Large and small footprints symbolize different ecological footprints.

How do I get started?

Simple steps towards a sustainable lifestyle
Large and small footprints symbolize different ecological footprints.
Illustration: Julian Ukena

With these steps you can start right away:

  • Save Energy
    • Keep windows and doors closed in heated rooms – whether at university or at home.
    • Calculate your carbon footprintExternal link and think about ways to save energy in your everyday life. Address the topic with your flatmates, e.g. when purchasing new appliances.
    • Unsubscribe from an unwanted e-mail newsletter.
    • Disable autoplay on YouTube, etc.
    • Plug frequently used devices into a power strip with a switch.
  • Eat healthy for the planet
    • Avoid food waste and become a food saver yourself: Use the Fairteiler in the "Green House" (Schillergässchen 5) to share edible food.
    • Download a seasonal calendar and consult it during your next visit at the supermarket. You can also find regional vegetables at the weekly Green marketExternal link in Jena.
    • Try the vegetarian and vegan options in the dining hall.
    • Next time you go shopping, replace an animal derived product with a plant-based alternative.
    • Buy food unpackaged, if possible.
  • Take care of yourself
    • Explore the nature in and around Jena by foot, by bike or with your semester ticket (thoska).
    • Integrate mindfulness exercises and movement into your everyday life. Spend your next break consciously and actively, e.g. with yoga exercises or a short meditation.
    • Take a walk through the Botanical Garden during your next lunch break. Students of the University of Jena are granted free admission with the thoska.
    • Plan an outdoor activity with your friends such as a hike on the Saale-Horizontale or in the Thuringian Forest.
  • Reduce waste
    • Do the quiz on waste separationExternal link!
    • Install a poster on waste separationExternal link (available in German only) in your apartment.
    • Don't leave the house without reusable containers: make lunch boxes, reusable cups and baggies your daily companions.
    • Spend your next lunch break waste-free!
    • Continue to use paper that is printed on one side only as a notepad.
    • Bring discarded but still useful items to a giveaway shelf or the free storeExternal link (available in German only). This mapExternal link helps you to find the right places (available in German only).
  • Get involved
  • Educate Yourself