One of the most obvious differences between Germany and the US also happens to be one of the first I encountered: what to do with my trash. Turns out, it all depends on what each individual item of trash is. In my personal experience, the options in the US are most commonly single-stream recycling or simply trash. However, separating trash into its appropriate category and container is a must here in Germany. Plastic, paper, glass (and glass is sometimes separated even further by color), Biomüll (natural products such as food waste), and Restmüll (the remainder of what does not fit in the other categories) must be sorted and disposed of properly. 

For me, learning this practice has been an adjustment — it requires a bit of thought sometimes, and I occasionally still have to ask my housemates where a particular item belongs (for example, it can be hard to tell with some types of packaging). However, likely as a result of this waste management system, I have noticed a significantly higher prevalence of products made from recycled materials. And this system is just one aspect of sustainability regularly practiced and encountered in Germany. 

The idea of recycling certainly seems much more prevalent here than in the US, and it pertains to more than just the way we handle trash. Flea markets are extremely common and popular here, and they occur on scales both huge and small. The last weekend in September was Heidelberger Herbst (the city’s fall festival), and the streets in the Old Town were quite literally bustling with every manner of stall and stand, some hosted by businesses and others set up by families or even individuals. At least half of the markets sold second-hand clothes or other used household items ranging from dish sets to toys to wall decoration and nearly everything in between. Not only was I able to purchase two sweatshirts and a good-quality, heavy-duty winter jacket for an extremely reasonable price, but those clothes will now continue to be worn rather than being discarded or going unused. 

There are also neighborhood “flea markets” in residential areas. Unused household items are placed on a set of public shelves, and passersby may then claim these items cost-free. The AJY program (my particular exchange program) has a cabinet full of school supplies and bedroom accessories left behind by former students that are free for current students to use and take from. There is even a small-scale “flea market” within the house I am living in, referred to as the Tischmitte (directly translated as “middle of the table”). Housemates will leave unused or unwanted food, toiletries, or other miscellaneous items on a designated shelf that is then free to be taken from. Through such flea markets, items are given a second life, finding ways to be recycled and reused. I myself have acquired essentials that I was unable to bring with me from the US such as tupperware, notebooks, and sunscreen. 

In addition to recycling, carbon emissions produced by transportation are reduced through several means. The public transportation system is extensive and reliable, and there are bike lanes on almost every street, reducing the need for and dependency upon cars. Furthermore, the buses within the city of Heidelberg are hydrogen-powered. Aside from that, housing developments in the city’s newer sections consist of well-insulated “passive houses,” which require barely any energy to heat. 

Overall, the sustainability practices in Germany are many, variable, and noticeable in everyday life. It is also worth noting that one German word for sustainability (yes, there are multiple) includes the word for “future” while another includes the word for “after” and evokes a consideration for what comes after ourselves, ensuring future generations have what they need. Here, sustainability literally means caring for the future.