly free of charge in the forest.
• A layer of fresh lawn clippings also serves as a organic fertilizer and evaporation protection on beds.  
• Cut back old trees before the rotten branches fall on your roof and damage it!
• Fruit trees or bushes can be grown from young side shoots by yourself and free of charge. 
• Another source for various native trees and shrub species are sprouts (young trees or bushes, independent young plants). They grow in the forest below the old trees where the soil has not been over-fertilized. Thus, they are adapted to local nutrient and climatic conditions. Ask your forestry office or the owner of the forest whether you can help yourself!
• You can also procure bushes such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries from the forest for free. Ask the forest owner if you can help yourself!
• Fruit trees that have been grown from seeds have proven to be more stress-resistant to pests. This form of offspring requires more time and care.
• With regards to the increasing global warming, the refinement of the native fruit trees with drought-resistant species can also prove to be a cost-effective alternative to felling. A refinement of the fruit trees takes place classically by grafting. 
• Refrain from planting controversial neophytes (e.g. various ornamental garden plants) in your garden, which can spread independently in an uncontrolled manner and displace native species!
• Leave old leaves under hedges and trees! They serve as fertilizer and protection against evaporation. They also serve for useful insects, hedgehogs and birds as a habitat, wintering quarters or building material.
• Do without the leaf blower and use a rake instead!
• Do not clean sidewalks with water! The classic sweeping is usually sufficient.
• You can also find useful tips on environmentally friendly gardening on the website of the Federal Environment Agency.

• Leisure and hobbies are important for a balanced life. Spend your free time actively in the fresh air and with things or people that give you pleasure! Make sure, however, that you do not harm yourself, other people or our environment!
• Many hobbies can be carried out well in communities such as clubs, student get-togethers, retirees' clubs, house groups/home circles, peer groups, etc. Public communities enable joint purchases and can thus reduce the cost of machinery, consumables, travel, premises, etc..
• Voluntary engagement can also be easily combined with one's own hobby and also puts some money into one's own pocket through various expense allowances. Examples are: help with the blackboard, refugee aid, support for those in need of care, assignments at the THW or the Red Cross, as an exercise leader in the club, as a treasurer in various associations, choir directors, etc..
• For one or the other, working as a tutor, a teacher in the adult education center, or another easy-to-manage part-time job can be a hobby.
• Ask your local companies whether they would like to support your association, your school, etc. with donations like money, food, clothes, etc.!
• Do not use Xylobands, glow sticks or bracelets, lighters, etc. when attending concerts! Also, do not use these items if they are offered you free of charge!
• For many people, social media (including messenger services, game forums, the metaverse) have become a hobby. Staying on social media consumes a lot of resources (e.g. electricity, storage space, life time, money). Try to keep your activities to a minimum! Instead of videos, only upload pictures to social networks or, where possible, do without them entirely!
• Landline phone calls use less energy than social media conversations. Above all, avoid the unnecessary use of emojis, photos and videos and delete old contributions regularly!
• It is better to play games analog (e.g. board or card games, soccer, etc.) instead of offline or online games on the PC and on the Internet.
• Those who like to do handicrafts in their free time, such as embroidery, knitting, lace-making, etc., and thereby produce too much (in high quality), can possibly sell surplus on local flea markets or on the Internet. Examples are embroidered tablecloths, pictures and pillows, crocheted curtains and lampshades, smaller tapestries, etc..
• The same applies to wood-turned, carved or pottery products. Self-made spoons, bowls, toys, cups, art work, etc. are also suitable for sale at local craft markets. It can also be worthwhile to join forces with others and share the fees for the stalls.
• Artwork, such as watercolors, may also be displayed in local cafes and restaurants for potential buyers. Inquire about the possibilities on site!
• Try not to use plastic, hot glue, environmentally harmful paints and varnishes, etc. for your crafted works of art!
• Those who like to clean the house in their free time or like gardening or cooking can offer their services to others for a fee. Only use environmentally friendly cleaning agents!
• Flowers or vegetables from your own organic garden can be sold on local markets or in flower shops and health stores.
• Don't be addicted to digital media (especially not to the metaverse)!

• Sport should be understood as a hobby! In particular, cycling, hiking, gymnastics, (cross-country) skiing, yoga, pilates, running, various ball sports, swimming, dancing, martial arts, etc. can fill the free time in a meaningful way, promote health/well-being and strengthen self-confidence.
• If possible, use your commute as a free fitness center! Walk to work or use the bike!
• Many extreme sports are practiced in remote nature reserves. Use the specially prepared public space for extreme sports or extreme hobbies and use all security measures needed to safe your health!
• The bike and bike accessories should be 100% recyclable! The same applies to skis!
• As a rule of thumb, you do not need any special cleaning agents to clean bicycles! For both the sports bike and the everyday bike, water, soape sud, a cloth, toothbrush and abrasion-resistant chain oil are completely sufficient. And if you have a leather saddle, you should treat it with leather grease on occasion!
• Drinking bottles for cyclists should be made of BPA-free plastic (or aluminum) for safety and should be reused as often as possible!
• After exercising, a non-alcoholic organic beer or mineral water can quickly put the electrolyte balance in order. Also try tap water with a pinch of salt!
• Recreational athletes do not need electronic aids such as heart rate monitors, GPS devices, etc.. Learn how to orientate yourself in your surroundings and listen to your body's natural signals! In the event that you need guidance on a hike, for example, you can use the classic map or install a corresponding app on your mobile phone. The digital maps can often also be used offline. 
• Some health insurance companies support sporting leisure activities such as back school, participation in sporting events, etc..
• Some sports clubs are always looking for voluntary support at larger sporting events. With the expense allowance you can pay the club membership fee or top up the class fund.
• Some sports clubs pay their members the fees for attending sporting events. 
• After a certain period of membership, some sports clubs equip their members with sportswear.
• You can also get sportswear as a promotional gift at various running events (T-shirts, peaked caps).
• There are hardly any sports shoes in organic or fair trade quality. So that you do not seriously injure yourself, you must always pay attention to the fit of sports shoes first!
• You can also do some sports barefoot (yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, etc.).
• You can get cheap, suitable sports shoes from various sports outfitters, especially online (as discontinued models or special offers). You can have some of these delivered to your local retailer, thus saving transport costs. Sometimes the local retailer also offers suitable, affordable shoe models. Also take advantage of stock sales!
• Many sports gear are made of synthetic fibers. Special washing bags can be used to avoid rinsing the microplastics into the sewage when cleaning.
• Outdoor clothing often contains PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated chemicals) since it should be waterproof.  When buying new outdoor clothing, opt for PFAS-free alternatives (umbrella, waxed jackets, etc.), whenever possible! In some cases these alternatives are even significantly cheaper.
• In order to save resources, for example, you can voluntarily do without printing out the certificate or your participant medal at running events. Medals and certificates should primarily be given to the winners! Also bring your own safety pins or start number straps to attach the start number! Return any chips and safety pins you borrowed after the run!
• Avoid promotional gifts such as sample packs of muesli, dietary supplements, etc. at sporting events! Such gifts often end up in the garbage unused.
• Instead of using your own car, join a private carpool to go to sporting events! Organize carpools among friends or in the sports club! Using public transport might also be cheaper than driving your own car. The most environmentally friendly and cheapest way is to take part in local sporting events without having to travel far.
• Do not buy fan merchandise that is thrown away after the event (at sports, or at concerts) (for instance glow sticks, inflatable air hoses, Xylobands, etc.)! Also refuse these articles if they are offered to you free of charge (as a giveaway)!
• Also try out alternative sportswear items, e.g. from wool! In some sports (organic) cotton clothing is also suitable (e.g. for dancing, yoga, martial arts, etc.).
• You do not have to replace every damaged  sportswear right away. In particular, minor damages (damaged seams, zippers, ribbons, tears, etc.) can simply be sewn, glued or patched by yourself or by a tailor.
• Do not use sports tape unless specifically directed by your doctor!
• Do not use Thera bands (fitness bands) either! 
• You don't have to buy expensive sports equipment yourself! There are fitness centers in every city, of different quality and at different conditions. Some health insurances partially cover the membership fee. The advantage of fitness centers is that you have access to various fitness equipment up to 24 hours a day. 
• You do not need any sports equipment for simple muscle building!
• Many sports clubs offer a similar program at a lower price (gymnastics, back training, swimming courses, climbing, football, handball, martial arts, etc.). Some health insurances support the membership.
• For example, TeleGym (gymnastics according to instructions), which is broadcast daily on public television (for example on br and alpha, on television and on the media center), is free. 
• Compare the offers of the different health insurances and switch to that one that gives you the best service.
• Sports such as running or hiking promote a healthy digestion, a healthy respiration, protect against osteoporosis, incontinence, diverse cardiovascular diseases, like thrombosis or heart attack and protect against excessive callus formation on the feet. 
• Refrain from an excessive self-optimization!

• Do not buy or use counterfeit drugs! The working conditions are unfair and harm to the environment. The drugs itself can also be harm to your health.
• Many drugs/medications are simply excreted again and thus pollute our wastewater. But also ointments that contain medication (e.g. various pain relievers) are flushed down the drain when washing your skin. Often they are not completely degraded in the sewage treatment plants and (some of them) end up in our waters, where they harm the aquatic life and can even reach our drinking water. Refrain from the unnecessary use of painkillers and other medications of any kind right from the start (this does not apply to emergencies, of course)! Pain is a warning signal of the body that should not simply be switched off, especially since pain killers can be partly addictive and put a heavy strain on the organism. Chronic pain in particular indicates major health-related problems (e.g. dislocations, wear and tear, kidney stones, cancer, fractures, sepsis, etc.).
• If you only need medication very rarely, in emergencies it might be possible to ask your doctor for single tablets (e.g. painkillers, fever reducers, etc.). This can prevent from giving packaging to patients that is too large, which then expire and has to be disposed of.
• For simple headaches from tensions, a single headache tablet (aspirin or paracetamol) followed by back exercise (including hiking, endurance sports, yoga, Pilates, etc.) should always help. If you keep doing back exercises with regular stretching, as well as dress and eat appropriately, this pain should not come back. Otherwise, you have likely developed physical problems that should be treated appropriately. Other reasons might be an unhealthy work environment, or your bed needs a new mattress, etc..
• Addictions can spiral you into the debt trap and prevent any form of participation in active life. These include, for example, addiction to medication, drug addiction, shopping addiction, but also gambling addiction, etc.. Get professional help, if you are affected (e.g. behavior therapy, weaning off treatment)! A lot can be treated and the health insurance companies usually cover the costs (in Germany).
• Make sure that the doctor adjusts the medication to your age, gender and especially to your height and weight! Taller people need more, smaller people less. This can also reduce the amount of drugs excreted and adverse effects.
• Refrain from the consumption of mind-expanding drugs, performance-enhancing drugs and aphrodisiacs of any kind right from the start! All these substances pollute the environment either during production or during disposal and can have serious health consequences (cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, psychoses, addictions, etc.). 
• Most likely, those who buy or consume illegal drugs support the war in developing countries.
• With the right choice of means of transport, you can actively influence your health every day. So, wherever possible, use your bike or have a walk!
• Avoid tattoos! 
• If you have persistent health problems, do not experiment on yourself! In Germany, there are free pregnancy tests at the gynecologist, free CORONA tests are available at the general practitioner (for example), free pain treatments are also available from the specialist (e.g. at the dentist), etc..
• If you don't have a cold, etc., you can also use the classic cotton handkerchief to blow your nose. This handkerchief can be sewn from old clothes.
• Many back ailments can be corrected through a combination of regular exercise (appropriate to the illness), an (ergonomically) correct work environment, clothing that is suitable for the weather, warmth, a suitable bed (including mattress, slatted frame, pillow and blanket), and a sufficient nutrition. Mostly, there is no need for a long standing treatment with pain medication! 
• Test mattresses only when you are rested!
• Everyone has different requirements on a comfortable, healthy mattress. Thus, even couples should go separate ways, with mattresses! Only buy partner-/double-mattresses, if you don't have to compromise! With different mattresses, make sure that they are the same height!
• Often a simple rolling slatted frame made from wood is sufficient and cheapest. 
• Hip misalignment, and thus back problems, are also caused by carrying smartphones, wallets, etc. in the back pocket. Avoid back problems as well as theft by carrying your valuables protected by your body, e.g. in a closed inner pocket at the front of your body!
• Both at home and at work, your office/workplace should be designed as ergonomically as possible! The same applies to your children's workplace!
• Only use backpacks with an ergonomic back and a correct fit! In particular, the school bag (satchel) should be ergonomically designed!
• Especially with chronic pain in the lower back, you should never wear tight-fitting, constricting pants! Avoid the frequently wear of corsets, since they weaken the muscles, in the long run. A warm, dry torso helps to avoid back pain.
• If you have problems with air drafts, light scarves or shawls can also help in summer to prevent muscle tension in the neck. Avoid getting into drafts with long, wet hair!
• Warmth (e.g. a heating pad), as well as sports such as gymnastics, dancing, pilates, yoga and running help quickly against menstrual cramps. Again, you don't need pain medication!
• It is always better to use a reusable hot water bottle/a heating pad (or a cherry stone pillow, etc.) instead of a heat patch.
• Where possible, only use gauze bandages made of cotton (for instance compression bandages for simple sports injuries)! Avoid the use of elastic therapeutic tapes (kinesiology tapes)!
• Take antibiotics only if really needed!
• Cold-related earache can be relieved with a cap.
• Avoid hypothermia by wearing adequate clothing, a sufficient food, an isolated apartment, etc.!
• In the cold season cold showers (Kneipp treatments) can strengthen the body's defenses.
• Classic, thick wool socks and lined slippers (e.g. made of organic fleece) help against cold feet.
• With woolen underwear, woolen jumpers, cardigans, or woolen blankets, you can warm the entire body without provoking burns, such as those caused by electric blankets. In doing so, you do not waste electricity or unnecessary heating energy.
• If you don't overheat your apartment or house, you protect your skin from drying out and avoid the typical nosebleeds in winter.
• Avoid overheating your body! In the warm season, simple measures such as loose, light-colored clothing, the classic hand fan, a cold shower, a cold drink (tap water) from your refrigerator, as well as cooling off hands, arms, legs and feets in a cold water bath (Kneipp treatments), or with a thermal/cooling pack from your own freezer help. The latter is also possible in front of the television. Light ventilation can provide a cooling airflow. In the garden and on the go, the umbrella can also be used as a parasol. 
• Clinical thermometers for private use do not require a battery. If possible, use analog clinical thermometers!
• Dispose of your medication in household waste or to the pharmacy, but not in the toilet. 
• Some headaches result from an unbalanced diet, poor sleep, low or high blood pressure, or low fluid intake (including electrolyte deficiency). Salt sticks, a sandwich, Alcohol-free organic beer, mineral water, warm milk with honey, coffee and orange juice, or water acidified with lemon juice often help. When traveling you can do with a cola, a tonic, or a rich cocoa. In this way you can compensate for hypoglycaemia for a short time (this can of course also be done with a simple organic sandwich, honey, organic chocolate, organic sweets, dry fruits/nuts, etc.). 
• Too much coffee is unhealthy for you and your baby, and it is unfriendly to the environment. A walk in the fresh air or gymnastics with an open window often helps against tiredness.
• Diets can be harmful to your health; and the various diet products are usually neither sustainable nor organic. Anyone who eats more or less healthy and does enough exercise does not need any additional diet!
• Even small changes in your daily menu can contribute to climate adaptation in agriculture, are beneficial to your health and enrich your menu. For example: you can eat buckwheat or millet instead of rice; or instead of meat, consume more legumes; Nuts, chestnuts, buckwheat, potatoes, pulse, etc. can be used for baking instead of grain; instead of the classic dessert or sweets, there is fruit; instead of the classical English or continental breakfast muesli is consumed at breakfast, etc..
