fortytwomagazine – for those who wonder

@ Charlotte Boschen

 

After months of strict lock-downs and personal restrictions, some parts of the world are slowly emerging from the Corona crisis: Curfews are being lifted and borders reopened. Nevertheless, the situation remains tense and uncertain – especially in the Non-european world. In part two of our Corona moments, three 42 Magazine team members share their experiences in the three languages of our magazine: French, English and German.

Fribourg : le renouveau du ping-pong

De forme rectangulaire, plane et horizontale, son plateau est généralement vert ou bleu, lisse et mat. Un filet court en sa largeur afin de séparer sa superficie en deux surfaces égales. Habituellement, une ligne blanche épaisse de 2 cm marque ses différentes sections et sert de repères aux sportifs qui s’affrontent au-dessus et autour de celle-ci. Armés de raquettes, leur combat requiert une balle et rien d’autre. Simplicité et sobriété, l’excellence de ses joueurs réside dans la technique de jet et de service.

Depuis quelques semaines, l’ombre des arbres de nouveau feuillus apporte un réconfort à ses visiteurs, plus nombreux que jamais, heureux de trouver un peu d’air frais. Le mouvement de leur raquette soulève avec lui le pollen volage et le parfum des nombreuses glycines environnantes. Sur le banc voisin, une enceinte Bluetooth diffuse les morceaux préférés des joueurs du moment. À 2,74m l’un de l’autre, les adversaires, généralement amis ou voisins, ne prennent aucun risque et respectent les mesures hygiéniques de circonstances.

L’occasion de se retrouver pour quelques échanges de balle, échanges de mots, afin d’échanger ses impressions sur la situation absurde qui nous avale tout entier au quotidien. Et pourtant, le soulagement de voir de nouvelles habitudes se former, le plaisir de découvrir de nouvelles façons de se rencontrer et la certitude de pouvoir passer du bon temps ensemble. Indéniablement : la table de ping-pong est l’icône du moment.

Charlotte, lectrice 42 Magazine

Johannisburg : A letter from Jo’burg

When sitting in the middle of a national lockdown, facing the frightening reality of economic uncertainty because you live every passing week hand to mouth, you are certainly forced to choose to either overcome the fear of possibly contracting a virus that may or may not kill or overcome your fear of starving to death in your own home.

It is a dilemma being forced upon the shoulders of millions of South African’s who live in one of the most unequal countries in the world. A choice not made in the relative silence one would expect from a lockdown. But made in the context of the bustling community around you who have already made their choice.

COVID-19 has had a chilling effect on the population of South Africa whose income has shielded them from having the salience of their mortality exposed to them. However, for the majority of the country, of which this salience is tested every day, COVID-19 is just another part of life that threatens to bring about your end. Nothing new. Nothing more. COVID-19, like the world, has little care for inequality.

Rekgotsofetse, editor 42 Magazine

Bonn: Gemeinsam getrennt

Die Kontaktsperre kam am Montag, das Homeoffice richteten wir am Dienstag ein, schon Sonntag lagen wir ermüdet nebeneinander und wussten beide: so geht’s nicht mehr. Sich mitten in der Corona-Krise zu trennen, ist eine Herausforderung. Die Krise ist kein Grund, aber sie kann einem den letzten, nötigen Stubs in die richtige Richtung geben.

Mit Interesse las ich in den Tagen darauf die Empfehlungen der ZEIT für Paare, die noch zusammen sind: nachsichtig sein, Konflikte gehen lassen, den Raum des anderen akzeptieren. Diese Empfehlungen kann man auch als getrenntes Paar umsetzen, denn auch, wenn wir beide lieber woanders wären, erleben wir so gemeinsam, warum es gut ist, dass wir uns getrennt haben – und sogar Momente, in denen wir uns daran erinnern, was wir aneinander hatten. Eine Zeit zum Abschied nehmen. In der Isolation liegt für mich also auch Hoffnung und das Wissen, es muss nicht immer böse enden.

Lara, Herausgeberin 42 Magazine

How are you holding up and how is the situation in your country? Feel free to share your funny, annoying, nice or scary experiences with us. Contact us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or write an email to contact@fortytwomagazine.com!

 

@ Dominic Wunderlich/Pixabay

Auch im April dominiert die Corona-Krise die Nachrichten. Die Post-Corona-Zukunft rückt dabei stärker in den Blick: Es wird kontrovers darüber debattiert, wie die Zeit nach der Pandemie aussehen könnte. Gerät das Klimaproblem angesichts der aktuellen Gesundheitskrise aus dem Blick? Oder kann man sich die Krise zunutze machen und als Chance begreifen, die Gesellschaft und Wirtschaft in Zukunft nachhaltiger und klimafreundlicher zu gestalten? Und wie erhebt man in Zeiten der Versammlungsbeschränkungen eigentlich seine Stimme für das Klima?

