Trip to Savannah

Georgia Ports Authority: Dealing in Big Cargo and Managing Sustainably

The German Delegation’s first stop in Savannah was at Georgia’s Ports Authority. As the port is growing fast and has recently become the 4th biggest in the country, we were particularly interested in learning about its environmental practices and sustainability ambitions. Government Affairs Manager Leo Beckmann provided us with a presentation on the port’s functioning and its role for U.S. and world trade. As Mr. Beckmann points out, efficient and quick cargo handling is at the heart of a sustainable port. This entails minimizing congestion, optimizing cargo management and swift turnaround of goods. The result is not only more economic, but also a more environmentally friendly handling of cargo, as emissions are reduced and unnecessary transport of empty containers can be avoided.

FURTHERMORE, long-term investments have played a vital role for the port. Proactive addition of buffer capacity has allowed Savannah to deal with unexpected spikes in demand in an efficient manner. This in turn has helped ensure customer satisfaction and confidence in the port’s management. In this respect, being owned by the state of Georgia has allowed the port to commit to a long-term vision instead of concentrating on short-term gains.

Another way in which the port has been investing in its sustainable future is by switching from diesel-powered to electricity cargo cranes, thereby reducing local emissions and becoming less dependent on oil. This transition is scheduled to be completed within ten years. However, the port is currently not considering financial incentives for handling particularly efficient ships, as a number of ports in the US and Germany have already done. This would help carry the idea of sustainability beyond the port and contribute to a more environmentally friendly global freight shipping.

HAVING grown up going fishing with his father and grandfather in the wetlands surrounding Savannah, Mr. Beckmann has a personal interest in maintaining the port’s pristine natural habitat. Managing the port sustainably will help to keep up the tradition of going fishing with his own children. In this Mr. Beckmann exemplifies a rather common and often underestimated approach to the topic of sustainability and the issues of climate change: drawing from personal experience and individual conviction an incentive to implement and work on sustainable development in a professional context.

Arrival in Atlanta and First Day

Visiting Southface, Meeting the Consul General and Eating Bison Burgers

 

The delegation met for the first time in its entirety at Frankfurt airport on Thursday, September 24th. Filled with curiosity and excitement they headed towards Atlanta. Upon the arrival of the group Iris Schultz, Press Officer of the Consulate General took them to their first event at Kühne and Nagel Headquarters in Atlanta. Here, the delegates had the chance to meet with business representatives and industry employees while enjoying an American Octoberfest Dinner. The delegates were delighted that some of the folks attending the event had already checked out our blog and were pleased to meet them in person and exchange about the prospects of their visit. 

AFTER a well-deserved night’s rest at the Hyatt Place Downtown Atlanta, the delegation headed into their first day of meetings and sight visits. The first stop of the day was at Southface, an organization that aids “the construction development industry, government agencies and communities to promote sustainable homes, workplace and communities,” (Southface.org). At their LEED certified office the delegation had the opportunity to explore their efforts first hand. The building which is a mixture of an older house and newly added parts exemplifies all the big and small improvements which aid to a sustainable house. As Lea pointed out, “it is incredible of how many things you can think when you built sustainably and green.”

From having singular carpet tiles, which are easily replaceable and made from recycled materials, to waterless toilets that empty into the house-owned composting system, Southface offered great insights into the many opportunities to reduce waste, use recycled products, and use energy and resources efficiently. Particular highlights were the solar pots that added non-artificial lightening to the offices and the beautiful countertops and flooring, made from potash. Nils particularly enjoyed the ergodynamic office chairs, illustrating that a healthy posture is also part of a sustainable working environment. Before leaving, some delegates used the opportunity to buy some of Southface’s very own honey, produced on site and available for purchase in their office.

THE next stop brought the group to the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, where they met with staff and learned about the activities in the region, before discussing the visit and purpose of the delegation with Consul General Rünger. The Consul asked some tough questions about the possible impact and value such a visit might have beyond the participants’ individual merits, but the students did not dodge and represented themselves, their projects and their ideas with passion and conviction. Beyond the passionate words and unshakable belief in possibilities for change, the students all showed a great knowledge of their fields’ interrelatedness with the issues of climate change and sustainable, as well as exemplified that their interdisciplinary backgrounds can each contribute a new facet to the conversation and bring about innovative solutions.

Headed off to Ted’s Montana Grill, the next stop was a lunch with the Deputy Consul Wülfing, during which most delegates ate for their first time ever bison burger. The grill’s specialization in bison meat has actually helped to rejuvenate bison herds across the country. It turned out that making them a desirable resource, valued for their low-fat, healthy meat made them a commodity which was more highly in demand. This lead to the growth of herds, which now roam again freely in Montana and Wyoming. The Bison Burgers were so tempting that even some of the delegates that usually prefer vegetarian food carved and enjoyed some Bison meat - needless to say none of them regretted their choice.

