Lilienthal: Zero-waste

Although located in the state of Lower Saxony the municipality of Lilienthal is not only the terminal stop of Bremen's tram no.4, it's also easily reachable by bicycle from Bremen, e.g. via the car-free Jan-Reiners-Wanderweg. This beautiful bicycle route through the Hollerland (a cultural landscape created by drainage by Dutch settlers around the year 1000) was opened as early as 1970 and partially runs in lieu of the former Jan Reiners train tracks, a steam train line from Bremen to Lilienthal through the moors which was operated between 1900 and 1956.

In Lilienthal make sure to stop by the wonderful farmshop of the organic farm dairy Dehlwes with its milk vending machine. The milk is guaranteed to travel no longer that 10 kilometres on average and is processed here exclusively. Although the shop isn't decidedly zero waste (in fact all other dairy products and the meat in the fridge and freezer are pre-packaged in plastics) the friendly shop assistant will happily fill your bags with bread, rolls and pastries and your boxes and jars with cheese and meat products from the sales counter. All cattle, milk and bakery products as well as mindblowingly fresh veges, fruits and (in summer) berries come from the close region (there's a separate shelf for imported fruit and veges), and – following the nose-to-tail approach – you will also find ready-made meat and offal preparations in glass jars. Just across the street you can pay a visit to the farm's own cows and hens. There used to be a small cafe on the street, the Melkhus, which has been closed since the covid-19 pandemics started in 2020.

One supplying farm to the Dehlwes dairy is the one run by the Kaemena family which has their own 24x7 open milk vending machine.

New in 2021 Lilienthal also sports a spacious, light and clean package-free self-service supermarket, the Kerngeschäft (a pun with the German translation of "core business") on the premises of the former bookstore a few steps off the town's main shopping street, Klosterstraße. During the summer the only fresh veges available were potatoes, but it is not unlikely that There's everything you need of household chemicals (including dish washer tabs by the piece), products for personal hygiene, dry food and fresh dairy products (by the Kaemena farm). Some like locally produced caramels and ketchup aren't organic, clearly visible by the missing word "bio". When I was there in the summer of 2021 the friendly shop owner told me that after the summer holidays opening hours would be increased to 8-18 Mon through Saturday, and there were plans to keep open until 8 pm at least one day per week, possibly on Thursdays.

• Hofladen Dehlwes, Trupe 18, Lilienthal, Mon–Sat 8:30–18:30
• Kerngeschäft, Stadskanaal 1,, Lilienthal, Mon–Sat(Mon,Thu) 8:30–13(18), during summer school holidays Mon,Thu(Tue,Fri,Sat) 9-18(13), summer-closed July 25 through August 10, 2022.

Organic Esslingen: Eat & sleep

Ever wanted to stay in a bicycle-friendly hotel that produces its electricity itself with its own water power plant? Surrounded by the Esslingen university campus on the entrance side and the Hammerkanal, a side channel of the Neckar river, at the back the EcoInn makes a perfect over-night stop for cyclists on the Neckar valley bicycle route running from Mannheim to Villingen-Schwenningen. It is not only a sustainably driven hotel (with many certificates and memberships in organisations for the common good), but, for groups and families, also offers its services as a eco hostel at special conditions on request.

For my stay I got a basic, easy to (steam-)clean room in the part of the house which probably is given to hostel guests, painted with organic colours and decorated with a climate-neutral photo wallpaper. Despite its austerity the room, among others due to the absence of synthetic carpets and cushions and the use of healthy, sustainable materials felt comfy and welcoming. The towels are made from organic cotton.

Unfortunately the breakfast is not fully organic: You can have organic eggs, tea (though no green variety), chocolate and fruit spread, bread, milk and soy yoghurt, inside or on an outdoor terrace over the Neckar channel.

The hotel does not have a regular restaurant but welcomes external guests for breakfast and opens a pop-up buffet restaurant every third Friday of a month: The vegetarian Delicantina partially uses organic ingredients, though the overall focus is on regional produce.

