Tips for a sustainable weekend trip – Part 1

Your best friends from school, college, or sports team – you used to see them almost every day, but now they all live somewhere else. Isn’t it time for a reunion? STURM in Mellrichstadt is located (almost) in the center of Germany and can be reached by train from all sides – the perfect place for a sustainable weekend trip with friends.

Organize a sustainable get-together with friends

• Planning: Even in the planning and invitation stages, you can make sure you don’t print fancy cards or send large email attachments. Phone calls and text-only messages have the smallest carbon footprint and can have the same anticipatory effect if you write them in a witty way. Maybe write a sweet poem. Or send secret agent-style messages?
• Getting there: The biggest climate impact of a weekend trip is caused by the journey to the destination. The STURM scores here due to the easy accessibility of the Mellrichstadt train station and the limited travel time for everyone.
• Accommodation: Choose sustainable accommodations with green power, sustainable materials, local organic food, and waste reduction. Calculations show that it actually makes more sense for the environment to choose a sustainable hotel with existing infrastructure than holding an event in the great outdoors.
• Activities: Of course, seeing each other and having fun is the most important thing. But a little social program is also part of it. In this blog post, we will show you what the STURM guests like to do at these reunions.

Biosphere Reserve Rhön – Experience nature

STURM is located in the Rhön low mountain range in Germany, a UNESCO recognized biosphere reserve. It is a model region for the sustainable coexistence of man and nature.

The official website of the Biosphere Reserve Rhön with current projects and dates can be found here.

The low mountain range is characterized by an interesting natural landscape with two moors (Red Moor and Black Moor) and numerous hiking trails. There is very little light pollution, not only ensuring that you will have a fantastic starry sky above your meeting. But also that many insects and other creatures remain in their rhythm. There are also cultural events and nature programs in and around the Biosphere Reserve.

What could a reunion weekend with friends look like?

Summer sport event

“Without wanting to categorize genders, we noticed a clear tendency for men to engage in sports events in the summer,” says STURM’s Kira. The area is great for biking. “Here in the Rhön, the roads are usually less busy and long serpentines with easy – but sometimes challenging – curves make for a sporty feeling. Not to mention the typical sweeping views over endless fields as a reward before the descent from the plateau.”

After a day of sports, they tend to spend the evening at the bar, which offers various specialty beers. “They chat, laugh, and of course plan the next tour,” Kira continues.

Relax with wellness and beauty

“Women tend to come here for a cozy girls’ wellness getaway. A private group yoga class with our yoga instructor Verena in the morning, followed by a hearty breakfast in our organic restaurant. The rest of the day is spent in the spa area. They read, relax and of course enjoy a special beauty treatment. Another highlight is the sauna meditation with Katha.

After dinner, the cozy corners in the lounge would be ideal for “extended conversation” – preferably over a delicious organic cocktail or mocktail.

Everyone wants to be heard – my tips for the meeting

Tip 1: Leading a group discussion 

This may sound a bit uncool and formal at first, but especially if the group is larger and you haven’t seen each other in a long time, I can recommend leading a discussion group. One person speaks after another. I experienced this once at a meeting. Everyone was sitting around a large table, but of course everyone was talking to the person next to them. Then a woman spoke up and said: “Now I’m going to ask you all to be quiet, and we will let everyone speak in turn.” She then decided who would start and facilitated the group. It was great!

Tip 2: Consider a joint project

Another experience I would like to pass on is that the best way to bring a group together is by doing a joint project. Maybe there’s something you’d like to get involved with? Or do you have an idea for a craft project? Perhaps there are classes or seminars that you could attend together. Think about it. And if you find something, you’ll come away not only with fond memories, but also with a new hobby, something you’ve made, or a good reason to stay involved at home!

Save this post for your next sustainable weekend with friends!