No Place Like Austria

It feels like Austria is a perfect place.
No war, no dictators, no huge environmental disasters.
A lot of green areas, nature reserves, mountains and animals.


But if we look more in detail,
we’ll see that in most of Austria it isn’t like that.


In cities for example, nearly all people just go by car, they don’t care where to put their garbage or if it has to be separated, and they throw it on the streets as well. If they climb some mountains like “Schöckel” in Styria, most people just hike without looking on the ground, so they step on really beautiful and sheltered flowers. This means not only plants are endangered but also animals, which should be protected.


There is a “red list” which contains these plants and animals species:

• According to the year 1990 there are 10 882 known species and a total of 186 became extinct.
• 47 species, that’s 10 % vertebrates, are in “CR” (Critically Endangered) with an extinction within the next few years with more than 50 %.
• 2 bat species are also endangered, the same applies to 5 different species of woodpeckers and the “black stork” and many other mammals.
• 3 species – no matter if animals or plants – become extinct worldwide PER HOUR, that makes 27.000 species per year.

There are different threats, like:

• road construction
• housing estates
• hunting
• farming
• chemicals
• natural disasters and climate variability
• disturbance of the overwintering sites in caves and buildings
• food shortages caused by pesticides

This has to stop and with the following organizations we can save and protect our nature and the animals which live there.

But things aren’t only bad, Austria has also many very good references and positive improvements.

• In less than three years, electricity consumption could be reduced by 25 %.
• For each new contract in the area of life-, accident- or health insurance, “the ALLIANZ” takes over the sponsorship for 100 m² in the Amazon forest - thus supporting the WWF, the largest rain forest protection program ever.
• Paperless offices: they use databases, fax and e-mails and if paper is absolutely necessary they use it very economical like double-site-printing, so Paper consumption is reduced by half.

Organisations you can join:

• „WWF“
• „Vier Pfoten“
• „Österreichscher Tierschutzverein“
• „Face 2 Face Foundraising“
• „Global 2000“
• „Greenpeace“
• And last but not least „Generation Change“

What YOU can do:

• Improvement of sanitation
• Save electricity
• Waste separation
• Try to reduce your plastic consumption
• Take the bike/tram/bus
• Be careful where you step, watch out for flowers, etc.
• Join and donate to organizations
• Tell your family and friends

If we are in this together, we CAN change things, we just have to raise our voices and take action.