What does climate neutral mean? Responsibility!

Climate. Such a comprehensive and burning topic. 

This has been shown to us very clearly in recent weeks and months. The bushfires and fires in Australia are not alone when it comes to signs of climate change, but they show us more than clearly what is happening on our no longer quite so blue planet.

Since August, fires have been raging across the entire continent on the other side of the world. And there is no end in sight. Climate researchers confirm that this is an effect of climate change. Every year, temperatures climb one rung further up the ladder towards the sun. The result: hotter and even drier summers - a vicious circle begins. 

The dark clouds of smoke billowing over Australia do not bode well. The fires have already produced more than half of Australia's annual CO2 emissions. And just like everything else on our planet, the air that surrounds it consists of a balanced mixture of chemical substances. A complex system of different gases.

The so-called greenhouse gases (CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) are responsible in this system for keeping our earth at an average temperature of +15 degrees. This is the only way we are able to live on Earth, because only very few of us would be happy with -18 degrees as the standard. 

Heat radiation from the interior of our planet, which would normally escape into space, is absorbed by these gases and to a certain extent re-radiated. If these greenhouse gases increase as a result of man-made emissions, i.e. the emission of large quantities of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, this ultimately leads to a rise in global temperatures. This is known as the anthropogenic greenhouse effect.

How is CO2 produced? 

Carbon dioxide is produced, for example, during the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, crude oil and natural gas. These substances are of organic origin and consist of carbon in their molecular composition. This is released during combustion in the form of CO2. Humans make use of this released energy in many ways and produce a considerable amount of additional CO2 with their consumption. On average, 21 % in the area of heating and electricity, 21 % in the area of mobility and 15 % through our diet. The fact that the food sector is only so "small" in this case is due to the fact that we are talking about CO2 and not methane. The remaining consumption accounts for 37%. That's 11.6 tons per capita in Germany! This puts us above the global average of just under 5 tons. 

The Federal Environment Agency states that there is a correlation between the level of income and the level of CO2 consumption. As a result of our consumer behavior and standard of living, we emit more CO2. This is due to frequent air travel and higher mileage through the use of our own cars. However, what really counts in the end are fundamental decisions regarding transportation, heating, consumption and eating habits.

Our planet has a fever 

Sometimes it seems to me that our planet has a fever. In the event of an infection, the human body raises its temperature to get rid of and destroy unwanted invaders. However, if the temperature is too high, the body damages itself. Proteins and enzymes denature and lose their function. I see a similar process on earth. The vicious circle I spoke about earlier. 

The increased temperature leads to drought and aridity, fires occur. The green lungs of our planet are destroyed and emit CO2 instead of utilizing it and thus supplying us with vital oxygen. The greenhouse effect is intensified and the global average temperature continues to rise. 

The responsibility lies with us! 

We must now do everything we can to bring the fever down. Because we have a responsibility! And we at junglück recognize this responsibility, which also goes hand in hand with bringing a product into the world, producing it and shipping it. That's why we do everything we can to make our business as environmentally conscious as possible and give something back to nature. 

junglück is environmentally conscious!  

Of course, environmental awareness means much more than "just" reducing CO2 emissions. With annual compensation payments, we support projects such as the Biomass Power Project in India, which uses CO2-neutral fuels such as rice husks to generate energy from renewable resources. In this way, we are working to offset the emissions caused by our business activities and can thus take a stand for climate protection through various measures. 

In order to reduce the emissions generated during shipping, we ship climate-neutrally in Germany, Austria and Switzerland via GoGreen from DHL, Post AT CO2 NEUTRAL ZUGESTELLT and Post CH ProClima shipping.

We also want to give something back to the earth and show our gratitude. This is why we are also selectively involved in nature conservation organizations such as the tropical forest foundation oroverde. In this context, our long-term cooperation with Eden Projects should not go unmentioned. By donating a tree for every product sold, we try to keep the ecological footprint we leave behind as small as possible. 

How can I live in a more climate-friendly way? 

According to environmental expert Dr. Michael Bilharz, we should primarily think about the big, overarching issues. So would you like to reduce your own personal ecological footprint or take a closer look at it? Then ask yourself which electricity you use, how often you use your car for short journeys, how well insulated your home is and which foods you consume more of. 

To make a contribution, use green electricity, switch to walking or cycling for short journeys, avoid unnecessary heating with good insulation, buy mainly organic products and limit your consumption of animal products! Find out more here.

It is also important that we recognize that climate protection is a task that can be shared. It can be very helpful to invest in larger climate protection projects and renewable energies. Often we can even reduce our per capita CO2 emissions much more effectively in this way than we could if we checked every movement in our everyday lives for its CO2 balance. Nevertheless, we believe that rethinking starts with you! And a rethink is inevitable. So it's up to us! 

We are the cause of the state our beautiful planet is in. A planet that shares so many of its treasures with us, but only if we are prepared to give something back. If we appreciate and respect its beauty and, above all, its transience. We only have this one earth. Just as we only have this one body.

Here's to a new decade, full of awareness, responsibility and respect for our planet and our fellow human beings!
junglücksgefühle for everyone...

Your Leonie