In general city life seems to begin on Wednesdays in Esslingen: When I came hereMonday through Tuesday with a small itinerary of partially organic (day) cafes, I found most of them closed, so unfortunately all descriptions below (except for one) are based on upfront research and a view from the outside, confirming the existance and general appearance of the place.

Prior to arrival, I was especially looking forward to have organic coffee and cake or tart at Fräulein Margot, and indeed, on another day of the week it would probably have been fun to watch passers-by in the pedestrian area.

Second on my list was the day cafe Entenmanns on Rathausplatz, an organically certified place offering salads, bowls, and Swabian Maultaschen. This filled local pasta originally is a vegetarian dish, at times using left-overs of Sunday meat. Locals lovingly refer to it as "Herrgottsb'scheißerle" ("little Lord God's fuck over"). The name refers to when the meat-containing version was eaten during the meat-prohibit of lent. I would have loved to have this dish here, simply to do justice to it as its inferior (and throughout Germany omnipresent) industrial version comes with highly processed usually industry-meat based fillings. Much of the ingredients they use at Entenmanns are produce of their own market garden which currently is in the conversion period to certified organic agriculture.

To the rescue on Mondays and Tuesdays comes Brot & Cafe. However, don't expect gourmet coffee from this self-service eatery to the right of the Naturgut: Despite the separate entrance it also serves as the supermarket's bakery till. Given the vicinity to the university campus I expected to see a lot of students, but as the campus itself seemed deserted (probably due to pandemic online courses) the cafe was, too.

Since the reason of my stay didn't leave me with the opportunity to eat out on my own I did not have time to try one of the first organically certified restaurants in the greater Stuttgart region, simply dubbed Kitchen. Wholeheartedly catering to both, omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans using predominantly regional produce according to the season, they also describe themselves as zero-waste supporters. So I really would have loved to eat out here (or in their sister restaurant in Böblingen) – if you have the chance let me know about what you think.

• EcoInn, Kanalstr. 14–16
• Delicantina inside EcoInn, Kanalstr. 14–16 , every 3rd Fri of a month 17:30–20:30
• Fräulein Margot, Unterer Metzgerbach 14 , Wed–Sat(Sun) 9–18(17)
• Brot & Cafe , Adlerstr. 6 (inside Alte Feuerwache), Mon–Fri(Sat) 8–20(18)
• Entenmanns, Rathausplatz 6 , Wed–Sun 9:30–18
• Kitchen, Neckarstr. 7 , Mon–Thu(Fri–Sat) 17–22(23)

Selvazzano Dentro and around

Those with a sweet tooth may feel in heaven when coming to the comparatively ugly urban sprawl which comprises the municipality of Selvazzano Dentro south-west of Padua and north of Abano Terme: In the neighbourhoods of San Domenico and Tencarola, devided by the crossing of the river Bacchiglione you will find a confectioner's shop cum day bar, an ice-cream parlour and finally a supermarket serving customers preferring organic food and delights.

When entering the municipality from the west following Via Euganea your first stop should be at a roundabout with an Italian day bar cum Viennese-style cafe cum confectioner's shop where the main ingredients are organic. At Pasticceria Da Angelo you will find organic and vegan options clearly marked, and the friendly staff will proudly and often even unasked point out what's organic. If you don't feel like a delicate ice-cream or a gorgeous pastry along with an organic coffee drink (with organic soy milk if you prefer) have a tramezzino sandwich or toast together with a freshly made organic smoothie, or an organic soft drink. Vegan sandwich options are readily available, with organic "cold cuts", while the meat items on non-veg versions usually aren't organic. A serving of ice-cream comes at 1.40 EUR, with each additional scoop for 1.10 EUR. Vegan varieties aren't restricted to fruit flavours, you can also choose among a number of flavours made with rice or almond drink. Buy a bag of organic cookies to take home if you like, and if you're lucky there may be an organic lunch, dinner or ice-cream special during your stay. Advanced booking by phone is required for such an event.