• The aluminum foil should largely be banned from the kitchen! Just like some aluminum dishes, it can even be harmful to your health, if used incorrectly.
• Where possible, avoid each kind of single use packaging products and bring your own! Even some plant based disposable food packaging materials/food contact items/tableware contain toxic substances that seem to be linked to adverse health effects like reduced immune response, liver toxicity, cancer, as well as impacts on reproduction. Substances under suspicion are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chloropropanols, pesticide residues, etc.. They were found in products made of bamboo, palm leaves, moulded plant fibres, etc..
• Don't use any aggressive chemical cleaning agents in the kitchen or the bathroom! They can be harmful to your health. Alternatives are described in chapter 3 (food, drink, kitchen, garden).
• Sleep disorders are sometimes caused by sleeping too cold. The hot water bottle, warm clothing and an additional wool blanket can help here. Always adjust the bedding and the covers to the current temperature (even if it is too warm)!
• But also malnutrition and mental health problems can contribute to sleep disorders. With early treatment (adequate nutrition, discussions, bullying interventions, therapies) both can be remedied without medication.
• An deficiency of electrolytes (including magnesium) can also lead to muscle cramps. However, do not consume too much salt since it can also lead to high blood pressure! After exercising, a non-alcoholic organic beer, mineral water, or a salty soup can quickly put the electrolyte balance in order. Also try tap water with a pinch of salt! And a handful of nuts is usually enough to cover your magnesium needs.
• Competitive athletes should pay attention to an appropriate diet (sufficient proteins, magnesium, vitamins, iron, calcium, etc.), which can be achieved nowadays without any additional preparations or excessive meat consumption!
• Since meat from conventional animal husbandry is often contaminated with antibiotics, consumption can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance and the associated consequences. Therefore, avoid conventionally produced meat from factory farming!
• Since a wide variety of germs (Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella sp., etc.) can be found on both animal and plant-based food (on both, bio products and conventionel ones), adequate hygiene should always be ensured during preparation! Some examples: fruits and vegetables must always be cleaned before consumption; raw meat should always be sufficiently heated before consumption (at least 20 minutes to 79°C or 5 minutes to 85°C, better more!), or adequately preserved! Heating is the only way to effectively inactivate bacterial toxins (e.g. botulinum toxins). In addition, attention must be paid to meticulous hygiene in the kitchen (separate knives, adequate cleaning of all surfaces, regular change of tea towels, adequate cleaning of hands, etc.)!
• Reduce your sugar consumption without replacing the sugar with sugar substitutes. Get used to the natural taste of the ingredients (e.g. sugar-free muesli, cornflakes without sugar, fruit salad without sugar, chocolate or cake only once a week, etc.). Also try to gradually reduce the amount of sugar specified in the recipe when baking. For example, use only 80% of the amount of sugar indicated in the recipe, or use the natural sweetness of the ingredients (berries, apples, etc.)! Some people tolerate other types of sugar (such as cane sugar, agave syrup, apple syrup, etc.) better than beet sugar. But also make sure that you do not fall into hypoglycaemia! Sugar is an important staple food.
• Avoid excessive consumption of unhealthy foods such as soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, fruit juices, sweetened coffees and teas, sweets, ready-made meals with too much processing, etc.!
• In general, cola and other soft drinks are not drinks for everyday use. They should be understood as stimulants, similar to chocolate! If you are thirsty, sugar-free drinks such as water or herbal tea are usually sufficient.
• Constipation can be avoided with a diet rich in dietary fiber (fiber) and vegetable oils, as well as daily exercise (e.g. running, walking, gymnastics). Caution: Fruits that are rich in pectin (e.g. apples, pears, currants) can promote constipation! Therefore, they can be used against diarrhea.
• Pretzel sticks with mineral water can prevent diarrhea-related headaches. If not, try (organic) eggs or other food that is rich in proteins.
• The consumption of pure fruit juices has a laxative effect on many people. This is due to the high proportion of fructose, glucose, and fibers. You can take advantage of this effect for yourself when you are constipated.
• In most cases, incontinence can not only be avoided through targeted, regular pelvic floor training (perineal gymnastics), but also alleviated and healed. Moreover, if you do the right exercises, you don't need any special sport equipment.
• Not every diarrhea needs charcoal tablets! Often you have diarrhea (or vomit) because you have eaten something you cannot tolerate or because your food was contaminated with germs. In that case, it has to leave the body quickly. To avoid to get exhausted, continue to eat, but adapt your food accordingly and drink a lot (e.g. salt sticks with mineral water or chamomile tea)! To avoid a fungal infection in the intestines, you should avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar (sweets, grapes, cherries, etc.) during and after the diarrhea! Instead consuming fruits like apples can help the body to clean the intestines and reduce diarrhea. Probiotic foods such as natural yoghurt, sauerkraut, etc. are suitable for the subsequent colonization of the intestine.
• Throw away rotten food, and do not buy rotten food, even if its cheaper! You can find out how you can recognize spoiled food in this lecture on spoilage of food from the ETH Zurich: link to the record (in german). 
• Low blood sugar can also cause nausea. Therefore, if you feel sick for "no reason", eating might help!
• Dry alcoholics should avoid drinks such as fruit juices or non-alcoholic beers.
• Children in particular, but also adults, eat more healthily, if the main meals are eaten in a community (not alone). Adults act as role models. The television should remain switched off!
• Do not force children to eat beyond hunger or to eat foods that they don't like! In this way, together with an adequate exercise, obesity can be avoided already at childhood.
• Some injuries heal better with an open bandage.
• Glasses frames and cases can be reused. When buying glasses, make sure that only high-quality glasses are used (anti-reflective, with scratch protection, etc.). Glasses can simply be rinsed under hot water (without detergent) and dried with a tea towel. Glasses are not disposable articles. Don't skimp on quality! 
• Do not use contact lenses (especially disposable contact lenses)! There are very light (frameless) glasses frames.
• Have your eyesight checked by an ophthalmologist when you are relaxed. Above all, the optician wants to sell something (the same applies to hearing and hearing aids). If the glasses frame has warped, you can have it readjusted free of charge by some opticians. 
• Do not use your distance glasses for reading! 
• You can buy cheap reading glasses in the drugstore.
• A balanced diet with sufficient vitamins, enough sleep, as well as regular exercise outdoors can help maintain your eyesight for a long time. Moreover, protect your eyes from too much sun exposure or various chemicals!
• Also, some medications can negatively affect the vision. Maybe you can do without the corresponding medication.
• With loud noises, always use a suitable protection for the ears (building sites, in concerts, etc.)!
• During various work, for example: on the construction sites or in hospitals, you should generally ensure that you have adequate protective clothing and aids (protective goggles, smock, gloves, breathing mask, lifting platform, etc.)! Physical damages often last a lifetime or cannot be repaired adequately.
• Your teeth should last a lifetime! Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day! Use dental floss! If you use an electric toothbrush, you should use one with a pressure sensor and rinse the brush head thoroughly after each brushing! During dental treatment, you should actively speak out against the use of amalgam or gold as a filling or insulation material! However, as far as possible, keep fillings that already exist! 
• Those who clean their teeth regularly and thoroughly do not need a professional teeth cleaning.
• You will get white teeth, if you don't smoke, avoid drinking of too much tea or coffee, reduce sugar, etc..
• A predominantly plant-based, low-sugar diet can help prevent plaque build-up.
• With regular dental hygiene and a balanced diet (including drinking enough and chewing properly), you don't need a chewing gum!
• Aids such as wheelchairs, crutches or breast pumps can be borrowed, rented or bought used. When they are no longer needed, they can be resold.
• Cosmetic surgery is only needed, if one have injuries like burn injuries or cancer operations, is severely disfigured, or critical moles must be removed! Psychological treatment or a hobby that strengthens self-confidence is often sufficient (e.g. martial arts, soccer).
• Refrain from an excessive self-optimization!
• Sunlight (in moderation) is important for the formation of vitamin D, for strengthening the immune system and for our general well-being. For an adequate supply of vitamin D the body needs sufficient amounts of UVB, i.e. a sufficient exposure to sunlight. More information on this topic can be found, for example, on this website from the German Society for Nutrition. 
• Sun cream protects against burns and skin cancer. Only use those without microplastic; in the best case, this is organic sun cream! These are available up to SPF50, which is particularly suitable for people with sun allergies or frequent exposure to the sun. But also make sure that your skin does not forget how to protect itself! In midsummer you can leave the house or go for a swim in the morning or in the evening without the use of sun cream.
• Your skin remember everything! Avoid long stays on the beach! 
• Do not use sun cream, if you plan to go swimming! This pollutes the underwater world, such as corals and seaweeds.
• Instead of sun cream, you can also wear long-sleeved bathing suits. At least children should always wear appropriate swimwear on the beach and in the water and avoid excessive sunbathing! Even a simple T-shirt can offer a high protection from the sun.
• Always eat a balanced, healthy diet and make sure you drink enough! Many social diseases (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, gallstones, iron deficiency, anorexia, cramps, thrombosis, etc.) can be avoided or even cured by a strict change in diet in combination with sufficient exercise. 
• In particular, growing children, women of childbearing age and those who have recently been operated need a diet that contains sufficient iron, calcium, fluoride, protein, as well as vitamins, etc.! It should be noted here that not everyone can utilize every source of nutrition. Dietary supplements often do not help enough or have unpleasant side effects. Some can even be harmful to health, such as vitamin D.  As a rule of thumb: every healthy organism can provide itself sufficiently well with a balanced diet and regular stays in the fresh air!
• Also, older people need sufficient calcium, fluoride, protein, vitamins, etc. which can also be guaranteed, in a healthy organism, through a balanced diet.
• Scientists from different disciplines recommend the Planetary Health Diet for every age group (taking into account regional characteristics, intolerances, allergies, as well as the personal/individual energy requirement). The Mediterranean diet is a well-known example of such a diet.
• Try to avoid dietary supplements, as long as you have no health restrictions! A nutrient deficiency often manifests itself through symptoms such as headaches, diarrhea or cramps. Respond to this by appropriately adjusting your food and not with nutritional supplements!
• Adequate hygiene (including when eating) prevents the risk of infecting yourself and others with contagious diseases in any situation.
• If you have a cold, go to the doctor and stay home!
• Avoid unnecessary body contact (shaking hands, hugs, etc.) during the cold season!
• You can significantly alleviate impairments caused by coughing, runny nose, cold, moderate fever, etc. with classic home remedies like cold compresses on the joints and forehead, steam bath with eucalyptus oil or salt water, cold bath, onion stock, chamomile tea, fennel tea, honey, antibacterial agents spices (turmeric, ginger, garlic, etc.), elderberry syrup, bed rest, etc.. Do not take any combination preparations that suppress the body's defenses! These can affect your cardiovascular system.   
• Get adequately vaccinated! You can find detailed information on current vaccinations on the website of the Robert Koch Institute or on the website of your national health department.
• Be worth it to yourself and quit smoking! Smoking can cause diseases such as asthma, COPD, thrombosis, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Health insurance companies and some employers also support smoking cessation financially. 
• Drink only a few alcoholic beverages and, above all, only high-quality organic products!
• Wear flat, comfortable shoes and go barefoot whenever you can!
• Going barefoot regularly and taking adequate foot care will also prevent from athlete's foot (tinea pedis) as well as from problems with excesive callus. Also, avoid wearing rubber boots in everyday life! 
• Sports such as running or hiking promote a healthy digestion, a healthy respiration, protect against osteoporosis, diverse cardiovascular diseases, like thrombosis or heart attack, are good for the skin in general and protect against excessive callus formation on the feet. 
• If you still have problems with excessive callus formation on your feet, you should care for your feet accordingly with organic foot creams and use a corneal rasp/file instead of a pumice, which becomes worn! In addition, the pumice stone is a resource that cannot be recycled. The corneal rasp/file lasts for generations and is mostly completely recyclable.
• Pay attention to your personal, biological rhythm! Do not work actively against your own health for a long time!
• Avoid excessive, direct body contact with electronic devices such as a cell phone (on your ear) or a laptop (on your lap)! Continuous exposure to electromagnetic radiation could promote the development of cancer. 
• Stay offline more often!
• Avoid long stays in the immediate vicinity of infrasound sources and power lines! 
• Also maintain adequate social hygiene! Avoid contact with people who are obviously causing you harm! For example: avoid bullying situations! Learn how to defend yourself against it! Report any form of sexual harassment or coercion and defend yourself against this! Avoid people doing this!
• As with many other illnesses, also depression requires help from psychotropic drugs in the acute phase. However, no one needs this help over a longer period of time or even for a lifetime! Furthermore, no one needs psychedelic drugs to treat depression. Depression is caused by an unfavorable living environment. Actively create better living conditions for yourself in order to stay mentally healthy in the long term! Nobody is always happy! Do art or sport in community with other well-disposed, honest people; change your circle of friends; learn a profession that gives you intrinsic pleasure and maybe also brings recognition; go into nature as often as possible and experience it through observations; separate yourself from people, things and behavior that harm you, etc.!
• Many allergies and intolerances can be treated better with an appropriate diet and an adapted living and working environment than with medication, which can have long-term side effects. Some examples: if you are allergic to house dust mites, you should not set up unnecessary dust catchers in your apartment, do not use carpets, shake out the bedding every day and clean it regularly, as well as wipe the floor frequently, or use an appropriate vacuum cleaner; if you are allergic to gluten, peanuts or lactose, you should avoid the corresponding foods; if you have an allergy to cat hair, you should not have cats; etc.!
• In the case of some allergies, desensitization therapy can also help to reduce medication or to dispense with them altogether. Examples are allergies to mites or pollen. 
• Alternative healing methods such as therapeutic fasting, acupuncture or physiotherapy can also help with a large number of diseases. The health insurances already cover some of these treatments. 
• Always question the treatment suggestions from doctors (and also from non-medical practitioners like healer)! Have everything explained to you in detail and, if in doubt, seek an independent second or third opinion! In the end, the patient pays for medical errors (health and financial). As the injured party, you will not benefit from any compensation.
• It might be worthwhile to get tested for allergies (house mold, mites, pollen, food intolerance, etc.), before you or your children have their tonsils or polyps removed! Often it is enough to move.
• For your own well being/health, also make sure that hygiene standards are observed at the doctor or in the hospital!
• Collect and manage your x-rays to avoid unnecessary x-rays! Keep an X-ray diary! You can do the same with your blood counts. This gives you an autonomous overview of the effects of your everyday life on your health development. When you change the doctor, take all documents with you! 
• Do not let the doctor incapacitate you! Draw up your own living will and inform your doctor about it! Learn to say NO too, and be mindful of other people's personal boundaries! Change the doctor, if you feel that you have been treated incorrectly over the long term!
• Not every innovation in healthcare is actually a step forward for your health. The more you let machines or innovative drugs do the work, the more your body forgets abilities such as self-healing, logical thinking, flexibility, etc.. 
• You don't need a smart watch to monitor your health, if you are healthy!
• Do not allow chip implants used to monitor your body functions, to open doors, etc.! Medical devices and locking mechanisms also become obsolete and the chip remains in your body as hazardous waste, where it may be uncomfortable in everyday life or trigger allergic reactions. The same applies to magnets, decorative elements, etc..
• If you have a disability, you can apply for a disability card from a certain degree of disability (in Germany). This allows you to get cheaper admission to many public institutions (e.g. in the theater, in the swimming pool, in museums).
• Some parts of the content of an expired first aid kit (from the car) can be used for private purposes (scissors, insulating blankets, sterile bandages, etc.).

• Get vaccinated!
• Avoid unnecessary meetings with other people and do not travel!
• Where possible, keep a distance of 1.5 m and point out the distance rule to others!
