When Trek then states in the first comprehensive sustainability report in the company's history that the average bike from the brand is responsible for CO2 emissions of 174 kilos, our avoidance reflex quickly kicks in: Worse is always possible.
174 kilos of carbon dioxide, that's only 1000 mid-range car kilometres. Or: Of course I buy the latest bike every year. But I don't fly to South Africa for Christmas. And my neighbour drives to the bakery in his Bugatti, I walk.
This pattern of argument can be used to relativise everything, but anyone who takes their responsibility for the rest of the world seriously starts with themselves. This also applies, and even more so, to companies, because they have a clearer view of the consequences of their actions than a normal biker in a shop ever could.
For some, greenwashing is enough: companies with a far from sustainable approach present themselves as environmentally and socially responsible with individual projects or products. In doing so, they deceive consumers and, above all, signal to politicians that everything is okay and nothing needs to be regulated. There are more and more examples of this strategy.
Most companies with a truly "green" approach have not just been around since yesterday and take a comprehensive view of their responsibility - just as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for a better future set. The topics range from peace to education, from combating poverty to gender equality.
In our series of articles we show Positive examples from the bicycle industrythat are doing more than just chasing the zeitgeist - and most of them have been doing so for years: In part #1 we show companies like Chris King or Pinion who specialise in indestructible products. Part #2 is all about the valuer Dirk Zedlerwho avoids a lot of scrap through the work of his testing institute.
The textile and finishing manufacturer Vaude in part #3 of the series has been flying the "green flag" for a long time. But the conviction and thoroughness with which this is done should impress even sceptics. And should Trek (Part #4) would take its sustainability report seriously as a big player in the bike industry, the eco-balance of the bike world might really improve by a few per mille. Because - as we sometimes forget - there's always room for improvement.
