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You are here: Home / Cradle to Cradle / The Museum of the Future in Lueneburg – a testing ground for today’s society and tomorrow’s products

2. May 2019 | Monika Griefahn

The Museum of the Future in Lueneburg – a testing ground for today’s society and tomorrow’s products

The Hamburg Environmental Institute (HUI), a non-profit organisation for the scientific analysis of environmental topics, has acquired a new domain: the Museum of the Future in Lueneburg. The institution, which carries an obvious contradiction in its name, is currently being constructed in a former day care centre on Papenstrasse. Both the owner of the building, Professor Dr Michael Braungart − co-inventor of the Cradle to Cradle concept and lecturer at Lueneburg Leuphana University − and the HUI, the institution which will be responsible for the activities, have a vision for the building: they want it to gradually develop into a meeting place for those who want to become active in the fight against climate change and for a world of coexistence, a place of encounter, a research laboratory for students and, above all, a place where the Cradle to Cradle idea can be tested, lived and developed.

WAST EQUALS FOOD

Cradle to Cradle is a design concept developed by Michael Braungart, the founder of the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA), together with the American architect William McDonough. It describes a world in which materials are assigned to two spheres − a biological metabolism and a technical metabolism − so that no garbage is produced. Production is based on three principles: waste is food, the use of renewable energies, and a celebration of diversity.

At the Museum of the Future, the Cradle to Cradle idea will be tested in practice with innovative techniques and modern communication. On a recent weekend, an open afternoon was held for neighbours, residents and interested members of the public. Braungart explained that the plan was to do research for the future. He has assembled a team whose members pursue the same goals he does: educational director Gerhard Cassens and architects Stephan Seeger and Susanne Puschmann, who have been tasked with the reconstruction of the listed building from 1911.

EDIBLE CHAIR COVERS

Changes are to be implemented as an integral part of the process: currently, the heating system is still wood-fired, one day it will be powered by algae oil and fuel cells. The carpets are to fulfil an additional function as air filters, the chairs already feature edible covers. The idea is for the house itself to be a perpetual place of experimentation instead of being transformed into a neat “dollhouse” with a fixed concept within a pre-defined six-month period. Ideas to help establish the building as a meeting place have already been put forward: “If you want to organise a flea market or plant tomatoes − you are welcome”, Michael Braungart told his guests. The afternoon was rounded off with coffee and cake, drinks and live music from the Lueneburg-based band Casino-Set. The neighbours were impressed – they turned out in large numbers to inform themselves.

RESEARCH WITH MUSHROOMS

There is also a designated space within the house for students of Lueneburg Leuphana University: In the cellar, they conduct research into mushrooms as a raw material for consumables and consumer goods. Under Braungart’s guidance, students of the Sustainability Science master’s degree program have been researching the development, use and distribution of mushroom-based materials that adhere to Cradle to Cradle principles. In January 2019, they also organised the first edition of the Lueneburg mushroom days, in which various applications of these wonderful creatures between animal and plant are demonstrated. For instance, they can be used as insulating material, as seasoning, as a remedy and much more.

Filed Under: Cradle to Cradle, General Article

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Appointments

February 5, 2023: New Year’s reception of the SPD Heidekreis with party chairman Lars Klingbeil and the new Minister of the Interior of Lower Saxony Daniela Behrens in Walsrode.

February 7, 2023: Women in Lead event in Berlin. In 2021, the “Women in Lead” network was founded out of the SPD Economic Forum to add female leaders to the dialogue on the key economic and social issues of the day. Now it will be expanded to include an “Expert Group.”

February 14, 2023: Public meeting of the Climate Advisory Board of the City of Buchholz with presentation of the Climate Action Plan in the City’s budget.

March 10, 2023: The winner of the “Alternative Nobel Prize” Vladimir Slivyak from Russia is a guest at the “Reading without Nuclear Power” event in Hamburg. Read more about the event week of the association Culture for All!

March 17, 2023: Organizational meeting of the Swiss board of the Right Livlihood Foundation (“Alternative Nobel Prize”) for future events.

March 22-23, 2023: Roundtable of the Living City Foundation.

March 28, 2023: Keynote at the Automotive Industry Association VDA on “New Solutions for Climate Neutral Drives” Read more about the conference here (in German).

March 30, 2023: Participation in the real estate congress of the Federal Association of Free Real Estate and Housing Companies (BFW). Discussion in the panel “Departure into the circular economy.” Click here for the program (in German).

April 20, 2023: Start of the four-day nature film festival Lüneburger Heide under the patronage of Monika Griefahn. You will find the program here shortly (in German).


Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath

Planning group for the next Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath.

April 20-24, 2023: 2nd Nature Film Festival Lueneburg Heath with Monika Griefahn as patron. At four venues in the region of the Lüneburger Heide Nature Park, after 2021, it is once again: “Film off!” Visitors can expect fantastic nature films, stirring documentaries and, above all, great conversations with filmmakers and experts. From now on, check the status of the program planning at www.films4future.de (German).


Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021

Logo C2C-Congress

Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021: Because of the Corona pandemic the C2C Conress took place in three parts this year: The first one was on June 14, 2021 in Freiburg. The second took place on September 7, 2021 in Mainz, the third November 4, 2021 in Mönchengladbach.


eFuels

Synthetic fuels are one of the decisive factors for the energy transition away from fossile fuels. That is why I am committed to the further development and practical use of eFuels and became a member of the Sounding Board of the eFuel Alliance in May 2021.
English website of the eFuel Alliance


Climate committee

Constituent session: Photo: City of Buchholz / Helms

In May 2021, the climate committee was constituted in the climate forum at my place of residence in Buchholz in the Nordheide. I am pleased to be chairwoman of the advisory board! The city has set itself the goal of becoming climate neutral and there is still a lot to do to achieve this. The committee advises the municipal  administration on fundamental questions of climate policy.
To the article on the Buchholz website (in German)


Right Livelihood Laureate 2021

Right Livelihood Award

They stand up against violence and climate change and address the most pressing questions of our time: Marthe Wandou (Cameroon), Wladimir Sliwjak (Russia), Freda Huson (People of the Wet’suwet’en, Canada) and the Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (India) are the winners of the Right Livelohood Award (“Alternative Nobel Prize”) 2021. Please find here the award ceremony documentation or read more about the laureates in our blog.


Federal Order of Merit

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

After the award ceremony, Olaf Lies, Monika Griefahn and Rainer Rempe stand together. Photo: Frank Ossenbrink

Our CEO Dr. Monika Griefahn received the Federal Order of Merit. Please read more about her biography and about the award ceremony in our blog.


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