The 7th day on the road took us from the vivid and busy streets of Hamburg to the calm and friendly Hermanshof farm (‘hof’ meaning ‘farm’) in the village of Wümme. Our friends Christian and Achim helped us finding the way through the old Elbe tunnel, the harbour region and out of the big city. Leaving Hamburg we were in a group of 9 people. This was a good amount of people but it also meant that it was harder to stay together when traffic lights frequently split the group.

We had a lunch break in Buchholz where we met engaged people from the BUND (Friends of the Earth) and the Round Table on Environment and Animal Protection. They set up a most spectacular welcome lunch and greeted us with open arms and big smiles. We enjoyed the food together, we told them about the Cooperide, heard about local topics and shared our visions on a sustainable future. The arrival of wolfs is hot topic to the area. Some are happy about the indication of healthy ecosystem while others point out the threat to livestock. Also the construction of a new coal power plant nearby(Moorburg) raises worries amongst our hosts.

When demanding the end of coal power we are often asked: what comes after fossil fuels? That is a big question and we do not have a complete answer. However, we think that it is important to realise that a reduction of consumption and energy use may make the use of coal unnecessary. Much of the energy we produce is used to fulfil artificial needs. Additionally, a phasing out of fossil fuels would, as we see it, go hand in hand with a larger systemic change: A change to a system where people satisfy their fundamental needs in collaboration, to a system where people exchange the notion of growth and competition for connection and sharing. Focusing on common needs rather than individualism, products and commerce would drastically reduce our use of resources and allow for a healthier earth. The connection we made with people in Buchholz is in fact an example of such a connection and collaborative spirit which we think that we must grow and nurture locally and internationally.

Tonight we put up our tents at a friendly biodynamic farm where we tasted French fries made from home grown potatoes. Tomorrow we will follow the river Wümme all the way to Bremen. The journey continues! We bike for System Change not Climate Change!