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Die planetaren Gren­zen sind ein Modell, das die Belastungs­fähigkeit unsere Erde beschreibt. Es erfasst neun Umwelt­systeme, die den stabilen Zustand des Planeten be­stimmen. Entwickelt wurde es 2009 von einem Team inter­nationaler Wissen­schaftler*innen unter der Leitung von Johan Rockström (Stock­holm Resilience Centre). Sechs der neun Grenz­werte gelten heute bereits über­schritten.

The planetary boundaries framework sets the safe operating space for humanity within Earth’s systems. ...

It covers nine environmental processes that regulate the stability of the planet. The framework was developed in 2009 by a team of international scientists working under the direction of Johan Rockström when he was head of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. To date, six of the nine boundaries have been crossed.

  • New Substances

  • Ozon Layer

  • ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL LOADING

  • OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

  • BIOGEOCHEMICAL FLOWS

  • FRESHWATER USE

  • LAND-SYSTEM CHANGE

  • BIOSPHERE INTEGRITY

  • Climate

CLIMATE

By burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, humans speed up climate change. That has catastrophic consequences for the environment, including droughts, heat waves and sea level rise. If we don’t stop climate change, the planet will suffer irreparable damage. This planetary boundary has already been crossed.

BIOSPHERE INTEGRITY

Biological diversity and the integrity of the global biosphere critically affect the stability of the entire Earth system. Human activities have a negative impact on the environment and put this stability at risk. For years researchers and environmentalists have warned of worldwide species extinction. This planetary boundary has clearly been exceeded.

LAND-SYSTEM CHANGE

Agriculture, industry and urban construction have a devastating impact on the planet. The worst effect comes from the conversion of forest into agricultural land. For the production of meat and other animal products, countless trees must give way. Consequently, year after year large areas used as habitats and CO₂ sinks are lost. This planetary boundary has been crossed.

FRESHWATER USE

Water is indispensible for humans, animals, plants and other organisms. Until recently, scientists presumed that Earth’s water resources were still intact. However, new research shows that the rainwater stored in the soil and required by plants for growth is becoming scarce as it is being depleted faster than it can be replenished. This boundary too has been crossed.

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

Our oceans are becoming ever more acidic as the pH level shifts into the acid range. That occurs because the oceans take up the excess CO₂ in the atmosphere (climate change) and convert it to carbonic acid. The water’s rising acidity damages many marine organisms. This planetary boundary has not yet been exceeded.

BIOGEOCHEMICAL FLOWS

Phosphorus and nitrogen are two of the most important elements for life. Like other nutrients, they circulate in precisely balanced cycles. Artificial fertilizers are primarily responsible for significant disruptions in those cycles. They carry phosphorus and nitrogen into lakes and rivers, where they accelerate plant growth. The abundant growth robs fish and other marine life of oxygen. This boundary has been greatly exceeded.

OZONE LAYER

The stratospheric ozone layer protects living organisms from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In the late 1980s, scientists reported that the chemical compounds known as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) had created holes in the ozone layer. Around the world, CFCs were phased out and the ozone layer recovered. The current status of this planetary boundary is “not yet exceeded”.

ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL LOADING

Many human activities produce aerosols, tiny particles in the air such as fine dust or soot. They damage human health (respiratory illnesses) and the global climate system. Whether atmospheric aerosol loading has crossed the planetary boundary has not yet been adequately researched. Locally, however, the effects can already be seen.

NEW SUBSTANCES

Humans confront the environment with large quantities of new substances, some of which are toxic. They include heavy metals, pesticides, dyes and plastic. Flora and fauna are not equipped to deal with such unknown substances. In 2022 researchers found that this planetary boundary has been exceeded.

THE FOCUS IS
ON THE CLIMATE

All nine planetary boundaries are essential for a clean and healthful future. Scientists agree on the importance of the climate system. Not least of all because it affects the stability of many other boundaries.
Therefore, at Green Care Professional, we are focusing on climate protection.

BUY A CLEAR CONSCIENCE WITH OFFSETS?

NO, THANKS!

We are horrified by the way many companies manage their supposed climate protection efforts. One favored apparent solution is using reforestation projects for carbon offsetting. Instead of reducing their own CO₂ emissions, companies purchase climate certificates. The money spent goes into planting trees somewhere to absorb CO₂ emissions during the growth phase. Companies can market themselves as “climate neutral” without having to avoid a single gram of CO₂.