Nachhaltige Wirtschaft. In der Zeit plädiert Patrick Graichen, Direktor der Denkfabrik Agora Energiewende, für eine „Doppelstrategie für Wachstum und Klimaschutz“, damit „CO2-Emissonen dauerhaft und nicht nur einmalig sinken“. Dafür müssten vom Staat Investitionen in Millionenhöhe sowohl im Bereich der klimafreundlichen Industrialisierung und der regenerativen Energien als auch der energetischen Sanierung von Gebäude getätigt werden, um aus der Krise eine Chance für die wirtschaftliche Entwicklung zu machen. Für Graichen stellt der European Green Deal der EU-Kommission bereits eine gute Grundlage dar, um die Wirtschaft nachhaltig wiederzubeleben.

Green Deal Verschiebung. Das amerikanische Wirtschaftsmagazin Forbes berichtet, dass die Corona-Krise den Green Deal der EU-Kommission ausbremsen könnte: Insbesondere im konservativen Lager werden Stimmen laut, die beschlossenen Maßnahmen aufgrund der mit der Pandemie verbundenen wirtschaftlichen Einbußen zu verschieben. Pascal Canfin, Vorsitzender des Ausschusses für Umwelt und öffentliche Gesundheit im Europäischen Parlament, fordert, dass die finanziellen Maßnahmen als Möglichkeit begriffen werden sollten, den Kampf gegen den Klimawandel zu beschleunigen. Ein großer Anteil der staatlichen Hilfen fließt momentan in emissionsstarke Industrien, weshalb Klimaaktivist*innen einen Entwicklungsstopp bei der Einsparung von klimaschädlichen Emissionen befürchten.

Online streiken fürs Klima. Unter dem Motto „#FightEveryCrisis“ haben zuletzt Aktivist*innen der Fridays for Future-Bewegung in mehr als 100 Ländern im Netz für den Klimaschutz protestiert. Da durch die aktuell geltenden Ausgangsbeschränkungen Versammlungen untersagt sind, nutzten die Demonstranten digitale Wege, um auf den Klimawandel aufmerksam zu machen. Klimaforscher Wolfgang Lucht, Mitbegründer von Scientists for Future, betont die Bedeutung der Online-Aktionen. Im Deutschlandfunk zieht er Parallelen zwischen der Klima- und der Corona-Krise:„Wenn man bei der Pandemie jetzt versäumt, rechtzeitig zu handeln, dann hat man ein sehr viel größeres Problem, auch mit erheblichen Schäden bis hin zu Toten, und dasselbe trifft für die Klimakrise zu, natürlich auf einem anderen Zeitmaßstab“. Für beide Krisen fordert er schnelles Handeln und politische Entscheidungen auf Basis wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse.

Von Neele Mülhoff

The lack of rain and long periods of drought result in the destruction of agricultural land in Vietnam. @ tuan1368 / Agora

 

Deforestation, plastic waste in the oceans and air pollution from coal-fired power plants – ecological destruction has immense consequences for our planet. The climate change caused by greenhouse gases affects ecosystems, animals and also us humans more and more directly.

This is impressively demonstrated by the images of the fifty finalists in the Agora photo app competition. Under the heading #ClimateChange2020, the participants were invited to capture the effects of climate change with their cameras. The result is an equally fascinating and shocking range of images that document global climate change. They show the melting of glaciers and barren fields, animals trapped in plastic waste, and people whose livelihood is increasingly being corroded by the climatic changes.

With their pictures the amateur photographers express their dismay and try to raise awareness for the consequences of global warming.

We present you a small selection below – including, of course, the winner. More photos can be found here.

By Neele Mülhoff

 

The winning picture by Hòa Carol shows a possible solution for climate-friendly energy generation – a sea of solar systems in the Vietnamese city of Pleiku. @hoacarol/Agora

 

In recent years, California has experienced severe droughts, intense forest fires and storms, all of which can be attributed to climate change. @ bachir01 / Agora

 

The Maldives are known for the untouched marine environment, but also for their susceptibility to plastic pollution and coral bleaching. @ ashwaag2233 / Agora

 

A sea of ​​plastic is not uncommon in Bangladesh. @ Rozelkazi / Agora

 

The disappearance of the glaciers in Norway deprives the polar bears of their natural habitat. @uglefisk / Agora

© Anne Müller

In diesen Tagen geschlossener Grenzen erscheint uns die physische Distanz zu unseren Freunden, Familien, zu Menschen in anderen Ländern unnatürlich groß. In der Krise hat sich die Welt in kleine nationale Einheiten zurückgezogen. Wir bekämpfen das Coronavirus weitgehend abgeschottet von unseren Nachbarn. Dabei sind die Erfahrungen, die wir in den verschiedensten Winkeln dieser Welt machen, sich doch sonderbar ähnlich.

42 ist ein internationales Projekt. Unsere Teammitglieder waren schon immer über den Globus verstreut. Hier wollen wir ein paar Momentaufnahmen teilen und Einblicke in die Selbstisolierung unseres Teams überall auf der Welt geben.

Sankt Petersburg: Alles handgewaschen

„Erst seit dem 28. März gelten in Sankt Petersburg strenge Vorschriften für das Rausgehen. Die Regierung hat arbeitsfrei für alle, die nicht im Home-Office oder an der Kasse arbeiten, verordnet. So hat sich für mich ein neues Problem ergeben: Wäsche waschen. 

