We have been funded! - Projects from the climate budget

The garden project "Through the whole year" at the Ankerplatz daycare center

Stecker-SolAEr is a newly founded working group of the energy transition association ER(H)langen e.V. with the aim of educating citizens in Erlangen and the surrounding area about the benefits of so-called balcony power plants or plug-in solar devices. To this end, the initiative offers uncomplicated, personal advice, trains new advisors and supports interested parties in the procurement of solar devices. In this way, Stecker-SolAEr aims to make a contribution to the energy transition. The funds provided by the climate budget were used to purchase a demonstration device for realistic installation. Advertising and flyer material as well as the financing of the website were also supported by the climate budget.

Contact via info@stecker-solaer.de

Thanks to the climate budget, the Büchenbach district has been equipped with bookcases in two popular locations: In spring, a high-quality metal bookcase was installed in Dorfstraße, which was initiated by the Kolpingsfamilie Büchenbach e.V.. And another such bookcase was installed on the Rudeltplatz, initiated by a private initiative. Now the citizens of Büchenbach can swap books back and forth to their heart's content in an uncomplicated way and on site.

The Dechsendorf garage flea market was well attended on a sunny Sunday in May. The weather was perfect for this event and many stalls were set up, attracting numerous visitors to the Dechsendorf alleyways. The jazz band played just the right music and created a great atmosphere. Despite the remote location, the upcycling workshop was particularly well received by children. All in all, it was a great event about resource-conserving consumption.

The 2022/23 school year was once again held under the motto "A school year for the climate". Important environmental and climate issues as well as the 17 ESD goals were the top priorities and have been continued and dealt with intensively since the last school year. All purchases and activities brought the pupils closer to the topics of sustainability, the valuable use of resources, environmental protection and pollution. The school library was expanded to include numerous books on the topics of environmental protection, climate, pollution, ESD goals and sustainability. The gardening club planted potatoes, tomatoes and bee-friendly plants in the school beds, among other things. They also renovated the school's own mini pond in the school garden, which was no longer functional, by planting new oxygenating and flowering plants in it. During a visit to the youth farm in Erlangen, the children were introduced to numerous topics, such as health and nutrition, in workshops. The children were thus able to acquire and expand their knowledge.

A group from BUND Naturschutz Erlangen developed a large box full of puzzles on the topics of (rain)forests, climate, biodiversity and consumption, which can be borrowed free of charge by anyone in Erlangen and the surrounding area for a deposit. The escape game is a puzzle game for outdoors in the forest and is therefore suitable for outdoor use. The target group for the game is young people aged 12 and over with language skills, or 14 and over.

Food accounts for 20 to 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions of every single person in Germany. A reduction of up to 70% is possible with a suitable diet. The dishes cooked in the neighborhood kitchen generally save 50 to 80%. This is calculated for all dishes using the Klimateller app. The aim is for previous participants to further increase their knowledge of climate-friendly nutrition and pass this knowledge on.

The group also looked at other sustainability topics, such as organic vegetable cultivation/agriculture, biodiversity and urban farming.

More about the neighborhood kitchen: www.lesecafe-anstaendig-essen.de

As part of "Mobility May", FAU's Green Office organized a panel discussion on the question of "How can sustainable mobility succeed?". Experts from the municipal administration, science, a company and an NGO discussed this and provided the audience with new points of view and solution concepts for the mobility transition in Erlangen and the region. The space for questions at the end was also used by the audience, encouraging dialog on the topic of sustainable mobility.

The panel discussion was also recorded and is available to all interested parties via a link on the Green Office website at https://www.green-office.fau.de/2024/04/17/mobilitaets-mai-an-der-fau/#Podiumsdiskussion.

Another activity during Mobility May was the presentation of a short film on long-distance cycling trips by filmmaker and enthusiastic cyclist Kilian Reil. The experience report on planning and carrying out trips by bike motivated the audience and helped to break down inner inhibitions about using a bike for a trip, but also for everyday journeys. Afterwards, the guests discussed the challenges of traveling by bike with the speaker and took many tips home with them.

Contact person: Fee Breunig (fee.breunig@fau.de), Green Office of the FAU

Photos:

Panel discussion "How can sustainable mobility succeed?": from left: Clara Thompson, Gabriele Engel, Frank Jülich, Harald Kipke

Presentation of a short film on long-distance cycling trips: from left: Fee Breunig, Kilian Reil (recorded by: Felix Potrykus)

The idea behind the ESG's "Verschenke-Häusle" is to reuse items that have been given away. The wooden house has been clearly visible on the paved forecourt in front of the ESG building at Hindenburgstraße 46 since June 2023. All kinds of items that are small enough to be stored in the house and are still in good condition can be sorted onto the shelves or placed on the clothes rail. Everyone can take what they like and give the items a second life. This avoids waste and conserves resources. In addition, the pinboard in the Häusle is intended to promote exchange in the neighborhood and become a meeting place.

25 new books were procured from local bookshops and - together with 35 other books already available in the library - presented on a separate shelf as the "Climate Protection" section. These are now part of the foundation's library and have been available to the public for reading and borrowing free of charge every Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. at the ZAM (Zentrum für Austausch und Machen e.V., Hauptstraße 65) since March 2023, and will continue to be so in the future.

Contact person: Dr. Rolf-Dieter Klug, "Connecting Worlds" Foundation, rolf.klug@verbindungderwelten.de

Employees of Teilerei Erlangen have built a cargo bike trailer - partly from used and partly from new materials - to collect leftover food in a climate-friendly way. This means that several hundred kilos of food can now be saved from the garbage can every week and sold at the Teilerei. On days when the Teilerei does not need the trailer itself, it can be borrowed from the Teilerei.

