“Making the future yourself!” was the motto of this year’s Sustainability Days, organised by “SUSTAIN IT!” – the initiative for sustainability and climate protection.

In sunny weather, students, interested persons, residents and Berliners were able to experience and discover a lot about “Shaping the Future sustainably” in the area in front of the Mensa FU II on the Dahlem Campus of Freie Universität. The initiative “SUSTAIN IT!” invited: art performances, hands-on workshops, info-talks with politicians and teachers, information stands of associations, clothing exchange and, for the first time, a stand of the working group “GreenFuBib” on the topic: “What is a green library” and “What do the libraries of the FU do for resources? savings and climate protection”?

At the stand of the libraries there was not only information about the characteristics of a Green Library. With the “Book Blind Date” and the construction of a book throne in the Blätterlaube, there were examples of how to make meaningful upcycling with books that already exist digitally and physically in the library stock. The current-generating bicycle ergometer could be used for exercise and recharging the mobile phone, while visitors learned that, as part of a FUturist project, there was an idea to have another bicycle set up in the outdoor area on Campus Dahlem to generate electricity. Instructions for building a worm box for bio-waste and worm humus as well as knowledge about old vegetables were available at the stand.

With the “Let’s Scan” campaign, the libraries want to expand the free scanning offerings at their locations and at the same time reduce printing and copying to save more resources. The scan tent and a small survey on the students’ printing behaviour provided some food for discussion at the stand.

Through increased networking at the university with potential partners and networks, e. g. Libraries can also contribute to creating a good life for all. In a web-based audio tour, you can now explore which initiatives specifically exist at the university.

The new Sustainable Campus Tour has a total of 16 stops on the main campus in Dahlem. The length of the tour is about 10,000 steps or 90 minutes.

The Sustainability Days have demonstrated in many ways that much can already be done locally, at the university, at one’s own workplace, in the neighbourhood to take active action against the environmental and climate crisis.

The lifelong loan of books is also quite a small contribution!