Germany: A green nation
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Taking care
(© dpa/pa/Design Pics)
Since the 1970s, the social, economic and political landscapes of Germany have been transformed through the increasing awareness and activism of the people in the name of protecting the environment. To cite militant recycling campaigns or the use of fuel-efficient cars is to touch only the tip of the ice berg. Germans take a holistic approach to the environment and the bodies of laws, networks of organizations and simple actions of individuals on a daily basis contribute to an effective nation-wide environmental consciousness.
Read more about Environmental Awareness in Germany
Germany’s environmental technology sector today represents 16 percent of the global market. This makes the German "green economy" not only a driver for growth and environmental sustainability, but also an important source of new employment. In 2010, the German Federal Minister for Environment, Norbert Röttgen, announced 1.8 million green jobs as part of this “green sector”.
Green jobs in Germany
Green fashion today combines eco with lifestyle, ethics and business to create a successful, trendy overall concept. All over the world, clothing companies are trying to make the manufacturing process more environmentally friendly and to enforce minimum social standards in production. German companies are international leaders in this market.
Green Fashion moving from alternative to mainstream
The German government has ambitious goals when it comes to electric transport: be the leading market for electro-mobility in the long term, and by 2020 get one million electric vehicles onto German roads. To do that, it has developed plans of action at the national level in terms of transport, R&D, and is willingly joined in its efforts by numerous initiatives from the private sector and the German auto industry itself.
Electricmobility
Protecting the climate and environment is playing an increasingly important role in tourism. In Germany, too, people are showing a greater readiness to embark upon environmentally friendly holidays.
Green Tourism