Going Green: For people who deal with the facts, the matter is clear. They share the opinion that we must act quickly, economically, competently and in a socially balanced manner. Those who deny the facts see it completely differently; they dispute man-made change in the climate. This makes every contribution, no matter how small, all the more important in positively influencing it. Players in the food industry and in communal and corporate catering play a significant role in this. By Dieter Mailänder, Redaktionsburo Dieter Mailänder
The necessity of Going Green i.e. the careful use of all the resources our environment has to offer is obvious. If you enter the term “natural disaster” in Wikipedia, an overview of the extreme wetter events in 2024 appears. It shows that large parts of our planet are affected by extreme storms, landslides, floods, earthquakes or wildfires, including Central and Southern Europe, Australia, the United States, East Africa, or the Urals. And the development is progressive.
In the Gulf of Mexico, for example, the average heat content of the water rose by 26% between 2013 und 2023 – higher than ever before. This warming has a strong impact on the temperature of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, which together make up about 71% the Earth’s surface. As important as Going Green is for the future of our planet, the challenges are just as great. You could also say that they are growing at a rate like the increase in temperature.
Why? For some time now, we have been in a phase in which the number of climate skeptics in responsible government positions is on the rise in various countries – a difficult development that will not change in the short term.
The Business World – a Noticeable Interest
In contrast to this, however, it is encouraging to note that in the business world, not only is there a willingness to address this issue, but in some cases, there is also a strong interest. Technology companies are making substantial contributions to minimizing the critical effects of human activity through their research and development and the resulting products, systems, controls etc.
Even companies in very traditional industries, such as steel production, are embracing renewable energies and investing in alternative forms of energy, such as green hydrogen. However, they are understandably calling for government co-financing for the development of these technologies. They are pushing for a secure energy supply, medium-term calculable prices, and precisely dimensioned energy supply lines as an additional requirement.
Those responsible for retail gastronomy, canteens or hospitals are also generally aware of how pressing the issue is and are thankfully taking care of it. As chefs, they enjoy a high reputation among their target groups. So, they can have a positive influence on their guests and patients. ”We do it this way because…” – this is a convincing argument for many people.
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