The projects of the "Climate Seeks Protection" campaign provide information on climate protection and motivate private households, trade and commerce to become actively involved in climate protection – and to save money at the same time. The projects are carried out by the non-profit co2online gGmbH and are co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment.
Online advisers provide impartial and expert advice
Heating costs, electrical appliances and modernisation measures – co2online’s interactive online advisers address any topic applying to a household’s energy consumption and reveal its energy-saving potential.
Consumers receive impartial information with regard to modernisation measures, products or energy sources. The advisers combine expert knowledge of engineering with efficient communication and modern interactivity. The advisers are user-friendly, cost-efficient and available around the clock. Their product impartiality and the absence of pressure to buy removes any barriers or inhibitions on the part of the user.
co2online has been successful in its mission if the advice given by the online tools motivates users to implement a suggested action such as contacting a local energy consultant, or replacing an old fridge, for example, with a more energy efficient appliance.
Is your refrigerator power-hungry? The CoolingCheck helps you to find out quickly whether it would pay to replace your old appliance. Choose from a range of new energy-efficient appliances to suit your kitchen. The CoolingCheck allows you to calculate the CO2 emissions of your old appliance and determine the reduction in CO2 emissions achieved by purchasing a new “A++” labelled appliance.
The StandbyCheck calculates your base power consumption and the losses caused by the standby function of appliances in your home. It reveals the electricity costs that these “electricity vampires” incur.
Increasing energy prices, dwindling energy sources, insecure technologies and ever-lasting debates: house owners have many reasons to favour independent energy sources – on their own roofs. Solar energy poses a viable solution – its appeal grows ever stronger. Learn about the sun’s potential to generate electricity and heat for your home – with the help of the SolarroofCheck. NB: Work in progress – translation into English only. Adviser needs to be adapted to take into account the subsidies available in a particular country.
Competition "Energy Saver of the Year"
Annually, starting from 2006, the climate protection campaign awards "Energy Savers of the Year". Since 2008 the competition targets school classes. Ten winners who demonstrably reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions receive prize money of 50,000 Euro in total.
Young Energy Savers
The campaign presents creative events that motivate a younger crowd to save energy. A a climate song, climate-friendly music festivals and even the first climate-friendly music video – all introduce energy saving ideas that anyone can apply. Participation in carrotmobs makes even shopping a climate-friendly activity. co2online supports carrotmobs across Germany by advising participating shops on most efficient energy saving measures.
Online Climate Quiz "Mission Blue Planet"
The Climate Quiz "Mission Blue Planet" presents information and answers to over 1000 questions, for three age groups between 7 and 17, on the subject of weather, climate, and energy saving. The central themes explore the links between energy generation, energy consumption, weather and climate and the consequences of climate change. Two editions of more than 50,000 CD-ROMs in total have already been distributed. An online version is also available which even allows to challenge friends by email to compete against the clock.
A Network for Climate Protection
Our partners are energy agencies, associations, utilities, manufacturers, banks and NGOs. Any organisation that aims to protect our climate is welcome to be a partner. Once you have become a partner, you may incorporate the online advisers under your own logo on your website. We work together with our partners to develop innovative campaigns at national and international level, motivating individuals to become active for energy efficiency.
Awards
2009: The "champion energy saver" competition has been awarded the recognition as an "Official German Project for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development", a worldwide initiative by the UNESCO which is implemented in Germany with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the patronage of the German Federal President Horst Köhler.
August 2008: The "Clean Tech Media Award", Germany's first environmental media award, was awarded to co2online in the category "sustainability". The award was presented for the website content, the online advisers and the extensive networking.
2008: The tour of the "Grönland" was named one of 365 "Landmarks in the Land of Ideas 2008", an initiative by the German government and commerce and industry under the patronage of the German Federal President Horst Köhler.
2007: Dr. Johannes Hengstenberg, co2online’s founder, was selected an Ashoka Fellow as “social entrepreneur” (someone who reaches societal goals with business tools).
2007: co2online won the Sustainable Energy Europe Award in the category "Awareness Raiser". The Award for the "Climate Seeks Protection" campaign and its online tools, adaptable all over Europe, was presented for an outstanding contribution to reaching Europe’s energy targets.
October 2006: The Giga-Maus Award for the best online offer for "secondary school level" was given to co2online’s free online climate quiz "Mission Blue Planet". The Giga-Maus was awarded during the Frankfurt Book Fair and is a widely respected endorsement for quality software for children and families.
Evaluation
Impact analyses of four Online Advisers (Heating, Building modernisation, cooling appliances, pumps) and of the Written Heating Assessments showed that more than 3,5 million tons of CO2 will be avoided over the investments' expected lifetime. The costs of these tools add up to 1-2 Euro per ton of CO2 avoided. The calculation has been validated by Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy.
Additionally, quarterly co2online publishes its "Climate barometer", an online survey determining public sentiment on and interest in energy prices, security of energy supply and climate protection related topics.
co2online – Initiatior of the Climate Protection campaign
co2online is a non-profit limited liability company campaigning to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). co2online motivates private households, trade and commerce to become actively involved in climate protection and save money at the same time.
co2online implements several campaigns for private households and communities, all co-funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment. Our European campaign “European Citizens Climate Cup” is co-funded by Intelligent Energy Europe.
"Climate Seeks Protection" is a Campaign to get involved in
840 million tons of CO2 are emitted in Germany each year. Private households are responsible for one seventh of this, which equates to 120 million tons in total. 80% of the energy they consume is used exclusively for heating and hot water. With today's technology, about half of the resulting CO2 emissions are economically avoidable.
The aim of the campaign is to reduce the CO2 emissions of private households and small consumers due to heating, electricity and transport. Because: curbing the climate change is one of the central challenges of the 21st century. Those who save (fossil fuel) energy are helping to stop the growing proportion of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Kyoto-Protocol as Trigger for the Campaign
The climate protection campaign supports the fulfilment of the obligations that Germany has taken on in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. In 1997, in Kyoto, Japan, 150 countries agreed to the "Kyoto Protocol". According to this protocol, by 2012 the industrial states must reduce their emissions of CO2, methane and other greenhouse gases by 5.2 % in comparison with 1990 levels. The European Union must reduce emissions by 8 % and the USA by 7 %. The "Kyoto Protocol" came into force on February 16th 2005.
