What are the countries where our Pioneers are from
doing about sustainable lifestyles? Ill start with
Germany and I invite all of you guys to write a blog
entry about your countries and send it to me.

On the governmental side, the Alternative Energy Law,
enforced for the first time in 2000, is one of the
pillars of sustainable politics in Germany. Renewed in
December 2006, the law enforces energy suppliers to
invest in renewable energies.For instance, electricity gained by solar or
geothermal technology has to be fed into the "normal"
grid. Subsidies are granted to the operators to cover
the additional costs that occur. These subsidies
decline year by year to implement the renewable
electricity into market mechanisms.In the beginning of July this year an Energy Summit
was held in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela
Merkel and delegates of the Energy Industry. Though
the industry did not want to, the chancellor has
demanded that energy efficiency climb three percent
per annum. Further, until 2020, the CO2 emissions have
to be cut by 40 percent (compared to those of 1990).

The energy sector complained that these aims were too
ambitious and would threaten the competitiveness of
the Germans. Merkel however did not buy into this
argument. Environmental organizations therefore
commended Merkel's stability.
Angela Merkel before the Energy SummitIt remains to be seen though if the adopted new course will lead to sustainable results.