Travelling to work or training together is always "good company" - and does something for climate protection. "Every carpool reduces travel costs, reduces traffic and helps the environment," says Elmar Trippe from Olsberg town council. That's why the town of Olsberg is offering its citizens a new online service: "PENDLA" - the "Municipal Carpooling Centre for Commuters".

"Here, citizens can find suitable carpoolers for the journey they make most often: to and from work," says Elmar Trippe, explaining the basic idea. It's easy to use: after registering, interested parties enter the route between home and work. PENDLA" then compares the routes of all commuters in the vicinity and displays suitable matches - while of course respecting data protection. Elmar Trippe: "Of course, PENDLA can also be used for leisure activities."

Currently, an average of up to 70 percent of people in Germany use their car to get to work, covering an average of around 7,400 kilometres a year - and the trend is rising. "Almost 94 per cent of commuters drive alone - also due to a lack of carpooling options," says Elmar Trippe. This makes daily commuter traffic one of the biggest emitters of the harmful "greenhouse gas" CO2.

With the new service, the town of Olsberg wants to offer a simple and data protection-compliant platform to enable citizens to form car pools. "This not only helps the environment, but ultimately also your wallet," says Mayor Wolfgang Fischer. The use of "PENDLA" directly via olsberg.pendla.com is free of charge for citizens, the operating costs are borne by the town of Olsberg. Information flyers will soon be available in the town hall and at businesses.

The price of electricity accounts for around a third of a household's total energy costs. Large electrical appliances in particular make a significant contribution to electricity costs due to their function - cooling or heating.

The town of Olsberg would like to make it easier for its citizens to decide to replace old, energy-intensive large household appliances and promote the use of environmentally friendly technologies with the "Energy-saving large household appliances" support programme.

At its meeting on 18.05.2022, the Order and Social Affairs Committee approved this funding programme.

From 1 June 2022, the town of Olsberg will subsidise the replacement of large household appliances that are at least 10 years old with a flat-rate grant of €100 per old appliance.

This subsidy for the purchase of a new energy-saving appliance and the simultaneous disposal of the corresponding old appliance can be applied for using the online form.

Household appliances eligible for the subsidy are washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers.

In the first year, 100 appliances will be subsidised, whereby only one large household appliance per household will be subsidised in accordance with the subsidy guidelines.

Applications for funding can be submitted for the first time from 1 June 2022.

• The duration of the funding programme is set at 4 years.