Not enough ice-cream or arriving after half past nine in the evening? Well, you can be helped. Gelateria Soleluna a few meters east opposite Hotel Piroga uses more than 80 percent organic, and predominantly locally sourced ingredients for their granite, gelati, and ice cakes. A delight not to be missed, one ice-cream scoop goes for 1.40 EUR, each additional one adds approximately 1 EUR to your bill. Personally I prefer the delicate, creamy dairy flavours to the vegan fruit-based ones. The granite are available in two sizes, for 2.80 or 3.50 EUR – the refreshing lime-mint or coffee varieties will get you going in a minute on a warm summer day. Unfortunately the granite are served in one-way plastics cups, each with one-way teaspoon and straw, so you will produce a lot of waste. On bank holidays the shop keeps open as on Sundays.

Groceries

To buy everything you need organic, from fruit and veges over dairy products and vegan alternatives to dry food, natural cosmetics, the forgotten towel or household detergents follow Via Euganea in eastern direction, cross both, the bridge over the river, and the street side. Here, on Via Padova (the street changes its name in Tencarola) you'll find a well assorted NaturaSi supermarket which also has a small section of self-service zero waste dispensers for grains and a few other dry foods and refill for most household detergents. This would also be the place you had to do most of your organic shopping when living in one of the villages in the vicinity – your next real options being the NaturaSi in Abano Terme or, naturally, the ones in the city of Padua.

• Pasticceria Da Angelo, Via Euganea, 39, Mon,Wed–Sat(Sun) 7–20:30(7–13:30, 15–20:30)
• Soleluna, Via Euganea, 21, daily 15:30–22:30, Sun 11–13, 15:30–22:30
• NaturaSi, Via Padova, 73, Mon–Fri 8:30–13, 15:30–19:30, Sat 8:30–19:30

Closed

• Come una volta, Montegalda, Via Roma, 45 (neighbourhood grocery)

Esslingen: Zero Waste and Supermarkets

A serious university city Esslingen sports a small package-free self-service supermarket where you can fill your boxes, bottles, bags and jars yourself, and any pre-packaged item either comes in glass or paper packaging. Ohne Ebbes (the Swabian dialect word "ebbes" refers to "anything", hence the name can be translated as "without anything") is located near Hafenmarkt, with its entrance facing Milchstraße. Missing a glossy window front it can appear nearly invisible. The clean and welcoming shop offers dry food, sweets, cleaning detergents, household items, and sustainable body care. All non-packaged items are organic, but since the shop is missing an organic certification it is not allowed to advertise this. Only some pre-bottled regional beverages are not organic. The shop follows a German tradition among organic shops in university cities to offer a 10 percent discount to students on Thursdays.

For fairly produced gifts, fashion and dried food fair-trade world shops always are a good bet. But the Weltladen in Esslingen is even better: At its left-hand site it has a small zero-waste shop-in-shop with gravity bins containing nuts, cereals, pasta, sweets, coffee and more, not all of them certified organic, though. Bring your own jars, boxes or re-use clean paper bags from previous shoppings. As long as covid-19 requires stricter hygiene ask one of the helpful volunteers who are running the shop to fill them for you – and use the time for a chat. The shop also offers a small assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

To buy loose weight tea take a stroll over Germany's next to oldest stone bridge, the Innere Brücke ("inner bridge") over the Neckar canals and the Maille park: In a beautiful pavilion integrated into the bridge you'll find Esslingen's branch of the Tee Gschwendtner franchise. If you present your tea box to the shop assistant before you decide on the tea of your choice they are happy to fill customer receptables.

A few steps north of the train station you'll find a branch of the nation-wide operating Alnatura supermarket chain inside the ES shopping mall. It's far from being dedicated zero-waste but offers a basic assortment of preserved food, wine, beer, juices and soft drinks, dairy products and vegetable alternatives in retour glasses or bottles as well as package-free bakery products (provided you sport a bag), fruits and veges.

