Climate Class - Workshops in schools
The project “Klasse Klima – her mit der coolen Zukunft“ (Climate Class – Bring on the Cool Future!) brings climate protection to schools.
Working groups (Arbeitskreise, AK)
The Leipzig regional group covers a wide range of fields of topics. For this reason, we organise ourselves into different working groups (Arbeitskreise, AK in German), in which members with special interests and know-how on certain topics can come together. This is where we develop the positions of BUND Leipzig. Here you can find information about the different working groups and the right contact person if you want to get involved.
Environment protection
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AK Environmental Law
Official comments on major projects, political programmes and municipal plans that have an impact on the environment enable citizens and recognised environmental associations to defend their interests, rights and living environment. For example, the construction or widening of a road could affect your quality of life and have a negative impact on climate change and nature conservation. But you can intervene!
You can make a personal (written) statement if you're directly affected. Another option is to take legal action together with a recognised environmental organisation, such as BUND. In this case, you don't have to be directly affected: you can take action for the environment wherever you see the need. BUND acts as "nature's lawyer" on the basis of the Environmental Appeals Act and the Federal Nature Conservation Act.
The Environmental Law working group prepares BUND Leipzig's official statements on public planning and legislation.
AK Urban Development & Transport
More mobility and less traffic - this is the motto under which BUND campaigns for a more sustainable transport policy.
Our main issues are:
- the development and implementation of an environmentally friendly and sustainable transport concept for the city of Leipzig
- the transformation of public space in the city: from transit lounge to living space for everyone
- the implementation of a "car-free day"
- the reduction of emissions
- increased investment in the development of environmentally friendly transport options (e.g. pavements, public transport, cycle paths)
- organising events such as European Mobility Week, Parking Day and the Jane's Walk Festival
- the sustainable reorganisation of delivery traffic
- the safety and reliability of cycle lanes and footpaths throughout the city
- the maintenance and development of urban (public) green spaces and recreational areas
- the implementation of the concept of the city of short distances.
A change in mobility is urgently needed. Car traffic alone causes huge health and environmental costs every year, and the ever-increasing volume of freight traffic is having a particularly negative impact. Air traffic is also growing and is likely to become the leading climate-killer among transport modes. The health impacts of traffic noise and pollutants such as diesel soot and particulate matter are enormous. When it comes to investment in infrastructure, far too much money is still being poured into the wrong channels. We need a new direction for a sustainable transport policy. We need to shift traffic from road to rail and improve the rail network.
In urban traffic, the mobility shift can only succeed by improving environmentally friendly modes of transport, i.e. by promoting public transport, walking and cycling. The motto must be: Share the city fairly! More space for bicycles, more space for pedestrians and more public spaces with high amenity value for all. To achieve this, the infrastructure for walking and cycling must be improved, and a seamless public transport network with frequent services and socially acceptable, affordable fares must be created. Urban delivery traffic must be redesigned in a climate-friendly way to create a clean and liveable city for all.
AK Resources & Recycling
In this working group we focus on resources and recycling. We develop concepts for waste prevention, but also concentrate on more effective uses of resources.
Our main topics are:
- waste prevention and resource conservation in the city of Leipzig
- measuring environmental education on waste prevention - such as workshops, second-hand markets, lectures, cinema screenings, discussion forums
- support of the recycling2go project
- preventing the unwanted delivery of printed circulars and junk mail within Leipzig
- litter clean-up events in and around Leipzig
AK Post-growth Economy
There's growth everywhere you look. Consumption is the order of the day. But where do all the resources for today's consumer world come from? Who are the winners and losers in this great global business? It is difficult to keep track of our economic structures and not lose faith in our system. However, there are many alternatives and new ideas about our current economic system that can (and must) change.
This is where the concept of post-growth comes in. It is a broad subject, but at its heart is the assumption that our economy cannot continue to grow forever in its current form because the planet's natural resources and capacity to absorb waste are finite. Most people see this for the problem that it is. But the conclusions we and policymakers draw from this, and how we should respond, are hotly debated. Is some kind of 'green economy' or 'green growth' possible and sufficient, or does the economy need to shrink? And how might a shrinking economy and society function? What political and social alternatives are conceivable and desirable? We want to approach this complex debate together by breaking it down into specific subtopics. We want to hear your ideas!
