I AM CURRENTLY ON VACATION IN GERMANY, and since I keep hearing that the Germans are miles ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to renewable energies and recycling, I thought it would be interesting to look into some of the country’s statistics.
According to CleanTechnica, Germany’s solar production during the first half of 2014 was up 28%, while wind power was up 19%.
As a result, the renewable sector accounted for 31% of the nation’s electricity. The plan is to reach 35% by 2020 and an impressive 80% by 2050.
The increase in renewables has also been accompanied by a decrease in fossil fuel usage.
Gas-fired power plant production is down 25%, compared to last year, and hard coal production fell 11%. That’s pretty good!
When it comes to ‘Reduce’, Germans have room for improvement. In 2012, according to a report by the Statistische Bundesamt in Wiesbaden, they created 611 kilo trash per person, which puts them in the fourth place compared to other European countries, only trumped by Denmark, Cyprus and Luxembourg. The average number of trash produced in the USA in 2010 was 745 kilo per person …
However, the Germans are doing pretty good at recycling; of Germany’s municipal waste, 45 percent is recycled, 38 percent is burned and 17 percent is composted
According to a recent report on European waste management, Germany has nearly eliminated waste from landfills thanks to a combination of restrictions and fees.
———————————————————————————————————-
HOW TO BE HAPPIER ….
…. LAUGH OFTEN! When we laugh, endorphins are released by the brain which not only give us that ‘feel good’ feeling , but have been shown to also help with pain relief.
———————————————————————————————————-
This awesome picture taken at Lizard’s Mouth near Santa Barbara, California, was sent to us by UTW supporter Gabriel. For more info on the yarn bombs, go to http://www.yarnbomber.com/
———————————————————————————————————-
What does Unfuck The World mean to you? If you are doing something to make this world a little better, please share it with us here https://unfucktheworld.net//share-your-actions/
———————————————————————————————————-
For more stories and pictures from the global events on UTW Day 2014, please visit our home page!