Jugendumweltbüro

Qui sommes-nous

Young people of the city of Göttingen have been committed to green issues for a relatively long period of time. Already in the mid-eighties, the "Göttinger BUNDjugend" (association for environmental protection and nature conservation, Germany, of the young people of Göttingen) caused great sensation with their actions all over Germany.

At the end of the eighties, pupils of Göttingen realized that the most effective way to act is in cooperation with other schools. The working-groups for environmental protection which meanwhile have been founded in almost every school were linked up. "SchülerInnen Aktion Umwelt (SAU)" (pupils´ actions in favour of the environment) was born which later spread all over Germany.

The first common campaign was a boycott of school milk, because the milk was still offered in ecologically harmful and unhealthy plastic cups. The local dairy gave in during the third boycott and announced the introduction of a system of re-usable packaging. The action spread and so did the pupils´ action in favour of the environment.

Due to this success, more and more young people could be found in Göttingen who wanted to do something together against the increasing pollution. In 1991, they dared to take a step and the sponsoring association "Jugend Aktion Natur- und Umweltschutz, Harz/Göttingen e.V. (JANUN)" (action of young people for nature conservation and environmental protection in the Harz mountains/Göttingen, registered association) was founded.

"JANUN" is the sponsoring association of the environmental protection office. With its rooms it offers space for very different projects. They are responsible for themselves. In the city plenums, members of all projects with equal rights are represented who have to make unanimous decisions. The following objectives are involved: Firstly, the best possible freedom of hierarchy and secondly the introduction of young persons to direct democracy.

The youth office is financially supported by allowances of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Land (Lower Saxony) and the city of Göttingen. Moreover, project promotions by donations, respectively the European Community, play an important role.

The environmental protection office and in particular "SAU" became known all over Germany by the action "Total Tote Dose" (completely dead tin) which began in 1991 when more than 3,500 pupils hung up 20,000 drink cans on an 8 metres high and 20 metres wide scaffold in front of the town hall. Since then, numerous actions followed throughout Germany according to this motto.

We offer an overnight accommodation for other net participants. Apart from that, we can give expert advice on the subjects: avoidance of waste, planning of campaigns and press work, we can give lectures and communicate up-to-date specialist information and arrange for contacts.