Over our fantastic food we discussed diplomacy and the Transatlantic relationship, recognizing the importance of that partnership and the need to sustain it through consistent exchange on all levels of society, but particularly the young generations to correct stereotypes and misperceptions about the roles that each country play especially in climate change issues and environmental concerns.

CONCLUDING the first full day in Atlanta, the delegates ventured out to explore the city despite the rain and visit some of the sights.

Meet our Delegates

Meet Rachel: Bachelor Student, Global Citizen, Green Economist

"I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world." - Eugene V. Debs


"Throughout history, society’s efforts to ensure economic development, social inclusion or environmental sustainability were rather local. However, as we realize that the impacts of our actions on the environment are far-reaching and do not stop at national boarders, those tasks became indisputably global. The longer we wait to act on an international level, the more complex the challenges that countries face will get- especially in terms of energy and water.

In my opinion, the issue of resource scarcity and environmental protection is closely connected with economic instability and social inequality. All of the above require international cooperation and a committed society driving sustainable development. This means not only national actors must come together to define global policies, but also every one of us must adopt a global mindset.

I think sustainable development will be a primary task of our generation. We are all world citizens- it is time to resolve!" #RCU


Rachel Ullrich
Bachelor Student
Economics
Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg

Rachel Ullrich is enrolled in the Bachelors program of economy at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, which she intends to finish with her Bachelors thesis in the winter of 2015. The major focus of her studies in Freiburg, and during a semester abroad in Paris, have been economic policy and environmental economics.


Ms. Ullrich’s awareness on the issue of sustainability raised in High School, when she won a national students competition with a project on solar airplanes. During her studies in Freiburg, she worked for World Vision, a child aid foundation, which further raised her awareness and interest of current problems today and the urgent need for sustainable development. In an internship in a start up consulting firm focused on the aviation industry, Ms. Ullrich learned how environmental efficiency leads to economic success. These experiences made her see the necessity to build “bridges” between ecology and economy.


Rachels contribution to the summit will be on “Emissions Trading: Establishing a global carbon market.”

She will be tweeting, commenting, and posting under the "token" #RCU

Meet the Delegates

Meet Eva: Initiator, Community Organizer, Regional Coordinator

"We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and rapidly changing world." - Senator William F. Fulbright

"The Fulbright Program has had a great influence on my life; being able to participate in a program which has brought forth some of the world's greatest leaders in politics, medicine, innovation, and culture was not only a blessing but also a challenge to move beyond the small goals and dreams I had for myself. Most importantly, the experience of going away rooted me more deeply in the community I call home. When meeting people from all over the world, I realized that as cosmopolitan as we all appear, we are shaped, empowered, and energized by the small communities that we are a part of in daily life. For me the most important community is that of my family and home town. And that is what brought me to sustainability and to the green movement. Growing up with farmers and wine growers, you learn to consider the earthly elements an important part of everyday life. As a consequence, climate change hits close to home, when I see my friends struggle and search for different ways to sustain the agricultural businesses that makes their living. Having lived in rural communities in the US, I saw and heard the same issues.  It made me think, perhaps connecting the small communities, who have the same issues to talk about their ideas and solutions across cultures would be a great way to bring about the changes we need to build a more sustainable living for everyone. In the end, I believe that we often share more than what divides us, when we focus on the local and grassroots in particular we might be able to find new paths, never thought of before."

Eva Rüskamp

Graduate Student

American Studies

Humboldt-University Berlin

Currently writing her final thesis “Confronting the Elephant in the Room: 21st Century American Conservatism and the GOP”, which explores the Tea Party Movement and its implications for the “conservative consensus," Ms. Rüskamp will finish her research-based master degree in American studies at Humboldt-University Berlin in fall 2015. Her research focus has been on the culture of politics, social movements, and narrative theories. For the past two years, she has also worked as a student assistant at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), a German think tank and political society. Ms. Rüskamp holds a bachelor’s degree in English and American studies as well as sociology from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg. In 2011-12 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship, which enabled her to pursue English and women’s studies at the University of Oregon; in 2013 she also pursued research at the University of Western Brittany in France. Being interested and active in the Trans-Atlantic partnership, Ms. Rüskamp conducted a research project on cultural diplomacy with the German Consulate General in 2014. During this project, she developed a keen interest in the interplay of conservatism, climate change issues, and sustainability as well as climate diplomacy. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in cultural studies focusing on these issues and incorporating practical work in the field of climate diplomacy. Believing in communal service, she is also politically active in the Christian Democrats Union, the Young European Federalists, and volunteers among others with the Farm Women’s Association of her hometown.