• Especially now, it is very important to clean yourself and your home regularly! Clean your hands, the dishes, surfaces, the door handles, etc. as often as possible! However, soap and water is sufficient. 
• Some funny videos on the subject of hygiene from the Federal Center for Health Education (Germany) can be found here.
• Ventilate your home and public buildings regularly!
• Masks can be bought nearly everywhere. Cheaper medical masks, but also masks of the type FFP2, etc. are available in supermarkets, drugstores, or hardware stores (applies to Germany). 
• People in need can pick up a limited number of free masks from the pharmacy (applies to Germany). Find out about the possibilities on site!
• If you don't have any access to medical masks (including FFP2), sew the everyday masks by yourself. Find out where you can wear these masks on site and were not! Patterns for sewing can be found on the internet.
• Whatever you wear, self made masks made of fabric, medical masks, etc., they have to fit exactly and seal tightly! 
• In the long run, even bought masks made of fabric are much cheaper than the disposable masks. Please note that they must be washed with the hygiene program (60°C and more)!
• Some population groups (e.g. Children) can have a test for free at the doctor, in the company, in the pharmacy, at school, in the fever/test center, etc.. They don't need to buy extra tests (applies to Germany). Find out about the possibilities on site!
• Employers have to protect their staff adequately and free of charge in accordance with the labour law (applies to Germany and Europe)! This also includes protection against infectious diseases such as Coronavirus. Some examples are: the provision of adequate protective masks, as well as extensive hygiene, compliance with distance rules, home office, etc.. Whoever does not adequately protect the staff must pay for the damages! You can find more detailed information, for example, on the websites of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
• Go shopping as less as possible! In many shops you have an increased risk of infection because many surfaces are not sufficiently cleaned, distance rules can't be hold, or the air cannot be filtered thoroughly. If possible, leave your children at home! People at risk should do their shopping online whenever possible! In the case of groceries, usually you cannot order a selection. So only order what you actually really need. Many grocery stores (including organic shops) even deliver free of charge from a certain amount (e.g. from 50/100 EUR). 
• Maybe a neighbor or a friend can do the shopping for you!
• If you have to or want to go shopping more often, you should keep your purchases as short as possible. Using shopping lists can help to keep the purchase short. In addition, try to avoid shops that obviously do not comply with hygiene rules and are apparently dirty!
• Don't become a compulsive shopper or addicted to gambling because of the CORONA boredom! Every unnecessary product you order have to become produced, has long delivery routes, is harmful to the environment and costs your money. Every bet costs your time, your money and the energy that is used is at the expense of the environment.
• When it comes to the event of illness, make sure you have regular positive events, such as phone calls with friends and relatives!
• If possible, stay at home/in the home office! If you are not alone at work/in the office, you have an increased risk of infection. In addition, working in the home office safes travel costs, protection materials (and thus trash) and time. 
• All masks (medical protection, FFP2, etc.) are mouth and nose protections and should be worn over the mouth and over the nose! If used incorrectly, it has limited effectiveness and thus increase the number of patients. Also point out to those around you how to wear the protective masks correctly!
• Collect the receipts (invoices, etc.) for all expenses for protective masks, disinfectants, tests, home office, etc. that you have made as part of CORONA protective measures! You may be able to deduct these expenses for tax purposes.
• Strengthen your immune system actively so that you can overcome a disease more easily, in the worst case! This includes a healthy and balanced diet with organic food, moderate sport, regular walks outdoor/at fresh air, sufficient relaxation and - if possible - avoiding negative stress.
• Avoid an excess of meat and sausage products, as well as the toxins of conventional fruits and vegetables that can weaken your immune system in the long run!
• If you want to enjoy restaurant food again, or just pub grub from the pub next door, then you can possibly simply call your favorite restaurant or pub and order the take-away or have the food delivered to you. It is certainly more environmentally friendly and cheaper, if you simply collect the food you have ordered by yourself. Then you can also have the food filled into the containers/Tupperware boxes you have brought with you, to save rubbish.
• Cooking yourself is even cheaper. Now is the best time to try different organic recipes. You can find all the ingredients in your health-food store, and possibly also in the supermarket or drugstore. There are various recipes on the Internet, for example.
• Most organic food stores still have an extensive range of baked goods for take away. If you need more (a whole cake), it might be worth baking yourself. If you only want to eat a piece of cake once a time and cannot afford the offer from the organic bakery store, you can freeze self-baked cakes in pieces and defrost them as required.
• Those who miss the sports courses in the fitness center can, for example, take part in the Telegym offers on public television, free of charge. The current program can be found on the Internet.
• Anyone who misses long-distance journeys or short city trips can view documentary films on the public broadcasters (ARD, ZDF, 3Sat, br alpha, etc.) or simply explore the metropolises of our world online with Google street view. Some museums also offer a digital tour through their website, free of charge.
• Use the time at home for cleaning, hiking, changing your diet, for reading good books and to educating yourself!
• Because of CORONA, also many students/pupils have to work from home. Unfortunately, not all students can cope with the tasks on their own. Those of the pupils that have problems can use the platform Lern-Fair for free tutoring. As a student (from the University) you can also volunteer for tutoring here. (applies to Germany) 
• Do not buy extra filter devices for the classrooms! The operation of these filter devices (replacement filter, energy consumption, etc.) causes high costs. Often, a quick intermittent ventilation is sufficient (open all windows for 5 to 10 minutes). In addition, at the same time it substitutes the air  (O₂ and  CO₂) in the room, which improves the learning performance. You can put the saved money into the renovation of the school (e.g. conversion to a passive house).
• Further information regarding COVID-19 is available on the websites of Zusammen gegen Corona and of the RKI.

• Do not be ashamed of poverty, ask for appropriate support (e.g. help filling out forms)!
• Many communities or countries support school trips, lunch, sport activities etc. of children from socially disadvantaged families. For Germany: search the Internet for the information relevant to you with the keywords "Education package and participation package + your community" (for example "Education package Wernigerode" or "Education package Berlin")!
• In addition, various foundations and charities promote the participation of socially disadvantaged families/persons in social life (clothing, meals, holidays, cures, leisure activities, etc.). Inquire on the Internet (for example the Stifterverband) or at your local authority or the church about the possibilities!
• Include all family members in saving money!
• You can easily make, knit or bake gifts yourself, etc.. Ideas for this can be found in various handicraft books or on the Internet.
• On Christmas and on Birthday, usually one present is enough. Talk to the other donors and buy one right gift together! Often the self-made present is a lot more fun. Also make it very clear to your relatives and friends, if you would rather not like to have a present! Those who have received too many gifts can sell them, give them back or give them away to those in need.
• Use wrapping paper for several times or just do without it!
• Vouchers for more time together can also be given away. 
• Babies and toddlers in particular can wear used clothing (e.g. from older siblings, relatives, from local purchases and sales). You can also find swap sites for used children's clothing on the Internet. 
• As far as possible, use especially reusable hygiene articles for babies (cloth diapers, washcloths, etc.)!
• Also, the dishes for babies and toddlers should not be made of plastic!
• If you have to use dishes made of plastic, make sure that they are food-safe, tasteless and made without plasticizers! 
• If the mother eats a healthy and balanced diet, a lot of waste, time and money can be saved, if the baby is breastfed for a certain period of time. However, fathers can contribute significantly more and better to childcare, if mothers refrain from breastfeeding at an early stage. This contributes to gender equality in the long run. 
• Only use baby food from controlled organic cultivation/farming! If you have the time, you can make the baby food yourself. Avoid any kind of cooking experiments!
• Some baby accessories can also be rented. Inquire about the possibilities on site in your specialist shop or on the Internet!
• Pocket money should be used age-appropriately to teach children and young people how to handle money in general! Do not be indulgent when they run out of pocket money!
• Young people can supplement their pocket money in a part-time/holiday job as long as it does not affect their school performance. 
• Various work on and in the house should be carried out by all family members together or alternately! In doing so everyone learns to appreciate the effort involved in various activities. 
• Talk to children and adolescents openly about financial difficulties! Explain to them the causes and your problem-solving strategy! Encourage discussion within the family!
• School trips are partially supported by youth welfare offices or social welfare offices.
• There are various sports, culture and education vouchers or discounts for children and young people in the various communities.
• Various foundations, the workers' welfare, churches etc. offer cheap trips.
• Cures for children are covered by health insurance companies.
• Take advantage of the free leisure activities in schools such as math circles, self-defense, journal clubs, orchestras or choirs!
• Adapt your personal family planning to your budget and the time available to you! (It is better to have few children who are well than many children who have to fight for the limited resources!)
• If you have an unfulfilled desire to have children, it might make sense to consider whether you would prefer to take in an adoptive or foster child instead of having a medical fertility treatment.
• Family celebrations like birthdays and weddings can be very cheap, if you only celebrate them on a small scale and/or organize as much as possible yourself. In doing so, a self-baked cake or the old porcelain can become an ideal wedding gift. Or the celebration can take place in a friend's garden. The jewelry (e.g. the rings) comes from the family heritage or can be bought second-hand. Maybe you can consciously do without rings. The wedding pictures can be shot by a gifted friend or family member. And instead of the wedding car or the horse-drawn carriage, you can also organize a bike tour or hike to the registry office. Avoid pseudo-customs such as locks on bridges, horn concerts, laser shows, fireworks, wedding-eve parties, etc. at weddings! Make the gift yourself!
• Expensive ball dresses, costumes, or suits can be borrowed.
• Toys can also be bought used. If possible, buy toys that are not made of plastic! 
• Toys can be bequeathed/borrowed/given away in families or between friends.
• Do not buy a battery operated toy! Above all, avoid buying toys that can be remotely controlled via radio or other wireless connections!
• Make sure that the toys are made from sustainably produced, ecologically harmless materials!
• You can get used toys inexpensively at the flea market, in second-hand shops or on the corresponding online forums.
• Do sell ​​toys that are no longer needed! Broken toys can often be repaired.
• Avoid toys that contain unnecessarily many toxins (e.g. various plasticizers, nickel, dyes)!
• Do not buy your children items that are purportedly designed for them! This includes, for example, children's sausage, some cosmetics for children, various sweets and soft drinks for children, wine for children, etc.. These are often just targeted marketing strategies. 

• Pets can be important for human wellbeing and a real help in everyday life. But they can also transmit diseases such as toxoplasmosis and damage our environment in various ways (e.g. because of their meat-rich diet, excretions, noise, hunting instinct, etc.).
• Pets live a long time and so cause permanent, regular costs! Many pets are already expensive to buy. Only keep pets, if you really can afford them (time, space and money are required)! In doing so, avoid any kind of unnecessary noise!
• All pets require attention, hygiene, warmth, medical care and a balanced diet. Especially sociable pets (such as guinea pigs, rabbits, or birds) should never be kept alone!
• If you still want to buy a pet, then deal with the respective needs of the animal before purchasing! To do this, study the available specialist books and ask the veterinarian! Do not rely on any non-specialist recommendations from the Internet!
• Don't limit yourself to purebred breeding animals when purchasing, but also look at the local animal shelter! Do not keep imported animals such as reptiles, spiders, amphibians, birds, etc.!
• You can find used furniture and cages for your pets on the appropriate forums on the Internet, at local flea markets and at second-hand dealers. Since some pets need more space than a standard cage can offer, it might be worth building it yourself. 
• Cats and also dogs do not need special cat or dog drinks from a can or thousands of toys! Clean, fresh drinking water, appropriate food, plenty of time and space as well as selected toys are usually enough.
• You can safe a lot of money, if you don't overfeed your pet.
• Dogs and cats need a lot of space and exercise. 
• Take care to dispose of the feces of your pets (especially of dogs and cats)!
• Make sure to have a adequate birth control of your pets!
• Take your dog to the dog school and keep it on a leash wherever other animals or people could be! Always keep your dog under control! In some communities, violating the leash obligation is an expensive administrative offense.
• Those who want to (and are able to) keep laying hens can organize their chickens from factory farming, for example, via rettet-das-huhn.de.
• Boycott zoos and animal parks in which the animals are apparently not kept in a species-appropriate manner!
• Native animals can also be viewed as a preparation in your local museums of natural history.
• The behavior of exotic animals as well as native animals can be observed in various documentaries, even in 3D. 
• Avoid making loud noises around animals! Many animals have a much more sensitive sense of hearing than humans and also perceive frequencies that we can no longer hear (the same applies to bright light and strong smells).
• Do not feed any wild animals (e.g. ducks, etc.)! The wrong diet makes them sick.
• etc.

• Education is the key to your future. 
• Because of CORONA, also many students/pupils have to work from home. Unfortunately, not all students can cope with the tasks on their own. Those of the pupils that have problems can use the platform Lern-Fair.de for free tutoring. As a student (from the University) you can also volunteer for tutoring here. (applies to Germany)
• In order to avoid unnecessary commute for children, you should also lobby for smaller village schools in your village community!
• Support the maintenance and development of school gardens, because school gardens teach children and young people the basic principles of nature-based agriculture! Regional foundations can provide financial support.
• Many communities/countries support school trips, lunch, etc. of children from socially disadvantaged families. Search the Internet for the information relevant to you with the keywords "Education package and participation package + your community/country" (for example "Education package Wernigerode" or "Education package Berlin")!
• Ask for explanation, if you don't know something, or search for adequate information in the relevant specialist literature! Do not pass on any misinformation!
• A balanced diet, adequate hydration, and sleep are important for performance. Unfortunately, there are hardly any public canteens that offer organic food or public relaxation rooms for a short nap. Ask on site whether something can be changed, or organize an appropriate supply for yourself!
• Many schoolchildren, students, teachers and university members take their food from canteens, cafeterias, bistros, food trucks, caterings, etc.. Ask for reuseable containers and cutlery instead of disposable items, or bring your own container with you, if possible!
• At least in summer, and as far as possible, children should go barefoot at schools!
• School books and satchels can be "inherited" from older siblings or friends.
• Used sportswear, satchels/school bags or school books can also be found on the Internet or in local second hand shops and charity organization.
• You can also take advantage of the schools rental offers for books.
• Public libraries can also be used for a small membership fee.
• Many books can be bought used or as defective copies for very little money from various Internet sellers or from local second-hand bookshops. With specialist books, however, always pay attention to the required edition! Some specialist/reference books are already out of date.
• Paperback books are cheaper than hardcover books, but e-books are cheapest and take less space. Try to read e-books only offline! However, borrowed books from the library are almost free of charge.
• For e-books, you do not need an extra e-book reader. You can download the appropriate software/app for reading e-books from the Internet free of charge and install it on your tablet, laptop or larger smartphone.
• Covers for the protection of books can be sewn by yourself from old clothes (keyword upcycling).
• Ask whether you can submit your thesis as a *.pdf or *.epub!
• The tutoring or music lessons are partly organized on a voluntary basis in schools. Take advantage of this offer!
• Languages ​​can also be trained in tandem or by watching films in the original language. Inquire about tandem partners on site (e.g. at the university)!
• You can also use cheap, but definitely good, online or offline language courses (Internet or Software) to learn new languages. Here you can easily organize the learning time yourself. In Germany, basic language courses are also provided by the public television (br alpha, etc.). Free providers are qualitatively significantly worse. 
• Unemployed people can use the free e-learning portal of the employment agency's (applies to Germany). Here you will find online courses for learning the English language, office applications, application training, etc.. The employment agency supports a variety of professional education, retraining, etc.. Inquire about the possibilities at the employment agency!
• For some students and pupils, learning communities are suitable. 
• Some private schools offer scholarships for children from disadvantaged families. 
• There are scholarships for gifted children, if they want to attend schools for highly talented.
• There are training grants that don't have to be paid back.
• For gifted students there are grants from some foundations that do not have to be paid back (e.g. Protestant Study Foundation, Foundation of the German People, university funding, etc.).