In dem Studierendenwohnheim, in dem ich lebe, ist eine Frau extra für die Waschmaschinen zuständig. Allein dürfen wir Studierende die Waschmaschinen nicht benutzen. Diese Frau hat nun aber arbeitsfrei und die nächste Wäscherei ist leider mehr als die erlaubten 100 Meter von meinem Wohnblock entfernt. Ob Wäschereien überhaupt aufhaben, ist unklar. Somit wasche ich meine Klamotten nun per Hand und wringe sie in einem Kraftakt ordentlich aus.“

– Anne, Interviewerin 42 Magazine

Berlin: Virtuelles Bierpong

„Ein Wochenende verbringen, ohne mit den Freunden zu trinken? Geht gar nicht in Berlin! Meine Mitbewohner und ihre Freunde hatten also eine Idee:

Ein virtuelles Bierpong-Turnier! Ziel dieses Spiel besteht darin, einen Tischtennisball in Biergläser zu werfen. Bei jedem erfolgreichen Wurf muss der Gegner den Inhalt des Glases trinken. Um die Ausgangsbeschränkung zu respektieren, spielt jeder bei sich zu Hause, mit den Gläsern des Gegners auf seinem Küchentisch, und ruft die anderen Teilnehmer über Skype an. 

Wir haben zehn Mannschaften von jeweils einem oder zwei Spieler gebildet und spielen zwei Mal die Woche gegeneinander. Jedes Spiel besteht aus zwei bis drei Runden und bei jeder Runde wird ein Bier getrunken. Das Bier fließt in Berlin trotz der Ausgangsbeschränkung weiter.“

– Lucile, Interviewerin 42 Magazine

Paris: Ein Romeo-und-Julia-Moment in Zeiten von Corona

„Seit dem 16. März ist Paris in Quarantäne, die ganze Stadt ist dicht. Das heißt: Zuhause bleiben, Besuchsverbot, Social Distancing, Isolation. Essenseinkäufe erledigen oder alleine joggen gehen sind aber Gott sei Dank noch erlaubt. Umso schöner, wenn man dabei herzerwärmende Situationen beobachtet, wie ich vor ein paar Tagen. 

Auf dem Weg zur Bäckerei sah ich neulich zwei Jugendliche, die eng umschlungen herumknutschten. Als ich 10 Minuten später mit meinem Kaffeebecher und einem Pain au Chocolat die gleiche Strecke zurück ging, verabschiedeten die beiden sich gerade. Traurige Blicke, zögernde Schritte und Hände, die sich nur langsam loslassen – tragisch. 

Erst da fiel mir auf, dass beide Jogging-Kleidung trugen. Was für ein Romeo-und-Julia-Moment in Zeiten von Corona. Zwei Teenager, die sich unter dem Vorwand Joggen zu gehen heimlich treffen, um mit innigen Küssen Viren auszutauschen.“

– Ella, Head of Social Media 42 Magazine

Boston: Leaving the USA

„Als ich meine Sachen packe, um Boston zu verlassen, laufe ich über den Harvard-Campus, auf dem es normalerweise von Studenten und Touristen nur so wimmelt. Heute ist er menschenleer.

Seitdem die Fitnessstudios in der Gegend geschlossen sind, nutzen die Leute das Freiluft-Fitnessstudio am Magazine Beach. Aber jetzt sind auch diese Geräte mit traurigem gelben Absperrband behangen. Hin und wieder kommt ein Jogger vorbei.

Als ich beschloss, nach Deutschland zurück zu gehen, führte der einzige verfügbare Flug über New York, dem Corona-Hotspot schlechthin. Da die meisten nationalen Flüge gestrichen wurden, musste ich einen Bus ausgerechnet nach Manhattan nehmen. Die Straßen dort waren gespenstisch leer. Zwei Tage nach meiner Ankunft, bekomme ich  eine gute Nachricht – mein COVID-19-Test ist negativ.“

– Jonas, Interviewer 42 Magazine

München: Corona-Tanz im Supermarkt

„Ich bin im Supermarkt bei mir um die Ecke in München und versuche, genug Abstand zu dem Mann vor mir zu wahren, der nacheinander alle Avocados anfasst – man muss ja schließlich auch zu Corona-Zeiten begutachten, welche von ihnen reif genug für die Guacamole ist… Ich laufe um die nächste Ecke, und doch, gerade als ich nichts Böses erwarte, passiert es! Erst in letzter Sekunde sehe ich die Frau, die mir entgegenkommt! Tatort: Der Gang, in dem die Dosen geschälter Tomaten perfekt aufgereiht sind, als wäre die Welt in Ordnung…

„Wir bleiben ruckartig stehen, sehen beide aus, als hielten wir die Luft an. Sie klammert ihre Finger um den Griff des Einkaufskorbes, ich presse das Müsli fest als Schutzschild vor den Oberkörper. Dann müssen wir beide lachen. Wie schön, wenn sich die Anspannung kurzerhand in Luft auflöst. Ist die Stimmung in diesem kurzen Moment vielleicht so gut, weil uns das „umeinander herumtanzen“ an Kindergeburtstage erinnert? Beim Stopptanzen bin ich damals schon aufgeblüht!“

– Lena, Chefredakteurin 42 Magazine

 

Wie erlebt ihr die Corona-Krise? Teilt eure lustigen, nervigen, schönen oder beängstigenden Erfahrungen mit uns. Schreibt uns auf Instagram, Twitter und Facebook an oder eine E-mail an contact@fortytwomagazine.com!

