Perennials shine in lush colors, beds are in full bloom, climbing roses climb the walls of the greenhouses: the “Royal Garden Academy” in Berlin Dahlem is a venerable place, an oasis for nature lovers. “And for me a real feel-good place,” says Gesine Cukrowski as she stows a basket with dahlias, sun hats and the like on the front passenger seat of the Opel Rocks-e. Around the turn of the century, gardeners for the nobility and the bourgeoisie were trained at the academy, today you can buy natural plants, linger in the café or learn in seminars how to design balconies and gardens in a natural way.
“It takes very little effort to set a lot in motion.”
The motto: relaxed gardening instead of tiresome gardening. Because more serenity in the garden is also good for the environment. A credo that the actress (Instagram gesine_cukrowski) fully underlines – she makes sure to live sustainably. And after the thriving purchases have been stowed in the electric two-seater, the Opel product tester tells us over a piece of cake (made from seasonal and regional ingredients) what she has already changed in her everyday life. It is important to her: “I don’t tell anyone what he or she has to do or not do. But the people who want to get involved, but perhaps don’t yet know how – my ideas are for all of them.”
Suggestions for more sustainability in everyday life
01 Never without
“When I go shopping, I always have two or three foldable bags in my handbag. I would never use a plastic bag! In the greatest of emergencies, maybe to the paper bag.”
02 Emission-free on the road
“Fortunately, in Berlin I can fall back on an excellent transport network. A lot has also been done recently for cyclists. Riding a bike is no longer a dangerous test of courage. And for larger purchases, I’m currently trying out the Opel Rocks-e. A cute little electric vehicle that only has a top speed of 45 km/h, but I don’t have to be faster in the city either.”
03 Fair and close
“I make sure that flowers were planted under fair working conditions, don’t have long transport routes and, ideally, weren’t sprayed with poisons. That’s why I love being at the Royal Garden Academy. There are still old plants here that are hard to find anywhere else.”
04 Rare, but better
“I like to eat a tasty piece of meat. But that rarely happens now. I just visited my friend Sarah Wiener (the star chef, editor’s note) on her organic farm “Gut Kerkow” in the Uckermark. There you can see how well the cattle are doing when they are kept in a species-appropriate and ecological manner. My motto for meat consumption: Better a little less often, but with even more desire – and taste”.
05 Inexhaustible Source
“I’m amazed that so many people still carry crates of water home from the supermarket. Why such an unnecessary environmental impact that also costs money? We have the very best drinking water at home, all you have to do is turn on the tap.”
06 One refill, please!
“When I’m out and about, I always have my large thermal mug with me. It would never occur to me to get a coffee in a paper cup with a plastic lid anywhere along the way.”
“Even I don’t always manage to do everything right,” admits the 53-year-old. So you can’t manage to do without flights completely. “And I also know that of course I can’t save the whole world.” But each individual can make a big contribution. “I often compare this to the so-called domino effect: It takes very little effort to set a lot in motion,” she says. And she knows all about getting things moving. The actress, who is celebrating her 35th television anniversary this year and will soon be in front of the camera for a new evening series, has been socially committed and involved for many years.
“Even I don’t always manage to do everything right.”
She is the patron of the Findel-Baby Mothers in Need Foundation, sits on the Board of Trustees of Welthungerhilfe and is currently giving benefit readings for the refugees on the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. How does she reconcile all of this? “I like doing it. Getting involved makes me feel happy. On the contrary: how often do you sit in front of the television, watch the news and feel almost powerless when you see all the terrible news? The best way I can deal with it is to take action myself.” She has to go now. “A phone call. With Welthungerhilfe. It’s about the fight against hunger and poverty,” she says, says goodbye warmly and drives away in her Rocks-e with zero emissions. Maybe not to save the world, but to make it a little bit better.
The actress is currently testing the Opel Rocks-e. It is used for larger errands, such as buying flowers in the royal garden academy in Berlin Dahlem. The top speed of the Stromer is 45 km/h, “but I don’t have to be faster in the city either.”
Aug 2022
Photos: Martin Diepold/action press for Bauer Stars&Stories