7 Eco-Conscious & Odd Habits I’ve Picked Up Since I Moved to Berlin, Germany

From the perspective of a Dutch immigrant/expat

The first thing my German neighbor asked when he heard I was Dutch, was whether I had some weed on me. Obviously, we exchanged my stash for his of Beer, Brat- and Bockwurst.

What else?

Jokes aside, the stereotypes offer plentiful opportunities to laugh about each other’s culturally ingrained “normal.” Before I moved to Germany indefinitely, I had visited the country multiple times on city and school trips.

Adjusting to life here was manageable. Culture shock was minimal.

Over time, I did pick up a bunch of strange habits.

#1 I put my plastic or glass bottles next to trash cans

Throwing them away would mean you’re throwing money away. When you don’t want to carry your empty Pfandflasche around, you put it next to the trashcan. Never inside.

For some people, their (retirement) money or wage just doesn’t cut it. And if you’re not technically versed enough to chase internet cash, one of your easiest and immediately gratifying options is to scout the streets for 0.15–25 cent bottles a piece.

So save people who rely on this spare change the hassle of diving into the trash cans and getting cuts from broken pieces of glass.

Too lazy to bring your empty bottles to the store? Place them outside. Anywhere. Someone who desperately needs the money will pick them up. Or use this website to find someone who will pick up your Pfandflaschen at your doorstep.

#2 I don’t make noise from 10 PM onwards on any day of the week

I religiously adhere to the Nachtruhe, literally translated “night rest.”

Once the clock hits 10 PM until 6 AM, you’d better be quiet. Should you want to run the vacuum cleaner, turn on the washing machine, or play loud music? Too bad, that is nicht erlaubt. You’ll have to wait until the next day. Your spießige Nachbarn may report you to the police.

Have a birthday to celebrate? Think hanging up a cautionary note grants you a free pass? You may get lucky. If a police squad knocks on your door in the middle of the night, you’ll know how the neighbors feel about your party.

I don’t like to behave like an a-hole and keep my neighbors up with loud music, hammering, or other disturbing noises during the day or night anyway with poor excuses such as “yes, but I am moving around in my own home.”

Also, the Nachtruhe doesn’t benefit you one bit if you work night shifts, but that’s a different story.

#3 I started eating warm meals for lunch

At my first job, the entire department went out for lunch and full, warm meals. That’s all mixed up, compared to how I’d have lunch back home in the Netherlands.

Normally, I’d grab some simple buns and sandwich spread at the supermarket and stuff my face with that for lunch. Until German exposure got me used to full meals zum Mittagsessen and Abendbrot, meaning“evening bread” or something light in the evening.

#4 I stopped smiling at or greeting strangers on the streets

My hometown has 200K inhabitants, but it has the atmosphere of a small village. Strangers on the streets look each other in the eye and exchange a cheerful greeting. In the German capital and in Germany in general, I feel like it’s more the norm to let strangers or passersby just be.

Meaning: you ignore them. Smiling makes you look like a psycho.

My face is point blank, straight, not showing a single emotion. It may feel cold, but I like how you can move around your neighborhood without feeling pressured to smile and greet every second person.

#5 I started buying most of my clothes from thrift shops and flea markets

I used to attach so much value to branded items. Not because I loved these brands, but to show off the size of my wallet. I’d blindly buy whatever item from the latest seasonal drop and brag about my “new” shirt instead of “that shirt I like.”

Over the years, I’ve grown to not really care. My taste leans toward flowery patterns and oversized clothing you’d see on your grandparents. Even better if I don’t see ten others in the supermarket wearing this same item I proudly bought at full retail price. And such items are more widely available at second-hand shops.

By shopping second-hand, I aim to relieve the environment a bit, too. Growing enough cotton for one shirt and a pair of jeans uses around 2,700 liters of water. If you drink 2.5 liters daily, you can hydrate for 1080 days.

Call my style old-fashioned: I’ll proudly flaunt my outfit bought for 9$ — in total. This changed my perception of price, too. Why pay $50 for a new branded jacket when I can get a similar one for $5–10 second-hand?

#6 I started recycling everything

Citizens can dispose of their garbage in six color-coded trash cans which showing what kind of waste you can dump in there.

Should you dare to put your plastics in the paper trash can, or vice versa, and your landlord finds out? The entire building will receive a warning. Or the trash collection company may refuse to pick up your junk, until your neighbors and you recycle according to the guidelines.

#7 I started to prefer functional clothing over clothing that looks cute

The Netherlands has a sea climate. This means it rains all year round.

The skies are grey, the air is moist. When Dutch people need to get somewhere on their bikes, some of us don’t even bother to wait for the rain to pass. We’ll be waiting our whole lives. We don’t even bother to put on a rain suit. We just cycle and get wet because that’s life.

Now that I’ve changed countries, I have no intention in getting rained until soaking wet anymore. Why would I when functional clothing can protect me from the elements?

Whenever we’re going somewhere, let me know which activity we’ll be doing. I’ll dress accordingly. And functionally.

What weird habits did you pick up after moving to a new country?

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