AK Climate & Energy
There is a lot of talk about climate protection. Internationally, it even looks like the German government is leading the way in reducing CO2 emissions. Germany's major energy companies are organising climate conferences and discussing climate protection at length. But talking and discussing is no longer enough! To avoid the worst-case scenario, we need to act now. We need to make radical changes to our energy sources and switch to renewable energy. Together we can find out what our sustainable and environmentally friendly future could look like and take action.Our main topics at a glance:
- energy transition from bottom-up
- Leipzig’s energy supply becoming 100% renewable
- a nuclear power phase-out
- the prevention of coal-fired power plants
- educational and informative tasks
These topics are the focus of our campaign work in informing and educating people in order to help create change locally.
AK Chemistry & Environment
The Chemicals and Environment working group implements BUND's nationwide campaigns on dangerous and environmentally harmful chemicals in everyday products such as toys and cosmetics. Global production of chemicals has risen from one million tonnes in 1930 to 400 million tonnes today. There are currently around 100,000 chemicals on the European market, of which only about four per cent have been certified as safe for humans and the environment. We want to change this! Our main issues are
- chemicals in kindergartens
- chemicals in drinking water
- chemicals in food
- chemicals in cosmetics
- nanotechnologies
- pesticide-free communities
These are the topics around which we organise events such as lectures, panel discussions, pub quizzes and more.
Nature protection
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AK Environmental Education
We have two children's groups: "Leipziger BUNDspechte" and "Auwald für alle" (Alluvial forests for everyone). The environmental education working group organises monthly events for these groups, for which we prepare fascinating content, design projects, look for excursion destinations, think up games, design flyers and supervise events.
We teach children about nature and the environment in a playful way, using all their senses to experience nature. For example, by building nesting boxes, children can learn about the active protection of different bird species and follow their way of life.
We are a team of qualified sociologists, art educators, biologists, ethnologists, geographers and graphic artists who provide our young environmentalists with eventful afternoons that combine creativity, education and active conservation.
AK Meadow Orchard
Our meadow orchard in Leipzig Wahren is one of BUND Leipzig's showpieces! Over the years it has become a habitat of high ecological value for many endangered animal and plant species, which needs to be looked after carefully, which is why our working group was founded. Together we organise and maintain the meadow biotope, which includes tasks such as professional mowing, apple picking and juice making every autumn.
We'd be happy to teach you about meadow orchard maintenance, biodiversity and species conservation. We can also give you useful tips on what to look out for when mowing, pruning and planting fruit trees. We also offer fascinating and informative tours of the orchard for groups and individuals.
AK Nature & Species Protection
Our working group is dedicated to the protection of flora and fauna in the city of Leipzig. We organise information events and excursions in order to raise public awareness of the various issues and problems. We also support the implementation of conservation measures within the city of Leipzig.
Our main topics are
- the protection of birds and insects
- monitoring the health of streams through the sponsorship agreement with the City of Leipzig
- the protection of urban nature, such as the protection of trees in the city and on wasteland, and the greening of the city.
We would also like to devote more time to protecting amphibians and bats and tackling invasive species/non-native plants and are looking for interested volunteers.
AK Agriculture & Food
To bring agricultural issues to the attention of the general public, our working group organises lectures, excursions, workshops, film screenings and cooking classes. One of the highlights is the annual Harvest Thanksgiving Week (EDW - Ernte-Dank-Woche) in October.
Our main issues are:
- the abolition of intensive livestock farming
- the development of a regionalised and environmentally friendly agricultural economy
- a shift from a policy of growth to a policy of sustainability
- a decisive reform of the Animal Protection Act and the Pharmaceutical Products Act
- the reduction of risks to human health associated with intensive livestock farming.
We’re thrilled every time new people want to join us and support our working group in organizing events and projects. That includes you!
AK Alluvial Forest & Water
The alluvial forest of Leipzig is one of the largest protected areas of its kind in Central Europe. In 2016, BUND in Saxony even provided evidence of a small population of wild cats in this natural environment in the city of Leipzig. Despite this, the forest is under constant threat from plans to build infrastructure for water tourism, large-scale logging and the presence of invasive plant species. There is an urgent need to take action to protect and conserve the Leipzig floodplain forest and its inhabitants. That's what our working group is doing! Join us!
Operations
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AK Web Design
The Web Design working group looks after the regional group's web presence, deciding what goes on the homepage and keeping it up to date.
In this working group we look at the issues and therefore our own training. We look at local opportunities to inform, educate and improve. We use our own knowledge and experience to help others.
We are not a circle of experts, but a group of interested people who want to work on a subject close to their hearts, learn from each other and, of course, achieve something together. Everyone participates in the way that suits them, giving as much time and energy as they want.
