BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland) works at all levels: there are more than 2000 voluntary BUND groups in the Germany that deal with issues important to their region. Maintaining conservation areas, mobilizing against factory agriculture or educating campaigns is only part of this.
For example, it is committed to organic agriculture and healthy nutrition, protecting the climate and expanding the use of renewable energy, protecting endangered species, forests and water. It is one of the largest environmental associations in Germany. BUND is an association independent of politics and business.
BUND met with Tesla on Thursday evening with other environmental associations to discuss possible environmental pollution from the planned factory.
Tesla revised the documents accordingly, Axel Heinzel-Berndt of BUND told to RBB, German news agency on Friday. It is obvious that the manufacturer of electric vehicles, after a meeting of its representatives with ecologists on Thursday, seeks to find the best solution. That is why the company wants to use less water at its future plant in Grünheide than originally planned.
Tesla initially expected water consumption to be 372 cubic meters per hour. According to Heinzel-Berndt, now it wants to reduce water consumption to 238 cubic meters, for example, by utilizing wastewater and using other cooling systems.
Source: #Gf4 #Gigafactory4
Tesla CEO Elon Musk clarified a few details that relate to Gigafactory Berlin. First of all, Tesla will not use the declared amount of water daily. The documents indicate the maximum amount of water that the factory can possibly use, sometimes, during rare peak usage case, it will be necessary, but it will not be an everyday event.
Sounds like we need to clear up a few things! Tesla won’t use this much net water on a daily basis. It’s possibly a rare peak usage case, but not an everyday event. Also, this is not a natural forest — it was planted for use as cardboard & only a small part will be used for GF4.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2020
In recent days, issues of water supply to the plant have been discussed. The Wasserverband Strausberg Erkner (WSE), the Berlin water Utility, the State Environmental Agency and the Brandenburg Economic Development Agency recently met for discussion. Accordingly to them, water supply and sanitation should be technically feasible. However, significant investment will be needed.
In fact, BUND welcomes the opening of the Tesla factory in Grünheide, “because electric cars are definitely safer for the climate than cars with an internal combustion engine,” says Heinzel-Berndt.
As for deforestation, which should be completed in mid-March before the start of the growing season, Tesla wants to increase the area of forests by three times as a replacement, and also proposed specific areas for this, Heinzel-Berndt says. It should be noted that poor quality forest is growing in this area.
Mr. Musk confirmed this intention. As a substitute for industrial, low-quality trees, Tesla will plant three times as much good forest.
Yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2020
Exactly!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2020
Musk also assured that Gigafactory 4 will absolutely be designed with sustainability and the environment in mind.
Giga Berlin / GF4 will absolutely be designed with sustainability and the environment in mind
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2020
Tesla has always sought to improve the environmental situation on our planet, because Mr. Musk perfectly understands the consequences of neglect. While other car manufacturers are fighting for their rights to continue to manufacture and sell ICE cars, Tesla is fighting to adopt electric cars as soon as possible. Because it is precisely this, our first, but the biggest step towards meeting a clean future.
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Featured image: #Gf4 #Gigafactory4
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
