integrating sustainability themes into media - Collaborating Centre ...

Good practice media examples
General description
Country Germany
Name of the media format Lindenstrasse (Broadcaster: ARD), www.Lindenstrasse.de
Media genre Entertainment TV / daily soap
Name of the campaign/project Suche Klima biete Schutz
Short description of media format Lindenstrasse is the oldest German daily soap. Broadcasted by ARD,
Lindenstrasse is famous for addressing social and environmental topics.
Since 1988, Lindenstrasse produced 13 episodes about environmental
topics (Lindenstrasse: 2008) and some of the characters demonstrate
very sensitized social and environmental awareness.
Short description of
campaign/project
Duration 17.08.2008 (one episode)
Under the umbrella of their climate protection initiative “Klimaschtuz
zahlt sich aus” the German Federal Ministry for the Environment
partnered with Lindenstrasse, set in a residential area of Munich, and
the City of Munich Department of Health and Environment. The project
aimed to give media profile of the Munich environment day, themes
”Suche Klima biete Schutz” held August 17th 2008. The event featured
during an episode of Lindenstrasse broadcast Germany wide on that
same day where characters participate in the design and the
implementation of the event.
Content of the Lindenstrasse episode “Suche Klima, biete Schutz”
In the episode, the character Helga Beimer planned the environment
day in her Lindenstrasse neighbourhood.
As a platform for environmental discussions and exchanges, Helga
Beimer created a climate change quiz and a climate cycling rally.
Background/history The first aired episode of Lindenstrasse was broadcasted on 08
December 1985. Lindenstrasse is a co-production of Geissendörfer
Film- und Fernsehproduction (GFF) and the Westdeutscher Rundfunk
(WDR) on behalf of ARD.
Motivation/goals Lindenstrasse aims to entertain people while at the same time deal with
sustainability topics in their storylines. The episode “Suche Klima, biete
Schutz” specifically aimed at promoting climate friendly consumption
patterns (e.g. putting a lit on the cooking pot, having an energy audit
done to reduce energy consumption, and reducing meat consumption).
Sustainability topics addressed • Sustainable consumption: topics like green consumerism
and fair trade/social issues.
• Environmentally friendly living: climate change,
energy/resource efficiency issues.
• Healthy lifestyles: healthy lifestyles or organic food.
Strategy to promote sustainability • Creation of dialogue: discussing sustainability topics that were
promoted in the daily soap featuring the citizens of Munich
participating in an environmental event.
• Using sustainability experts to answer questions during an
environmental event in Munich.
• Using the status of Lindenstrasse celebrities to communicate
sustainability messages and promote an environmental event.
• Showing what “everyone” can do “small and easy to
implement” things to mitigate climate change.
• Discussing and illustrating different aspects of the climate