This is an interview with one of our teachers, here at our school in Bochum. His name is Mr Stratmann-Mertens. He was one of the founders of the party Die Grünen, a party which is mainly interested in the environment and its protection. In the 1980s he was a member of federal parliament.
What do you think of spontaneously when you hear the phrase environmental protection ? What are the most important aspects for you ?
First of all, I think that every single person has a responsibility for our environment. Of course, also the government, but I think everybody should start with him- or herself. There are many different possibilities to do it. For example: Is it really necessary to own a car ? And if so, do you really need to use it so often ? Maybe you should instead use the bicycle or the public transportation. Also we shouldn’t use a plane for the holidays. You can also visit foreign countries without flying.
However I think that many people only concentrate on incidentals like for example light consumption. I think the more important things just ”hurt” when you think of losing it.
Why are these aspects so important ?
The resources become more rarely with every year. Then there is the greenhouse effect and the huge CO2 emission. I think you should really deal with these main problems.
When did you start to deal with this topic ?
Well, in 1979-1980 I founded Die Grünen with some of my environmentally interested colleagues. I also learned many things during my time in this party.
Let’s talk about nuclear power. Do you see any advantages in the use of nuclear power stations ?
No, not really. Many people do say that nuclear power stations don’t produce so much CO2 and because of that they don’t contribute to the greenhouse effect. But this relative advantage are facing the major disadvantages of nuclear power.
What are the decisive disadvantages you see in it, when you represent your opinion, that the nuclear power stations should be turned off immediately ?
For me the most important argument is that at every time a so-called maximum credible accident could happen. The second reason for my opinion is that there is no final disposal for the nuclear waste. And here I think about the question: Why was such a project ever started, although there hadn’t been a solution to this problem.
What is the reason that many other European nations still hold on to the nuclear power ?
As I said before, they think that the environment isn’t harmed by them. They also say that it’s more cheap, but here is my criticism:
they don’t think of the costs for the waste and the costs of an possible maximum credible accident.
France and Great Britain use the radioactive material for their nuclear bombs.
Is the switch to regenerative energy at all financially possible, or has the government in your opinion already done too much ?
Actually Germany is a rich country, but where to get the money
from ? I suggest an ecological tax. That means, for example, if you raise the prices for a flight on a plane, people wouldn’t use a plane this often anymore and the environment would be spared and there would be more money for the switch.
Why do you think has only Fukushima led to a change in the nuclear politics ? Why not already Tschernobyl ?
The people’s thinking is very sluggish, so they thought Fukushima would be save. I think, for example, Angela Merkel thought so too. In the mass the people can only learn from tragedies. And after the accident from Fukushima there were again many demonstrations against nuclear power. These two aspects probably led to the change.
Third, it was the devastating electoral defeat of the ruling party CDU in Baden-Wurttemberg and the marvelous elctoral win of the anti-nuclear party Die Grünen – 14 days after Fukushima.
Do you think that it might be difficult for our country to switch over to regenerative energy ? Apart from the money.
The danger is that with the time the shock subsides and the fear disappears. Maybe we won’t have problems with nuclear power for 5-10 years and so the people are satisfied with nuclear power again. So it’s necessary to exit the nuclear power as soon as possible - and it would be possible until 2013.
With food, clothes or cosmetics ecological products are already very popular. Why is it so difficult to use ”environmentally friendly” cars ?
First of all there aren’t any environmentally friendly cars at all. Every car harms the environment. Secondly for many people they are to expensive; the people care about the prices, not about the environment. And mostly these cars are very small. Many people want at least a middle class car.
Does it really look so bad for the climate or is there a kind of climate hysteria ?
Definitely no! I think it’s very bad. There are damages amounting to billions because of the increasing number of tornadoes here in Germany. The people ”closed their eyes” for a long time now. They didn’t do anything of importance. They nearly understated the problems.
Thank you for your time !
Tabea Rauth und Svenja Kächele
