The Environmental Impact of Filmmaking

By Jannik Schümann

Two things you should know about me that at first glance might have nothing in common: First, I love to watch movies and series – to dive into other worlds, to escape from reality, and just to have a good time. For me, there’s nothing better than going to the movies or lying on the couch on a rainy Sunday, watching a good movie, or binging a series. I even play a pivotal role in their creation as I work as an actor myself. Second, I consciously try to live sustainably because what we consume or do has a direct impact on the world’s ecosystems. I don’t eat meat, I don’t drive a car; instead, I use my bike or public transport. And I pay attention to labels to support companies dedicated to sustainable production and fair wages for laborers.

Photo credit: Dominic Wunderlich

Two years ago, when I first read about the environmental impact of filmmaking in The Guardian, I was shocked. I hadn’t realized that my love for movies and for my job could seriously conflict with my dedication to the environment. Because the truth is: Blockbuster films with budgets of over $70 million produce an average of 2,840 tons of CO2 per production. That is equivalent to 11 one-way trips from the earth to the moon!

17 May 2023Teaching ToolsCreative Writing, Dogs, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Leuphana University Lüneburg, National Pet Month, Rescue Dog, Stories, Teaching Tools, WritingJanina Malena Sähn

An A‑May-zing Month for Animals

By Maryann Henck

I like to think of May as one of the most amazing months – not only because it’s National Pet Month, but also because May 20 is National Rescue Dog Day in the United States. Let’s face it: Pets are so much more than just cute companions – they are fluffy family and friends as well as endless sources of comfort, joy, and hope. But what about all those animals out there who don’t have a human to look after them, love them back, and maybe even save them from horrible fates?

10 May 2023Best Books & Fabulous FilmsAtheist, Author, Christianity, Flannery O'Connor, Leuphana, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Literature, Mystery, Racism, Religion, Southern Fiction, Southern Writer, The South, WriterHenrike Kattoll

Recognizing a Freak: An Atheist Reads Flannery O’Connor

By Raul Quinque

Photo Credit: flannery o’connor and peacock published by will (50 watts)

The reader and the writer. Two sides of the same coin. Pardon, the same page. Relationship status: It’s complicated since only one gets to state what’s on their mind. Thus, it’s only fair to talk back via text. Flannery O’Connor (1925–1964) may be long gone from this world, but her literature endures as an eternal message. And so does the question how an atheist-by-conviction connects to Catholic O’Connor’s Southern Gothic religious themes.

3 May 2023Access AmericaAI, Language, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Leuphana University Lüneburg, machine-learning translators, Translation, TranslatorsJanina Malena Sähn

Found in Translation

By Raul Quinque

Wish I could read this. Credit: Janayugam article on Software Freedom & language Computing by Anivar Aravind, https://www.flickr.com/photos/technopolitrix/1414813791/in/photostream/

Full disclosure: I’ve written this blog on my behalf. Or in eigener Sache, as I would say in German. Is there a difference between the two expressions? Worlds, I would say, as someone who is preoccupied with language translation most days of the week. In light of the rapid proliferation and evolution of machine-learning translators, here’s to what makes thinking, speaking, and writing with diverse languages invaluably human.

26 April 2023Access AmericaAttention, Digital Distractions, Digitalisation, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Media Use, online, online world, Pandemic, Social MediaJanina Malena Sähn

Thank You for Your Attention: Of the Unending Struggle with Digital Distractions

By Nina Preußler

How many hours have you already spent looking at a screen today? Nowadays, the universal answer to this question seems to be “too much.” As the internet becomes more deeply ingrained in every aspect of our lives, it gets trickier and trickier to find responsible ways of engaging with the online world without getting lost in it. This issue became even more challenging for many people during the pandemic. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, for example, found that young people now spend an average of 7.7 hours of their daily free time in front of screens – twice as much as they did pre-COVID. Why is the internet so wickedly tempting, and how can we establish healthier digital habits?

19 April 2023Access AmericaAmerica, architectur, campus, Education, freedom, Future, Germany, Leuphana, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Leuphana University Lüneburg, library, military past, past, Thomas Jefferson, US PresidentsJanina Malena Sähn

Historical Dreams and Dreaming History – From Virginia to Lüneburg

By Veronika M. Heinrich

When I started studying at Leuphana University Lüneburg, I eventually went into the library and couldn’t help notice the quote by Thomas Jefferson on the library staircase. The words and possible meanings were resonating with me. By studying here, I imagined, I can create a better future. No matter how dark the past is, we can make the future brighter.
Now that a few semesters have passed, I recently started to question the quote. By only looking into the future, don’t we neglect the past? What kind of quote is this to put in a library, which basically consists of works of the past? Is there a deeper meaning to why a quote by Thomas Jefferson was chosen? And is it suitable to put his words on our walls? What else is there to know about Jefferson and his dreams for the future?
Read more »