The experiment has shown me that it is difficult to consume more sustainably, even in a green city such as Freiburg. It certainly costs more to purchase organic food. This is quite an impediment for students wanting to follow the strict rules of the experiment. It also takes a lot more time to organize yourself - to make sure you go shopping when the local markets are on, to produce your own organic soap, to make your own lunch every morning so you don’t have to go to the Mensa, etc. If you get caught out, the temptation to duck into Pennymarkt is very strong. I guess this is one area where students have an advantage, as they generally have more spare time than working people. In addition, and this is something I didn’t really think about before doing the experiment, it is quite a challenge to make sure that you are getting proper nutrition when you are eating only local vegetarian food. I may be being overly pessimistic, but I really think it isn’t possible to have a completely local diet in Freiburg and remain healthy.
Anyone reading my previous posts would realize that I didn’t follow the rules all the time – in fact hardly ever! However looking back, I don’t think my experiences during the experiment were a complete failure. Even though I didn’t follow the rules, I was always thinking about them. I hope this consciousness will stay with me going forward. Also, I now realize that I am buying a lot more food from local farmers. I make going to the local produce stalls in my home village of Gottenheim a priority now, whereas previously I would do it only when I was passing by. I only buy fruit and veggies from the supermarket that I can’t get from these stalls. In addition, I am really conscious of the amount of packaging used in supermarkets and try to minimize this, and strive to buy organic and local produce as much as possible – certainly more than before the experiment. I’m also still doing my submarine showers (albeit with hot water). This makes me feel a bit better about my poor showing during the experiment.
My experiences in Freiburg have made me think about whether sustainable consumption is feasible back in Australia. Although I think it is, it would certainly be much harder than in Germany. For starters, there is no recognized labeling system for organic foods, and it is often difficult to find out where foods come from. In addition, in a big city like Sydney there aren’t any farms close by, unlike in the smaller German cities (like Freiburg) where you can find agricultural areas within 10km of the city centre. In Sydney, the residential areas spread for about 100km in every direction before you hit any real agricultural land. Furthermore, there is a different attitude towards what is considered local produce. In Australia, a mango that is grown 2000km away from Sydney in Queensland (and transported by truck) is considered local produce. Whereas, in Germany, people seem to have a stronger concept of regional identity, and some would be horrified by the prospect of buying an orange from Spain (only about 1500km from Freiburg). I will be interested to check out the sustainable consumption options when I return to Sydney next month.
I would definitely recommend that people become more conscious about their consumption habits. Although the rules of the experiment were perhaps too difficult for most people to follow, it was a good way to start thinking about the way in which you live your life. I think that the strict rules of the experiment are not sustainable, however I think people can certainly make changes, even if they are just small ones, which can make their lives more ecologically sustainable. If they can stick to these small changes, then gradually they can make bigger ones, and the process will build. I doubt we’ll all be having cold showers any time soon though!
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