Life holds temptations ready, which make each one of us to be carried away to a greater or lesser sin. But what are the truly ecologically relevant sins, what are they doing, and what can each individual do to avoid them and thus contribute to a more sustainable society?
The "Ökobeichtstuhl" is an innovative science entertainment concept for sensitization of a broad public. The aim is to sensitize the audience in an entertaining way and with a wink of the eye for more environmentally friendly ways of behaviour in everyday life (food, mobility, living, consumption etc.) and to show how these can be implemented effectively. The "Ökobeichtstuhl" is intended to mark a new way of transferring ecological competencies. Scientainment is chosen as an approach to enable low-threshold access to the complex issues of sustainability. The "Ökobeichtstuhl" is an interactive tool designed to motivate people in an unexpected and humorous way to question their own actions and to identify alternatives that are more environmentally friendly. The central element is the "Ökobeichtstuhl" itself as a playfully designed, walkable box that arouses curiosity. After its development, it will go on a roadshow to reach as many visitors as possible. The focus is primarily on young people and young adults who have so far had little interest in sustainability issues. Visitors are encouraged to choose a sin of ecology on a touch screen when entering the "Ökobeichtstuhl". A comic strip depiction visualizes the environmental problems of the chosen sin in an amusing, lustful way and is intended to motivate the reader to continue working on the application. After selecting a sin, the program recommends a good deed to encourage. This corresponds to the extent of environmental pollution, approximately equal to the impact of sin. The good deed is also humorously visualized. A postcard as a giveaway with the comic strip of the chosen act and the calculated environmental information motivates you to turn this into reality. Through the automated and scientific calculation of the environmental impact of different ecological sins and various "good deeds", visitors acquire the ability to assess and reflect on the dimension of the environmental impacts of their personal everyday behaviour. The goal is achieved when visitors playfully deal with the possible environmental consequences of everyday decisions due to the fun-filled entertainment provided by the "Ökobeichtstuhl" and make more sustainable decisions in the future.