...when I saw that rusty chair which you might spot when you squint, I asked myself: "Which idiot put that chair into the carrier of a high-voltage power line?" and then a flash of inspiration shot through my brain.
You see the wind turbines far on the hills: Germany - crammed with theorists dominating pragmatists, though we have great engineers - has to learn to produce its own sustainable electricity.
As Government is against our already installed nuclear power plants (the Honest Fritz shivers when he thinks of coming winter, though Government - really, no joke!- has equipped him with good advice: "Shower less and shorter" and "Use a washcloth" and "Turn down the heating") - we have (and should have long ago, I agree on that, thrusting aside the thought of many, many killed birds) to install more wind turbines.
So: "recycling" and "sustainability" are the right password of the present and the future.
(Though I would keep the nuclear power plants for a wile).
"Sustainabilty" you call it in Plain Old English - in Germany they call it "Nachhaltigkeit" - first used 1713 in a publication on forestry - but there as "nachhaltige Nutzung" = ongoing use" - which makes sense. As a German philologist, I am not happy with the substantive.
And I thought: why shall I throw that new blog of mine "...und eine kleine Blume muss man auch haben" - which is part of a quote of Hans Christian Andersen:
"Just living is not enough, said the butterfly, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower"
onto the compost heap, only because I made a mistake in thinking about my aim and my readers?
You are my readers - and you speak English - thus I will take the little blog-seedling and water it diligently, protect it agains sun and wind, maybe build a little wind shelter as The Little Prince did for his rose.
Meaning: I will write in my own rambling English words, make my own blunders - and do not leave the field to Google translations - all that I will do in the name of sustainability.
Come to think of it: I do it in the name of FUN - because I LOVE plants!
Do what you find satisfying. It will make you happier.
ReplyDeleteThank you, you are right, Mimmylynn - I'll do.
DeleteThat's the spirit, Britta! Onwards into the sunshine and flowers!
ReplyDeleteYes, I spy the rusting chair - it is very like an umpire's chair from a tennis court. Perhaps it is there for any to take a seat and judge for themselves the sustainable result of the match between the turbines and the power stations in keep the electrical ball in the air for Germany?
Speaking of, I was talking to a young German girl from my dancing class, from Cologne. She told me this winter schools and universities will remain online in her area as they expect not to be able to afford to heat the classrooms to the required 17 degrees to keep all the technology running smoothly. Is this likely to be true?
"Die Universität hält an der Präsenzlehre im Wintersemester 22/23 fest." The university holds on to classroom teaching in winter term 22/23". (Cologne - I only looked that one up)
DeleteDear Pip, a stone fell from my heart when I found this on my research. I had just read a discussion on "triage" in the influential Weekly Newspapers, Die ZEIT, - the question whether it would be right or not to put a Covid-Patient out of his sickbed (! already there!) in an Intensive Care ward in a hospital, if another comes in whose chances to recover seem better - after that shock I was ready to believe any of the horrible news we are showered with! (En passant: the quotes about taking showers - or better: not - are no fake quotes - you can't imagine what they discuss here to save energy. I have a lot to say about this subject - but it would fill hours or days.) Since September we have an official enactment for public buildings to put temperature down to 18°C degrees when people sit - when they walk: 17 °C (hahahaha). No warm water in public buildings to wash your hands (except in hospitals, schools, or homes for the elderly).
You see now why I NEED a little sunshine, Pip?
"Thirty: Love"
Yes, I will definitely follow you here Britta. Being an avid gardener, I'm always interested in learning more. Thank you for the invitation to join you.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to meet you here, Susan!
DeleteHaving "only" two large balconies (in two cities, which makes watering a little complicated) to garden on, I had to find a solution to kindle my love for plants and nature.