While working on our project we were searching for some local ideas and concepts. Foodsharing and “Ab-geht-die-Lucie” are the result of it. We’ve decided to take those two concepts because we liked the idea of sharing and meeting new people at the same time!

What exactly those concepts are about you can read beneath!

 

What is this „foodsharing“ and what is the idea behind it???

Foodsharing is an initiative that gives you the possibility to share or exchange excessive food with others in many different cities in Germany. Thereby you also get the chance to find and pick up groceries you need for your cooking.

The idea is to share food which is still good but would otherwise be thrown away. Did you know that more than half of all our vegetables are tossed away before they reach the shops? The objective is that groceries regain their value and are no longer regarded as just a product. So if you decide to grab some of it you don’t even have to pay for them. Awesome!

 

So why don’t you JOIN?

You can easily register on the webpage www.foodsharing.de and start to participate straight away.

They just need your name and e-mail with a password!

 

GIVE some!

Your fridge is still full and you’re going on vacation? Or you had a party yesterday and heaps of leftovers? Maybe you have your own farm, bakery or shop and can’t utilize all of your goods?

Go and upload those things!

 

TAKE it!

You are already home but forgot an ingredient? It’s Sunday and shops are closed?

On foodsharing you are able to find available groceries in your neighborhood. Just type in your address and see what different kinds of items will appear on the map.

 

SHARE!

You don’t want to cook alone? Your stew is too much for you to finish all by yourself?

You can actually meet people via foodsharing and cook together!

 

Source:
www.foodsharing.de (website accessed on 3rd December 2014)

(written by Linda Brönstrup)

Maiskolben Bremen

• the „Maiskolben Bremen“ shop promotes with being organic, fair and still cheap
• you can buy milk, cheese, eggs and meat from Bremen
• no genetic engineering!
• you can get fruit and vegetables from local farmers there!
• coffee and chocolate are bought transfair (via fair transfer to support the producers)
• the bread and the cookies are baked in a workshop for handicapped

You can apply for a membership to support the Maiskolben. Passive members donate 12€ and active members donate 5€ per month. 🙂

You can find them in Bremen Neustadt:
Rolandstraße 26, 28199 Bremen

…or online at:  http://www.maiskolben-bremen.de/

 

(written by Tara Kia)

• Help your local farmers!
  –  You can support your network of local farmers!
  – The products are directly selled to the consumer – to you! By passing the “middleman“ (which is the store), your local farmer gets the full retail price and can continue farming!

• Better quality!
  – The local products do not have to travel far which makes them less likely to get damaged!
  – The nutritional contents are determined by the farmers – better for you!
  – The flavor is natural – no chemicals!

• Do your environment a favor!Our food travels about 1500 miles per air and truck. You can help saving energy that is used for transport!
  – The products do not have to travel far which leads to the cut of fossil fuels!
  – Conserving water resources leads to clean water!
  – You support the purity of fertile soil!
  – Help the wildlife by preserving their habitat!
  – Less packaging is needed due to the no-frills process! (A method to lower the costs in companies by leaving out non-essential parts of the product in order to provide cheap prices)
  – The beautiful countryside and cropfields only exist when farms are financially stable! The value of the land thus increases!

• Freshness
  – With time, sugars turn to starches – the short travel route of the local products helps preventing!
  – Plant cells do not shrink!
  – Your food does not lose vitality and flavor!
  – Nutrients do not get lost!

• Diversity!
  Family farms grow a huge number of varieties and hybrid fruits and vegetables, providing eye-catching colors and nice flavors! The reason ist hey do not have to stick to certain given rules and rigors of harvesting, packaging, shipping or storage.

Sources:

• http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/why-buy-locally-grown (website accessed on 14th November 2014)
• http://www.localharvest.org/buylocal.jsp (website accessed on 12th December 2014)

 (written by Tara Kia)