AK Public Relations
To promote the activities and issues that BUND Leipzig is working on, we create different communication concepts for different target groups. Young people prefer to be addressed differently than politicians, for example. Some people still prefer to read printed media, while others consume media via digital platforms. Which medium and format is best for which target group? Where can we place this information? We answer these and many other questions in our working group.
We are focusing on producing a leaflet containing the latest activities of the regional group, which we print locally and publish online, as well as developing a newsletter about our regional group, which is published every three months.
AK Layout
Are you creative and enjoy design-related activities? Then this is the group for you! We work on the conception and design of information and promotional materials such as flyers, posters and brochures.
We work on a variety of topics and learn as we go. We look at local opportunities to inform, educate and improve. We use our own knowledge and experience to help others.
Anyone can join the group, but we are particularly interested in professional graphic designers as some of the tasks in the layout group may require prior knowledge.
AK Photo & Film
This group focuses on photography and filming to document our activities, demonstrations and events. This content is published on our website and social media channels. This allows interested people to interact with and read about our work.
Are you interested in photography? Do you enjoy creating environmental content for social media? If so:
AK Finances
Our main tasks in this working group are
- fundraising
- obtaining funding and grants
- acquiring donations
- membership recruitment
- project accounting
We support the other working groups by finding funding for their activities and projects and helping them to keep track of where the money goes. If you are interested in any of these topics and would like to use your knowledge to protect nature and the environment in Leipzig, please get in touch!
Local-Group Southeast
On Wednesday the 31st of May 2023, the Southeast local group of BUND Leipzig was founded. It will be active in the districts of Probstheida, Meusdorf, Liebertwolkwitz, Holzhausen and Stötteritz.
We want to work directly in our neighbourhood for environmental protection, nature conservation, environmental education and sustainability in everyday life.
The aims of our group are:
- Preserving green spaces and tree populations as habitats to contribute to species protection (e.g. organising and carrying out new and replacement plantings, maintaining tree grates, putting up nesting boxes).
- Introduce traffic-calmed zones to provide a safe environment for families and the elderly and to reduce noise.
- Protect and develop unpaved areas
- Create recreational oases with seating areas to facilitate public encounters and nature experiences.
- Environmental education for children, amateur gardeners, etc.
These goals can be achieved by all participants and we look forward to working together for a healthy and green neighbourhood.
All interested people from the neighbourhoods concerned are invited to the meetings of the local group.
Participation in the local group is open to everyone, regardless of membership of BUND!
Our next meeting will take place on the 12.07.2023 at 18:30 in the restaurant "Schnittstelle1845", Gerhard Langner Weg 1, 04299 Leipzig.
Local-Group East
Jana Burmeister
(Foto: Jana Burmeister)
The local group East (Ortsgruppe Ost) is active in the neighbourhoods of Neustadt-Neuschönefeld, Volkmarsdorf, Reudnitz, Anger-Crottendorf and Stötteritz. Its purpose is to bring environmental education and sustainability into everyday life and to network with associations and institutions in these neighborhoods. Under the heading "Edible East, Clean East, Wild East", we regularly organize events such as seed ball workshops, hikes and guided herbal tours, litter clean-up events and insect hotel workshops. Moreover, we cultivate a community garden in the East of Leipzig.
We are committed to creating places and occasions for people to get meet-up, connect, and to promote a collaborative togetherness in our city.
If you wish to get involved in our community garden, VAGaBUND Lene in the Lene-Voigt-Park, or to get to know more about our activities, don‘t hesitate to contact us!
Contact
Victor Weiler, Guy Pe'er, Alina Klein, Christoph Hartmann and Oliver Wieth
Board of the local-group East
vorstand-og-ost(at)bund-leipzig.de
Contact them by e-mail!
BUNDjugend
We believe in and fight for a positive future that we want to help shape through our efforts and commitment. The world is changing, but we can take part in setting the direction. BUNDjugend (BUNDyouth) offers a space for opinions and creative ideas. With us, young people take responsibility and help decide what we do.
You are welcome to join us, to bring in your topics and to actively shape the group! We are looking for young committed people – pupils, trainees, students up to 27 years – who want to meet nice new people and work with them for Leipzig's environment, a sustainable urban development and a better future for all of us.
You can learn more about what the BUNDjugend Leipzig does here.
Contact form
If you would like to get active in one of our working groups or found a new one, please contact us! You will then can be included into our internal mailing list, which will inform you about dates and actions of the respective working group.