25 ideas for a better world

We all know that our lifestyle is partly responsible for the global exploitation of people and nature – but we often ignore that because it is so much more pleasant not to think about it. We show you simple 25 tips that we can all use to make the world a little bit better. Let's finally get started!

Clothing: dressed fairly – how does that work?

1. Don't let "Made in Europe" blind you
   There are also sweatshops in Europe, i.e. factories in which people toil to low wages. Hungary, Serbia and Ukraine are particularly affected. According to a report by the "Campaign for Clean Clothes", seamstresses in Ukraine earn the minimum wage of 89 euros a month – earnings should be five times as high. "Made in Europe" on the label does not mean that everything is good. Better: ask your own favorite brands via email or social media how the company ensures compliance with labor rights.
2. Large textile companies burn or shred new clothing
   A third of the clothing produced is never sold or worn. For companies, the question arises: what to do with jeans or a T-shirt that were produced with high energy input and were never used? Some well-known brands have little interest in giving their products to clothing stores or selling them in cheap shops. But what is the solution? Ask the store what is done with unsold clothing. Also: set up real recycling cycles. Instead of cleaning rags or insulating material, the T-shirt should become a new T-shirt.
3. Don't just throw old clothes into containers
   There are significantly more old clothes than social institutions in this country need. According to the fair rating, an association of non-profit used clothing collectors, we donate one million tons each year. The problem: There are "good containers" where the proceeds benefit social purposes, but many are also illegal and are used for purely commercial purposes. If you want to be sure, hand in your clothes in the social department store or in the clothing store. Unfortunately, this cannot prevent a part from still being exported to Africa, but the clothing is carefully sorted beforehand – and many Africans live from second-hand shops.
4. Don't fall for greenwashing
   Both the government-initiated "Alliance for Sustainable Textiles" and Greenpeace's detox campaign also feature companies whose cheap disposable fashion is blamed for the grievances in the textile industry. It is reasonable to assume that these companies only want to paint a green coat of paint. Reliable seals such as IVN Best, Fear Wear Foundation or GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) show whether a garment was really produced fairly and ecologically. More information about the seals can be found in the "Guide through the Label Labyrinth".
5. Shop fair – but right
   Can you find environmentally and socially compatible clothing when strolling through the pedestrian zone? Rather not. Organic fashion is still a niche, and its market share is estimated at less than one percent. Even the comparatively widespread GOTS label only adorns five out of 10,000 items of clothing. Kirsten Brodde, textile expert at Greenpeace, advises to go to a green concept store. "There, the owners researched which brands produce really fairly, and we can safely take everything off the hook," she says. Alternatives are green online shops such as Deargoods, Glore, Grundstoff or Grüne Wiese.
6. Start upcycling
   There are various ways to extend the use phase of clothing: firstly, clothing exchange parties or second-hand events such as Vinokilo, where you can buy vintage items at a kilo price. Second, upcycling, which turns old clothes into new ones. Ideas are provided by upcycling workshops, sewing courses, for example secondary chic or Imke Klattenhoff. Maker fair fairs or change studios run by designers such as "Until it falls from my body" in Berlin or the "Sewing Center" in Braunschweig. It even works without sewing skills, as Martina Glomb, former chief designer at Vivienne Westwood and head of the fashion design course at the Hanover University of Applied Sciences says. Because: Upcycling starts with repairs. Her tips: cut a T-shirt from the long-sleeved shirt with broken sleeves or crochet the hole in the jeans with colored yarn. By the way: 58% of 18 to 29 year olds have never gone to the cobbler.

Living more sustainably: How our lifestyle does less damage elsewhere in the world

