Be a Climate Hero

There are so many great new ideas on crowdfunding portals such as Indiegogo or Kickstarter. And Indiegogo even has a special category for energy and green tech. From technological innovation to social issues, there are a lot of campaigns using new eco-friendly materials, solar panels and recycled stuff. There’s a great range of projects, so you can really help to fund products & issues that are close to your heart, while doing something good for the world and having the pride of supporting great ideas in the early stages. Funding can be done at all sorts of financial levels, with some projects starting with one Dollar donations. The biggest bonus is that you can be a beta tester for a lot of new technologies. And often you can get a perk for your donation. Yes!

The best way to appreciate nature is to get out there and enjoy it. Lots of writers, scientists, activists and even normal people talk about the transformative power of nature. What’s more, a lot of the issues that are plaguing the environment today are difficult to envision & are less than tangible to the average person. But get out into the field, just a little, and environmental impacts suddenly have a face (so to speak). Even when we argue that the impacts of travel aren’t negligible, traveling for a purpose – and for the specific role of helping us to see the changes happening on our planet – can be a force for good.

But even if you can’t make it to Iceland or the Arctic circle, you can appreciate the nature that you have in your own backyard and be sensitive to the changes that are happening all around us. That’s the fastest way to become a climate expert.

Will your positive energy help the climate? Maybe. Happy people are better able to make good choices, and those choices could be affecting the way you act, eat & make purchases. These may seem like really small things, but added up over a lifetime, it could make a considerable dent in your carbon footprint. So, smile & the whole world smiles with you!

For decades, financial specialists have touted the power of diversification. Some stocks go up, some go down. Bonds do well when interest rates go up, and gold has its times of market favor. While we can’t predict the future, we have put our money where are mouths are, and are taking a long term bet on renewable energy, customer solutions and energy networks. What should that mean for you? If you subscribe to the buy and hold strategy, then maybe it’s time to take a look at your portfolio and see if your energy investments are diversified. The world may still need conventional energy, but it’s not the only option available these days.

How much sharing does the average person do in a lifetime? Sharing resources is a great way to protect the climate. And sharing has really made a comeback in the last decade. Car-sharing, bike sharing, Airbnb, swap platforms, communal gardens & even Craisglist provides great resources for distributing our wealth of stuff.
What’s more, studies have shown that we could make incredible leaps in urban environments if we only improved public transportation & car sharing options. So, following the golden rule & sharing with your neighbors can bring extra benefits everywhere, but especially in big cities.

How many lights do you have in your home? How many of those are LEDs? It’s true that the light is a bit different from a traditional light bulb, but recent developments in LEDs mean that they are brighter, softer, or more efficient than they were just a few years ago. And the biggest difference is not in those things, but in the price. Although still more expensive that regular lightbulbs, they last a lot longer and cost you less on your energy bill.

The only part that needs improvement, from our point of view, is how to pick out the right bulb at the store. The choices are currently a little overwhelming.

Do you dream of owning a fancy car? Have you ever thought about an electric vehicle? If you answered yes to either question, then combine the two concepts & test drive an electric car. You might be shaking your head, saying, „the day I give up my 300 horsepower. .. „ But no, really. Driving an electric car is fun. In German, we have a word. It’s beschleunigen. That’s just a fancy word for acceleration, but it’s fun to say. When you step on the pedal, the car goes fast. Really fast. Don’t believe us? Take a look at this video. It’s crazy fun. Believe it

All this talk on the internet; fake news here, badly researched articles there. What’s true these days? Well, we know one thing for sure. We get lots of crazy comments on our social channels, especially under pictures of wind turbines. There are all sorts of problems that people love to point out. One big one is that wind turbines are loud & annoying to people who live nearby. Really?

Nope. Wind parks are quiet beasts. But why believe us? Just do a little road trip the next time you see a wind farm. Please stay on the county road and certainly don’t trespass on private property, but feel free to drive by and take a minute to roll down your car window. Don’t take it from someone else. Go have a listen. Feel free to report back to us.