Creepy crawlies! These slimy little frogs and newts may seem pretty disgusting when you see a plastic bucket full of them, but they are very important in the balance of nature and are endangered species. The NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) in Hessia shows us how they saved thousands of the creatures from certain destruction from a pending construction project. Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

On a Sunday evening around 6 p.m., there was an earthquake in South Hesse, with the epicenter in Ober-Ramstadt near Darmstadt. With a strength of 3.2 on the Richter Scale, there was no major damage reported, but the quake certainly gave some of the residents quite a scare!

WARNING: this video contains graphic footage of animals being treated brutally, the reason in fact that singer Cassandra Steen has volunteered to make this statement for the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) anti-fur campaign.

Construction is the biggest source of political corruption in the world, and here a case in point: the existence of hermit Friedmunt Sonnemann is being threatened by the construction of an elevated Moselle River overpass, that according to critics is neither wanted nor needed by the inhabitants. (video copyright dpa)

The "Femeiche" oak tree in North Rhine-Westphalia may well be the oldest living tree in Germany, dating from the first millenium AD. (video copyright dpa)

These are not a bunch of free-ranging hippies, on the contrary: the World Wide Fund for Nature organized the event in Grugapark in Essen with a very clear goal in mind – to publicize the need to protect our forests as wildlife habitat. What better excuse do 848 people need to hug a tree? Viel Spaß!

Yabla's very own Eva takes us on a nice stroll though an autumnal German park and fills us in on the best things about the German vocabulary for this time of year. Enjoy!

We know that cities use machines to clean the streets, but did you know that specially-designed sidewalks can clean the air we breathe? Learn about the new way that the city of Frankfurt is working to improve the environment in this fascinating report from Rhein-Main TV. Umweltverschmutzung? Nein danke!

The European Fountain Society, with its seat in Karlruhe in southwestern Germany, is committed to the preservation and care of historical fountains and emphasizes the importance of water for man and culture.

At more than 500 meters, Ulrichstein is the town in the state of Hessen with the highest elevation and, thus, an ideal location for harnessing the wind. Satisfying Germany's demand for energy in the new energy economy is the subject of this informative clip from the highland region of Vogelsberg. Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

In this video the German cabaret performer Dieter Hildebrand explains the vital importance of trees for maintaining the Earth's water supply and for man's survival.

The International Green Week in Berlin is the world's most famous agricultural trade fair. This year the farmers are very pleased with the results and with the increased consumer interest in agricultural products and renewable production processes.
Copyright: Deutsche Presse Agentur [The German Press Agency]

Over two hundred young people campaigned for sustainability at the first Youth Forum 2010 in Hessen. The on-the-spot actions were the highlight here, such as the Contra-Plastic Bag action, where the youths approach passers-by and offer them cloth bags in exchange for their plastic bags.

The arrival of colder weather and the changing colors of the trees are things we associate with the fall season. Enjoy this video, which introduces basic vocabulary related to this time of year.

Ah! Spring has sprung and summer is in full swing! Gone are the winter blues and people are enjoying the outdoors again!