Period
since 2003

Background
To use resources more intelligently by a factor X resource productivity. Not resource depletion is the crucial point. We need to sustain the carrying capacity of the earth as a system: atmosphere, woods,  oceans and soil. A European consumes 75 tons of nature a year,  water not included. A Vietnamese consumes 2 tons a year. China, India and South America are speeding up. Thus the worldwide use of natural resources is increasing rapidly. We are more and more intervening into the system. Nobody knows when the ecological system will collapse. The warning signals are obvious: climate change, overfishing, depletion of tropical rain forests.
Dematerialization could help to use resources more intelligently, to produce more economic wealth out of one barrel of oil, one kilo of steel or paper. Resource efficiency must be radically increased. We call it factor X. Resource productivity is no universal remedy, but a necessary  part in each sustainability strategy.

Target Group
General public and experts

Description
www.factor-x.info is a journalistic, controversial reflection of the discussion on resource use with regard to technical, economic and political aspects.
This website shows the most interesting actors, concepts and examples, the most important relationships and serious discussions.
 
Partners
Aachen Foundation
(idea and contents)
Bert Beyers, science journalist
(conception and contents)
Rössle & Trainer Design
(graphical implementation)
Webiteasy
(technical implementation)

Status
The website is constantly updated.
5.000 users and 20.000 hits per month, with increasing tendency.