If you prefer a regional chain of organic supermarkets head for the Naturgut branch inside the old fire warden. Apart from diary products and beverages there's no focus on returnable deposit bottles and glasses, but you may of course buy package-free fruit and greens. For bakery items turn to the right at the entrance: The bakery counter is located inside the attached self-service day cafe, Brot & Cafe.

Although Germany's arguably largest organic bakery chain, Munich-based Hofpfisterei ("bakery with appointment to the (Bavarian) court") traditionally restricts its branches to Bavaria (and the German capital Berlin), there's a Hofpfisterei shop in the pedestrian area of Esslingen's old town, too. As in all Hofpfisterei branches, there's not need to argue with the shop assistants when you present a bag or box to take your breads, rolls and pastries home – they will happily comply.

Outside the city, in Sulzgries, you'll find the organic farmshop of the Eglisenhof farm, a grower of both, veges and grapewine. They also have a (local) delivery service. Unfortunately the vinification of their grapes by a local co-operative does not (yet?) seem to happen according to organic standards, at least I was not able to find any organic local wine and even met strong resistance when I asked for it at local wine specialists.

The farm also has a booth at the farmers' market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. However, you have to rise in time to get there as the market closes already around noon.

• Ohne Ebbes, Hirschstraße 2 (no longer Unterer Metzgerbach 7) , Mon–Fri(Sat) 10–18(16)
• Weltladen Esslingen, Küferstrasse 12 , Mon–Fri(Sat) 10–18(16)
• Tee Gschwendner , Innere Brücke 19, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9:30(9)–18(15)
• Naturgut, Adlerstr. 6 (inside Alte Feuerwache), Mon–Fri(Sat) 8–20(18)
• Alnatura, Berliner Str. 2 (inside the mall "Das ES"), Mon–Sat 9–20
• Hofpfisterei, Pliensaustr. 1, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9(8:30)–18(14:30)
• Eglisenhof farm shop, Bergstr. 200, Tue,Fri(Sat) 9–19(13)
• Eglisenhof market stall, Marktplatz, Wed,Sat 7–12:30

Stuttgart-Möhringen

Directly located behind the old station building of Möhringen Filderbahn train station you'll find the main shop of a traditional artisanal bakery and confectioner's, Schrade. The family-run business dates back to 1902, and as many surviving bakeries of old, is organically certified. Most breads and many rolls are organic, made with Bioland-certified grains from the region and home-made sourdough if applicable.Unfortunately neither the pastries nor the artisanal chocolate truffles are made from organic ingredients (yet).

Further south, in the nicer part of Möhringen-West with its still visible village structure you'll find the Reyerhof farm, a biodynamic co-operative and community supported agriculture. Its homely farm shop is open to the public and sells raw milk from the farm which you can tap yourself into your bottle. A pleasant way to buy food and daily necessities, there's also a cafe corner with tables to sit down and relax.

There's a second organic farm shop in Möhringen-Süd: Bauer Klaus shares its shop with the suburb's package-free supermarket, Umverpackt. Unfortunately it is open on Monday and Friday afternoons only.

To complete your shopping there are also two well-assorted organic supermarkets, Naturgut in Möhringen-Mitte, and Erdi in the large housing neighbourhood of Möhringen-Ost.

• Bäckerei Schrade, Leinenweberstr. 38, Mon–Fri(Sat) 6–19(13)
• Reyerhof, Unteraicher Str. 8, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9–(8)18:30(13)
• Umverpackt, c/o Hofladen Bauer Klaus, Lohäckerstr. 18, Mon,Fri 14:30–18:30
• Naturgut, Vaihinger Str. 110, Mon–Sat 8–20
• Erdi, Widmaierstr. 110, Mon–Fri(Sat) 8–20(16)