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Ernest Callenbach: The Hollowing Out of the American Empire

Published 15. October 2016

The current developments through the 2016 US elections reminded me of a serious but overall visionary lecture by Ernest Callenbach in Freiburg in 2005, which is still available on YouTube. His talk is more relevant than ever. 11 years later, one can say he was right on many points... But he does not lose sight of a positive, desirable, more sustainable world.

Back in 2005, Ernest Callenbach described how America has passed the peak of its world power, what forces have weakened it, and what would be needed to build a more sustainable world.

On Youtube his novel "Ökotopia" is available as an audio book (9 parts):
Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwmd96jvuqQ

Keywords: DE-News, Movies, Movies 11 to 45 Min, Social / Culture, Transition Town, Environmental policy

Published 22 March 2019

50,000 hectares more forest since 2002

Since 2002, the forest area in Germany has increased by about 50,000 hectares.

On the occasion of the International Forest Day on 21 March 2019, the Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, went to see the situation on site.

"The storm damage in winter, in summer, then the prolonged drought, plus the bark beetle infestation - last year was a disaster year for our forests, the damage is worrying. In 2018, more than 30 million cubic metres of damaged wood accrued. This is the fourth most severe damage event in German forestry in the past 30 years," the Minister said. "The continuing, serious bark beetle infestation will also lead to the death of more forest areas, and the exact extent of the damage caused will in some cases only be foreseeable in a few years' time.

Protecting the forest as much as possible is important. Because our forest fulfils a number of crucial tasks. It is a protector of the climate, a supplier of wood, a preserver of biodiversity and a place of recreation for citizens. For this reason, the BMEL will continue to work with the Länder to ensure that sufficient aid is available for clearing and reforesting damaged areas.

Source: BMEL press release no. 65 of 21.03.19

Keywords:
Stakeholders, Building materials / Construction, Greening / climate adaptation, Soil & land consumption, DE-News, Wood construction, Environmental policy, Ecology

Published 25. July 2017

Germany's first Efficiency House Plus housing estate opened

3:38 min, Published 02.06.2017

After a construction period of just under one and a half years, Germany's first Efficiency House Plus development was opened in Hügelshart near Augsburg on 14 July. The nine single-family houses and four semi-detached houses produce more energy than their residents consume on average for everyday life. The estate was built by asset bauen wohnen gmbh in cooperation with BayWa AG in accordance with the criteria of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Building for Efficiency House Plus houses.

To the project website:
www.effizienzhausplussiedlung.de

A film about the first apartments of the Energy-Plus-Settlement
2 min, Published on: 4.7.2017 on BR Television
(no longer online 11/20/2020)

Keywords:
Movies, Movies < 4 Min, News Blog Bavaria, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Settlements

Published 18. December 2016

sonnenFlat: Solar power for 0.00 cents

Even after the EEG reform, most photovoltaic systems on buildings are economical to operate. sonnen GmbH from Wildpoldsried offers a "sonnenFlat". This is particularly interesting for those who already have a PV system and are thinking about adding a battery, but also for anyone planning to purchase a PV system in 2017.
On the following website you can have a look at the offer and the calculations: sonnenFlat

Keywords:
Construction and operating costs, DE-News, Energy storage, Renewable, Climate protection, PV, PlusEnergy house/settlement, Electricity storage, Ecology, Economics