 

© Anne Müller

All around the world, borders have been closed. The physical distance between us seems greater, the days seem longer since we have retracted into small national entities. We are fighting this worldwide crisis mostly detached from our friends, families and neighbours.

42 is an international project. Our team has always lived in many parts of the world. In this article we would like to share a glimpse of the self-isolation that our team members are experiencing all around the globe.

Saint Peterburg: All handwashed

“Only since March 28, St. Petersburg has had strict self-isolation rules. The government has decreed mandatory vacation for those who do not work in a home office or in essential functions. So I’m faced with a new problem: Washing clothes. 

In the dormitory where I live, a woman is responsible for the washing machines. We students are not allowed to use the washing machines alone. But this woman is now off work and the nearest laundry is unfortunately more than the permitted 100 metres away from my apartment block. In any case it is unclear if the laundries are open at all. For now I wash my clothes by hand and wring them out properly in a tour de force.”

– Anne, Interviewer 42 Magazine

Berlin: Virtual beer pong

“Spending a Week-end without drinking with some friends? A no go in Berlin! So my roommates and their friends had an idea…

A virtual beer pong tournament! This game consists of throwing a ping-pong ball into beer cups. For each successful shot, the opponent has to drink the contents of the cup. In order to respect the measures of social distancing, everyone plays from home, with the opponent’s cups on his kitchen table, and streams the game on Skype.

We’ve made up ten teams of one or two players and play against each other twice a week. Each match consists of two to three rounds and beer is served in each round. You don’t need to do any maths to understand: in Berlin, despite the lockdown, the beer is flowing!”

– Lucile, Interviewer 42 Magazine

Paris: A Romeo and Juliet moment in times of Corona

“Since March 16 Paris is in quarantine, the whole city is in lockdown. That means: Staying at home, no visiting, social distancing, isolation. Thank God food shopping or going for a run by yourself is still allowed. Even better if you witness a heart-warming situation like I did a few days ago. 

On the way to the bakery, I saw a young couple snuggling up tightly. When I came back 10 minutes later with my Pain au Chocolat, the two of them were just saying goodbye. Sad looks, hesitant steps and hands that slowly let go – tragic. 

Only then did I notice that they were both wearing running clothes. What a beautiful Romeo and Juliet moment in times of Corona. Two teenagers who meet in secret and under the pretext of going for a run to exchange the virus with intimate kisses.”

– Ella, Head of Social Media 42 Magazine

Boston: Leaving the USA

“As I‘m packing up my things to leave Boston, I walk across the Harvard campus, which is usually an academic beehive teeming with students and tourists. These days it is completely deserted.

Since the gyms in the area are closed, people have been resorting to the outdoor gym at Magazine Beach. But now even that equipment is only occupied by sad yellow tape. Once in a while, a jogger passes by.

When I decided to leave for Germany, the only available flight was via New York, the world‘s Corona hotspot. Since most interstate flights are canceled, I have to take a bus to Manhattan, out of all places. The streets are eerily empty. Two days after my arrival, relief – my test is negative.”

– Jonas, Interviewer 42 Magazine

Munich: Corona choreo

“In the supermarket around the corner from my home in Munich I try to keep my distance from the man in front of me. He touches all the avocados one after another – after all, you have to check even in times of coronavirus which of them is ripe enough for guacamole… I turn the next corner, and just when I expect nothing bad to happen, it happens! Only at the last second I see the woman coming towards me! Scene of the crime: The aisle where cans of peeled tomatoes are perfectly lined up as if the world was in order…

We stop, both of us look like we’re holding our breath. She clasps her fingers around the handle of the shopping basket, I press the muesli firmly in front of my upper body as a protective shield. Then we burst out in laughter. The tension disappears into thin air. Maybe my mood lights up in this moment because this “dancing around each other” reminds me of children’s birthdays? After all I always loved playing stop and dance!”

– Lena, Editor-in-Chief 42 Magazine

 

How are you holding up during the corona crisis? Feel free to share your funny, annoying, nice or scary experiences with us. Contact us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook or write an email to contact@fortytwomagazine.com!

© Anne Müller

Partout dans le monde, les frontières ont été fermées. La distance physique entre nous semble plus grande dans ces temps difficiles. Nous nous retrouvons en petites entités nationales et nous luttons contre cette crise mondiale en étant, pour la plupart, isolé.e.s de nos voisins. 

42 magazine est un projet international. Notre équipe a toujours vécu dans de différentes parties du monde. Ici, nous voulons partager avec vous quelques aperçus de la vie dans l’isolement que les membres de notre équipe vivent tout autour du globe.

Saint Pétersbourg – Tout à laver à la main

« Ce n’est que depuis le 28 mars que nous avons des règles strictes d’auto-isolement à Saint-Pétersbourg. Le gouvernement a décrété des vacances obligatoires pour tous ceux qui ne télé-travaillent pas. Un nouveau problème est donc apparu pour moi : laver mes vêtements. 

