Welcome to the „Green World “ of the Austrian Ecolabel

As part of the Green Academy, klimaaktiv mobil informs about the current subsidies "Active Mobility and Mobility Management" as well as the BMK's "Electromobility Offensive". The Austrian Ecolabel presents its new criteria catalogue with a focus on "mobility".

Projects at the Höhere Technische Bundeslehranstalt Vöcklabruck show how environmentally friendly mobility can work. Read here about the commitment of this Upper Austrian Ecolabel school in the field of ecologically responsible transport - which focuses on the good old bicycle.

This is the mission Sto Österreich Ges.m.b.H. is on! Because the technology leader in the field of thermal insulation is pursuing a vision: to make built living spaces more humane and sustainable. One element of this is the StoTherm Wood composite thermal insulation system, which was certified with the Austrian Ecolabel in April 2022. Read more about it here!

The primary school in Leobersdorf demonstrates how climate protection can succeed with "simple" organisational measures.

Recycling plastics is good, but preventing waste in the first place is even better. The Liquid Dispenser 3.0 from umdasch has been certified with the Austrian Ecolabel and is a technically mature system for refilling liquids that for the first time also enables large retail chains to offer an efficient refilling service for reusable packaging. Thanks to the integrated technology, the Liquid Dispenser allows for easy operation.

Producer of exhibition stands "Schiff fair Success" from Vienna was successful in constructing the first environmentally friendly exhibition stand following the criteria of the Austrian Ecolabel UZ75.

When caring for animals, products that are as environmentally friendly and healthy as possible should also be used. The new Ecolabel helps with their selection.

517 Burgenland schoolchildren came together in Lackenbach Castle Park. With 539 self-made insect hotels, they jointly took the world record for "Largest exhibition of insect hotels".

The most important goal of sun protection is to prevent skin cancer. However, since even very good sunscreens are never entirely unproblematic for health and the environment, they should be used as little as possible.

Sustainable cosmetics are not that easy to find or you have to make them yourself in a complicated way. Both are stereotypes that you come across again and again. Podcaster and trainer Elena Beringer has done some research for us.

The Commission is proposing to update EU consumer rules to further raise awareness of environmental change. Among other things, protection against misleading information is to be strengthened.

No school day without an Ecolabel with exercise books made from recycled paper. 83 percent of all exercise books bear the Austrian Ecolabel and meet very strict environmental criteria. This puts Austria way out in front. Of the estimated 12 million exercise books marketed, 10 million are already made from recycled paper and are therefore guaranteed to be climate-friendly.

At the Rotenturm an der Pinka elementary school, everything revolved around a large, mostly yellow or orange fruit: The pumpkin! In a project, the students learned about the path from the pumpkin plant to the bottling of pumpkin seed oil.

Through the new, forward-looking training focus "Fair Business & Food Management", the environmental idea will be conveyed to young people at HLTW Berheidengasse from the school year 2022/23.

The primary school in Leobersdorf demonstrates how climate protection can succeed with "simple" organisational measures.

Originally conceived as a certification for hotels, the UZ 200 guideline has also opened up to culture in recent years. After museums, other actors are also interested in credibly demonstrating their efforts in the field of sustainability. Theatres and cinemas are particularly committed to this and so in the future it will also be possible for them to receive an award for their sustainable orientation.

What applies to Ecolabel products should actually apply to all: to contain as few harmful substances as possible. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. With the help of the Scan4Chem app, you can get information on chemicals of particular concern in products.
A competition will be held from May to December 2022. 

Electric cars are becoming more and more popular. They are environmentally friendly, efficient and have lower running costs for a driving school. They also have advantages when learning to drive and therefore it is only logical to use them in driving schools. In a video, Mr Skarabela explains to you exactly why.

"Sustainability is booming - especially in the last two years, because there was time to think about other ways of doing business," says Julia Weger, who advises on Ecolabel processes in Vorarlberg, among other places. "Many have used this difficult time for sustainable change and development. Now we face the challenge of maintaining this drive after Corona," says Weger.

Bioeconomy stands for an economic concept that aims to replace fossil resources with renewable raw materials in as many areas and applications as possible. This makes it, along with the circular economy, an important building block on the path to climate neutrality.

Our colleagues from the VKI investigated the slogan "100 per cent recyclable" as part of a greenwashing check - and were surprised. Consumers will probably expect complete recycling. Unfortunately, this is very often not the case. What is meant is the theoretical recyclability - not the actual recyclability.

In March 2022, the EU Commission presented the new circular economy package: It is a turning point for sustainable products and textiles as well as for the strengthening of consumers' rights.

The sharp increase in the use and consumption of resources in recent decades is causing considerable environmental pollution. Climate protection therefore requires a fundamental transformation: from a linear "take-make-use-waste" economy to a circular economy.

What contribution does the Austrian Ecolabel make to tackling the climate crisis - and to what extent did Ecolabel-certified equity funds differ from conventional equity funds in terms of carbon footprint? This question was investigated in a recent study by the VKI.

It is important to inform and sensitise young people about the dangers posed by the World Wide Web. Schools also have a role to play here. Promoting the digital skills of students is therefore also particularly important to the Private Secondary School for Agriculture and Nutrition in the Styrian capital.

8 October is World Ecolabel Day - the international day for national Ecolabels. Independent, governmental Ecolabels are based on transparent criteria and sound third-party verification and are a credible barrier against greenwashing. What is your opinion? Support your colleagues by answering a short questionnaire.

Not only the strict, transparent criteria and the independently prepared expert opinion ensure that Ecolabel products also deliver what they promise. The Association for Consumer Information (VKI) also tests products from all guidelines for correct use of the Austrian Ecolabel.

While a driver's license allows us to use cars, it does not exclude so-called multimodal mobility, i.e. the use of multiple methods of getting around. The Austrian Ecolabel driving schools are thinking different ...

What does biodiversity mean? What can everyone contribute to the protection of biodiversity? Every contribution is important!

The guideline UZ 72 "Travel Offers" is all about designing sustainable travel offers. It was known long before it came into force in 2008 that man-made climate change is a major problem. And that is also the core of the requirements.

The guideline for tourism and leisure enterprises contains specific requirements for museums. The first mandatory criterion is: "Integration of education for sustainable development into the educational work". What`s about?

In the guideline for tourism and leisure businesses, there is a requirement in criterion UZ 200-F05 to motivate businesses to contribute to the promotion of biodiversity.