Climate Pro­tec­tion

Using the elevator uses electricity. If you take the stairs instead, you can save electricity. Climbing stairs also strengthens your heart and improves your endurance. It works out your leg muscles and helps you burn a few calories, too. 

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room
• Unplug devices you're not using, or turn them off using a power strip with a switch
• Turn off devices instead of leaving them in standby mode

We’re still working on this at HMDK :-)

The Tork PaperCircle has been in place at HMDK since September 2026. This allows us to collect used paper towels separately and turn them into new paper towels through a recycling process. 

We need your help with this: Please put only paper towels in the trash cans in the restrooms. Thank you very much.We need your help with this: Please put only paper towels in the trash cans in the restrooms. Thank you very much.

Since December 2025, a paper collection bin is available on Level 5 for the separate collection of paper. Please place only paper, cardboard and boxes in this bin. Please flatten boxes and remove any packing material. Thank you very much.

As a general rule:

Retail packaging made of plastic, metal and composite materials: yellow bin
(IMPORTANT: Many packaging items are made of different materials; these must be disposed of separately. For example, with yogurt cups, the lids must be separated from the cups before both are placed in the yellow bin. Some cups also have a cardboard sleeve; this should be placed in the paper bin. Aluminum foil should be disposed of without being crumpled.)

Packaging made out of paper, newspapers, printed materials: green bin (in Stuttgart), blue bin (outside Stuttgart)
(IMPORTANT: Tissues belong to the general waste, paper towels can be recycled via the Tork PaperCircle)

Glass sales packaging: glass recycling bin (located within walking distance of the HMDK main building)

“Everything” else: General waste
!! Organic waste is not collected separately at HMDK!!

More information

• Bring a cloth bag when you go shopping
• Buy unpackaged products
• Bring your own to-go cup to the bakery (sometimes the coffee costs less that way)
• Buy products in reusable containers (e.g. returnable jars) and return them
• When dining out, bring your own container to take home leftovers

• Buy only as much food as you can consume
• Share food or give it away
• Food is still edible even after the best before date
• Use “Too Good To Go” or food-sharing initiatives (like Fairteiler)
• When dining out, bring your own container to take home leftovers

• Question your consumption habits (Do I really need this product?)
• Choose fair fashion over fast fashion
• Buy secondhand items
• Choose regional and fair-trade products
• Abstain from meat more often
• Look for eco-friendly/organic labels
  (for food: use “Siegelcheck”
  for clothing: use “Labelchecker”)
• Bring a reusable cloth bag when you go shopping

Public transportation and riding a bicycle are good, climate-friendly alternatives to driving.
But switching to the bicycle isn't just good for the environment - it's also good for your health.