• Various foundations or universities allow students a limited stay abroad (DAAD, Erasmus, etc.). However, trainees and schoolchildren can also receive scholarships for stays abroad (e.g. Erasmus).
• There are grants for chemistry courses in schools from the Chemical Industry Fund, etc..
• In addition to state institutions, also various foundations support school projects on the subject of environmental protection financially. A good guidelines for a project week on the subject of environmental protection is published here (in German).
• A collection of various already assessed teaching materials on the subject of environmental protection (and other subjects) can be found on the website of the German consumer advice center (in German).
• More checked teaching materials related to the topic (and also to other topics) can be obtained, free of charge, from the webpages of globaleslernen.de.
• Various IT companies and foundations support schools with the digitization of lessons. Examples are the Ferry Porsche Stiftung, but also Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc.. Use these offers only if you do not have to become dependent on these companies/foundations!
• Other companies/banks support educational projects in schools on the topic of sustainable use of food. Ask on site about the possibilities! 
• Use free information platforms such as https://www.duden.de/, https://www.leo.org/englisch-deutsch, https://translate.google.com/, https://www.spektrum.de/lexicon/, etc..
• For example, free and very well-developed training opportunities/teaching resources on the subject of environmental protection are available here: https://unccelearn.org/, https://elearning.informea.org/, or in German on umwelt-im-unterricht.de.
• Take advantage of the range of free educational programs: on alpha, in the BR media library, as well as on the ZDF and ARD websites. Here you will find well-stocked educational videos/school replacement programs on a wide variety of teaching topics.
• You can also find free online tutorials on Youtube, e.g.. For example to the common office applications.

• Do not be addicted to/too much dependent on end devices such as smartphones, tablets, etc.! Use them as long and as less as possible! On the website of the WHO you will find one example of the real environmental costs of e-waste, the health of children.
• Tidiness (in the office and in the PC, including the smartphone) and a clear overview of what is available saves unnecessary purchases.
• Empty all the trash regularly: waste-paper baskets (office), recycle bins (PC, smartphone, etc.), as well as the old memory garbage (cache memory).
• Use old envelopes and printed paper for your handwritten notes (like shopping lists)!
• Envelopes and packages can often be used multiple times.
• Do not buy envelopes with plastic windows!
• Avoid using parcel tape wherever possible and rather use parcel string!
• Old (jam) jars or cardboard boxes can be used as a sorting aid.
• You can get free pens, pens and pads at various workshops and promotional events. You can also ask the companies directly for promotional gifts.
• In the case of ballpoint pens, only replace the leads and not the entire pen!
• Use pens (including pencils) and glue sticks that can be refilled!
• Only use reusable paper clips instead of staples, or forego stapling documents completely!
• Those paper that are printed on one side can often be printed again on the other side.
• Empty cardboard boxes can either be reused (postage, moving boxes) or they are the raw material for self-built shelves, etc..
• For internal/private use you can also print two pages per page to save costs and paper. 
• Only print out what you actually need in printed form! Much can be saved as *.pdf, *.epub, *.doc, *.txt, etc. in the appropriate folder on your PC. But also make sure that toner can dry up when not in use!
• If you have the choice between *.pdf and *.epub, take *.epub that takes much less space!
• Avoid using copiers where possible! Many documents can simply be scanned in or photographed and digitally saved and sent as image files in various formats. 
• Use your devices as long as possible, but only as long as there is no risk for your health! 
• Computers, laptops, mice, printers, mobile phones, etc. can often be used well beyond the depreciation period.
• Depending on requirements, devices such as computers, laptops, mice, keyboards, printers, copiers, cell phones, etc. can also be bought used.
• Regularly delete all unnecessary files from your hard drive and empty the trash!
• If the hard drive of your computer is full, try to delete old data, (EDP) programs and games as far as possible! In the short term, defragmenting can also help. Purchasing an external hard drive might also be cheaper than buying a new PC. Buying a new one should only be considered if it is used frequently!
• Many computers (including smartphones) can also be easily reset to their original state (after a corresponding data backup). But even with older models, it is comparatively easy to install a new (free) operating system. It's always cheaper than buying a new one. 
• If data is to be used by different people, storing the data on external servers (in the cloud) can be more environmentally friendly and safer. This saves storage space on your own computer and money for new acquisitions. A simple netbook/laptop is sufficient to have access to all data worldwide. However, always make sure that you choose a trustworthy partner to store your data and that you do not get into long-term dependencies!
• A laptop/netbook is more energy efficient than a desktop or a classic PC. If not used regularly, a simple tablet (with an external keyboard) might be sufficient for all of your office activities. For smaller office activities a larger smartphone (with an external keyboard) may also be enough.
• Where possible, try a dual use of different devices (tablet, smartphone, etc.): at home and in the office, or one family use the same device!
• Often an external hard drive is all that is needed. With an appropriate storage space and care it can outlive generations of laptops.
• Switch off all electrical appliances that you do not need! It is easiest to do this centrally if all devices are supplied via a distribution socket. Make sure that the socket is fitted with a fuse, that it can be switched off individually and that it is not overloaded!
• Save energy by switching off all unnecessary noises (e.g. beeps or clicks), background programs (e-mail software, games, web pages, etc.), as well as vibrations from electrical devices such as smartphones, laptops or PCs!
• Do not use screen savers! Set the PC, smartphone, etc. so that it switches off the screen automatically, when it is not used! Make sure you have adequate data backup, or just use the pre-installed energy saving options!
• If possible, avoid using headset or headphones! Speakers and microphones built in a modern computer are usually sufficient.
• Where you can't do without headphones or a headset, only use the small in ear headphones with integrated microphone!
• Avoid the use of wireless devices such as wireless mouse and wireless keyboard! Laptops often do not need an external mouse or keyboard. 
• Office furniture can also be supplemented with bulky waste furniture (old side tables for the printer, chairs, armchairs, stools, shelves, etc.)
• Some companies or government organizations give discarded office furniture and electrical appliances for free or for a small fee to employees, other organizations or schools.
• Some of the software from old, discarded computers can be transferred to new ones. Check the purchased licenses for the possibilities!
• In some cases, manufacturers/software companies allow the software to be installed on multiple devices (e.g. in some cases Microsoft Office software, tax-saving software, etc.).
• When buying new software, make sure that you can download it online! Often, this is cheaper, the software is up to date and you help to save packaging material and transport costs.
• Be skeptical of all apps (whether for your mobile phone or PC)!
• Try also to use free office software (e.g. Openoffice or LaTeX) or alternative operating systems or PC solutions (e.g. LINUX, Macintosh)!
• In any case, use the latest virus protection and the appropriate firewall and install all software updates! Make sure that the configuration is sufficient! 
• A clean office extends the shelf life of technical devices and furniture. 
• Use your mobile phone as long as possible and don't let the lack of software updates push you to buy a new one! Cell phones can be partially repaired, their batteries can be changed, cables exchanged, and the software reset to its original state. That saves the new acquisition. Therefore, when making new purchases, always make sure that as much as possible can be replaced or repaired with little effort!
• Also use free repair aids, like the repaircafe, that can be found in many cities!
• Even a low cost cell phone can be fair-trade. Check out where your cell phone comes from beforehand!
• You can also buy used cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. cheaply.
• The batteries of cell phones, tablets or notebooks should never be completely discharged. This ensures a longer lifetime. Batteries that are not required should be stored on a cool, dry place. Avoid strong temperature fluctuations! 
• Further facts and figures on the ecological footprint of our cell phones can also be found on the websites of werte-umwelt.de. 
• Take old, no longer usable electronic devices to the regional recycling center! You will also find old, but well-preserved, used furniture here.
• Collect old cables, distributor sockets, extension cables, etc.! In some cases, different plug connections can be combined with different cables using adapters. That saves the new purchase.
• Some electronic devices are worth selling. Examples are https://www.ebay.de/, or https://www.quoka.de/. But also local second-hand-shops provide space for electronic devices. 
• In some cases, old devices can also be passed on within the family (e.g. old cell phones for grandparents or children). 
• You can also use the regional flea market to sell and buy office furniture and electronic devices.
• Only really older electronic devices, such as old screens, computers, dot matrix printers or fax machines, require significantly too much electricity and are considered to be of health concern. These should be replaced with new devices and disposed of accordingly. 
• You can find some tips on the subject of environmental compatibility of electrical appliances (including batteries), for example, on the website of the Federal Environment Agency. 
• Some devices such as telephones, printers, and fax machines can be shared.
• Also consider whether you should not do away with the fax machine altogether! E-mails are faster, can be accessed from anywhere and save paper and electricity.
• The Internet connection can also be used jointly (e.g. via the WiFi).
• Collect old, empty folders! Folders are durable for many decades and can be used over and over again. 
• Folders are good and inexpensive pads for laptops.
• Regularly dispose of all letters and documents that you no longer need in order to make space for new things (Attention! No certificates, important documents, evidence of insurance periods, etc.)!
• Only use transparencies if absolutely necessary (e.g. to protect important documents from rainwater)! Collect old transparencies so that you can use them several times! 
• Used application folders, copies of certificates, etc. should also be collected and reused as often as possible.
• Reduce your application portfolio to the bare minimum! Use recycled paper and do without transparencies! Send - where possible - your application via email or use the available online platforms for an interactive application! 
• Do not have your own website for applications! Instead, use forums such as LinkedIn or Xing!
• Use the option of telephone or video conferences at meetings or interviews! In some cases, workshops and conferences can also be followed live online. Various videos of conference or workshop contributions are available online on the corresponding website long after the event. 
• Only switch on the camera and microphone during video conferences if you are a presenter or speaker! Leave both switched off when you are only a listener!
• Save energy and space by avoiding the unnecessary use of emojis, photos and videos in social media!
• Landline phone calls use less energy than social media conversations. 
• Use the option of online subscriptions if you want to read a journal or a daily or weekly newspaper!
• However, if you prefer to read print media, for example because they are easier to share, do not consume additional electricity or secure jobs, then make sure that your preferred newspaper works CO₂-neutrally and uses paper and inks that are as environmentally friendly as possible!
• If you use an electronic calendar (mobile phone, Outlook, etc.), you can do without the classic paper calendar. 
• When using the mobile phone for online conversations, search or streaming, take care to use a local WiFi connection instead of mobile data flow and adapt/reduce the mobile contract accordingly!
• When traveling, you can use a mobile phone as a router for several cell phones and laptops, or access the Internet for free via the public WiFi.
• Avoid all unnecessary use of mobile data.
• Check your subscription contracts (apps for mobile devices, newspaper subscriptions, mobile games, mobile courses, etc.) for unnecessary or duplicate items!

• Regular vacation is important to maintain your health and performance. But do you really have to fly abroad 2 to 3 times a year? Or go on a skiing holiday in the mountains in winter and swim on the Maldives in summer?
• Replace shopping trips (e.g. to New York, London, or Paris) with e-shopping! Even more time and energy can be saved when shopping takes place right where you live, as far as possible.
• A trip by cruise ship is one of the greatest environmental sins that can be done on vacation. If you really want to go on a cruise, make sure when booking that the ship uses modern propulsion technologies and fuels, and that it is consistently switched to shore power (green electricity) in the port! 
• The same applies to journeys with so-called traditional railways (old steam locomotives, for example). Avoid using these long-outdated modes of transport!
• Short trips into space are currently the greatest climate sin and waste of money that can be made on vacation. Don't support that!
• Book long-haul flights (from 1000 km) either in the direction of the jet stream or via the large hubs! When flying, always keep in mind that your exposure to radiation is very high in the aircraft.
• It's almost perverse to fly as a tourist with a helicopter over the melting glaciers just to see the glaciers from above before they disappear. It's better to save your money and go hiking or watch the world's glaciers in a detailed nature documentary in the cinema or on TV.
• Avoid short-haul flights! Distances of less than 1000 km can also be comfortably covered by bus or train. Even a moderately driven car has less impact on the environment than an airplane.
• Always travel light!
• If possible, choose the most energy-efficient route when driving to the holiday destination! Often these are connections that are made via expressways. Avoid unnecessary detours or country roads!
• Avoid metropolitan areas and cities!
• If required, roof racks or trailers can also be rented from specialist retailers. You may also be able to borrow both from your family or friends. It is more economical and environmentally friendly, if you do without both.
• If you want to travel by bicycle on vacation and don't need special bicycles, such as racing bicycles, you can also use the local rental stations. Boats, skis or the like can often also be rented on site. Inquire about the possibilities in advance!
• On your winter holiday, make sure that the ski slopes that you are skiing on are naturally snow-covered! Try to avoid artificial snow slopes! In addition, if you have enough snow at home, you don't have to travel.
• A sustainable and cheap active holiday can be done alone, with friends or with the family for instance as a Wwoofer. Wwoofers are a kind of holiday guests on eco-farms, providing some help in return for food and lodging. More information is available on the Internet at https://wwoof.net/.
• If you want to have an active holiday with a sozial background, you can do so inexpensively, for example through the Internationaler Bauorden (IBO).
• Club holidays can be made inexpensively out of season. Inquire beforehand whether the holiday club meets ecological standards and offers organic food!
• Holiday with friends or family at home, in the holiday apartment next to a lake or by the sea, in an alpine hut, etc. can also be cheap, but is not appropriate to everyone. Here you can share all costs, take care of the children alternately and choose the food or leisure activities themselves.
• Hikes or bike rides are cheaper and more environmentally friendly.
• It can be cheaper, if you book hotels or guest houses directly and not through intermediary platforms. In that case, however, you also forego the possibility of being able to complain effectively (online) after a negative experience. 
• If you have more money and maybe more time available, you can use one of the travel agencies that focus entirely on sustainability. Here you can book well-organized, sustainable holiday offers worldwide. You will find different offers on the Internet.
• Use and promote the local (natural) outdoor and indoor pools! Just take your vacation at home!
• Avoid long stays on the beach! On a beach vacation, only go swimming in the morning and evening hours, when you don't need sunscreen! The sunscreen can pollute the underwater world, such as corals or seaweed. If necessary, only use organic sunscreen!
• Especially in regions with many bathing holiday guest, there is often (drinking) water scarcity. Try to help save drinking water when having your holidays there: instead of taking a shower, go into the sea to cool off; or have only one shower a day, in the evening; etc.!
• Some children and adolescents also enjoy common leisure activities such as fishing or hiking (short distances with breaks).
• Always dispose of your rubbish in the rubbish bins provided, even when you are on vacation! Take a rubbish bag or something similar with you to transport your own rubbish on hikes!
• Turn off your cell phone when you're on vacation! Leave electronic devices like laptops at home!
• Only camp in the designated areas!
• Use public toilets!
• Often, break down of handkerchiefs is difficult. Thus, when it comes to the situation that no toilet (in the forest, in the field, etc.) is available, don't let your toilet paper there! Like excrement, also handkerchiefs are eaten by animals.
• Do your part to ensure that public toilets (like modern composting/dry toilets) are set up along public hiking trails (through national parks, forests, at lakes, etc.)!
• Some restaurants and shops offer the possibility to refill your water bottles with tap water free of charge.
• Unfortunately you still have to search for organic food along hiking and cycling routes, in hotels, guest houses, youth hostels or restaurants. Find out on site or in advance on the Internet where the nearest organic shop or organic farm is! Sometimes also smaller snack bars, restaurants, canteens or cafes can be found there.
• On the Internet, you can also find lists of the few organic hotels that exist. 
• Often it is the best to take your own food and drink with you when traveling (even on short journeys).
• If the portions in restaurants are too big for you, sometimes it is allowed to order half portions. Inquire about the usual serving size before ordering! When ordering half servings, you usually only pay half the price. If that is not possible and there are two of you, you can also ask for one portion on two plates. The same applies to drinks that are too large.
• Instead of still water, you can also order tap water. Sometimes this is cheaper or free of charge.
