Twelve direct candidates will run for the federal election on September 26th in the Weilheim constituency, which also includes the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district.
We portrayed the applicants at their workplace.
Today: Maiken Winter (ÖDP) from Raisting.
Raisting
- Maiken Winter enjoys a wonderful view over Raisting from her workplace.
It's not for nothing that the 53-year-old has binoculars on her desk.
"This way I can watch the young storks trying to fly," says the doctor of biology, "or look as far as the edge of the Bavarian Alps."
Winter has always been fascinated by the view into the distance.
The breathtaking prairie of North Dakota had once moved her to move to the United States and work as an ornithologist there.
Today the native of Munich lives with her two daughters and her partner in the Radom community of Raisting.
Winter works from home in her attic apartment.
Since 2019 she has been working as an environmental consultant for the Bavarian Consumer Center and develops various projects to sensitize children and young people to sustainable consumption patterns.
And to make them aware of climate change, because climate protection is winter's greatest concern.
"It just can't be fun to destroy the environment," says the politician of the ÖDP (Ecological Democratic Party).
Only on foot, by bike or by public transport
Winter sets an example of what it means to reduce one's own ecological footprint. According to her, she completely refrains from driving and sold her motorized vehicle a year and a half ago. She only moves around on foot, by e-bike or by public transport. “And it's fantastic to live without a car,” she says enthusiastically. “I feel liberated.” Even if the e-bike is a compromise. “Sure, the bike has batteries. And they are anything but environmentally friendly. ”Somewhere you have to compromise and long distances are difficult to cover with a normal bike.
In 2007, Winter took part in a climate project run by former US Vice President Al Gore and saw the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" by Davis Guggenheim.
A turning point in her life.
"The film made it clear to me that climate change is a life-threatening threat to all of us," says Winter, looking back.
"I was deeply shocked to see the future we are walking into." People have to learn again to be part of nature.
“Because in the end, nature always wins,” she says thoughtfully.
Anger at politicians after storms and floods
Winter gets angry when she thinks about the reactions of politicians to the recent storms and floods in Germany.
“They're all pretending to be scared now,” she says angrily.
“Climate change has been known for years.” It is true that one cannot know about every problem, “but politicians should be familiar with issues that are vital for survival, right?” She asks urgently.
Because she wants to advance climate protection further, the Raistinger is now running for the Bundestag.
“The laws have to be adapted to climate change,” she says.
“Many are not aware of the urgency of the times.
We are simply running out of time. ”Many of the people can only be reached with their wallets; in Winter's eyes, voluntariness alone is not enough.
Deutsche Bahn should improve
In addition, she wants to continue to campaign for the expansion of local public transport. More road construction for cars is not the solution, instead there should be cheaper train tickets and better timetable scheduling. “Because you just don't feel taken seriously when you have to wait for the train all the time.” She herself has already “spent weeks at train stations waiting for late trains”. Doesn't she sometimes want a car here? “Sure, but cars are not the solution. On the contrary. ”But she understands every family with small children who don't want to do without their car, says Winter. "We just need a lot more good connections so that people can take advantage of the offers." She herself moved from Pähl to Raisting in 2012 because there is no train station in Pähl.
In addition to her work as an environmental consultant and her commitment to the ÖDP, Winter is also active for her association "Leben Wissen".
She founded this “for a future worth living”.
And here, too, the focus is on climate protection.
“I know that sometimes I can be exhausting with my demands,” she says.
“But for me there is no other choice.
I will continue."
Climate-neutral by bike from Hamburg to Weilheim
With her club, she already planned the next big event at the end of August: a coffee bike tour from Hamburg to Weilheim.
The association chairman will cycle across Germany together with many fellow campaigners to bring organically produced coffee from the Hanseatic city to the Weilheim-Schongau district, which is transported by sailing ship from Nicaragua.
She is really looking forward to the tour, she says.
When asked what each individual can do specifically to combat climate change, Winter says “Well, vote for the ÖDP” and laughs.
But she is serious.
The distance from Weilheim to Berlin would not prevent entry into the Bundestag.
Winter has already looked at the DB timetables and says with a wink: "The train connection to the capital is not that bad."
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