Saving water, switching electricity supplier, buying fair, organic & regional products, donating for a good cause, car sharing with the neighbors – many people already do it. But there are other possibilities for everyone to expand the own contribution to sustainability. Activities requiring positive personal engagement – such as volunteer work, letter writing, street theater, or actions in the Web 2.0 – are an effective addition. These activities not only reduce your carbon footprint, but also increase your "handprint" for a future worth living.

Get involved through individual, family and neighborhood circles and even further in the school, university and work context, or in the urban environment, as well as in policy at the regional, national and global level. You can support energy cooperatives, united agricultural initiatives or environmental groups. Whether alone or in a group, you can initiate competitions for energy saving ideas within your company, or a vegetarian day once a week in the cafeteria.

The Centre for Environment Education (CEE), India, developed the concept of "Handprint" 2007 (www.handprint.in) as an open concept, provided to everyone to use and to further develop. Germanwatch uses and supports the "Handprint" as a tool in education, to identify potential courses of action.

Germanwatch also has ideas on how to increase your handprint, available at:
www.germanwatch.org/de/aktiv-werden (German only)