Dans le dortoir où j’habite, une femme est responsable pour les machines à laver. Nous, les étudiants, ne sommes pas autorisés à les utiliser seuls. Mais cette femme est maintenant en congé et la laverie la plus proche est malheureusement à plus que les 100 mètres autorisés de mon immeuble. 

Je ne suis même pas sûre si les laveries sont ouvertes. Donc, je lave maintenant mes vêtements à la main et je les essore en un tour de force. »

– Anne, journaliste 42 Magazine

Berlin: Bière-pong virtuel

« Passer un week-end sans boire avec ses amis ? Inimaginable à Berlin ! Mes colocataires et leurs amis ont donc eu une idée : Un tournoi de bière-pong virtuel ! Ce jeu consiste à lancer une balle de ping-pong dans des verres de bière.

À chaque lancer réussi, l’adversaire doit boire le contenu du verre. Afin de respecter les mesures de distanciation sociale, chacun joue depuis chez soi, les verres de l’adversaire installés sur sa table de cuisine, et appelle les autres participants sur Skype.

Nous avons formé dix équipes de un à deux joueurs qui s’affrontent deux fois par semaine. Chaque match compte deux à trois manches et une bière est en jeu à chaque manche. Pas besoin de faire de calculs pour comprendre : à Berlin, confinement ou pas, la bière coule à flots ! »

– Lucile, journaliste 42 Magazine

Paris: Un moment de Roméo et Juliette au temps de Corona 

« Depuis le 16 mars, Paris est en quarantaine, toute la ville est confinée. Et cela veut dire : rester à la maison, interdiction de visite, isolement. Heureusement, les achats alimentaires ou le jogging en solitaire  sont toujours autorisés. Tant mieux lorsqu’ on observe des situations qui réchauffent le cœur comme j’en ai témoignée une l’autre jour.

Sur le chemin de la boulangerie, j’ai vu deux jeunes s’embrasser passionnément. Quand je suis revenu dix minutes plus tard avec mon pain au chocolat, ils étaient en train de se dire au revoir. Des regards tristes, des pas hésitants et des mains qui ne se lâchent que lentement – tragique. 

Ce là que j’ai remarqué qu’ils portaient tous deux des vêtements de jogging. Quel beau moment de Roméo et Juliette au temps de Corona. Deux adolescents qui se rencontrent en secret et sous prétexte de faire du jogging pour échanger des virus avec des bisous. »

– Ella, Head of Social Media et journaliste 42 Magazine

Boston: Quitter les États-Unis

« Alors que je prépare mes affaires pour quitter Boston, je traverse le campus de Harvard, qui est normalement noir d’étudiants et de touristes. Aujourd’hui, il est complètement déserté.

Depuis que les salles de sport de la région sont fermées, les gens ont recours à la Outdoor Gym de Magazine Beach. Mais maintenant, même cet équipement est fermé par du triste ruban de signalisation jaune. De temps en temps, un joggeur passe par là.

Quand j’ai décidé de rentrer en Allemagne, le seul vol disponible était via New York, l’épicentre mondial du COVID-19. Comme la plupart des vols nationaux sont annulés, je dois prendre un bus pour Manhattan, de tous les endroits. Les rues sont étrangement vides. Deux jours après mon arrivée, soulagement – mon test est négatif. »

– Jonas, journaliste 42 Magazine

Munich: Choréo Corona

«A Munich, dans le supermarché du coin, j’essaie de garder suffisamment de distance avec l’homme devant moi qui touche tous les avocats les uns après les autres – après tout, il faut vérifier même à l’heure du COVID-19 quel avocat est assez mûr pour un guacamole… Je tourne le coin d’une autre allée, et juste quand je ne m’y attends pas, ça arrive ! Ce n’est qu’à la dernière seconde que je vois la femme venir vers moi ! Scène du crime : l’allée où les boîtes de tomates pelées sont parfaitement alignées comme si le monde était en ordre…

On s’arrête toutes les deux et on a l’air de retenir notre souffle. Elle serre les doigts autour de la poignée du panier, je presse le muesli fermement devant mon corps comme un bouclier protecteur. Ensuite, nous devons tous les deux rire. Comme c’est agréable quand la tension disparaît dans l’air. L’ambiance dans ce court moment est-elle peut-être si bonne parce que «danser les uns autour des autres» me rappelle les anniversaires d’enfants ? Je m’épanouissais déjà quand je jouait au «Danse et arrête » ! »

– Lena, Rédactrice en chef 42 Magazine

Comment vivez-vous le confinement ? N’hésitez pas à partager les expériences drôles, chiantes, sympas ou effrayantes que vous faites dans cette période du COVID-19. Contactez-nous via Instagram, Twitter et Facebook ou envoyez un mail à contact@fortytwomagazine.com !

© Anna Grom

#stayathome is a hashtag we should take seriously these days. It’s important that we all take care of ourselves, our loved ones, our neighbours… Let’s keep a few meters of distance today so that we can hug each other again soon!

