Fresh Food and Classic Cars

Starting in Stuttgart, one aspect that immediately captured my eyes was the differing architecture that the city featured compared to America. The city structure and urban planning was also quite impressive in the sense that Stuttgart Novum, our hotel, was located right in the middle of a city center with restaurants and grocery stores within minutes of walking distance. In terms of sustainability, I thought this design was in line with the sustainability goals of Germany that we have learned in class so far throughout the semester. In addition to the frequent solar panels that I observed throughout the city in even remote places, the urban planning that presented advantages to walkers and bikers seemed to align with reducing carbon emissions from vehicles. The other sustainable component to Stuttgart that I experienced was the vast amount of vegan and vegetarian options that were available from a wide variety of restaurants. From fast food chains such as McDonalds offering plant-based McNuggets to local mom-and-pop shops maintaining alternative milk options (that I had not expected Germany to have), I felt that the food sustainability came through in Stuttgart — at all levels of the supply chain — down to the consumer level.

One class and program event here in Stuttgart that stood out to me was the Mercedes Benz museum tour. Despite being one of the largest car manufacturers around the world, I learned how early the company started to consider sustainability in its car-making process. In as early as the 60s and 70s, Mercedes-Benz as a company explored alternative forms of gas besides traditional methods such as hydrogen and others. In addition to aligning with society, the car manufacturer is now shifting more resources dedicated to researching, developing, and selling electric vehicles that are more sustainable for the environment and its consumers. This is occurring in Stuttgart and at other company locations around the world. An interesting note about the Museum is that its exhibits feature many world historical events that expand beyond Mercedes-Benz and the organization itself. For example, notes about the formation of the German Republic, American President John F. Kennedy’s visit to Berlin, and Cassius Clay’s boxing world title gave an interesting perspective about the respective historical times even if not directly related to cars or Mercedes.