Eco-support afternoon in Vantaa
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| Photo 1: Eco-supporters listened carefully to Tina Kristiansson presenting the results of a report on the state of the environment in Vantaa. |
On Friday 20 May, nearly forty eco-supporters from Vantaa got together for the afternoon. The objective of the event was to share experiences on how eco-support work had started in various sectors of the city and to hear news about the state of the environment in Vantaa.
In her welcome speech, Leena Maidell-Münster, Environmental Manager at Vantaa Environment Centre, reminded the eco-supporters of the city politicians and management’s strong commitment to eco-support activities. According to a shared decision by the political parties in the city, eco-supporters should be trained for all of the city’s work communities. Consisting of the city’s directors, the climate change management team actively follows the progress of eco-support activities. The climate change management team considers it particularly important that eco-supporters receive adequate support in their work.
Over a cup of coffee, the eco-supporters also received information about the state of the environment, environmental protection and sustainable development work in Vantaa. In addition, the results of a survey on the start of Vantaa’s eco-support activities were presented during the event.
The afternoon ended with vivid discussion about eco-support activities at workplaces. The initial experiences of eco-supporters have been mainly positive, and the first steps towards improved environmental consciousness and responsibility in work communities have been taken. During the afternoon, the eco-supporters mentioned successful moments during their work and pondered the challenges they had faced. The eco-supporters feel that they have succeeded the best in promoting everyday eco-actions. For example, many eco-support communities have paid special attention to improving the sorting of waste and saving electricity and paper. In the eco-supporters’ opinion, one of the greatest challenges in promoting environmental issues at the workplace is lack of time. Many participants wished that they had more time for these activities.
Photo 2: A lively buzz of conversation filled the room as eco-supporters shared their experiences and discussed the successes and stumbling blocks of workplace eco-support activities.
Text and photos: Environmental Specialist Hanne Siikström, Vantaa