…to prevent you from getting bored, we present 42 things you can do at home alone. But relax, one activity after the other is more than enough 🙂

1. Read the current issue of 42 Magazine “Changing Climate”
2. Organise video calls with your friends
3. Read one of the books that is piled up next to your bed
4. Look out of the window
   
5. Finish reading a newspaper 
6. Try to figure out what’s the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything
7. Cook something nice for yourself
8. Cook something nice somebody else
   
9. Discover The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy to finally understand where 42 Magazine got its name from
   
10. Listen to some nice music. Our favorite song is „Life and Everything“ from Ingo Richmann. Check it out here
11. Dance in your kitchen
12. Practice a headstand (don’t worry, you’ll get there)
13. Start this year’s spring-cleaning
14. Have some comfort food
15. Sing on the balcony
16. Paint postcards and send them to your family
17. Help others (elderly people in your building will thank you)
18. Start a plan to make the world a better place
19. Learn a new language (Did you know 42 is available in 3 languages?)
20. Watch your favourite comedian – laughing is healthy
21. Take a virtual museum tour or watch some “tateshots”
22. Listen to all the Harry Potter audio books in a row
23. Dig up old photos and indulge in nostalgia
24. Take a little nap (every day, even immediately after breakfast)
25. Write a letter to a special person
26. Stay in your pyjamas all day – just because you can
27. Be proud of yourself because if you stay home, you’re saving lives
28. Write a short story, a song or a poem
29. Re-decorate your apartment
30. Binge-watch your favourite series
31. Try and guess what 42’s upcoming issue is going to be about. (If you guess right, you’ll get a free copy sent to your home once it launches)
32. Think of things you’re grateful for
33. Put together a 1000 piece puzzle
34. Water your plants
35. Learn things that interest you by doing the research you’d otherwise cut short
36. Make somebody laugh
37. Think of ways you can make your lifestyle more climate-friendly
38. Dream
39. Eat your vitamins
40. Allow yourself to be a little scared
41. Create a bucket list of all the things you want to do once the corona crisis is over
42. Share your funniest, scariest, bizarrest corona-anecdotes with us!  

 

By Ella Steiner and Lena Kronenbürger

Foto: Anna Shvets/ Pexels

Wir sind zurück! In unserer monatlichen Presseschau sammeln wir von nun an wieder die interessantesten Artikel zum Thema Klimawandel. Dieses Mal beschäftigen wir uns – wie könnte es anders sein – mit dem Zusammenspiel von Klima und Coronavirus, das derzeit die Welt in Atem hält. Ein Drittel der Menschheit ist durch mehr oder weniger strenge Kontakt- oder Ausgangssperren eingeschränkt. Täglich sehen wir Berichte über volle Krankenhäuser, überforderte Politiker, Menschen, die um ihre Existenz und ihre Gesundheit bangen. Aber gab es da nicht noch eine andere  weltweite Bedrohung?

Klimaschutzbremse. In diesen ungewissen Zeiten steht der Klimawandel vorerst hinten an. Der Spiegel sorgt sich, dass das kurzfristige das langfristige Krisenmanagement ausbremsen wird. Es sei „abzusehen, dass Klimaschutzgegner und Populisten nun ihre Chance wittern, um Klimapolitik zu verhindern“, so der Klimaspezialist Brick Medak. FDP-Politiker Gerald Ullrich forderte im Zusammenhang mit der Corona-Krise bereits die Aufschiebung des CO2-Preises, der im Klimaschutzpaket der Bundesregierung beschlossen wurde.

Luft – Reine Luft. Die französische Zeitung Reporterre berichtet über sinkende Luftverschmutzung in den Regionen, die vom Coronavirus am stärksten betroffen sind und zitiert Marshall Burke von der  Stanford University. Er schätzt, dass  die verbesserte Luftqualität in China wahrscheinlich 20 Mal mehr Menschen das Leben gerettet, als das Coronavirus gekostet hat. Eine Aussage, die polarisiert. Beeindruckenden Satellitenbilder zeigen jedoch eindeutig, dass Treibhausgase eng mit wirtschaftlicher Aktivität verbunden sind. 

Corona-Lehren. Wie das Coronavirus unser Verhalten langfristig verändern wird, lässt sich derzeit noch nicht absehen. Aber neue umweltfreundliche Angewohnheiten wie Videokonferenzen und Home Office, die lange Transportwege und Energie einsparen, könnten Post-Corona übernommen werden. Charles Duhigg, der Autor von „The Power of Habit”, weist in der New York Times darauf hin, dass Menschen eine Belohnung brauchen, um ihre Verhaltensweisen langfristig zu ändern. Zeitersparnis und Vermeiden von Stau haben demnach hohe Chancen in unseren Alltag bestehen zu bleiben.

Von Ella Steiner

Barbara Dombrowski fights climate change with her camera in hand – or rather, she fights the public disregard for this fundamental challenge of our time. For years she’s been traveling all over the world to document the changes that climate change induces on landscapes and their inhabitants, humans and animals alike. In her exhibition “Tropic Ice_Dialog between Places Affected by Climate Change“ she combines impressions from two places, that could not be less alike. One experience they all share, however: a changing climate and changing living conditions. Through her work, Barbara Dombrowski illustrates clearly: when it comes to climate change, we are all in this together.