• Avoid using ice cubes in the drink! Most drinks are stored refrigerated anyway and the ice cubes could be contaminated with germs. It can also save costs for the freezer, for example. 
• If possible, do without the drinking straw (made of plastic)! In clean restaurants, cafes, etc. you don't need one. If you need a drinking straw, ask for one that is made from renewable raw materials or glass and use it several times!
• Do not bring any exotic animals or plants with you from your vacation! In this way you avoid the spread of various pathogens and the introduction of neophytes/neozoa. 
• Don't buy unnecessary souvenirs! 
• Do not send postcards! Instead, send pictures and short holiday greetings via the online services!
• Instead of traveling around, it might also make sense to use the free time to relax and sort the documents lying around, to try out new recipes, to collect berries and mushrooms, to do the necessary cleaning, to make repairs, etc..
• Why not taking your vacation at home and visiting friends and relatives digitally, via video conference (via Skype, Zoom, Google, etc.)?
• For a vacation/short break without major travel efforts, you can simply book a hotel/guesthouse room on site and visit the local/regional excursion destinations for which you never have time in everyday life. Examples could be a city tour followed by a visit to the theater or museum, a hiking weekend, a visit to baths and good restaurants, etc..
• When traveling, you can use one mobile phone as a router for several cell phones and laptops, or access the Internet for free via the public WiFi.
• Avoid all unnecessary use of mobile data! In general, when it comes to traveling, avoid an unnecessarily surfing on the Internet.

• Mobility causes about 1/4 of the globaly energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. For 2050, about 70% are prognosted. This assumtion does not take into account environmental damages coming from mining, poor production conditions (including child labor), pollution from inadequate recycling, political conflicts, etc.. On the website of the WHO you will find one example of the real environmental costs of e-waste, the health of children. Saving money by saving fuel is easy and, as you will see below, easy to implement.
• Always choose the most energy-efficient route for your travels! Often these are connections that are via expressways. Avoid unnecessary detours, urban areas, or country roads! 
• Update your navigation device regularly!
• Also, avoid the car on all unnecessary short distances! Above all, this includes all routes on which you could comfortably travel by bike or on foot.
• A clean, well-maintained, non-smoking car does not need any air freshener (like fragrance trees, etc.).
• As slower you drive, as less energy you use. This also helps you to save a lot of money. 
• Stick to speed limits and always drive well rested and with foresight, so you don't endanger any humans or animals! 
• If possible, switch off all unnecessary energy consumers while driving (air conditioning, windscreen heating, etc.)!
• Turn off the engine at traffic lights, petrol stations, in traffic jams, etc.! Use the automatic start-stop function!
• Replace shopping trips (e.g. to New York, London, or Paris) with e-shopping! Even more time and energy can be saved when shopping takes place right where you live, as far as possible.
• Cars are especially practical where a lot has to be transported or long distances have to be covered in a short time. 
• Never drive with unnecessary ballast (e.g. full trunk, trailer, roof luggage racks)! Take care of the right tire pressure (the same applies to bicycles)!
• If possible, always drive off immediately after starting the car, but never let it warm up when it is stationary!
• Check the oil level regularly! Light fuel oils have better lubricating properties and therefore consume less fuel.
• Where possible, always use the automatic cruise control!
• Adapt your vehicle (size, equipment, fuel, and color) to your actual needs! Often, a used, small car that contains modern drive technologies (filters, catalytic converters, etc.) is enough. As less the car is needed as older it can be. Cars that are no longer used regularly cause unnecessary high costs and should be sold or scrapped.
• If H₂ is obtained directly from drinking water/fresh water, then this cannot be sustainable. Especially not if the water extraction takes place in regions with water shortages. This is one of the reasons why you should rely on electromobility, if possible, when buying a new car!
• Digitalization is also gaining ground in electric vehicles and ensures a significant increase in efficiency and more safety in road traffic. However, it is also increasingly evident that autonomous vehicles are not environmentally friendly, since they need to much energy. Better to do without it and choose public transport, if you don't want to drive yourself!
• When buying electric vehicles, keep in mind that the batteries in particular are manufactured in a very resource-intensive manner and the jobs that are created are not sustainable! Resources such as graphite, lithium, aluminum, nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron, phosphate, etc. are currently being used. The extraction of resources as well as their production and recycling cause lasting environmental damage.
• When buying used cars, make sure that the engine meets modern environmental standards (at least filter, catalytic converter, efficient engine, etc.)!
• It can be worthwhile to buy a new car, if it is used often. When buying a newer car, always pay attention to modern, and environmentally friendly drive technologies and CO₂-neutral components, such as CO₂-neutral steel! Do not buy outdated models! The same applies to optional equipments, such as the air conditioning.
• Use alternative fuels whenever possible! With some older cars, retrofitting can be worthwhile.
• In some states/countries the purchase of new environmentally friendly cars and the retrofitting of used vehicles is subsidized. Inquire about the possibilities on-site!
• With energy efficient, quiet tires, you can reduce both noise emissions and energy consumption, while saving money.
• Especially, those who drive a lot should use energy-saving tires! Energy-saving tires have a very high fuel-saving potential. However, it is worth taking a look at the manufacturer's safety instructions and the latest reports of the press. Energy-saving tires are currently not as safe in the wet as conventional tires, which must be taken into account when driving! In general, slower driving is more energy efficient and safer.
• If you only need your car for shopping tours (weekend shopping), it may be cheaper if you do your shopping online and have it delivered to your home. The prices usually correspond to the retail prices; and for higher order values ​​(for example from 50 EUR order value) you do not pay any delivery costs. So you can do without your car.
• When well organized, 1 car can replace 11 cars by car sharing.
• Avoid both rapid charging and complete charging or discharging of the batteries of electric vehicles! This shortens the life of the batteries.
• Some communities have very inexpensive charging stations for electric vehicles. Inquire about the possibilities on site!
• If you have the opportunity to save money by using such charging stations, it can be worthwhile for you to invest in an electric vehicle in the long term.
• When buying a new car, you should have your car configured according to your actual needs! Make sure that the manufacturing conditions are fair and that your car has a comparably low consumption and a long service life! All of this also increases the resale value. Inquire about what happens to the materials of the car at the end of its lifetime cycle! A car should be 100% recyclable (the same applies to bicycles). Carbon fiber is not recyclable, at the moment. However, for bicycles sustainable alternatives like bamboo frames are available. Even aluminum and steel are more sustainable than carbon.
• Always drive with foresight! In traffic jams or slow-moving traffic, you can let your car roll out (uncouple). The same applies to approaching traffic lights.
• In mountainous regions, you can use the engine brake on descents (put in a low gear and do not accelerate) and thereby save the brakes. If it is not too steep and no obstacles are to be expected, you can also disengage the gear (let it roll). However, in doing so you will wear out the brakes a little more, but you consume significantly less fuel.
• Discharged car batteries often do not have to be disposed off! Try to recharge car batteries by gradually charging them slowly at intervals! Charging at intervals extends the life of the battery as a whole and prevents overheating. 
• If you have a central locking system, you shouldn't forget to charge your car keys regularly! 
• On motorways, near construction sites, it can save fuel and money, if you use the slow, right lane. Take advantage of the slipstream of other vehicles, but always keep the minimum distance!
• Retreads (tires) are now almost as good as new tires and they are much cheaper. When buying a new one, pay attention to sustainably produced products that are fairly traded! 
• In addition to tires, various other car parts (e.g. the engine, the alternator) can also be retreaded. Ask your specialist workshop about the options!
• In many large cities you will find the cheapest parking options on the outskirts. From there you can easily reach the city center by public transport.
• When buying a car, avoid unnecessary additional equipment! In colder regions, for example, you do not need air conditioning and in lowlands you do not need all-wheel drive. In addition, nobody needs an over-equipped music system. 
• Most people don't need all-terrain vehicles (ATVs/UTCs, like quad bikes) or vehicles  like off-road vehicles, crossovers, sport utility vehicle (SUVs), etc..
• Darkened windows can reduce the consumption of the air conditioning system.
• Always park your car in the shade, especially in warmer regions or in midsummer! 
• Especially in regions with high rainfall/humid regions, all vehicles (including bicycles) should always be parked in a dry place (dry cellar, garage, etc.)!
• Luggage racks or trailers impair the aerodynamic of the vehicle and thus increase its consumption of fuel. Try to stow everything you want to transport inside the vehicle!
• Only clean your vehicle in designated publicly accessible areas (car wash, wash box)! There the wastewater is collected and disposed of accordingly. If you clean your vehicle in your private space (garden, etc.), used oil can get into the environment. 
• If you don't have an own car, but only need one now and then, then try car-sharing! Look for the local opportunities on the internet!
• In private, the car can also be used jointly (family and friends).
• Young people do not need their own moped, motorcycle or car.
• For manageable routes without excessive luggage, the footpath or the bike is worthwhile.
• Bicycles can also be shared (keywords for the internet: bicycle sharing): Either free of charge between friends or family members and relatives or for a fee.
• In cities with well-developed bike paths, cargo bikes are a real alternative to cars.
• Bicycle bags, trailers or handcarts can also be used accordingly.
• You can repair a lot of things on your bike yourself. Regular cleaning and a dry parking space extend the life of bicycles considerably. 
• Just like the car, the bike and bike accessories should be 100% recyclable!
• As a rule of thumb: you do not need any special cleaning agents to clean bicycles! For both the sports bike and the everyday bike, water, soape sud, a cloth, toothbrush and abrasion-resistant chain oil are completely sufficient. And if you have a leather saddle, you should treat it with leather grease on occasion!
• Bicycle tubes (i.e. the inner tube) are not disposable and should be patched as often as possible.
• When buying bicycle coats, look for a long shelf life (high quality)! 
• Even in cycling there are various items that harm the environment and that nobody really needs. For example, private individuals do not need a CO₂ cartridge to inflate the inner tube! These are disposable items. A durable bicycle pump is usually sufficient.
• You can use old clothes, old rags or old toothbrushes to clean the chain of your bike. Make sure that no chain grease (used oil) gets into the environment! Where possible, use only lubricants that are temperature and water resistant and last a long time!
• In some cities you will find free repair aids like the repaircafe.
• The classic bicycle is more environmentally friendly than the battery-operated one. The same applies to e-scooters, etc..
• Well-kept old bikes can be sold and bought both online and locally. 
• Use public transport or the bike for your daily way to work!
• With manageable pastries and cheap connections, bus and train are a real alternative to the car. There are often cheap tickets for commuters or short trips.
• Avoid all short-haul flights! Short distances are distances of less than 1000 km or distances that can be reached in 8-10 hours by car or public transport.
• Sometimes you get tickets for various means of transport cheaper, if you buy them online. You can save these tickets, for example as *.pdf, *.tif, or QR code on your mobile phone. The individual code can be checked directly from the mobile phone by the conductor.
• Avoid unnecessary internet surfing when you are out and about! Switch off the mobile data on your mobile phone!
• Some parts of the content of an expired first aid kit can be used for private purposes (scissors, insulating blankets, sterile bandages, etc.).
• A comprehensive summary of general environmental compatibility of the various means of transport can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency.

• To avoid high losses, a thorough market research is required before setting up a company/business.
• If you want to assert yourself in the market, you have to remain flexible! Don't be afraid to put an end to undesirable developments, even if they are based on traditional values!
• In many places, subsidies can be applied for a natural design of the company premises. 
• Realize gender equality!
• At least one worker is dying every 30 seconds due to occupational exposure with chemicals (strong physical burdens are not included here). More than 1 billion workers per year are exposed to hazadous substances, including polutants, dusts, vapours and fumes. Many workers lose their life following such exposures, succumbing to fatal diseases, cancer and poisonings, or from fatal injuries following fire or exposions. All of these deaths, injuries and illnesses are entirely preventable. Ensure a healthy work environment in your company! Often public subsidies are available.
• In many countries, employers have to protect their staff adequately and free of charge in accordance with the labour law. This includes, for example, the provision of adequate protective masks, as well as appropriate hygiene, an ergonomic office furniture, appropriate protective work clothing, modern, ergonomically justifiable machines/techniques, etc.. Whoever does not adequately protect the staff must pay for the damages! You can find more detailed information, for example, on the websites of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (applies to Germany).
• Ensure a comprehensive smoking ban (including the ban of e-cigarettes, with and without nicotine) in your companie.
• Measures such as flexible working hours, home office and car sharing can reduce employee commuting expenses and local traffic jams. In the long term, this also has a positive effect on the health of employees.
• Ensure that all lights and other non-essential devices, such as computers, are turned off when employees leave their workplace. This can be supported, for example, by digital solutions such as motion detectors.
• Only support digitization as far as it benefits people and nature (e.g. protection against natural disasters, easier working conditions, etc.) and the freedom of the people concerned is not restricted! The persons concerned must be informed immediately and in detail! If jobs get lost (for example the cashier), adequate alternatives must be provided! In addition, an extensive data security is a must, at all times! Data should never be a means of payment! Also, analog or hybrid alternatives must remain accessible at all times! Examples are when paying, controlling systems, automobiles or banking.
• Many employees get their food from canteens, cafeterias, bistros, food trucks, caterings, etc.. Such companies should avoid to use disposable containers and cutleries, or ask customers to bring their own reusable container!
• Catering companies should generally reduce packaging and advance the substitute of disposable dishes with reusable dishes!
• Often increasing efficiency leads to an increase of the use: for example, with motor vehicles, airplanes, computers, smartphones, or food production. Thus, despite a considerable increase in efficiency, there is quickly a sharp increase in energy and resource consumption, as well as negative effects on human health, the prosperity of all, or the existing natural areas (overexploitation of the soil, loss of biodiversity, etc.). Thus with every innovation you always have to ask yourself whether and when it actually makes sense from an ecological point of view! Only support innovations that also make sense from an ecological point of view!
• In order to minimise the high amount of food waste and prevent the outbreaks of foodborn diseases, such as from germs like Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella sp., hygiene/food safety have to become guaranteed along the entire food chain: from the production, to the processing of food, and to its distribution to the supermarket and the consumer! However, the increase in food scandals shows that this is still a big problem, that have to be solved! Further information on the subject of food safety, or the Codex Alimentarius/international food standards can be found, for example, on the websites of your national centers for disease prevention (ECDC,CDC, etc.), or on the domain of the Association of the Codex Alimentarius  (from WHO and FHO).
• On a global scale, more than 50% of nitrogen fertilizers are not turned over by crops. The same applies to other plant nutrients. A very large part of this nutrient waste comes from mineral fertilizers. The surpluses pollute our natural environment (surface water, groundwater, air, soil, biodiversity, increase in greenhouse gases, etc.), they contaminate our drinking water, they reduce our resources, they affect our health and thus cause unnecessarily high follow-up costs. Efficient, well thought-out agriculture can help to protect the environment and avoid the degradation of increasingly scarce mineral fertilizers. Thereby, it is also important that farmers become properly trained and controlled!
• Mineral phosphate is also an important resource which is used in a wide variety of products (cosmetics such as toothpaste, dietary supplements/additives, weapons, medical products, construction, metal production, etc.), but also as mineral plant fertilizer. Currently, around 85% of the phosphate produced/mined for the market is used for the production of plant fertilizer, and around 10% are used to produce supplements for animal feed. In addition to the fact that the occurrence of mineral phosphate is very limited, it is in particular an important source of various environmental toxins. Phosphate fertilizer, for example, is one of the main sources of uranium enrichment in soils. From there it can also get into the surface water or groundwater. The concentration of uranium in phosphate rock is sometimes as high that it was already used for uranium mining. In addition, mineral phosphate can contain toxins such as cadmium, chromium, arsenic, etc.. These substances also reach the soil, the bodies of water as well as the plants, where they can become incorporated. In order to avoid lasting contamination, only organic fertilizers should be used wherever possible! In addition, when using phosphate industrially, organic phosphate or recycled phosphate should be used wherever possible! And as with all other fertilizers (including manures), an intelligent fertilization that is in accordance with the location and crop is required in order to avoid further environmental pollution (e.g. eutrophication or contamination of waters, harmfull algal blooms, mass development of toxic cyanobacteria, loss of biodiversity, fish kills, etc. ).