Contact: teilerei@mailbox.org

Global food production, including production, processing, transportation and marketing, accounts for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions (approx. 40%) and energy consumption. At the same time, agriculture is increasingly affected by the impact of the climate crisis. As part of the autumn forum of the "Forum 1.5 Mittelfranken" association, a varied program on the topics of agriculture, food production and global nutrition was offered under the title "Aufgetischt - Impulstage zu nachhaltiger Ernährung". The various organizations in Erlangen (e.g. Teilerei, Tafel, Essbare Stadt, Kulturpunkt) were presented and offered a total of over 100 participants the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes.

More information and contact: www.forum1punkt5-mfr.de

"I'd like to cook in a more climate-friendly way, but how do I do it?"

The climate-friendly neighborhood kitchen invites you to cook in a climate-friendly way! Every month, the Lesecafé in the Altstadtmarktspassage offers the opportunity to cook and eat together and learn interesting facts about the connection between food and the climate in a friendly atmosphere. - This includes tips and recipes that can be used to implement a climate-friendly, healthy and tasty diet in everyday life.

In addition to the regular meetings, the climate-friendly kitchen activists regularly provide recipes and information on climate-friendly nutrition via a blog. Click here for the blog of the climate-friendly neighborhood kitchen.

Since September 2022, a refrigerator funded by the climate budget has enabled the distribution of refrigerated food in the foodsharing Fairteiler in the Protestant Student Community (ESG). The Fairteiler is a place where anyone can put in or take out food according to the Fairteiler rules. It is therefore also an offer to private individuals to put surplus food in the Fairteiler before it spoils. The Fairteiler is also popular with food rescuers from Erlangen and has already saved a lot of food from the garbage can. The aim is to reduce food waste, which is unacceptable in times of climate change and rising food prices.

The educational orienteering run takes participants on a 5 km route through the Schwabachgrund and Meilwald forests. The participating children and young people use a map and compass to find their way. There are several stations along the route where they can experience nature and take part in cooperative exercises. The aim is to promote cohesion within the group and to develop climate and environmental education topics with a focus on water. The measure was carried out twice in the Brucker Lache with a focus on local history and forest soil with one school class each time and can be booked on an ongoing basis. Either the Brucker Lache or Erlangen's eastern district (Schwabach/ Meilwald) can be chosen as the location. An individual focus on social or nature education topics is possible and desirable. Contact can be made at: klimabudget@stadt.erlangen.de

In spring 2023, a pergola with edible climbing plants was built in the Montessori school playground, financed from the climate budget, which will also provide shade in the hot summer months. Three Year 7/8 classes took part in the project, carrying out the preparatory excavations for the scaffolding and the planting of the pergola. Climbing, heat-resistant plant species such as vines, kiwi and clematis were planted. Using this example, the children learned how simple measures can be taken to provide shade and at the same time grow sustainable fruit for consumption.

"Solar for everyone" was the motto at the Sieglitzhof citizens' festival in May 2023, when a committed citizen set up an information stand with a plug-in solar device. Around 60 interested visitors came to find out more about using solar power to generate electricity and about planning and implementing photovoltaic projects. There are also plans to make this solar device available for initiatives and clubs to borrow so that they can power smaller festivals and events with solar power.

As part of "Mobility May", FAU's Green Office organized a wide range of information events and interactive activities on climate-friendly mobility. Among other things, a bicycle safety check was carried out on two days with the support of the inclusive Café Hergricht on Roter Platz at FAU's Faculty of Engineering. This gave interested people the opportunity to have their bikes checked for roadworthiness free of charge and to have minor adjustments carried out, such as adjusting brakes, lubricating chains or changing inner tubes. The "Radl-Check" helped to strengthen the bicycle as a climate-friendly means of transport, raise awareness of road safety and lower the associated barrier to repair.

Contact person: Fee Breunig, fee.breunig@fau.de, Green Office of the FAU

Photo: Bike check stand at FAU's Red Square

Website: https://www.green-off ice.fau.de/2024/04/17/mobilitaets-mai-an-der-fau/#Rad-Check

Four new benches invite you to rest and linger in the beautiful cultural landscape around Kosbach. The benches were financed from the climate budget and installed with the support of local stakeholders.

In recent years, it became apparent that the slope at the playground in Kosbach was threatening to slide down towards the road, putting the trees on it at risk. This has now been secured by a construction project. A two-tiered bed was created to protect the trees standing on it and was planted with additional plants in spring 2023. This measure now prevents the slope from slipping further and the roots of the trees remain in the ground and are not exposed. In addition, rainwater can now seep into the ground better again.

Old trees have a much greater climate protection effect than young ones. It is therefore important to take measures that contribute to the preservation of old trees.

This stepped bed has preserved a large number of old trees at the Hegenichstraße playground and protected them from erosion and lack of water.

Whether in the garden or on the balcony: last year, Erlangen residents had the opportunity to plant their own climate protection tree. Stefan Strasser, ambassador for the European Garden Association - Nature in the Garden International and an organic gardener by trade, gave out climate protection trees for people to plant themselves, which were very well received. All the trees on offer were picked up within a very short time after prior registration and planted in private gardens. Mr. Strasser also offered expert advice to clarify which tree is best suited to which location. The expert was also happy to give tips on how to plant and care for the trees.

Further information can be found at: https://lilienarche.de/