That is a big problem for the following reasons:

5

ARGUMENTS AGAINST
CARBON OFFSETTING

1
Mensch, der sich die Augen zuhält. Auf seinem Mund klebt ein rotes Kreuz

Fraud in reforestation projects

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With increasing frequency, reforestation programs are the target of public criticism. Low-priced providers who often demand just a few euros for one tree have been accused of fraud and a lack of transparency. Sometimes the purchased trees don’t even get planted. Or the seedlings don’t make it through the first year because they do not receive proper care and never develop into full-grown trees.
2
Neu aufgeforsteter Wald ohne sichtbare Bäume

CO₂ amounts cannot be calculated reliably

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Even when trees are properly planted and tended, it takes many years until they can absorb a relevant amount of CO₂. How much a tree really absorbs is difficult to calculate with any reliability. The tree’s species, height and mass plus the environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation influence the amount that can be stored. When carbon offsetting organizations quantify the CO₂ amounts for a company’s environmental balance sheet, at best they make a rough estimate, which tends to be too high rather than too low.
3
Teils abgebrochene Bäume auf eine Feld

Only living trees store CO₂

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Trees act as carbon stores as long as they are alive and thriving. If a tree is felled or destroyed by one of the growing number of forest fires, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. That would invalidate the carbon offset certificate. Nevertheless, as a rule, it does not disappear from the company’s balance sheet.
4
Erdkugel liegt auf einer Wiese

No interest in CO₂ reduction

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Climate certificates are often issued by consulting firms. First they calculate the client’s emissions and then purchase the matching amount in carbon offsets. Because the firms realize the lion’s share of their profit by selling carbon offsets, they have little interest in a company’s reduction of its own emissions.
5
Mensch schreibt an eine Glaswand

Compensation is counted twice

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Many carbon offset projects take place in countries that work on reducing their own CO₂ emissions to satisfy international obligations. It can happen that the offset CO₂ is simply counted twice—once for the country and again for the contracting company.

IS REFORESTATION COMPLETE NONSENSE?

Reforestation is fundamentally reasonable. However, we at Green Care Professional are convinced that companies must first reduce their CO₂ emissions in ways that are transparent and understandable. Compensation by means of carbon offsets should be used only for emissions that cannot be avoided.

Most importantly, a company that uses tree-planting projects to offset emissions should consider not only the CO₂ balance. Reforestation makes sense only when it promotes biodiversity and a stable eco system. Nothing protects the climate better than a healthy natural forest.

Carbon offsetting alone
protects neither the climate nor
the other planetary boundaries.

What counts is doing the right thing!

Holistically

and...

in the right order.

  • Avoid

    Environmental pollution

  • Reduce

    Energy and resource consumption

  • Protect

    Eco system & biodiversity

The
European Green Deal
shows us the way!

Green Care Professional has been going this way for years.

We tackle all areas where we can
have a positive influence ...

... For professional cleaning
along the entire value chain!

CIRCULAR
Success

How do we do that?

01

Biodiversity

Biodiversity

We want to ensure the preservation of biological diversity with our targeted measures. To that end, we cooperate with local and international environmental and conservation organizations and support several of their long-term projects.

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02

Formulas

Formulas

In the development of our Green Care Professional products, we consistently use renewable energy and raw materials. We pay attention to the biological degradability of our formulas and exclude raw materials that have a negative environmental impact.

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03

Forest & Soil

Forest & Soil

We believe it is very important to protect and preserve forests and soil. We also place a high priority on maintaining river habitats and bodies of water.

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04

Packaging

Packaging

In order to do without virgin plastic made from crude oil and to conserve our fossil resources in the process, we count on recyclate from European household waste collections like the Yellow Bag. Because our Green Care Professional bottles are made of 100% recyclate and are completely recyclable, they can be returned to the material cycle after their disposal.

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05

Energy & Logistics

Energy & Logistics

Our headquarters building with the striking wind turbines on the roof satisfy the highest international standards for sustainable green construction. Of special note is the building’s outstanding energy concept. By means of wind energy, photovoltaic cells and geothermal energy for groundwater use, the building generates 20 percent more energy than it needs for current operations.

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06

Water Management

Water Management

The modern Water Center on the Mainz site draws water from the factory’s own 70-meter-deep well. Water that goes through the geothermal system is used to cool and heat the headquarters building. Later the water is processed in an environmentally friendly reverse osmosis system and used for production – true circularity!

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More on the circular economy

Join us on the European Green Deal path to a circular future!

Gehen Sie mit uns den Weg des European Green Deals in eine kreislauffähige Zukunft! 

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