Standing under twinkling Christmas lights, breath chilled and hanging in the air, the couple pulled their scarves a little tighter as they walked up to the open front window of a small wooden hut. They handed over five wrinkled Euros to the vendor and took two steaming mugs in their cold hands. Drinking the steaming Gluhwein, the couple strolled through the Christmas market, stopping occasionally to look at other huts’ artisan goods and tempting gingerbread treats. Finally, they finished their mulled wine and returned to the first vendor. They handed back their mugs, and the man gave them back three Euros. The mug was taken to the back of the small hut, where it would be sanitized and prepared for the next shivering customer. This common system could be found at many Christmas markets around Germany – once purchased, a customer could either keep the unique mug, often decorated with the town’s name, or they could return it and receive some of their money back in exchange. In the process, the waste bins scattered throughout the market remained devoid of any disposable cup garbage, because there simply wasn’t any. This practice is both sustainable and charming, and it is just one example of the multitude of ways in which Germany has embraced concepts of environmental protection as an inherent part of its culture.

Germany’s systems of social sustainability have crafted a society that involves the environment in practically everything. From reduced home energy usage to public transportation and extensive recycling systems, sustainability is a staple in German life. Embodying these systems, Germany has demonstrated brilliantly that concepts of modernity and environmental preservation can go hand-in-hand. In the United States, such a tie is decidedly lacking. For example, the United States currently emits 93% more metric tons of carbon per capita than Germany[1]. In light of this disparity, it is apparent that policy change in the United States is needed. In Germany, approaches to sustainability are centered around three tenants – sociocultural practices, established public systems, and intentional energy sourcing. Due to the myriad of differences between America and Germany, encompassing varied cultural, social, historical, and political factors, it is not realistic to imagine that all of Germany’s successful environmental policies could be replicated in the United States. However, some aspects of German sustainability approaches could prove complementary to American cultural values.

Culturally, German society tends to value smaller, natural, and less energy-intensive commodities. For example, German washing machines are smaller in size, averaging about 23 inches in width as opposed to the typical American machine widths of 27 to 28 inches, thereby using less water per load[2]. In addition, German grocery stores carry foods with fewer preservatives, and their fridges are smaller in size. The majority of German households visit the grocery store several times a week[3] and purchase items such as local produce, freshly baked bread, and unrefrigerated brown eggs. Living life on a smaller scale, and sourcing food from local systems, constitutes a daily lifestyle that is substantially more sustainable than that of the average American per capita, with a nearly 6 ton difference in per capita carbon emissions[4].

In addition to their unique culture, Germans also have firmly established systems contributing to their sustainability success. One such system is that of effective public transportation. Many Germans take public transit as their primary means of moving around, and 85.7% of the population is estimated to have good access to public transit. In addition to their extraordinarily successful public transportation, Germans have intensive recycling systems complete with citizen incentives. German neighborhoods typically have up to five waste bins – one for paper and cardboard, one for plastic and metal containers, one for biodegradable goods, one for glass, and then finally one for non-recyclable, non-reusable waste[5]. Furthermore, their recycling system extends to public areas such as grocery stores, where Germans can exchange used cans and glasses for monetary compensation.

Thirdly, Germans have made strides towards developing and maintaining sustainable energy sources. It is common for a town to be nestled in a valley, surrounded by hills crowned with highly efficient windmills and, according to data from 2023, Germany sources 22.2% of its gross power production from the onshore wind. This is an important component of its overall 52% of total gross power production from renewable sources[6].

The combination of Germany’s unique culture, established systems, and consistent strides towards using renewable energy sources all contribute to their achievements in sustainability. It takes intentional juxtaposition and cultural consideration to ascertain how feasible the replication of these accomplishments would be in the United States.

Currently, the United States emits CO2 at rates substantially higher than Germany[7]. New approaches to environmentalism could be beneficial in reducing the American carbon footprint. However, several conflicting social and systemic realities make the replication of the German system extremely complicated. Culturally, socially, politically, and physically, America is wildly different from Germany. American trends in valuing individualism, free markets, and social freedom make Germany’s left-supported socialist-oriented approach seemingly antithetical for complete replication. However, with the examination of the three tenants of German sustainability, some overlap may prove potential for unique, adapted environmental solutions.

On a cultural level, the Germans’ minimalist approach is a stark contrast to the American priority of “bigger is better” and living life in excess. These American cultural values are both comfortable and a source of pride for many, making challenges to American cultural practices highly unlikely to prevail. Secondly, the German system of transportation was adopted slowly over time in a country designed to be walkable. The landscape of the United States, in contrast, has sprawled rapidly in such a way that strong, efficient public transportation is difficult to attain. For example, it is estimated that 91.7% of American households have at least one personal vehicle – a number that is projected to increase in the coming years[8]. However, the German system of recycling might present a unique and adoptable opportunity for America. Such an adaptation could create new jobs and industries, and the citizen-level incentives already used in Germany could be applied to help empower Americans in poverty as well.

Similarly, the German use of renewable energy resources that take advantage of natural land patterns, such as hills and valleys, is a promising idea. The United States has a wide breadth of natural landscapes that could be capitalized on in this manner. As a nation 25 times the size of Germany, with natural landscapes ranging from mountain ranges to wetlands, there is a diverse range of untapped resources[9]. The United States’ unique position and wealth of natural landscapes could be made even more valuable by the implementation of tidal, geothermal, solar, hydro, and other renewable energy sources. With the growth of these industries, further capital could be accumulated, and America’s strong cultural value of independence would be further supported by her increasingly self-sufficient nature.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, for America to achieve sustainable success through the same methods as Germany. However, adapting some German-tested methods in a way that fits America’s thirst for individualism, social mobility, and industrial growth could generate amazing results – creating new industries, building on opportunities for growth, and making powerful strides to alleviate both poverty and environmental starvation in a nation of rapid growth and excess.

Works Cited

Bouliane, Nicolas. “How to sort trash and recycle in Germany.” All About Berlin, https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/sorting-trash-in-germany. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“A Buying Guide for Washers and Dryers.” GE Appliances, https://www.geappliances.com/ge/lifestyles/washer-dryer-buying-guide.htm. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“Germany's energy consumption and power mix in charts.” Clean Energy Wire, 22 December 2023, https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-energy-consumption-and-power-mix-charts. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“Germany vs United States: Environment > Climate change Facts and Stats.” NationMaster, https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Germany/United-States/Environment/Climate-change. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“How Many Vehicles Are There In The U.S.?” Forbes, 3 January 2024, https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/car-ownership-statistics/. Accessed 2 February 2024.

Koptyug, Evgenia. “Frequency of grocery shopping in Germany 2017.” Statista, 24 April 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/992194/frequency-of-grocery-shopping-in-germany/. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“USA Country Information · Natucate.” Natucate, https://www.natucate.com/en/destinations/travel-guide-usa. Accessed 2 February 2024.

“W CO2 Emissions CO2 Emissions by Country.” Worldometer, https://www.worldometers.info/co2-emissions/co2-emissions-by-country/#google_vignette. Accessed 2 February 2024.

[1] (“Germany vs United States: Environment > Climate change Facts and Stats”)

[2] (“A Buying Guide for Washers and Dryers”)

[3] (Koptyug)

[4] (“W CO2 Emissions CO2 Emissions by Country”)

[5] (Bouliane)

[6] (“Germany's energy consumption and power mix in charts”)

[7] (“Germany vs United States: Environment > Climate change Facts and Stats”)

[8] (“How Many Vehicles Are There In The U.S.?”)

[9] (“USA Country Information · Natucate”)