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Blog

Three questions for...

...Prof. Melanie Jaeger-Erben

Berlin’s zoos welcome the fact that increasing numbers of people recognise the significance of our work and want to cooperate with us on achieving a common goal – preserving the planet’s rich biodiversity. We want to talk to some of those people and find out what drives them, why they support us, and what connects them to their sponsored animal or to Zoo, Tierpark and Aquarium Berlin in general.

Melanie Jaeger-Erben is a sustainability researcher who focuses on strategies that promote more sustainable consumption. We spoke with her about the topic of sustainable development.

What is your connection to Tierpark Berlin?

My daughters and I have annual Tierpark passes and, whatever the weather, we regularly come here to enjoy a nice long walk while also learning about all the various animals and their habitats in the wild.

What does sustainable development mean to you? Can you give us an example of a specific project you believe has great potential?

Sustainable development is an approach – perhaps the only correct one – to transforming our society and the way we produce and consume goods. Sustainable development is not an end goal – it is the process of constantly striving for a good and stable relationship between nature and society. It is important to consider society as part of nature, to embed human activity in natural cycles, and to handle the Earth’s resources with care. I am particularly excited about projects that come from society and that are about ordinary people trying out different ways of using resources. Such projects include repair cafés, where people get together to repair items from lamps to laptops. In so doing, they promote not only the sustainable, long-term use of those items, but also encourage active participation in sustainable product cycles, where as much as possible is preserved and as little as possible is discarded. The great potential lies in learning and working together to make our consumption more sustainable.

What do you see as the biggest challenge on the way to more sustainable resource use and where might the best solutions lie?

The biggest challenge is converting from a linear system to a circular one that uses fewer resources. Currently, far too many resources are still being extracted from nature when we should instead be reusing those resources that have already been extracted, and too many new items are being produced when we should instead be improving existing items, finding second and third uses for things, and recycling stuff that is no longer useable. A resource-efficient “circular economy” is not just about introducing more systems for re-using and conserving resources. It is also about consuming less, sharing more, becoming better at maintaining items, and fixing instead of throwing away. It means moving away from the idea of consumers who can’t get enough of trends, who demand a lot of choice, and who define their prosperity and happiness mainly through material possessions. Currently, too many people and companies are still profiting from the linear economic model. That’s why I believe the onus lies on politicians to come up with solutions. We need our politicians to develop good, workable ideas such as the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan and the Right to Repair proposal. There are also lots of promising initiatives and social innovations that are finding different ways of using resources – repair cafés, DIY workshops, garden projects, sharing and swapping initiatives. These are practical approaches to realising sustainable concepts like simple living, minimalism, and a focus on the common good.

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