As part of a larger goal to become carbon neutral by 2050, Berlin (You read that right, one of the largest clubbing capitals in the World!) has plans to fight back against climate change, one dance move at a time.
While clubs might not seem like the largest contributor to global warming, according to the German NGO Friends of the Earth Germany, one club emits around 30 tons per year. That’s a significant amount, considering Berlin is often nicknamed the nightlife capital of Europe.
The city’s initiative to make nightlife go green is being seen as a way to set the standard of emission outlets, essentially making ‘going green’ a cool thing to do. Clubs would become the trendsetters of becoming emission free.
Because clubs in Berlin bring in so much annual revenue for Berlin (approximately 1.66 Billion dollars a year), the senate of Berlin has established an advocacy committee to help the clubs transition to more efficient operations.
Currently, “The project sends experts to clubs to advise them on how they can become more eco-friendly, for instance by switching to green energy, installing energy efficient cooling and heating systems, using LED lights instead of regular ones, reducing their water consumption, and managing their trash better.”
Georg Kössler, Green Party representative for climate protection and club culture, wants to encourage clubs to make long term investments, like a new invention that uses clubber’s dancing to generate electricity. To help combat this large investment, the senate has funds set aside owners can apply to if they have an innovative project to save energy or to make the club green.
While the process is ongoing and 2050 is a ways away, Berlin’s nightlife may be the the first in the world to successful fight off climate change. And that’s a step in the right direction.