Meet Grace Neill, a 23-year-old computer AI designer specialising in high-end joinery. Described as creative, innovative, and detail-oriented, Grace is a rising talent in the design industry. She is committed to environmental sustainability, a value that aligns well with her company's ethos. Despite challenges, Grace and her team continue to push for eco-friendly solutions in their projects. For those interested in sustainable design and innovation, Grace advises collaboration and continuous learning. Connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more. Youth-fir-for-55 project is funded through ERASMUS+ program and aims to educate young people about the challenges and solutions to climate change and environmental protection.
Asociatia “Micile Bucurii” (“Liitle Joys” Association - Romania) has started as a community of people striving to make a change in order to live a more sustainable life. Meanwhile the community has reached more than 1000 members and the association founders deliver projects that raise awareness and educate the audience about the environment and the importance of harmoniously coexisting with nature. The Association promotes sustainable local businesses, circular economy and a plastic-free lifestyle and also organizes information campaigns and trainings on those topics. Roxana, the founder and leader of the association, is passioned about nature and seeks to inspire and empower young people to reunite with nature and internalize a new lifestyle that focuses on sustainability and safeguarding our natural resources. Thus, many of the activities revolve around youngsters, local and creative entrepreneurs and craftsmen or collaborative economical exchanges. Every project that she and her team carry on aims at having a positive impact on the environment and teaching people to reconnect to nature.
Eric Roux, director of Bordeaux's Rock School Barbey, has birthed the inventive Ouvre la Voix Festival. It is more than just a musical event—it's a cyclo-œno (cycling and wine) festival that unfolds in the region of Entre-deux-Mers, Gironde. What sets this festival apart is its unique combination of music, cycling, and sustainability. Eric's inspiration stemmed from his cycling adventures along a disused railway transformed into a cycling path. This vision led to the idea of linking villages by bike and with music. Central to the festival is its sustainability focus. Ouvre la Voix prioritizes eco-friendly practices, including local food and beverages, waste management, selective sorting, dry toilets, and promoting cycling as a green mode of transport. The event also leverages the beauty of the Entre-deux-Mers region, nature and landscapes. Ouvre la Voix Festival stands as a testament to the power of music, cycling, and sustainability coming together harmoniously on the cultural and environmental stage.
The Organic Centre is an Irish Charity and Social Enterprise, based in the picturesque Rossinver, Leitrim. With a strong focus on Organic Growing, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Food Sovereignty, and Sustainable Energy, they are committed to creating awareness and empowering individuals to make a difference. Operating on a community-based model that works with people, promoting inclusion and work for the common good. They run a full-time QQI level 5 course in horticulture, as well as delivering over 80 weekend workshops in a whole host of topics from Stone wall building to mushroom foraging. They actively manage community gardens, providing a space for individuals of all ages to come together, nurture the earth, and reap the rewards of their labour. As well as run mums and toddler groups, therapeutic horticulture courses. Jimmy is the project coordinator at the Centre, and his main duties are running of the Community Gardens, Tours, Workshops and working with the local community on projects. He was works closely with local schools, using his expertise to develop their land and gardens as well as community groups in Leitrim.
With a profound sense of environmental stewardship and community development, Conacul Nucu (or NUCU Mansion) stands as a beacon of sustainable practices and innovation. Under the spirited leadership of Mircea Crisbășanu, this project has revitalized a near-ruin mansion, breathing new life into it, turning it into a vibrant hub for cultural and social activities. Remarkably, Conacul Nucu's sustainable vision goes far beyond mere restoration. They are pioneering in the use of alternative, sustainable building materials like hempcrete, a substitute for polystyrene, as well as capitalizing on local resources, like the use of wooden beams and bricks to maintain the authenticity of the structure. Their commitment to minimize carbon emissions by consciously avoiding concrete is not only impactful but sets an example for other renovation projects. Above all, Conacul Nucu symbolizes the power of sustainability coupled with community engagement, making it an emblem of positive and environmentally conscious change. This story of transformation indeed reflects that sustainability and heritage preservation can go hand in hand to create a thriving, resilient community for the future.
YKO-YKO, co-founded by Florina Secara and Alexandra Pirvan, is the first online platform in Romania dedicated to promoting sustainable fashion culture. This innovative platform aims to reduce the fashion industry's environmental impact through education and promoting alternatives such as garments made from organic or recycled materials, and clothing designed with circular, reuse, or recycle principles. They also place a strong emphasis on the longevity of clothing, promoting pieces that can be passed down through generations. By providing an easily accessible source of inspiration and information, YKO-YKO is contributing significantly to sustainability in Romania, helping consumers make informed, eco-friendly fashion choices, and raising awareness about the potential of sustainable fashion. Their work exemplifies the intersection of fashion, entrepreneurship, and environmental responsibility.
Meet Ryan Brogan, co-founder and director of Arcus Systems. Specialising in the manufacture of industrial cleaning and pumping systems, the company serves a diverse range of sectors, including Food & Beverage, Chemical Production, and Oil & Gas. Raised in rural Northern Ireland, Ryan's upbringing instilled in him a deep respect for nature and the importance of recycling. This ethos is central to Arcus Systems' mission to be a "cutting-edge manufacturer for tomorrow's world." The company is committed to innovation, reinvesting a significant portion of its profits into research and development. Arcus Systems' products offer dual benefits: they help companies reduce their environmental footprint and provide a rapid return on investment. With a background in a family business focused on industrial cleaning equipment, Ryan brings a wealth of industry knowledge. Youth-fit-for-55 project is funded through ERASMUS+ program and aims to educate young people about the challenges and solutions to climate change and environmental protection.
EFdeN is a Romanian educational NGO that aims at bringing sustainability closer to students, young professionals and the general public. They believe in communities that lead both a high-quality and a sustainable life, closer to nature. Hence their projects target urban regeneration, energy-efficient and green architecture as a main interest, within an educational paradigm, meant to replenish the universities resources. Students gain practical experience through volunteering and learn about sustainability from people already in the project, advisors and other professionals involved in the organization projects. EFdeN is the only NGO in Romania that develops solar homes for educational and research purposes and they successfully participated with their prototypes in the Solar Decathlon competitions in 2014 and 2018. These days, motivated by their fruitful partaking in these contests, EFdeN has taken the challenge of designing a new prototype (EFdeN Vatra) for urban revitalization, while developing their own living lab in Bucharest, EFdeN Sustainable City.