The photographer from Hamburg kindly answered 3 questions regarding her installation art. Starting on September 13th with a press event, you can see her work at the BUND’s property at Hambacher Forst (NRW, Germany) from September 14th until September 22nd. Please feel free to share your experience and thoughts on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

From Greenland to the Amazon basin, the desert of Gobi, Tanzania or Oceania –
one can hardly picture more divergent places. Yet, this discrepancy is key to
your project “Tropic Ice”. What inspired your project?

I have been working on this project for the past ten years. Previously I had studied climate change for years, causing it to be at the forefront of my mind when I started “Tropic Ice”. I think my interest in climate change started with the birth of my son in 2000. As a mother, I want all facets of our unique planet to still exist for our children and the next generations to come.
It is disastrous how we are willing to risk our resources and then just completely disregard the situation on political and economic levels. When I started the project, nobody much talked or cared about climate change. Not even in the media. It took somebody like Greta Thunberg to render the society sensible for the challenges and risks that climate change poses to all of us. This development took us way too long.

Only now some movement within politics and the economy is starting to emerge. Today many people are engaged in some kind of climate protection. But the general public very rarely knows about their projects and initiatives. The advocates usually relate to specific groups of people, which means we need more of them so that the general public will fight climate change. Photography and art are my means of contributing to this.

You travelled the world in search of visible implications induced by climate change. You encountered various landscapes, met with different people. What did you learn about the effects of climate change?

I started out by contrasting East Greenland’s people and landscapes with the Amazon basin – representing the Americas and Europe. Climate change affects both continents in such an extensive way, that they are so-called tipping points of the climate system. For many years I frequently visited and lived with the locals there. They are conscious that their contribution to the changing climate is not relevant in any way when compared to big industrial nations. Nonetheless, they experience the fragility and uniqueness of their living environment – and the global climate for that matter – every single day. In these regions, you can feel climate change progressing.

In East Greenland, for example, the population is witnessing the migration of shoals, caused by climate change through the changing of ocean currents, temperature and salt levels. Seals constitute the livelihood for the East Greenland population but because the animals feed of fish, they are bound to disappear from these places if there is no longer enough for them to eat.
In the Amazonian rainforest, the indigenous population is being threatened by large scale deforestation and reckless oil production, resulting in the economic exploitation of their resources. These practices deprive them of their basis of existence and further advances climate change.

From comparing extremely opposite weather regions, I eventually moved on to Tanzania, the Gobi desert and Oceania to complete my work on the remaining populated continents. I used the same way of interacting and interviewing the people there as before in Greenland and the Amazonian rainforest. These five places that I was able to visit are now representations of the five continents. During my stay in Tanzania in 2017, the country was going through an extreme drought, leading to many cows dying and the smell of decay being everywhere. Due to their close proximity to the equator, the barren landscape and the lack of precipitation, the Maasai are very aware of the threat that a changing climate poses to them. Before I was able to ask them about climate change they had already confronted me about it.

This marked a changing point in my work. Climate change had become a reality for some people. The Kiribati archipelago, my last stop in the South Pacific, showed me how fragile populated island chains really are. Every small change in the climate will lead to great consequences. Besides being threatened by rising sea levels, I assume that the salinization of freshwater pockets and the accompanying vegetation loss of e.g. palm trees means a great danger for the livelihood of the population.

Some of the peoples I visited used to be animists and had a meaningful relationship with nature before having been proselytized. They understood themselves to be part of a cycle like every animal, plant or even rocks. In opposition to such a mindset, people in the northern parts of the world understand humans as being at the top of the pyramid. An attitude which has lead to us colonizing the earth and (ab)using its resources.

The relationship animists have with nature-inspired me to create my second installation cycle in the shape of a circle with a centre as the focal point. I wanted to commemorate the way circles are represented in many cultures, alluding to the symbolism and meaning that are often attached. In my installation art, I want to showcase the all-encompassing connection by tying together all five continents through their representatives. This does not mean that I am excluding people from places in the north which are just as much part of the circle. Which is why I have come up with the project “Part of the Art” where everyone who would like to be part of the installation art can upload their portrait to my website https://www.tropic-ice.com/part-of-the-art. I am planning on showcasing the portraits on small Tibetan prayer flags during the big art
installation in the lagoon of Kiribati.

With regards to climate change – what general role does art inhabit?

In my opinion, there is a need for art in society to force people to face great societal issues and come up with ideas on how to engage with such. My art does this without lecturing anyone. It is necessary to create spaces through art where people can start contemplating impulses and ideas that art provides them with. Art can motivate people to engage with issues without being condescending. Most people do care about our planet but are just not aware of the massive consequences that our behavior causes. This is where art is indispensable to create an awareness in society.

All photographs belong to Barbara Dombrowski who kindly allowed us to feature them
on fortytwomagazine.com.

