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In 2005, the Öko-Institut e.V. in Freiburg im Breisgau launched its "Eco Top Ten" project, with the consumer in mind. "Both form and extent of this project are unique for our institute", said project director, Dietlinde Quack. The initiative comprises a research project and a major campaign for consumer information. In co-operation with the Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung (Institute for socio-ecological research ISOE) the Freiburg instutute is working out a catalogue of criteria for sustainable products.
For the Eco Top Ten, the annual overall cost of a product is taken into account. For a washing machine this would e.g. not only be the purchase price, but also include the electricity, water and soap powder required by the machine. In addition, the appliances' environmental compatibility is assessed, for example the mercury content of energy-saving light bulbs. For the ecological assessment of a car, the carbon-monoxide greenhouse effect (40%), the noise pollution (20%), the pollution of the environment with carcinogenic and other noxious substances (35%) and the remaining environmental pollution (5%) are part of the overall final point value given. All criteria and detailed research reports are available on the internet.
According to the Öko-Institut, Eco Top Ten products are best characterised as being high quality and good value for money. Ecologically they are state-of-the-art. Meanwhile market surveys and/or product recommendations are available for ten product groups:
Prefabricated houses, gas central heating systems with gas condensing boilers, pellet-fired central heating systems and pellet-fired stoves, energy-saving light bulbs
Cars, car sharing, bicycles
"Bio & Fair" range offered by food retail chains
Fridges and freezers, dishwashers, gas and electric cookers
Ranges made from organic cotton – fair manufacturing guaranteed and tested for harmful substances
Washing machines, driers
Internet-based answer-phones, flat-screen monitors, PCs and notebooks, printers
TV sets
Eco Top Ten electricity suppliers
Sustainable investment funds and pension products
In addition to the overviews for the above product groups, the Eco Top Ten website supplies numerous tips on environmentally responsible use of these appliances. For example, the default brightness level on TV sets is often adjusted at a level which is much too high. You can save electricity by decreasing this value. The Öko-Institut's website has a few surprises in stall, even for environmentally conscious people. For example, did you know that very large TV sets switched on for a daily period of four hours use up to 800 kWh of electric power per year, while efficient cooling devices running day and night may only need 100 to 200 kWh?
"We supply consumers with information on ecology, on the cost and quality of products, all at a glance", said Quack. By late March 2007, about 413.000 internet visitors had looked up the information provided. "When we published the Top Ten for cars on the net, there was a veritable hype for these pages", the project director explained. The initiative is not only intended to raise awareness on the demand side, but also meant to be an incentive for companies to offer more ecological products. "Some even use the Eco Top Ten logo in their advertising", Quack was pleased to report.
"If you include overall annual cost and life expectancy in this calculation, ecological products are often cheaper than conventional ones", said Quack. The best example for this is the energy-saving light bulb. "I would really welcome it if the price tag also included information on the follow-up costs." Climate protection, in her opinion, is much more present in the media now than some time ago. "Even car and computer magazines report on this topic in a very pragmatic way", the project director underlined. Presently, the scientist is not afraid that this interest might wane. "High energy prices make sure of that."
In November 1977, 27 scientists and arts scholars founded the Öko-Institut e.V. "Today it is one of the most important independent European research and consultancy institutions for a sustainable future", the institute's press spokesperson, Christiane Rathmann, said. Currently, the institute employs about 70 scientists in its three locations, Freiburg, Darmstadt, and Berlin. Its clients include the EU, Federal German bodies, companies and environmental and nature protection associations. The research spectrum comprises many fields from chemical handling and management via nuclear technology and systems engineering to sustainable consumer behaviour and energy and climate issues.
Interested users may access over 200 research reports from the past eight years on the institute's website. "We decided to publish our results right from the beginning. In this aspect we differ from other consultancy companies", Rathmann said.
Mathias Orgeldinger