• The property of plants to absorb and accumulate various other substances, such as heavy metals, in addition to nutrients can also be used to remediate polluted mining areas or directly to extract raw materials such as rare earths, iron, zinc, etc. (keyword phytomining).
• Where water scarcity is prognosted, farmers have to adapt their crops and livestock accordingly as early as possible! But also customers must be informed about how they can adapt their behavior to the new situation (change their diet, less water consumption, less traffic, building adjustments, etc.)! However, when it comes to adaptations work closely with local authorities, environmental research institutions, environmental associations, etc. to avoid errors and losses!
• Work with nature and not against nature! Pesticides, biocides, medicines, etc. should only be used in agriculture or forestry, if no other means are effective (choice of location, technical solutions, biodiversity, etc.) and no unnecessary environmental damage can be expected! A good summary of the effects of pesticides on ecosystem services and biodiversity, using the example of Switzerland, can be found here.
• Agriculture is one of the largest emitters of various greenhouse gases (in particular livestock and arable land use). A regular change between arable land and grassland (with moderate organic livestock husbandry of free-range animals), or an adequate afforestation with site-specific species (e.g. with deciduous/mixed forests) is likely to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, the formation of soil, biodiversity and the microclimate can be improved. In addition, new sources of income are created that can compensate for crop failures caused by depleted soils. One example could be a combination of nut-/Almond-trees, fruit trees, chestnut trees and moderate animal husbandry (including bees).
• If you have the opportunity to do so, you should always ask yourself "which site properties are suitable for which crop when cultivating field crops, and how field cultivation can be used more than once?"! For example, buckwheat fits on rather poor soils, it can be cultivated without the addition of mineral fertilizer and can also be used to obtain honey. Almond trees require more water, but can be combined with the plantation of other crops, the production of honey as well as animal husbandry. Plant other crops, like millet or legumes instead of the "Big Three" grains maize, rice, wheat. Millet, for example, requires less fertilizer and pesticides, is a nutritionally dense grain, contains a high amount of iron and calcium, and has a low CO₂ footprint. Legumes can be used in a variety of ways in both animal feed and human nutrition and are known to fix nitrogen in the soil.
• Arable land that is too wet (e.g. near wetlands or coasts) could be converted into rice cultivation areas, for example. Here, too, a corresponding combination with moderate organic livestock farming (e.g. with ducks and fish) help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂, CH₄) accordingly, because the animals aerate the soil with their swimming and paddling movements. In addition, the use of artificial fertilizers can largely be dispensed with, new sources of income are generated and biodiversity at the site is increased. For more information, please watch this lecture about wet rice cultivation in Switzerland, by the ETH Zurich!
• If you want to keep your customers, you have to deliver quality! Thus, especially companies in the organic sector should think about how they can ensure the quality of their products with an increasing demand (production, storage, processing, etc.)! Many customers drop out very quickly, if the quality is not good enough.
• Also companies in the organic sector should use energy-efficient buildings, machines and vehicles!
• Companies and businesses in the organic sector (including agricultural businesses) can reduce their higher risks (e.g. crop failures) through public participation, international cooperation and price guarantees.
• Check gas leaks in your systems (e.g. for methane, CO₂, nitrous oxide, etc.) and close them! Leakages are to be expected, for example, in biogas plants, gas pipes, cooling systems, composting plants, etc..
• Simply switching from silage or concentrate feed to hay feeding and grassland farming can significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emission of a farm (cow ranching).
• In addition, losses to be expected due to crop failures, by avoiding pesticides, or failures due to incorrect storage can be reduced by processing the agricultural products immediately. For example, various types of vegetables can be processed directly from the field in the local factory (boiling, canning, freezing, drying, ready meals, etc.).
• In order to avoid crop loss because of changing, poorly foreseeable hydrological conditions, different crops adapted to different hydrological systems (wet/dry) can be planted on one field.
• In addition, some crops (e.g. vegetables, flowers, lettuce) can be protected from pests and from drying out by simple greenhouse systems, without chemical pesticides.
• The diversity of fruit varieties, breeds and species can also help to reduce the increased risk of crop failures of organic farming. Also try the husbandry of exotic species (water buffalo, elk, alpaca, ostrich, etc.) and old breeds (wooly pig, etc.)! Especially if their specific demands are suitable for local environmental conditions (wetlands, sandy soils, etc.) and an appropriate animal husbandry can be realized, some exotic species might fit better to the demands of organic farming than native species.
• If a large population of birds, such as rooks, threatens your sowing, suitable predators, such as large birds of prey, can help to protect the seeds. You can also promote the spread of suitable birds of prey by providing a sufficiently large range of nesting and perching areas.
• When livestock, such as sheep and chickens, are kept free-range, some losses due to predatory animals are to be expected. Combined livestock farming (e.g. alpaca with chickens, horses with sheep and goats, etc.) may help against attacks by predators. Or you have to protect the animals accordingly (e.g. with a shepherd)!
• Pay less attention to the risk of damages, but more to the expected amount of damages!
• Crop failures/losses (e.g. from hail damage, or insects such as crickets that destroy the harvest, etc.) or organic waste can sometimes also be used directly for animal feeding. In doing so, the purchase of animal feed can be reduced.
• In addition, crop losses or agricultural waste can also be used as organic fertilizer or for the biogas plant.
• Precision agriculture and organic crop breeding (without genetic engineering) can significantly help to reduce the crop failures and waste from agriculture right from the beginning. As a rule of thumb: The basis for sustainable businesses is that quality always come before quantity!
• New building should either be a net zero energy building, a plus-energy building or an energy self-sufficient building! High costs will amortize over time.
• For new buildings as well as for conversions, make sure that wastewater (urine and feces) is properly separated and treated according to a sustainable recycling management! Wastewater can be reused for various purposes (fertilizer, etc.). The same applies to waste, including the chemicals used.
• Conversions/restorations of old buildings should at least adhere to the standards for passive houses, or zero-energy- and zero-waste-buildings!
• Instead of the classic lithium-ion batteries, also technologies like the Organic SolidFlow storage, which is much more resource-efficient, can be used for house building.
• Use the available public funds for environmentally friendly conversions, new buildings, operational adjustments, etc.!
• Also consider alternative techniques for heating and hot water preparation via double use! For example, the waste heat from various electrical devices (computer centers, cooling systems) can be used as free heating; or heating systems, biogas plants, slaughterhouses, etc. can heat the drinking water, greenhouses or other buildings at the same time through heat exchange.
• If you pay attention to the correct storage and processing of the goods right from the beginning, you can save a lot of money, because at the end less has to be disposed of.
• Avoid greenwashing products!
• In addition to energy efficiency, all companies should always ensure basic standards of water and soil protection, as well as comply with site-appropriate biodiversity and air protection criteria with their production!
• In the long run, environmentally friendly business is not possible without fair working conditions as well as fair prices for the consumer.
• Retailers should take responsibility to the consumer and remove all goods from the checkout area! In particular, critical goods such as alcohol, cigarettes, sweets and toys should not be offered in the checkout area!
• What would be, if junk food would be green, fairtrade and healthy? It's possible!
• During the entire product life cycle, make sure that you only use or develop chemicals that are environmentally friendly (e.g. non-allergenic, easily degradable, no toxic degradation products, etc.)!
• Only use environmentally friendlier, modern drive technologies for the transport of goods and raw materials! Container ships, for example, can be retrofitted inexpensively. Trains can often be used instead of container ships.
• Companies can support the use of the public transport by their employees (keyword: employee ticket).
• As far as possible, company vehicles should be CO₂-neutral, run on renewable energy and have speed restrictions! Don't use the so-called biofuels, because they are derived from plants, that occupy important arable land, that is needed for the production of food and for afforestation! In addition, the plants for such fuels may come from areas where rainforest has been cleared. So these biofuels are not sustainable!
• Wherever possible, companies should provide bicycles for their employees! Since everyone has different demands on a bicycle, an individual solution have to be found for each employee. Perhaps, mileage allowances can also be an incentive to use a bicycle.
• Hotels can provide guests with rental bicycles in different sizes or free tickets for the local public transport. By involving local businesses (bike shops, local public transport, etc.) liabilities can be outsourced. 
• Some countries subsidize the purchase of cargo bikes as an alternative means of transport.
• Local stores, like grocery stores or building supplies stores, can lend cargo bikes to customers free of charge, or organize the transport of bulk purchases with environmentally friendly vehicles, also free of charge.
• Shower rooms can promote the sporting activity of the employees. Create free space and time for sporty breaks!
• Cafes, pubs, restaurants, as well as various markets (Christmas markets), etc. should refrain from using patio heaters!
• Make sure that your canteen offers sufficient and affordable organic food and takes persons suffering from an allergy as well as food intolerances into account!
• Bind your customers with quality and not with incomprehensible price dumping! For example, it cannot be that a new, high-quality cell phone costs just EUR 1.
• Actively promote the cessation of extensive meat consumption and the unnecessary creation of electronic waste by pricing out the real (environmental) costs! On the website of the WHO you will find one example of the real environmental costs of e-waste, the health of children.
• Avoid an excessive diversification of new products and ensure a sufficient compatibility between different devices! For example, charging connections, batteries, etc. of cell phones or electric vehicles should be designed so that all devices or vehicles can use the same charging plug/station, battery, etc.!
• Ensure that electrical devices such as televisions, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cell phones, irons, etc., as well as cars can be used for a very long time! This includes, on the one hand, that the devices are built in such a way that they can be used as long as possible, and on the other hand, short repair times are ensured. In addition, repairing electric devices should always be significantly cheaper than an equivalent new device! When it comes to longer repairs a replacement device should always be made available free of charge!
• Landlords can provide their tenants with inexpensive, efficient electrical appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines (e.g. as a laundrette), etc.. The rental appliances are professionally maintained and repaired by the landlord and when it comes to a moving out, simply passed on to the next tenants. Wherever possible, standard kitchens should be an integral part of rental apartments!
• Manufacturers of vehicles should ensure that the combustion engines already on the market are retrofitted as cheaply as possible (e.g. inexpensive, better filter systems, AdBlue systems, more modern catalytic converters, etc.)!
• If possible, supply chains should be made more tightly meshed by aggregating them locally! For example, some of the processing companies (mill, large bakery, slaughterhouse, meat factory, cheese dairy, sewing shop, shoe factory, wool processing company, etc.) can be located right next to the primary sector (agriculture).
• Avoiding unnecessary empty runs of trucks, tankers, airplanes, freight trains, but also taxis and rental vehicles can reduce the consumption of resources, the wear and tear of vehicles and roads, as well as the air pollution. A better logistics and cooperation between individual companies would certainly be helpful here.
• Those who sell handicrafts, small quantities of sausage products, and the like (sole proprietors) can organize themselves in local organizations, such as cooperatives, limited liability companies, etc., and thus share marketing costs.
• Spin-offs (for sole proprietors, etc.) can be done from clubs, such as the fishing club, the pottery club, the knitting club, sport club. The sole proprietors can market their goods in cooperation with the club.
• Organic products shouldn't cost outrageously high prices, but should adequately reflect the actual production costs! This is how you achieve lasting customer loyalty.
• A local engagement for the environment, for instance in clubs, associations or schools, can be an inexpensive advertising.
• Avoid placing advertisements on digital billboards, cell phones, etc., since the consumption of electricity is much to high! Also check whether your advertising achieves the desired goal and is not rather misleading and overloaded! It might also be worthwhile to do without advertising at some places (for example promotional gifts). 
• Do not place advertisements that specifically appeal to children and young people! Also refrain from advertisment in which children and young people become sexually provocative!
• Only bring long-lasting devices onto the market that can be easily repaired, if damaged! The consumer pays the appropriate price for high quality products.
• Reduce the frequency of new collections drastically! For many goods (footwear, clothes, cell phones, etc.) there is no need for regular new collections, face-lifts, etc.! This would avoid a lot of waste, energy, costs, resources, etc..
• Make software updates available for older cell phones, PCs, etc.!
• For every product, it must be clear before it is launched on the market how it can be recycled at the end of its lifetime!
• Many resources (rare earths, lithium, water, petroleum, natural gas, wood, fertilizer, etc.) would not have to be mined/promoted to the extent as it is happend today, if a complete recovery from sewage, solid waste, etc. would take place (keyword: recycling economy). 
• There is a need for a growing market of sustainable recycling materials/products. Recycled materials must become the benchmark as a branded product!
• Especially in the aviation and shipping sectors, companies should extensively promote the development and dissemination of synthetically produced fuels! Examples are CO₂-neutral fuels from air and solar heat (syngas and secondary products).
• When using H₂, always pay attention to its origin/production! If H₂ is obtained directly from drinking water/fresh water, then this cannot be sustainable. Especially not if the water extraction takes place in regions with water scarcity. This type of energy storage or production of fuel is certainly the worst of all available variants. Better is the direct generation of energy, for example via photovoltaics and wind turbines with a direct transmission of electricity via power lines (cables, keyword: power grid expansion), as well as the direct use of electricity as fuel.
• Renewable fuels (bio-fuels) obtained from plants cannot be sustainable, because they occupy important arable land/crop land that is required for food production.
• It might make sense to support the development of CO₂ capturing/CO₂ collectors (Direct Air Capture) where CO₂ can be used for industrial purposes. For example, CO₂ collected from air can be used for greenhouses, in diverse drinks, for syngas (together with sun energy), etc..
• Modern heat exchange systems in lakes or oceans can help to save energy in existing systems (desalination systems, drinking water systems, etc.) and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It should be noted that the efficiency of the systems strongly depends on the prevailing environmental conditions (including the climate)! Also, the environmental compatibility of the system must be continuously monitored (effects on the ecosystem)!
• Seawater desalination plants can be used several times: for drinking water production, for sea salt production, for the production of lithium, etc.. 
• Ensure an extensive protection while constructing and expanding digital infrastructures (data, health, nature, etc.)!
• Make your data management as transparent as possible for the customer, and ensure that all privacy rules are not violated!
• There is a need to develop chemicals that are both save and sustainable by design (including their waste)! This particularly belongs to the sectores medicine, pharmacy, vehicles, land-use, cosmetics, electrical appliances (including computers), buildings, furniture, etc.. 
• Like wind turbines, also solar panels have a lifetime that is about 20 years. So the earliest panels that are installed are already retired. The main components are glass, polymer and aluminium, but they may also contain potentially hazadous materials such as lead, copper, zink, gallium, tellurium, indium, rare earth, plastics, etc.. Act, since old solar panels (and wind turbines) become an increasing waste problem!
• Often the polluter pays principle applies (as a national law) also to specific types of environmental pollution (earth, water, soil, health, biodiversity, etc.). So you can save a lot of money, if you consider right from the beginning the re-use/recycling of a product at the end of its lifespan, the environmental impact during the use of the product, as well as local environmental protection at the production facility (i.e. the impact of a product on the environment during its whole life cycle)!
• If you get resources from developing and emerging countries, support the creation of jobs there in the areas of education, renewable energies, sustainable water management, modern recycling, and sustainable organic agriculture! Also, promote social equality between the different sexes!
• In order to mitigate the consequences of the transformation, create local jobs in the field of renewable energies, organic agriculture, sustainable handicrafts (including the bulding sector), sustainable management of chemicals and waste, IT security, etc. in developed countries!
• Stop corruption and nepotism! In the long run, quality will prevail.
• etc.