1. If fly, then pay
   When flying, the emissions of climate-damaging emissions per person and kilometer are not only above other means of transport, the effect is also much worse due to the height.
   So what to do? Anyone who flies anyway should make the emissions with a payment to charitable organizations such as B. Atmosfair or myclimate compensate. The money is invested in climate protection projects. By the way: Only about 1 percent of air travelers compensate for their flight with such payments.
2. Keep your eyes open when buying a car
   A complex topic. Hybrid drives, i.e. cars with combustion and electric motors, have been on the advance since the diesel scandal. But hybrid motors are fundamentally not without controversy. For example, here in Germany from "dirty" coal-fired power plants – and the manufacture of the batteries is neither clean nor social. Hybrid engines often paint the vehicles that deserve the least: the heavy and fuel-guzzling SUVs that look like a mixture of off-road vehicles and luxury sedans. The consumption and thus the CO2 emissions increase with the size of the car.
3. Less fish is more
   90 percent of the stocks are overfished or exploited to their limits. Our hunger for fish is to blame: Even off the coast of Africa, fish is caught industrially on a large scale for European customers. Local small fishermen on South American, African and Asian coasts lose their jobs and food without fish. Therefore: It's better to buy less fish and pay attention to sustainability seals (MSC, ASC or organic seals from Naturland and Bioland). As an alternative, try algae that also contain iodine and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
4. Fairtrade – but right
   Last year, every German spent 16 euros on fair trade products such as chocolate, cocoa or coffee. For small farmers in the global south, fair trade means that they receive guaranteed minimum prices for their raw materials, from which they can lead a decent life. They are independent of the strongly fluctuating world market prices. The share of fair trade in the overall market is increasing – albeit at a low level. Lets go on we can do it better! According to the Stiftung Warentest, the Naturland Fair, Fairtrade and Hand in Hand seals are particularly recommended.
5. Drink really good coffee
   It is like this with coffee: If the raw materials in the country of production are not only harvested but also processed, even more people can benefit from it. This creates additional jobs, more money remains in the country. Such products already exist, for example coffee from Cuba or from Tanzania. BRIGITTE special tip: With support from Terre des Femmes and BRIGITTE in Rwanda, the social business start-up "Coffee Cooperative" from Berlin supports coffee that is 100 percent produced by women. "Angelique’s Finest" is produced in the Rambagira Kawa women's cooperative in Rwanda and roasted and packaged on site. The "Coffee Cooperative" is launching a large crowdfunding campaign to fund the start-up: If at least EUR 50,000 is raised, production will be commissioned, and about four weeks later the coffee will be roasted and packaged and shipped in a container. By the way: Of the 100 cups of coffee we drink, only four come from fair trade.
6. Avoid products with conventional palm oil The list of criticisms weighs heavily: palm oil is to blame for the displacement of indigenous people, the destruction of rainforests and the intensification of climate change. Unfortunately everything is correct. So what should be good about oil palms? The significantly higher yield per area compared to other oilseeds – which does not justify the deforestation of rainforests, but still benefits the environment. What does this mean for us? Buy cookies, chocolate spread or cosmetics only with bio-fair palm oil. Also: drive less often. The oil is contained in diesel fuel as a biofuel admixture.
7. Dispose of electronic waste deliberately
   First, electronic waste does not belong in household waste, even if it ends up there often. Secondly, electronic waste does not belong in the hands of the strangers who stand in front of the entrance to the recycling center. Because: A large part of this waste – officially declared as second-hand goods – is shipped to Asia or Africa, where it endangers the environment and the health of the residents. It is often children, for example, who burn cable jackets to get to the copper and inhale toxic fumes. Important: Return broken devices to large electrical retailers or to the nearest recycling center. Valuable metals are recycled there and hazardous substances such as heavy metals or CFCs are disposed of. You can donate working tablets / cell phones or give them away to friends or on social media.
8. Make climate protection felt
   Germany has committed to reducing its emissions to 750 million tons a year by 2020. In fact, almost nothing has changed in the past three years: we are just over 900 million tons. Of course, every single contribution is just a drop in the bucket. But we can at least develop awareness by calculating our own ecological footprint and figuring out where we can save emissions.

