Literature meets Environmentalism

I invited an old study mate of mine, Kate, to come to homo ecos: to give a lecture on Ecocriticism; a field of study within Literary Criticism that looks at the way we humans relate to nature and our environment. I was really happy that I was able to bring a little bit of my own expertise - Literature - into my new job/life at homo ecos:!

After the lecture, I showed Kate that Riga is really hip and happening! There are some really cool and tasty eco-restaurants, for instance!

Upcycling @ School Spring Festival

Chao! 

So here comes the time to share with you another passion of mine: UPCYCLING 

I've always loved art, especially applied one. And at some point of my life I thought: 

"Hey! I can use wasted materials to create something nice. Daahh!" 

At that precise moment I discovered upcycling for myself :) 

These days I'm trying to popularise ideas of upcycling 

and homo ecos: is great place to do this.  

Last Friday we participated at Spring festival in one school in Riga offering kids to reinvent the "trash"!

The Cleanest City in Latvia

This week, we took the bus all the way to Ventspils, to organize a workshop about the Green Toolbox for a youth exchange group. It was a great experience; getting young people from Spain, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Latvia to think of ways to "green" their own event. 

On our way to the lovely and clean beach, we even encountered a familiar poster!

Celebrating Earth Day 2014 @homo ecos:

This year Earth Day is devoted to the Green City campaign, 

and we at homo ecos: decided to make Riga a bit greeener :) 

I'm garden geek and I LOVE everything related to urban gardening, so no wonder I suggested to make a small vertical garden in the HE yard 

(by the way, great solution for those like us who don't have spare patch of earth nearby). 

steady...

so, planters are ready...

GO! Go planting gooo!!

 We'll follow our garden and soon will share some yummy herbs and veggies :) 

and for now for those who want to make own mini garden - take nice care of plants and soon...

Lazma - garden charmer  

Eko Velo Orienteering

I've never seen so many bikes in one place! (outside The Netherlands...) The EkoTurbulence youth group organized a 'treasure hunt by bike' through Riga, helping us discover recycling points, second-hand shops and some cool eco restaurants.

Our New Apartment

Anna and I finally settled down! We found two big rooms in an even bigger apartment in the Silent Center of Riga. We're sharing the place with our landlord and -lady, and their hysterical Dachshund Lotte.

Green Toolbox

Quickly reading up on our Green Toolbox before presenting it to a group of 40 Estonian non-formal educators at the Faculty of Geography today! *Gulp!*