Pets for Christmas: Gifts for our furry friends!

Pets for Christmas: Gifts for our furry friends!

On Sunday, November 30, 2025, a very special event is on the program in the ARD media library: “Bingo! – The Environmental Lottery” invites viewers from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. This television evening is not only exciting for the participants, but also for nature, because the proceeds from the lottery flow directly into projects that benefit nature and environmental protection. So both the players and our planet benefit from a good hand!

As part of a festive Advent series, Hinnerk Baumgarten will visit the animal shelter in Elmshorn. He has his sights set on the question of what you can give the animal residents for Christmas. Especially in this contemplative time of year, it is important to think about the animals and give them some love.

Christmas abundance and environmental awareness

Christmas is not only known for gifts and good food, but it also brings with it a huge amount of waste. In Germany, several hundred thousand tons of additional waste is generated during this time, with a large portion consisting of plastic packaging and decorative items. And it's not uncommon for these to be materials that can't even be recycled. With a clear focus on sustainability, the climate protection workshop in Bremerhaven invites you to dedicate yourself to the motto “Reuse instead of throwing away”. This clearly shows how important an environmentally conscious attitude is.

What’s exciting is that environmentally friendly ideas also play a major role in the “GENAUGENAU” lottery. This environmental lottery not only finances individual winnings, but also supports numerous districts and projects to protect nature. Participants can even win up to 1 million euros with a stake every Friday! The chance to win is not only reserved for your own ticket, but participation in the same district as the main winner can also lead to a reward. In this way, every vote is channeled into well-chosen environmental projects in the region.

Waste and recycling in Germany

In this context, it is notable that waste volumes in Germany continue to rise sharply. Current figures show that an average of 613 kilograms of municipal waste was generated per inhabitant in 2023 - significantly more than the EU average of 511 kilograms. What is also striking is the increase in packaging waste, which has already reached 215 kilograms per capita. This puts Germany in third place in the EU, behind only Ireland and Italy.

However, the recycling rate in Germany is encouraging: it rose from 39% in 1995 to an encouraging 69% in 2023. The EU has set itself the goal of achieving a recycling rate of 55% by 2025. The idea of ​​the “right to repair”, which has been proposed since March 2023, is a further step in the right direction to minimize and better utilize electronic waste and other waste.

In summary, current developments in the waste sector show that there is an urgent need to rethink our consumer behavior and focus more on sustainability. Holidays like Christmas could be the impetus for a more conscious use of resources and waste. After all, every individual has the opportunity to make a contribution through their actions - be it by buying gifts or by participating in environmental lotteries.

So the news is clear: There is still a lot to do, but with commitment, sustainability and a dose of creativity, everyone can do their part to protect the environment and nature.

Anyone who wants to know more about the environmental lottery “Bingo!” If you would like to find out, you can read about it on the [NDR](https://www.ndr.de/ Fernsehenen/versanden/bingo_die_umweltlotterie/bingo-die-umweltlotterie,sender-31472.html) website, while the Genau Lotto brings players together for good causes. Further information about waste and recycling in Germany can be found in the current statistics from Destatis.