• Whether urban or rural, a modern municipality is green, let you breathe deeply, it is sustainable, quiet, socially inclusive, moderate smart/digital, as well as energy and resource efficient. Transformation can only be obtained with an enabling infrastructure.
• The most important step towards an effective climate adaptation might be the establishment and promotion of energy cities. In other words, a large reduction of heat input through an extensive reduction of the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission. Examples are: energetic renovations, modern streets and buildings, open buildings/settlements, speed limits, car-free zones, short distances, expansion of local public transport, increase of the energy-efficiency, educational measures, green corridors, inner-city water bodies/wetlands, recreational areas, natural shadings, etc.). At the same time, there is a need to promote local energy generation (solar energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, biogas plants, etc.). The goal of every community must be a net-zero or net-plus energy consumption! For example, with solar panels 20% of German roofs could meet about 30% of current German energy needs.
• Where possible, all private and public buildings should be equipped with solar panels/collectors across the board, in order to cover local or regional energy demands! Because all arable land is needed for the food production the installation of solar panels close to the ground on arable land should be avoided! A combination of solar panels and agricultural use (e.g. as sun protection for grazing animals or sensitive crops, etc.) might be a good compromise. Moreover, in doing so, it might also be possible to dispense with some of the planned wind turbines (e.g. in national parks).
• Do not install solar systems on water surfaces, such as natural lakes or reservoirs! Due to the heavy shading and the obstruction of the seasonal lake circulation (e.g. by reducing the area exposed to wind), you significantly disrupt the aquatic ecosystem.
• Instead of the classic lithium-ion batteries, also technologies like the Organic SolidFlow storage, which is much more resource-efficient, can be used for house building.
• A good collection of examples of heat adaptation in cities (climate adaptation) can be found here.
• In addition to sufficient green spaces (including forests), a sustainable, environmentally-friendly energy generation and a environmentally-friendly economic and social structure are also required!
• Smart cities can be useful, but they can also be a source of danger. Municipalities and authorities should only promote digitization to the extent that it benefits people and nature (e.g. protection from natural disasters, digital doctor visits, digital maps, etc.) and the personal freedom of the people concerned is not restricted! The people concerned must be informed in detail and at the earliest time! In addition, extensive data security must be guaranteed at all times! Data should never be a means of payment! Analog or hybrid alternatives, such as official channels, in road traffic, or bank transactions, must be accessible at all times!
• Wherever possible, climate adaptations and mitigation (including flood and storm protection measures) should be based on nature based solutions! The various approaches/strategies of nature based solutions are as diverse as the communes themselves. Thus, at the beginning of each action a detailed analysis of the potential is important for its success. 
• As part of the potential analysis, the current state of the commune (urban and suburban area together, rural area) have to be recorded! This includes a differentiation between sources and sinks for environmental pollutions (air, water, soil, biology, human health, etc.). Sources or sinks can be: household, industry (the different branches have to be identified), mobility, consumption (including energy), waste, construction, services (including tourism), agriculture, processes, nature, evaporation, geology, water, etc..
• One example: protective agents for building materials are an important source of major environmental pollution (Mecoprop, Diuron, Terbutryn, etc.). They get into soil and water through weathering and rain, or contaminate the (room) air as volatile substances. When renovating houses and building new ones, look for building materials (including paints, wood preservatives and insulation materials) that have the appropriate certificates attesting the absence of environmentally harmful chemicals. For Germany, for example, the Blue Angel is recommended. An expert building biologist can also provide information and should be involved in larger measures. Laws or corresponding framework plans can, for example, help to ensure that only environmentally friendly building materials are used.
• However, each strategy on climate adaptation and mitigation have to include the principles of circular economy with pollution control!
• For a permanent transformation of communes, strong roots from local, regional, national as well as international cooperation are required. Long-term transformations are hardly feasible without the approval of the grassroots. This also requires a significant reduction of bureaucratic and traditional hurdles.
• Some examples of contributions to public participation could be urban parks/forests with freely accessible fruit trees, fruit walls, and greenhouses, or the promotion of organic urban gardens (including roof gardens) with affordable leases (bound to organic gardening). But also free educational offers on various topics of environmental and nature protection, organic gardening, or consumer behavior can improve citizen participation.
• Organize regular garbage collection campaigns with voluntary citizens. It will sharpen their awareness of the topic of garbage disposal, avoidance, separation, etc..
• For a permanent transformation, barriers such as monument protection/preservation orders should become reduced or adapted! As a rule of thumb: protection of the nature and the environment comes before monument protection! For example, it must also be possible to demolish (old) buildings, which can not be adapted accordingly, in favor of more environmentally friendly alternatives (including green parks).
• The illumination of monuments is a form of light pollution that can easily be reduced. In addition, each municipality can check where else lighting makes sense or not. Also, all residents and companies should be asked to reduce the lighting on private properties as far as it makes sense!
• Where outdoor lighting cannot be avoided, LED lights with a greatly reduced proportion of blue and UV light should be used! In general, illuminants with a daylight spectrum should be avoided and only those lights should be used that do not disrupt the biological clock of animals and plants! And where possible, lamps should only shine downwards and when needed!
• Old steam locomotives from traditional railways consume excessive amounts of coal and pollute the environment along their route (facades, trees, air, etc.). They belong in the museum and not on the rails! As a compromise, for tourists traditional railways can also be attracted by modern electric locomotives. Also, it might be possible to re-equipe old steam locomotives accordingly. For the photos of the tourists, the smoke could be generated by water vapor (cooling water).
• Green roofs and facades provide natural cooling in summer and an additional insulation in winter. This saves high energy costs for heating and cooling. In addition, urban greening such as green roofs and parks increase the biodiversity, they have a filter function for rainwater, surface runoff and air, and create a healthier microclimate overall.
• Most communities (rural and urban areas) have a lot of unused roof area (e.g. various sloping roof areas) that can be used for photovoltaic systems for electricity generation or for solar collectors for water treatment. Often, also a combined use with green roofs or green facades is possible. Public funding measures can provide appropriate incentives for retrofitting.
• Green communes are only possible with an adequate, sustainable water supply. 
• Where there is no adequate water supply, white facades and streets, sun sails, open and wide city districts, etc. can significantly reduce local temperatures. Especially there, the water consumption have to be greatly reduced, for instance through the use of gray water, source separation in toilets, etc.! In addition, private car traffic should be restricted! Free roof areas can be used for energy generation (solar power, etc.). For projects on revegetation, preference have to given to plants with a low water consumption (e.g. large, shady cork oaks, wine, etc.)!
• In regions with water scarcity, water procurement must actively follow the weather! Examples are the collection of monsoon rain in special underground storage basins after filtering through layers of sediment, the collection of fog by special nets, simple rainwater bins, targeted collection and storage of flood water in special catacombs/tunnel systems or above-ground catchment or storage basins, etc..
• In particular in regions with water scarcity often problems occur with adhering hygiene standards and with supplying the population with water and basic food. Affected communities should actively counteract this by promoting electricity connections, central, energy-efficient laundromats, modern toilet facilities with modern wastewater treatment, water-saving washing facilities and energy-efficient standard kitchens! In addition, the local population have to be trained on the subject of energy-efficient, water-saving use of modern electrical appliances!
• The backpack strategy is particularly useful where public funds for climate adaptation measures are scarce. Thereby, you use what is already there (parks, streams, current road construction measures, upcoming renovations, partner projects for climate adaptation, etc.) and promote synergies.
• One example: a first step to green urban and peri-urban areas (Green City) can be to create green corridors along rivers/streams that cross the city. In doing so, the rivers become renatured and green areas (including smaller forests, or rain gardens) become built along the river banks. Also, these green areas serve as retention areas for storm floods and recreational areas for residents and tourists. In addition, some of the surface water (including rainwater) become filtered through the green areas before entering the groundwater (Key word: sponge city).
• Likewise, green areas (city forests, parks, etc.) can also be created along the banks of lakes and ponds.
• But even without open waters, green park paths or urban forests that are leaded across the urban and peri-urban area can help improve the microclimate (as long as sufficient water is available).
• Where possible, spilled and canalized waters should be renatured/restored and integrated into the public room! Here they can also serve as near-natural retention areas for storm floods. However, a sustainable renaturation of waters only works where an appropriate hygiene is secured and the spread of pests such as rats, cockroaches and tiger mosquitoes is avoided (for example: through closed rubbish bins, rubbish bins for the feces of dogs, suitable plantings, clean toilets, etc.).
• In urban parks and forests, an high population of wild animals such as deer, wild boar, rabbits, water rats, ducks, etc. can be controlled by hunting. The meat can be marketed, either frozen or fresh, in municipal health food stores or on regional organic markets. From the leather/skin modern clothes can be made.
• Where possible, public parks, urban and roof gardens can also be used by local beekeepers.
• All municipalities should provide free and clean toilets in sufficient numbers!
• Both urban and rural municipalities should promote new, modern sanitary facilities! Some examples are: the separation of sources in toilets, the use of gray water, and - where appropriate - modern composting/dry toilets (in parks). 
• Avoid an unnecessary surface sealing and promote groundwater regeneration! Groundwater protection zones in particular should always be kept free of developments such as settlements and industrial parks.
• Avoid new settlements on floodplains and wetlands! Where floodplains are already settled and resettlement of the population is difficult, various measures can be taken in order to protect the population and avoid follow-up costs. Some examples are: digital monitoring systems, qualified specialists, smart forecast systems, protective barriers, mobile storm surge walls, diversion channels, green floodplain areas in and outside the city, green rainwater channels next to the road, sloping roads, special cloud burst roads that lead water to rain forests, etc.). In general: Even if green solutions are preferable, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. A detailed potential analysis is always required!
• Wherever possible, rainwater and surface runoff should be filtered through green spaces, such as wetlands, and not become fed into the sewer system, but rather directly into the soil or surface waters! In doing so, high costs for water treatment can be saved and groundwater recharge can be promoted. In addition, the green area can be naturally irrigated with the surface water.
• In term of a circular economy wastewater can be a valuable resource, not only for plant nutrients, but also for noble metals, cellulose, plastic, methane for heating or power plants, etc..
• Two stage wetland wastewater removal systems are more efficient in removal of micropollutants than classical municipal wastewater treatment plants. They can be a cheap, efficient solution, especially at rural areas. 
• In some municipalities, decentralizing wastewater treatment plants can also be an efficient solution for saving high costs. For example: the wastewater from smaller residential units can be treated in a decentralized manner using constructed wetlands, source separation, etc., on the other hand, wastewater from industrial plants or from clinics can be fed separately into specialized treatment processes.
• Especially with water scarcity a modern circular economy integrates hybrid grey-green infrastructure!
• Also the energy supply can, as far as possible, be organized in a decentralized way. Examples are: wind turbines, photovoltaic systems, biogas systems, energy self-sufficient buildings, etc.. There is a need of electricity storage devices (e.g. green hydrogen, synthetic methane, pumped storage hydro power station) for such seasonal systems!
• When using H₂, always pay attention to its origin/production! If H₂ is obtained directly from drinking water/fresh water, then this cannot be sustainable. Especially not if the water extraction takes place in regions with water scarcity. This type of energy storage or production of fuel is certainly the worst of all available variants. Better is the direct generation of energy, for example via photovoltaics and wind turbines with a direct transmission of electricity via power lines (cables, keyword: power grid expansion), as well as the direct use of electricity as fuel.
• On a first glance, geothermal heating and cooling seems to be an efficient solution for larger building complexes. But, the dangers for the environment cannot be adequately foreseen (earthquakes, subsidence, etc.). Alternatively, terrestrial heat energy or biogas plants can be used.
• Also consider alternative techniques for heating and hot water preparation via double use! For example, the waste heat from various electrical devices (computer centers) can be used as free heating; or heating systems, biogas plants, and slaughterhouses can heat the drinking water, various buildings, or greenhouses at the same time through heat exchange.
• Modern heat exchange systems in lakes or oceans can help to save energy in existing systems (desalination systems, drinking water systems, etc.) and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It should be noted that the efficiency of the systems strongly depends on the prevailing environmental conditions (including the climate). Also, the environmental compatibility of the system must be continuously monitored (effects on the ecosystem)!
• Seawater desalination plants can be used several times: for drinking water production, for sea salt production, for the production of lithium, etc.. Smaller desalination plants for electricity-free drinking water production can be built by private households themselves.
• A suitable infrastructure enables both residents, as well as tourists to largely do without an own car. Some examples: an environmentally friendly urban or rural commune is generously sized and offers sufficient green and water areas, as well as leisure and recreational space for tourists and residents; it has social living space that can also be bought as a resident with the right of first refusal (e.g. as a small own flat); there is an extensive network of cycle paths, allotments/urban gardens and roof gardens, adequate connection to public transport, sufficient, secure and inexpensive parking facilities on the outskirts with connections to public transport and charging stations for electric vehicles; there is also enough parking space for bicycles, that is secure and covered; bicycle highways connect communities and districts and, also as bridges, lead across urban areas; in addition, there are sufficient grocery stores with an extensive range, even in the center, as well as regional value chains, etc..
• A well-organized university campus helps to reduce energy consumption and thus greenhouse gas emissions (hardly any commuting, centrally organized supply of organic food, central organization of data security, central library, no costs for furnishing, etc.).
• Gastronomic businesses and retailers should offer a minimum of organically produced and climate-friendly products! Tourists could be alerted to organic shops and restaurants with more climate-friendly food via digital maps. 
• Assess the climate-friendliness of offerings in the catering industry in your municipality, so customers can decide what to chose! Use easy-to-understand (standard) labels and information boards to inform the customer/gast about the global warming potential of its meal!
• Parking in the city center should only be available with a ticket for residents and working persons! In addition, the various municipalities must quickly become adapted to the new drive technologies (e.g. sufficient tank systems for electric vehicles)!
• At all bus and train stations sufficient free, safe and covered parking spaces (parking garages with e-charging stations) for cars and bicycles are needed, in order to create incentives for a flexible use of the various modes of mobility!
• Noise immission in city centers can be significantly reduced by measures such as speed limits (30 km/h), low-noise road surfaces, quiet tires, orbital roads (by-pass) and e-mobility. In particular, the heavy vehicle traffic can be kept away from the city center by means of by-passes.
• Especially for ships and airplanes, the development and dissemination of synthetically produced fuels should be extensively promoted (keyword: renewable energies)! Examples are: CO₂-neutral fuels from air and solar heat (syngas and secondary products), electricity, etc..
• Renewable fuels (bio-fuels) obtained from plants cannot be sustainable because they occupy important arable land (crop land) that is required for food production!
• Hydrogen can be used as a battery for energy self-sufficient houses, but also as an alternative, renewable fuel. When using H₂, always pay attention to its origin/production! 
• All municipalities should convert their local public transport accordingly in favor to renewable energies!
• Wherever possible, residents should be encouraged (also financially) to apply for local jobs or for creating local jobs! An active promotion of a dual career of life partners in order to reduce the commuting efforts and improve the quality of life can be an important step on this direction.
• Each community should promote equality between different genders, ethnicities, etc., as well as the equality of the disabled! In doing so, reducing barriers in daily life might be the most important action. For example, the establishment of integrative kindergartens and schools, free of charge, or free school uniforms can be first steps in this direction.
• Processes such as gentrification and segregation of ethnic groups (ghettoization) must be actively avoided and corrected!
• With regards to allergy sufferers or existing economic and social structures, also nature based solutions must be sophisticated (e.g. thought-out street planting with suitable trees and shrubs, adapted park planting, green and safe playgrounds and childcare facilities, etc.)!
• Cycling must be made possible by a far-reaching and safe network of cycle paths in and between the municipalities! Barriers have to be removed!
• Cycling have to become easy to combine with public transport (for instance by safe multi-storey bicycle parks)!
• Where possible, trips to public authorities can be carried out online. 