Von Neele Mühlhoff

Barbara Dombrowski fights climate change with her camera in hand – or rather, she fights the public disregard for this fundamental challenge of our time. For years she’s been traveling all over the world to document the changes that climate change induces on landscapes and their inhabitants, humans and animals alike. In her exhibition “Tropic Ice_Dialog between Places Affected by Climate Change“ she combines impressions from two places, that could not be less alike. One experience they all share, however: a changing climate and changing living conditions. Through her work, Barbara Dombrowski illustrates clearly: when it comes to climate change, we are all in this together.

The photographer from Hamburg kindly answered 3 questions regarding her installation art. Starting on September 13th with a press event, you can see her work at the BUND’s property at Hambacher Forst (NRW, Germany) from September 14th until September 22nd. Please feel free to share your experience and thoughts on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

From Greenland to the Amazon basin, the desert of Gobi, Tanzania or Oceania –
one can hardly picture more divergent places. Yet, this discrepancy is key to
your project “Tropic Ice”. What inspired your project?

I have been working on this project for the past ten years. Previously I had studied climate change for years, causing it to be at the forefront of my mind when I started “Tropic Ice”. I think my interest in climate change started with the birth of my son in 2000. As a mother, I want all facets of our unique planet to still exist for our children and the next generations to come.
It is disastrous how we are willing to risk our resources and then just completely disregard the situation on political and economic levels. When I started the project, nobody much talked or cared about climate change. Not even in the media. It took somebody like Greta Thunberg to render the society sensible for the challenges and risks that climate change poses to all of us. This development took us way too long.

Only now some movement within politics and the economy is starting to emerge. Today many people are engaged in some kind of climate protection. But the general public very rarely knows about their projects and initiatives. The advocates usually relate to specific groups of people, which means we need more of them so that the general public will fight climate change. Photography and art are my means of contributing to this.

You travelled the world in search of visible implications induced by climate change. You encountered various landscapes, met with different people. What did you learn about the effects of climate change?

I started out by contrasting East Greenland’s people and landscapes with the Amazon basin – representing the Americas and Europe. Climate change affects both continents in such an extensive way, that they are so-called tipping points of the climate system. For many years I frequently visited and lived with the locals there. They are conscious that their contribution to the changing climate is not relevant in any way when compared to big industrial nations. Nonetheless, they experience the fragility and uniqueness of their living environment – and the global climate for that matter – every single day. In these regions, you can feel climate change progressing.

In East Greenland, for example, the population is witnessing the migration of shoals, caused by climate change through the changing of ocean currents, temperature and salt levels. Seals constitute the livelihood for the East Greenland population but because the animals feed of fish, they are bound to disappear from these places if there is no longer enough for them to eat.
In the Amazonian rainforest, the indigenous population is being threatened by large scale deforestation and reckless oil production, resulting in the economic exploitation of their resources. These practices deprive them of their basis of existence and further advances climate change.

From comparing extremely opposite weather regions, I eventually moved on to Tanzania, the Gobi desert and Oceania to complete my work on the remaining populated continents. I used the same way of interacting and interviewing the people there as before in Greenland and the Amazonian rainforest. These five places that I was able to visit are now representations of the five continents. During my stay in Tanzania in 2017, the country was going through an extreme drought, leading to many cows dying and the smell of decay being everywhere. Due to their close proximity to the equator, the barren landscape and the lack of precipitation, the Maasai are very aware of the threat that a changing climate poses to them. Before I was able to ask them about climate change they had already confronted me about it.

This marked a changing point in my work. Climate change had become a reality for some people. The Kiribati archipelago, my last stop in the South Pacific, showed me how fragile populated island chains really are. Every small change in the climate will lead to great consequences. Besides being threatened by rising sea levels, I assume that the salinization of freshwater pockets and the accompanying vegetation loss of e.g. palm trees means a great danger for the livelihood of the population.

Some of the peoples I visited used to be animists and had a meaningful relationship with nature before having been proselytized. They understood themselves to be part of a cycle like every animal, plant or even rocks. In opposition to such a mindset, people in the northern parts of the world understand humans as being at the top of the pyramid. An attitude which has lead to us colonizing the earth and (ab)using its resources.

The relationship animists have with nature-inspired me to create my second installation cycle in the shape of a circle with a centre as the focal point. I wanted to commemorate the way circles are represented in many cultures, alluding to the symbolism and meaning that are often attached. In my installation art, I want to showcase the all-encompassing connection by tying together all five continents through their representatives. This does not mean that I am excluding people from places in the north which are just as much part of the circle. Which is why I have come up with the project “Part of the Art” where everyone who would like to be part of the installation art can upload their portrait to my website https://www.tropic-ice.com/part-of-the-art. I am planning on showcasing the portraits on small Tibetan prayer flags during the big art
installation in the lagoon of Kiribati.

With regards to climate change – what general role does art inhabit?

In my opinion, there is a need for art in society to force people to face great societal issues and come up with ideas on how to engage with such. My art does this without lecturing anyone. It is necessary to create spaces through art where people can start contemplating impulses and ideas that art provides them with. Art can motivate people to engage with issues without being condescending. Most people do care about our planet but are just not aware of the massive consequences that our behavior causes. This is where art is indispensable to create an awareness in society.

All photographs belong to Barbara Dombrowski who kindly allowed us to feature them
on fortytwomagazine.com.

By Neele Mühlhoff