Eva is our Regional Coordinator and Head of the Delegation. She will be moderating the Panel Discussion for the International Students.

Her personal views will be signed with the "token" #ERü

Meet the Delegates - Double Feature

Meet Lea: Bachelor Student, Responsibility Taker, Positive Thinker

“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible but also for what we do not do.” - John Babtiste Molière



"The continuous loss of biodiversity, the depletion of the ozone layer and climate change are processes with global implications, where we currently are not yet able to assess the full and entire consequences on the whole of life on this planet and the human race. These problems have already been recognized by different stakeholders from a great number of areas varying from industry, politics, and business to agriculture and science. Now it is time to come together form all kinds of disciplines to compare different approaches and to learn from each together in order to tackle the problems together.

We have to involve all sectors of society and need to find and implement solutions for all of them because long-term goals cannot be achieved by the change in behavior of individuals alone. Individuals are embedded in a structure, in a society and to create effective changes, it rather requires an overall societal change."  #LeL



Lea Lösch
Bachelor Student
Sociology and Geography
Wolfgang Goethe- University Frankfurt a. Main

Bio:
Enrolled in a research-based bachelor’s program of sociology, with a minor in geography, at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University in Frankfurt am Main since October 2014, Ms Lösch is interested in understanding human interaction in society and with their natural environment. After graduating High School with honors, she decided to go to New Zealand. Always excelling in languages, she participated in two student exchange programs with France acquiring perfect French skills. In New Zealand she participated in an English language course at “The Campbell Institute”. Afterwards she did voluntary work in two different environmental projects. When she returned she pursued an internship in a major German conservation organization (BUND) to learn about theoretical and practical skills of conservation work. These experiences motivated her to study sociology and geography, opening up interdisciplinary opportunities to engage with the issues of climate change and environmental policy.

Lea’s approach to sustainability and climate change is the “Establishment of a “Nature Development Index””

Lea will be posting, commenting and tweeting under the “token” #LeL

Meet Katja: Research Assistant, Counselor and Ecological Educator

„Learning is like rowing against the tide. Once you stop, you drift back.”- Chinese Proverb


“Human beings are changing diurnally, whenever being in interaction with their surrounding. It is a scientifically proven fact that personalities are compositions of inherent biological equipment on the one hand, but of a synergy of a million of experiences, having been made both, consciously and unconsciously, on the other. With special regard to the high impact of postnatal experiences during a lifetime, scientists derived some mechanisms and instruments to increase the efficiency of learning situations with the overall aim to alter human behavior. In my opinion, it requires a high amount of caution when we are attempting to modify human behavior because this would also provoke a modification in the individual personality. But when trying to hold off climate change (or at least to minimize its outcomes), to save our planet earth, I think it is absolutely necessary to fall back on scientific findings. One way is to establish ecoconsciousness, to educate people, to show how important it is to integrate ecological aspects in the decisions we make continually; in how we consume, how we act in our daily life. Because living nowadays means living in a globalized world: Whatever we do, whatever behavior we show, we never act only in the boundaries of our own surroundings, we act globally.” #KJ

Katja Jaronski
Bachelor Student
Educational Management / Psychology
Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg

Bio:
Being enrolled in the bachelor programs Educational Management and Psychology, Ms Jaronski aspires to finish her studies at Freiburg Albert Ludwigs University with a double degree. With a high interest in cause-and-effect relationships in general, Ms Jaronski participated in various projects that investigated the motivational-emotional influencing factors of human behavior, especially of those that could be found in teaching-and-learning situations. Currently, Ms Jaronski is also working as a research assistant with the faculty of the Department of Psychology. Focusing on capabilities to navigate and use different media, the department of Educational Psychology investigates the ways to improve the learning effects of educational courses through creating modern learning environments. This means that learning materials are prepared and reorganized to include multiple media.Within her studies of Educational Management, a program combining the theoretical foundations of Educational Sciences with their practical implementation in learning situations, Ms Jaronski focuses on increasing the effectiveness of courses, workshops and training sessions addressed to adults. She has a particular interest in such topics as human perception, decision-making processes and learned behavioral patterns. Ms Jaronski puts an emphasis in the individual’s needs and concerns, making it the basic principle for the conception of educational programs. This fundamental attitude has leaded her to help organize and work with a student-administrated institution for counseling services. Ms Jaronski also intends to further her knowledge in Systemic Consulting. For the future she resolves to utilize her knowledge in Behavioral Sciences to find solutions in establishing Ecoconsciousness, to establish a consciousness for environmental concerns and ecological behavior, not only in the upcoming generations, but within the current global population.

Katja's contribution to the Summit will be "Ecoconsciousness: Education and Climate Change."

Katja will be tweeting, commenting, and posting under the "token" #KJ