Nutrition: how we focus on class instead of mass

1. Consider meat as something special
   We see our farm animals as an economic resource and treat them like objects, the ethicist Herwig Grimm criticizes. The consequences: chicks are shredded, turkeys crammed into huge halls, piglets are cut off their tails without anesthesia. We are far from an animal-friendly agriculture, and that is also due to the grip on cheap meat. Simply reducing meat consumption to once a week and buying meat from animal-friendly agriculture would help.
2. Don't believe every seal
   How do you find products from animal-friendly agriculture? It is particularly difficult with meat: According to estimates by the consumer advice center, just one to two percent bear a seal that really stands for more animal protection. As a rule, it is meat from organic livestock farming with an organic seal, rarely there is meat with the seal "For more animal protection" from the German Animal Welfare Association. But: The Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection have been working on a state animal protection label for some time. If the new government is involved, it could be introduced later this year.
3. "Nose to Tail": Eat the whole animal
   It was a matter of course for our ancestors. It is a matter of courtesy to eat an animal that has been killed from head to toe, said English chef Fergus Henderson. He is right! Instead of just picking the raisins in the form of the fillet, everything is on the table: feet, cheeks, ears and tongue or innards such as the spleen, heart, liver and kidneys. In any case, Henderson's book "Nose to tail" is cult. For German tastes there is an alternative to the volume of the same name "Nose to Tail" by the colleagues of the magazine "Beef!".
4. Also eat the whole plant
   The same applies to meat as to vegetables: "Leaf to Root"! Why do we throw away carrot greens, cabbage stalks and banana peels? Okay, the leaves of radishes, celery, beetroot or kohlrabi often end up in green smoothies, but otherwise? In fact, the vegetable leaves often contain significantly more nutrients than the fruits: Kohlrabi leaves contain twice as much vitamin C and a multiple of carotene, calcium and iron than bananas, banana peels contain healthy antioxidants. Tip: Try it out with organically grown fruit and vegetables: Banana peel (organic!) Cut into small pieces, seared and caramelized with sugar makes great in pancake batter, apple peel and core casing become syrup, carrot green pesto.
5. Resist the colorful fruits
   It feels more and more complicated to buy the right vegetables and fruits. Everything is available in the supermarket at any time and from anywhere. Asparagus and raspberries, but also tomatoes and cucumbers have become normal in winter. Domestic goods are better for the environment. It is seasonal and regional, much comes from the field.
   Tip: Shop more often at the weekly market and ask what is currently grown outdoors – or check the seasonal calendar of the consumer centers. Tip for January and February: Kale and leek from the field. In addition, chicory, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, beetroot, onions and various types of cabbage from the warehouse. By the way: Winter vegetables are particularly rich in vitamins.
6. Don't fall for the regional lie
   Supermarkets and discounters like to advertise with food of regional origin. It goes so far that even coffee from Indonesia is advertised with "Quality from Bavaria". Consumers are rightly deceived by such practices. But the industry is made easy: there are no legal requirements for local or "regional". Supermarket chains and discounters shop centrally and in some cases distribute the goods nationwide to the individual markets. If you want to support regional producers, the best thing to do is buy at the weekly market and health food store.

Finance: This is how my money makes the world a little better

1. Influence together Oh, my little stock doesn't move anything anyway … Yes! Shareholders have the right to vote at the general meeting. The influence of a small shareholder on corporate policy is limited, but shareholders can pool their votes – for example with shareholder groups such as the German Protection Association for Securities Ownership, the German Protection Association for Small Shareholders or the umbrella organization of critical shareholders. By the way: In 2016, 157 billion euros were invested in sustainable investments in Germany – an increase of 15 percent compared to 2015.
2. Don't trust every eco-painting Eco-investments have become fashionable – marketers are taking full advantage of that. Some companies promise good returns and also lure with an "eco paint" – "It's also good for the environment", one might think as an investor. But be careful: is the company healthy, or is there a risk of bankruptcy like "German Pellets"? So inform well before investing, e.g. B. at herMoney or a financial professional.
3. Watch exactly what's inside The term "sustainable investment" is not uniformly defined. Example fund: Some providers exclude certain industries such as armaments or tobacco, some pick the best in an industry according to certain criteria, others rely on companies that not only avoid bad things, but do good things. So give good information before investing! The Sustainable Investments Forum, for example, provides a detailed overview of the concepts and fund profiles.
4. Pure development aid The economist and later Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is considered the founder of so-called microfinance funds. The principle: investors collect money and grant micro-credits. Millions of people in Asia, Africa or Latin America were able to build a livelihood with microcredit and were freed from poverty and dependency – mostly women. The return is usually not abundant for investors, but the social return on the investment is. There is more information here.
5. Have securities checked Giving money a face – that is the goal of Globalance Bank, which analyzes the impact of money on the economy, environment and society. How exactly? An algorithm is used to calculate a so-called footprint for companies and securities, which provides information about the effect of the money invested. Anyone who already has a securities account can have their securities checked free of charge. More information is available here.