By Vytautas Noreika, Climate Advocate
Remember the famous Andrea Bocelli hit “O Sole Mio”? The Lithuanian karaoke version of this very song performed by Anthony Turner in original language kick-started the 2nd meeting of Baltic Region Climate Advocates in Aerodream (Lithuania) on the 17th-19th of October. 23 Climate Advocates from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia with the help of acknowledged international experts joined their intellectual and creative efforts for further advancement of their carbon reduction ideas developed during the 1st meeting at the lake Lezumi (Latvia) on the 15th-17th of June.
Ambassador of the United Kingdom welcomed the ideas
Our evening reception was hosted by his Excellency Ambassador of the United Kingdom Simon Butt. The diplomat devoted a reasonable amount of time to discuss with Climate Advocates and to give constructive feedback on the project ideas. Yet, the main challenge was to gain the support of the Dragons. The Dragon’s Den – a panel of experts from the world of business, academics, politics and international organizations gave a strict “reality check” to the project plans. Basically, if the Dragons did not eat the carbon reduction idea for lunch, the idea might have a chance to live.
Heat your home not the world
In the sci-fi blockbuster of 80’s “The Predator” Arnold Schwarzenegger acts as a protagonist fighting the alien who uses thermal scanner to detect its pray in the jungle at night. Today, our homes are hunted down by the heating bills. The thermo graphic image of the building allows to illustrate the amount of heat energy escaping due to poor insulation. A group of Climate Advocates is going to make thermal photographs of houses with various levels of insulation and make the exposition publicly available in high traffic areas (shopping malls, office centers). Besides the pictures, the exposition will also include practical guidance on how to insulate your house in cost-effective ways. Less escaped heat energy = no excess heating = saving money and environment.
Have an eco-ride on a “green bus”
Every day fast food restaurants of Vilnius discard hundreds of liters of used vegetable oil. With a little extra effort put on the reduction of used oil viscosity and appropriate upgrade of the diesel engine it is possible to give the used vegetable oil a second life – to power a public city bus. Besides the conventional function to take citizens from A to B, the unique “green bus” would also serve as an awareness-raising platform since its interior and exterior provides huge potential to communicate eco-messages to general public.
Tax on your steak
Here is some food for thought to you: you will have a less negative environmental impact if you drive a Hummer, shun recycling, buy all your stuff from the opposite side of the planet, and eat vegetarian a few days per week vs. eating a meat-based diet while going completely green in all other areas. You actually save more water by not eating a pound of beef than by not showering for an entire year. I know it is hard to make a connection between that steak on your plate and the destruction of the forest, but it is what it is. No wonder that one group of Climate Advocates is determined to lobby state institutions to impose additional tax (or to eliminate current VAT subsidies) on red meat products. Seems like a long road but definitely the righteous one. Good luck on skipping your next burger!
CEO’s to zero CO2
Business world, especially manufacturing and transportation industries, is responsible for a great deal of total carbon footprint. It is not a good idea to deplore companies for that, because they produce something what is needed by humanity, yet it is a good idea raise a question: What carbon emission reduction could mean to business companies and if they are willing to do something about it? New business opportunities, cost saving, better public image, being trendy, higher appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. A group of Climate Advocates is going to uncover the cases of business transformation to adopt the environmentally friendly practices and will publicly encourage entrepreneurs to follow the “green” path. That is where the future profits are.
Kids power
There is a trendy club in Rotterdam called “Watt”. It is famous due to sophisticated dance-floor that turns the kinetic energy produced by dancers into electricity to power music and lighting equipment. Electricity does not come from the switch it takes some hard work to produce it. Thus there is a Climate Advocate group that aims to teach this lesson to our young. The project idea is a “smart playground”, where swings and round-a-bouts produce electricity while in motion. When kids play the lights are up and the music is on. Chances are that “smart playground” will appeal to grannies and daddies too.
Creative part is over, action time now
The 2nd Climate Advocates meeting ended up with actions plans for all of the above described projects. The Climate Advocates have access to assistance of local and international experts during the implementation of the projects. If everything goes according to the plans some tangible results should be observable after several months. We will keep the “Low Carbon Future” community up to date as the progress unfolds. Best luck to all Climate Advocates!