• Communes can help to reduce long transport routes by actively promoting local value chains. In particular, the local value chains in the organic sector should be actively promoted, but also monitored!
• In addition, transport routes can also be reduced by actively promoting the local service sector in the areas of repairing electrical/electronical appliances, affordable and high-quality carpentry, laundromats (self-service laundry), shoemakers, sewing work, watchmakers, local tourism, etc.. The decisive factor is customer loyalty through quality!
• Also a tourist-friendly city center must offer sufficient space for the local population and comply with environmental protection criteria!
• Children should be able to reach their school safely via short footpaths at least until the end of primary school! For example, in urban areas crossing guards can contribute to this.
• Both, municipalities and local businesses can encourage the creation of school gardens and green school yards.
• The zero-waste school (use of grey water, 100% recycling of all trash, use of organic waste for the school garden or biogas plants, source separation at the toilet, etc.) can be a model for the households of the parents. 
• Public buildings, such as schools or kindergartens, should at least be zero-energy buildings! Avoid using unnecessary energy guzzlers (such as excessive and noisy ventilation systems) in schools!
• Promote the offer of organic food in the canteens in schools, care/nursing homes, hospitals and companies, as well as the establishment of relaxation rooms, nutritional advice, sporting events and smoking cessation courses!
• Ensure a comprehensive smoking ban (including the ban of e-cigarettes, with and without nicotine) in schools and other public institutions such as universities, clinics, or administrative institutions.
• For the free time of children and teenager, non-income-related opportunities for an ecological, sporting and cultural early support should be provided!
• Also, smaller communities and settlements should easily and cheaply be accessible via local public transport!
• Digital workplaces (including home offices) are only possible where there is a supply with rapid Internet (for instance via fiber optic cables).
• When setting up and expanding mobile phone masts, it is essential to clarify the risks for local animal species (bats, birds, insects, etc.), as well as the health risks of the local population! In case of doubt, internet telephony via the local WiFi network can be a cost-efficient alternative.
• Municipalities should change their subsidies so that environmentally harmful investments are removed in favor of environmentally friendly investments, both in the private and in the business sector!
• The expansion of investments that are environmentally friendly also includes the targeted redirection of financial investments. More detailed information on the subject of municipal divestment and sustainable reinvestment can be found here, for example.
• Avoid speculative investments in real estate, fossil fuels, and staple! This can drive up prices, for example for rents, basic food, etc..
• The energetic refurbishment of rental properties (houses, apartments, etc.) can be promoted in a targeted manner by committing the landlords to pay all additional costs themselves due to the higher energy consumption of their properties.
• Where possible, encourage companies to target savings and re-equipments in favor of the local environmental protection strategies/climate adaption or mitigation strategy! Use the instrument of subsidization for sanctioning!
• It might make sense to support the development of CO₂ capturing/CO₂ collectors (Direct Air Capture) where CO₂ can be used for industrial purposes. For example, CO₂ collected from air can be used for greenhouses, in diverse drinks, etc..
• Mineral fertilizers are not only available in very limited quantities, but can also be an important source of various environmental toxins. An example is mineral phosphate, which is used as a mineral plant fertilizer, but also in many other products (cosmetics such as toothpaste, artificial vitamins, weapons, medical products, construction, etc.). Mineral phosphate fertilizer is one of the main sources of the uranium enrichment in soils. From there it can also get into the surface water or groundwater. The concentration of uranium in phosphate rock can be so high that it was already used for uranium mining. But mineral phosphate can also contain other toxins such as cadmium, chromium, arsenic, etc.. These substances also reach the soil and often also the plants or the bodies of water. In order to avoid lasting contamination, only organic fertilizers should be used, where possible! In addition, when using phosphate industrially, organic phosphate or recycled phosphate should be used wherever possible!
• In drinking water protection areas, agriculture, including organic farming, should not be allowed! Especially livestock farming or vegetable cultivation should be prohibited or strongly restricted and controlled!
• Where water scarcity is predicted, farmers have to adapt their crops and livestock accordingly, as early as possible! But also customers have to become informed about how to adapt their behavior to the new situation (dietary change, less water consumption, less traffic, adaptations of buildings, etc.)!
• Organic farming takes into account all criteria of the protection of the environment: the protection of water, soil, air, human health and biodiversity. Fertilizers are used sparingly, and pesticides, biocides, medicines, etc. are only used as a last option. This approach should be promoted passively and actively, and it should serve as guideline for all forms of farming, likewise the Codex Alimentarius!
• The establishment of an ecological, sustainable agricultural economy should be actively subsidized (e.g. through direct payment to farmers, price guarantees for organic products, bonuses for not using pesticides, etc.)! A sustainable establishment of organic farming can also be supported by strengthening local, national or international synergies. For example: cost can be saved by machine sharing. Under consideration of transport costs, it might also make sense to relocate production facilities or cultivation areas to regions where there is significantly less damage to the environment (no water scarcity, high and safely available solar energy, nutrient rich soils, etc.). In addition, the settlement of suitable processing companies can be promoted/coordinated. 
• Where farmers cannot be paid directly, setting minimum prices for basic foodstuffs that are cost-effective and environmentally friendly can help ensure the quality of the goods.
• Even where controlled organic farming is not possible, a strong control of the use of pesticides, biocides, medicines, etc. is required to protect the environment (including human health)! In addition, free training courses (educational films, display boards, etc.) can inform farmers about current, organic alternatives.
• Pesticides, biocides, medicines, etc. should only be used in agriculture or forestry, if no other means are effective (choice of location, technical solutions, biodiversity, etc.) and unnecessary environmental damage can be excluded! A good summary of the effects of pesticides on ecosystem services and biodiversity using the example of Switzerland can be found here. 
• There is a need of an international establishment of a good practice for farming (agriculture and forestry)! 
• Like wind turbines, also solar panels have a lifetime that is about 20 years. So the earliest panels that are installed are already retired. The main components are glass, polymer and aluminium, but they may also contain potentially hazadous materials such as lead, copper, zink, gallium, tellurium, indium, rare earth, plastics, etc.. Act now, since old solar panels (as well as wind turbines) become an increasing waste problem!
• Understand buildings as material depots! For example: municipalities can coordinate the reuse or recycling of materials from buildings that have been approved for demolition. In doing so, resources can be saved.
• In the case of new buildings and conversions, road construction measures, etc., sustainable, ecological goals must always be take into account! For example, if possible, buildings should at least follow the criteria of passive houses, or zero-energy- and zero-waste-buildings, roads should already integrate safe cycle paths and suitable greening as well as noise protection, every municipality must offer clean train and bus stations, especially urban municipalities should be accessible directly via the international railway network, etc.!
• It makes only sense to demand people that they should have their dogs on a leash, if they are controlled and violations are sanctioned.
• Every municipality needs a debt counseling for both private households and companies! The debt counseling have to be offered professionally by the municipalities! It must be free of charge, but not by volunteers! If possible, debt reduction should always precede debt relief/insolvency! Instruments such as debt rescheduling, individual advice throughout the entire debt reduction process and saving courses should encourage the debt reduction!
• Commercial advertising seduces financially disadvantaged people into spending money they don't have on things they don't need. Also, it spoils the view of the landscape. Prohibit commercial advertising in your municipality!
• Educational offers for an environmentally friendly lifestyle (waste separation, renovations, house building, nutrition, agriculture/gardening, green energy, green savings, cooking, etc.) can also be addressed to adults and should be free of charge!
• Garden waste (e.g. from trees, bushes, grass, etc.) is a resource and should not be burned! If the municipality can offer a free collection (at the recycling center), burning of garden waste should be banned and sanctioned!
• Actively promote the cessation of the extensive meat consumption by pricing out the real (environmental) costs!
• Where possible, excessive prices for properties and apartments as well as excessive rents should be avoided! Measures can be the right of first refusal of tenants or residents, an adequate rent index, the ban of graduated rents, promotion of the purchase of own flats for private use by residents, the private use of houses and flats have to be checked, involvement of tenants in the maintenance of buildings (house cleaning, winter service, maintenance of green spaces, etc.), etc..
• When residential complexes should become saled, discounted credits could be given to residents who would like to buy their apartment themselves. Or communities of tenants could buy and manage entire residential units together, for example as a cooperative.
• Municipalities can also use funding from the federal government, the European Union or from the private sector (foundations) for actions in nature conservation and environmental protection measures. 
• When expanding digital infrastructures, make sure that all people and structures involved are protected extensively!
• Often increasing efficiency leads to an increase of the use: for example, with motor vehicles, airplanes, computers, smartphones, or food production. Thus, despite a considerable increase in efficiency, there is quickly a sharp increase in energy and resource consumption, as well as negative effects on human health, the prosperity of all, or the existing natural areas (overexploitation of the soil, loss of biodiversity, etc.). Thus with every innovation you always have to ask yourself whether and when it actually makes sense from an ecological point of view! Only support innovations that also make sense from an ecological point of view!
• "Most advantageous is better than most economical"! There is a need for laws that eradicate price dumping and secure compliance with social and environmental standards!
• Stop corruption and nepotism so that quality can prevail!
• Where there is war there is neither ecological progress nor prosperity.
• etc.

• Always pay attention to the quality first and then to the quantity! 
• Life decisions should never be made based on recommendations from fortune tellers, New Year's Eve magicians, etc.! Always make reasonable decisions, based on logical arguments that can be understood even after 10 years! Take enough time for important decisions! If you don't feel like making an independent decision, get advice from consumer organizations, therapists, doctors, lawyers, real friends and relatives! Always pay attention to the personal interests of the consultant!
• Avoid unnecessary decorations in cemeteries/graves; especially those made of plastic (candles, toys, ribbons, etc.)! Also make sure that the waste is properly separated!
• Don't be addicted to digital media!
• Use Lent, Ramadan, and so on to give up three bad habits! Examples could be: the car, the cell phone, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, the Internet, the television, cigarettes, meat, alcohol, betting, computer games, the metaverse, lemonade, chocolate or cake.
• Use matches instead of the lighter!
• Delete your old or invalid posts in the online forums, such as Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, Xing, Linkedin, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.! All private posts that are older than 3 months should generally be deleted!
• Do not spread fabricated truths or rumors! Check your information carefully!
• Do handicrafts or crochet your Christmas tree yourself, or buy an artificial tree made from renewable raw materials! You can find ideas for this on the Internet.
• On Christmas and on Birthday, usually one present is enough. Talk to the other donors and buy one right gift together! Often the self-made gift is a lot more fun. Also make it very clear to your relatives and friends that you would rather not like to have a present! Those who have received too many gifts can sell them, give them back or give them away to those in need!
• Use wrapping paper for several times or just do without it!
• Costumes for the carnival can be sewn from old clothes yourself, or bought/rented second-hand in specialised carnival shops.
• Refrain from using fireworks even on New Year's Eve!
• Unemployed people, welfare recipients, schoolchildren, pensioners and the disabled can use many public facilities at a reduced entrance fee (museums, theaters, swimming pools, etc.). Inquire about the options at the cash desk!
• There are free repair aids, like the repaircafe, in many cities.
• Print photos only, if they really needed, and, in order to save storage space, save image files in lower resolution! Minimize the uploading of film and image files on various online forums to the bare minimum!
• Use the option of online subscriptions, if you want to read a journal or a daily or weekly newspaper!
• However, if you prefer to read print media, since they are easier to share, do not consume additional electricity and secure jobs, then make sure that your preferred newspaper works CO₂-neutrally and uses paper and inks that are as environmentally friendly as possible! You can take advantage of various discount systems through a subscription.
• Turn off your mobile phone overnight or on the weekend!
• Anyone who can afford it should, whenever possible, use green electricity or at least sustainably generated electricity!
• Do not bother your surroundings with unnecessary noises, smells or light of any kind! Animals and humans react very differently (including health).
• Check your insurances for unnecessary or duplicate items! Examples are: older cars do not have to be fully insured; the insurance is often cheaper, if you pay your premium annually; smaller households with low-quality, easily replaceable furniture do not require household insurance; since each one will be buried in the one or another way after death, nobody needs a death insurance; if you are in a financial situation that threatens your existence (welfare recipients, some pensioners, etc.), you will receive legal aid from the state in the event of legal disputes, so you do not need legal protection insurance; etc.!
• Also check your subscription contracts (apps for mobile devices, newspaper subscriptions, mobile games, mobile courses, etc.) for unnecessary or duplicate items!
• In the event of consumer disputes (for instance: rent disputes), it might be worth to contact local consumer protection organizations.
• If possible, submit your tax return online! And complete your annual tax return even, if you did not have to pay any taxes in the year in question!
• Check your official notices (for instance: income supports, social benefits, maintenance payments, pensions, tax refunds, etc.)! But also in private sector hidden errors could happen. Thus, also check your annual bills on electricity, heating and water, refunds, reimbursements, etc.!
• Often also a recipient of social benefits (unemployment benefit, social assistance, etc.) is allowed to earn a limited amount of money. Try to find a part-time job that can be combined with a hobby and that helps to protect the environment! This also makes it easier for you to find a new permanent position.
• In financial crisis situations, the sale of various unused everyday objects, jewelry, or the car can quickly help. Separate yourself from items that you will not need for the foreseeable future!
• Do not buy new jewelry! Jewelry materials such as silver, gold, diamonds, etc. are important resources whose mining permanently destroys entire ecosystems. If you want to buy a new jewelry, ask your jeweller for jewelry made of recycled materials!
• Keep your barbecue in the garden to an absolute minimum! If you do grill, however, you should avoid grilling meat and fish to a large extent and prepare your food yourself (insert, etc.)!
• Avoid unnecessary commuting and try to live where you work!
• Not every technical innovation is actually good for you, your wallet or the environment. Before making any purchase, ask yourself whether you really need what your neighbor, friend, etc. already has!
• When making new purchases, always consider whether the manual version is cheaper and sufficient compared to the usually more expensive digital version, which is equipped with batteries and the like, and which consumes unnecessary resources! Items like timers, irons, alarm clocks, thermometers,  various energy-consuming apps for mobile phones (games, etc.), refrigerators, etc. can also be easily operated in the manual version. The difference to the digital fully or semi-automatic version does not matter in everyday life (for instance classical games, keys, etc.). In some cases, manual devices even perform significantly better in comparison. Other devices in the digital, automated version are certainly more ergonomic and less harmful to the health of the user (for example because fewer errors occur) or simply perform much better (like the thesaurus). 
• No private household needs things like 3D glasses, 3D televisions, virtual reality headsets, etc.!
• Support local entrepreneurs, if you can afford it (e.g. tailors, craftsmen, catering, gardeners, domestic help, etc.)! Point out your individual ideas of environmentally friendly action to the contracted entrepreneurs!
• Keep a detailed budget book!
• Never commit money or other valuables to people you don't know or trust!
• Build up reserves! In doing so, put some money aside in an external savings account (for crisis situations, for vacation, glasses, your own apartment, retirement, etc.), for example at the end of each month!
• If you want to invest in stocks, then focus your commitment primarily on sustainable stocks/equity funds or sustainable ETFs! You can find current information on this, for example, on the websites of ÖKO-TEST, Stiftung Warentest, etc..
• Avoid speculative investments in real estate, fossil fuels, staple foods, etc.! This can drive up prices for rents, basic food, resources, etc..
• Do not use or invest in cryptocurrencies! Cryptocurrencies consume a lot of electricity, they encourage online crime and are a waste of time and money for most of the investors, today. Bitcoins alone consume as much electricity as the whole of Switzerland.
• Take an active role in promoting equality between women and men!
• Further hints for an ecological-friendly life stile can also be found on the websites of the Federal Environment Agency, or on the websites of the German Council for Sustainable Development.
• Information on the subject of organic farming can be found on the following pages https://www.oekolandbau.de/.
• Further articles with some facts and figures on different environmental topics can also be found on the websites of werte-umwelt.de.