9. October 2024
Matthias Wagener, Julia Koç

Make Energy Saving Great Again

To clarify: With VAST GREEN, we have anchored sustainability as a corporate value at Vast Forward. Sustainability is a collective effort within our team to work towards a more sustainable future, both on an individual and on a corporate level. Since 2020, we have been developing and implementing our sustainability strategy together. And because sustainable change is a marathon, not a sprint, we continually seek creative ways to motivate ourselves in our remotely structured workday.

Challenge us!

An example are our team challenges, which take place regularly and motivate us to save energy and promote sustainable habits. So from September 23, 2024, to September 27, 2024, it was once again time to “let the games begin!”

But first, stop! Saving energy? Isn’t that old news?

Energy saving is truly not a new concept in Germany. It can be traced back to two central historical phases: the post-war period after World War II and the 1970s during the oil crisis. Both periods had different motivations and impacts regarding energy savings and resource management.

In addition, from the 1980s onwards, the emergence of the environmental and eco-movement and the discussion around individual responsibility for CO₂ emissions, heavily influenced by industry, came into play. This forms the basis of much of what shapes today’s sustainability discussions: the feeling of personal sacrifice, the sense of ideology, the accountability of others.

Why are we telling you this?

Because context is important when we want to frame our responsibility regarding sustainability. The effects of human-made climate change are visible and can be experienced today, if we choose to look. Nevertheless, many people do not change their behavior, and many companies prefer to stick to a “business as usual” approach, while the consumption spiral continues.

This is also linked to the fact that in the 2000s, lobby groups, particularly from the oil industry, shifted the discussion more towards the individual CO₂ footprint. The sustainability discourse shifted towards personal responsibility, while larger structural questions faded into the background. However, it remains true: if we start with ourselves, then, well, a beginning has been made.

Okay, but what can we do?

Save energy! The topic has regained special relevance due to its simplicity, both on a personal and societal level. The idea that we can all contribute through small, conscious actions is at the heart of modern sustainability strategies: by utilizing our personal options, from “turning off the lights” to installing solar panels on our balconies, we simultaneously sharpen our awareness of the world and what is happening to it. From the small to the large, so to speak.

And: it is also highly relevant for companies to view sustainability not just as an individual duty but to responsibly set it as a common corporate goal. This corporate certainty is what we need in order to create sustainable change.

Energy saving? Nothing new! But the beginning of many things!

In our challenge at the end of September, we shared simple yet effective tips on how to reduce personal energy consumption over the course of a week. This is good for the environment and helps us reduce costs—clear advantages for all involved.

It’s always nice not to be alone when participating in such actions, which is why the challenge ran parallel to the “Sustainability Action Days” organized on a national level. This allowed us not only to share our life hacks within our team but also to engage with other players from the sustainability community.

Back to the challenge. Let the games begin!

And it remains important to save energy and resources!

So, while energy saving is not a new idea, it is a good one. Reducing energy consumption not only lowers personal costs and CO₂ emissions but also helps preserve valuable natural resources—and can sharpen our awareness of why sustainability is so important.

Even small changes in daily life—whether through efficient heating, cooling, or the economical use of electricity—can have a noticeable effect. Let’s question our habits and consciously choose more sustainable alternatives.

We want to encourage you to walk this path with us. Only together, as a team and as a society, can we evoke the necessary sustainable change.

Of course, we also have a few energy-saving tips (Source: Polarstern Energie) that we want to share with everyone interested:

When airing out a room, open the windows fully. Really open them. Leaving them tilted lets the heat escape and cools the walls. If your windowsill is cluttered with knick-knacks, clear them away. Often, proper ventilation fails because of things like potted plants, pictures, and trinkets.

Just lowering the thermostat by 1 degree can save 6% of energy. A small measure that saves money. With annual heating costs of around 2,500€, you’ll already pay 150€ less – if you turn it down a bit everywhere at home.

DEFROST! Regularly use up food and defrost your fridge. Just a 1cm layer of ice can boost your fridge’s energy use by 10% to 15%. If your freezer door is stuck from all the ice, you’re probably paying a hefty energy bill. Best to unplug it over the weekend and let the ice melt. And don’t forget: The ideal fridge temperature is 7°C, and for the freezer, it’s -18°C.

Hot! Hot water usage accounts for about 12% of your energy consumption. But there’s a lot you can save. Shower more often instead of taking baths, keep it short, and use a water-saving showerhead. It can save up to 50% of energy and doesn’t cost much.

Switch for Sustainability! It means: Turn off lights you’re not using. It’s pretty obvious, but we all forget it from time to time. Once is no big deal, but repeatedly… well, that’s just a waste of energy. After all, lighting accounts for around 13% of electricity consumption.

Turn off devices – completely off. On average, standby mode in a single-family home consumes 360 kilowatt hours, and in a two-person household, 210 kWh. That would be about 180 or 105 euros a year, respectively, that you can make disappear from your electricity bill with the push of a button. Ka-ching!