That means job cuts.
Energy crisis: Quarter of German companies ‘plan to cut jobs’ – In order to tackle rising energy prices, a quarter of German companies revealed in a new survey that they planned to cut jobs, among other cost saving measures.
Around 25 percent of German companies plan to axe jobs as a cost saving measure, according to a survey of 1,080 German firms led by the Munich-based Stiftung Familienunternehmen released on Monday.
Not freezing to death.
Reality can be a bitch.
Nuclear power: German Greens put pragmatism first – The Green Party has seen challenges to its core principles ever since it became part of Germany’s three-party government. Pragmatism is forcing painful decisions on weapons exports, fossil fuels, and nuclear power.
“Party members are absolutely livid.”
Let’s turn off our remaining nuclear power plants too.
We have a reputation for being gründlich (thorough), after all.
Germany’s scramble to revamp its energy policy – Germany woke up too late to the risks of energy dependence on Russia. Moscow’s natural gas shutoff may make it one of the hardest-hit EU economies.
At a dinner at the German embassy in London on October 23, 1980, German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt shocked British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher when he told her that West Germany relied upon the Soviet Union for 14 percent of its daily natural gas consumption. “That was very dangerous and unwise,” she said. Mr. Schmidt responded, “My dear Margaret, the Russians have always been the most reliable suppliers. They need us as much as we need them. There is no danger at all.” For nearly 40 years, the chancellor’s optimistic assessment appeared accurate, and Germany’s dependence on Russian gas only kept increasing.
(just like the Czech Republic). We’ll supply you with gas now too.
France starts sending natural gas directly to Germany – Technical adjustments were necessary as the single pipeline between the two countries was originally intended only to deliver gas (from Russia) from Germany to France.
If you haven’t noticed, Germany’s Green doesn’t stink.
Fun fact for you CO2 fans out there: The Germans generate 10 tons of CO2 per capita per year (some call it the “Carbon Footprint”), the nuclear-friendly French only do 6.
It wasn’t our fault, Mom. The other kids were jumping off the bridge too. That’s why we’ve got this recession now, see?
Germany blames Putin for pushing economy towards recession – Vice-chancellor Robert Habeck signals ‘substantial downturn’ in the coming quarters.
Habeck (Greens) blamed the gloomy forecast on Vladimir Putin’s attempts to use energy as a tool to destabilize Europe. Habeck said forecasts would have been worse if Berlin had not taken action to soften the blow.
“The numbers are bad.”
Making someone question their own reality. The term may also be used to describe a person (a “gaslighter”) who presents a false narrative to another group or person, thereby leading them to doubt their perceptions and become misled, disoriented or distressed.
Berlin’s 19th Century Gas Lanterns Go Dark as Russia Cuts Fuel – The city is speeding the shutdown of traditional streetlights while citizens scramble to stay warm.
Like other cities worldwide, Berlin began installing gas lanterns along its avenues and alleyways in the early 19th century. But while the rest of the planet has long since moved on to sodium, halide, and LED, the German capital has remained stubbornly old-school, with some 23,000 gas lanterns still illuminating the city. For years the local government has sought to eliminate the gaslights in favor of more sustainable technologies, but fans of the warm glow and sculpted lampposts have managed to slow the effort. Today, Russia’s war in Ukraine is hastening the technology’s demise. “Gas is too expensive and wasteful,” says Benedikt Lux, a city legislator from the Green Party. “They should have been converted to LEDs long ago.”
Whew. Thank goodness the government intervened in time.
German of the day: Energieverbrauch. That means energy consumption. And concerned Germans just can’t seem to consume enough of it these days.
Despite the German government’s calls for savings, energy consumption by citizens in Germany has not fallen. According to the Federal Network Agency, consumption by private households and smaller commercial customers last week was almost ten percent higher than in previous years.
Or, if you prefer, no more German Alleingänge (going it alone)… After this one. Promise.
Tensions flare over the EU’s new irresponsible big spender: Germany – Countries say Berlin has a burden of responsibility not just to pour billions into its own economy — when German mistakes created the crisis.
Ten years ago, when Europe was in the throes of the eurozone crisis, Germany led the drive for austerity. Now the rest of Europe is fuming about Germany’s heavy spending on energy subsidies that they fear could exacerbate the Continent’s politically explosive rich-poor divide. It hardly helps these growing tensions that it was Berlin’s misguided dependence on Russian gas that helped trigger the bloc’s energy crisis in the first place.
Reality’s pointed little head, I mean. It will always get stuck up in your face, sooner or later.
Green utopia vs. the phenomenal world AKA the hard realities of life (that it’s cold in winter, for instance). Guess who wins?
Germany delays exit from nuclear power to offset energy shortfall – Two nuclear plants’ lives extended as country copes with loss of Russian gas and shortage of French electricity.
French nuclear-generated electricity, I might add.
It’s just not going to be windy or sunny enough this Christmas.
Germans urged to switch off Christmas lights this year to cut energy usage as Russia keeps tight hold on Europe’s gas supply – Germans should turn off their Christmas lights this winter to save energy as Russia clamps down on gas flows to Europe, according to non-profit environmental organization, Deutsche Umwelthilfe.
Observing Hermann 