Partners
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If you are interested in supporting our campaigns, please contact us via E-Mail at info@globalchange.at or just use our contact form.
Patagonia
Patagonia has an amazing environmental record. Since 1985, the company has donated 10 percent of their annual profits (or 1 percent of sales, whichever is greater) to hundreds of grassroots environmental groups. Patagonia is also working steadily to reduce the harms created by their business activities: by using recycled polyester and organic rather than pesticide-intensive conventional cotton. Otherwise synthetic fibers start as petroleum, and "a natural fiber," cotton, uses more pesticides and fertilizers than any other crop in the world. You can, therefore, buy fleece jackets made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles and cotton t-shirts which are made out of organic cotton. Patagonia also relies on renewable energy resources and it is the first California company to use 100% wind energy for all of their in-state needs.Patagonia products are simple, functional and suitable to the task at hand. Function always dictates the form - and the perfect form is the result of a perfectly solved functional need.
GEA
The Waldviertler Werkstätten are producing shoes called "Waldviertler." The shoes are handmade, long-lasting and can be repaired. I have got a pair for two years now, wore it almost every day. They have changed the sole once but the shoes are still running, and running, and running. The company has got a good environmental ands social record, they produce in Austria, offer a in house repair service for their shoes.GEA also publishes a newspaper, both in print and online called Brennstoff. If you read German you can have a look at it on the company website.
Let me end with a quote from Zag Jie, a contemporary Chinese writer: "It is not necessarily the high mountains or broad rivers along the way which make people endlessly tired, but rather small things such as shoes squeezing and pressuring your feet."
Nuhrovia
This small Austrian family company does not produce medicine in the restricted sense of medication but their products are made to harmonise your body. Sometimes we simply waste a lot of energy due to wrong habits. Nuhrovia offers products which inspire us, give light and help us to see how we could recognize our true potential for change and see the many possibilities around us.
Xolar GmbH
Is the leading Austrian specialist for solar water heating systems and offers its clients holistic solutions for household heating. The service of the company also includes professional consulting in choosing the right energy mix as well as planning and installing of the equipment.
Bioholzofenbäckerei Gragger
Wood fired organic bakery: Gragger Helmut bakes wonderful bread! He has travelled artisanal bakeries all across Europe to learn from ancient baking traditions and now he is baking his own bread: prepared from organic grain which he grinds himself, prepared with lots of love and devotion by hand and baked it in a wood fired oven to add a special taste. This is one of the best breads I have ever tasted and it might also inspire you. Give it a try, if you ever come by in Austria and visit his cosy bakery in the Hofgasse 3 in Linz, Upper Austria.
Zotter
Josef Zotter supports the Worldwanderer with chocolate on their hike around the world, so they can face any challenges coming their way. Thereby, the chocolatier became one of the most important partners on the worldtour. With his secret recipe of quality, regional culture, sustainability, creativity and research Zotter sets impulses for the chocolate market. The substance that was once called "food of the gods" constantly presents new challenges to the expert chocolatier who always sets new trends in composing taste varieties out of chocolate that seemed up to now inconceivable. The entire Zotter range including rarities like rowanberries and whisky is produced in ORGANIC quality and Zotter also acquires the basic raw materials such as cocoa and cane sugar from fair trade.The pleasure of tasting chocolate makes the worldwanderer FLY.
Weltweitwandern
A sustainable, fair tourism is of utmost concern to WELTWEITWANDERN. On its tours, the tour-operator allows his travellers to meet with locals and thereby gain insight into foreign lifestyles. WELTWEITWANDERN therefore ultimately contributes to bringing down the barriers of prejudice that separate the peoples. Since only mutual regard makes a vacation a journey, and only a journey brings about an adventure!As a result of this conviction, the tour-operator invites partners from all over the world to come to Austria and funds Fair-Travel projects worldwide. With all of its tours, WELTWEITWANDERN aims to provide a basis for fair living that is beneficial to all.
"It is our declared goal to learn from each other, broaden our horizon and eventually become somewhat happier." (Christian Hlade, founder and owner of Weltweitwandern)
Walch für Bewegliche
Walch für Bewegliche is the outdoor shop of the Worldwanderer. Being from Upper Austria we do not always understand what is written in the "strange" Vorarlberg dialect on his T-shirts but one does not have to understand everything to be friends. He does not only move us but provides special touring equipment for all of Vorarlberg and beyond. Thus have a look on his website or in the local dialect: INIGÜXLA
Cascade Designs
I cooperate with Cascade Designs, because we have got a lot in common. Cascade Designs produces our Therm-a-rest sleeping mats, MSR camping stove, MSR water filter and MSR Hubba Hubba HP tent. Their high-performance outdoor equipment is among the finest available on the market as they are committed to the highest quality and innovative designs. When it comes to environmentalism, they are committed to promoting active outdoor recreation, to protecting wilderness areas and waterways that sustain us all. They support efforts in the Pacific Northwest and around the globe that are dedicated to preserving these resources. By far the largest part of their products is manufactured either in Seattle/USA or in Cork/Ireland. High quality outdoor gear we can fully recommend!
Solarlink
Solarlink provides the rollable solar panel to charge the batteries along our hike. Since 1992 Solarlink delivers any technical material related to renewable energies. With their technical products in the field of solar, wind and hydropower power can now be generated anywhere in the world, even on the top of a high summit or in remote areas in Patagonia. We are happy to work together with such an inspiring company.
Koch alpin
Austrian distributor of Therm-a-Rest and MSR for almost 20 years. Leading manufacturer of adhesive climbing skins (colltex and countour). We care about the alpine environment and promote eco-friendly activities like skimountaineering, snowshoeing, trekking and unsupported travelling whereever we can.