With participation to more sustainability

At the University of ETH Zurich, Martin (Managing Director of Eartheffect), as an independent environmental consultant, introduced an innovative method of CO2 balancing for the mobility of ETHZ staff in 2006. It showed that air travel was responsible for around 50% of the university's CO2 emissions. As one of the measures to improve the environmental impact, Martin then introduced ecoworks at ETHZ - an incubator for campus CO2 reduction projects. A core component of ecoworks was a 24-hour workshop in which ETHZ students and doctoral students developed ideas and projects. This participatory approach runs through all of Eartheffect's activities. Those affected become participants and are thus motivated to get involved in the implementation of measures.

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Spin-off ETH Zurich

In 2010, Martin founded Eartheffect GmbH as a spin-off from ETH Zurich together with Philippe Stadler, with the company headquarters in Olten. Today, Martin is the sole owner and managing director of Eartheffect GmbH.

Energy saving in the hospitality industry

With the EcoGastro promotion programme - for the first three years still under the name "Watt à la carte" - we have been supporting catering businesses in reducing their own electricity consumption since 2011. If catering establishments replace their old cooker tops with energy-efficient induction cookers, they benefit from one-off subsidies. From the beginning, EcoGastro has focused on advising catering businesses, raising awareness and motivating employees to save energy. To date, we have advised around 500 businesses and conducted around 250 workshops. 

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EcoGastro certification

For the 10th anniversary of EcoGastro, we introduced the label "EcoGastro certified" in 2021, with which energy-efficient commercial kitchen appliances are certified. A study we conducted showed that labelling the most efficient appliances helps planners of commercial kitchens to build economical kitchens. Within a very short time, the label has become well known in the industry and is now also requested by investors in the appliance manufacturers, which has created additional incentives for them to develop the most energy-efficient appliances possible.

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Playfully towards sustainability

We developed the 2000-Watt workshops in 2014 for and with the city of Zurich as a further training offer by the city for its employees. With a quiz, the participants of the workshops acquire knowledge in a playful way. The 2000-Watt Workshop - like all other Eartheffect workshops - takes into account human needs based on the self-determination theory of Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. According to Deci and Ryan, the motivation for a certain behaviour is directly related to how strongly the needs for competence, social inclusion and autonomy can be satisfied. With well over a hundred workshops of experience, we can only confirm this theory. Accordingly, we observed motivated behaviour especially when people are working with joy and full of zest for action.

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Workshop offers

Following the successful introduction of the 2000-watt workshops (and the "Energy Efficiency" workshop as part of EcoGastro), we have since also been offering workshops on "Managing in cycles" and "Sustainable nutrition". In all our workshops, the development of ideas and thus the participatory involvement of employees is central. These ideas lay the foundation for changes in the organisation - be it on a small or large scale - and thus offer an optimal prerequisite for sustainable development. 

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Sustainable development in vocational education and training

Based on the workshops we held in vocational schools, we developed "Future Perfect", the digital teaching tool on sustainability and the circular economy, in cooperation with the Bildungszentrum Limmattal (BZLT) and EPEA Switzerland. Innovations are initiated and supported by highly trained professionals by critically questioning the status quo, developing new solutions and finally implementing changes. The teaching of so-called sustainability skills in vocational education and training plays a central role for Switzerland as a workplace: new products, services and business models are needed to drastically reduce resource consumption and counteract climate change. This is a mammoth task that our society is placing on the young generation and for which we must prepare them in the best possible way.  

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Economic activity in cycles

One of the solutions to these challenges - from our point of view the most important and target-oriented approach - is the circular economy. Resources must no longer become waste and emissions, but must be completely transformed back into new resources. Products must be used as long as possible and as intensively as possible. The economy needs business models that support the change and lead to products being designed to be durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable. With Future Perfect, we teach these concepts to students at vocational schools and vocational baccalaureate schools.

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Economic activity in cycles

Originally conceived as a workshop, induced by the Corona pandemic, we had to get creative and rethink Shape the Circle. So the idea was born to transfer participatory elements and the playful approach of our workshops to an online course.

With the support of two pilot companies that care about circular economy, we developed the new formats closely linked to the needs of the companies. 

We are enthusiastic because our customers are: Employees can train as needed and work together online on ideas for improvement.

With Shape the Circle, we give public and private organisations the opportunity to take all employees with them on a low-threshold path towards a circular future. 

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Strengthen values for a sustainable culture

Change is based on values and the corresponding culture. This conviction shapes our activities. With Shape the Circle, there is now an online offer that remains true to these principles and supports organisations in coming a little closer to the ideal of doing business in cycles. Do good and talk about it - especially within the organisation. This forms the self-image of also measuring everyday decisions against criteria of sustainable development and thus coming closer, step by step, to the vision of a future fit for grandchildren.   

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