Greener Celebrations Across Valmiera Region: How Summer Festivities Became Eco-Friendlier

A green region starts with its people – a mother who walks her children to kindergarten, friends who cycle to school, and families who sort their waste. To nurture and strengthen environmental awareness among residents, summer festivals across Valmiera region embraced the idea of green events, encouraging everyone to celebrate in a more eco-friendly way.

The Valmiera BALTIPLAST team participated in seven events throughout the summer, bringing the successfully implemented reusable cup system – first introduced in Valmiera in 2024 – to other festivals across the region.

The summer season began in Strenči and Rūjiena (read more about those here), followed by the Festival of King Tālivaldis in Trikāta, where visitors explored the educational exhibition on plastics and joined the interactive “live statistics” activity. In this small village, it was particularly interesting to hear how locals perceive environmental issues and the challenges they face with waste sorting.

July continued with festivities in Mazsalaca, home to one of the region’s greenest events – the retro bike ride honouring Gustavs Ērenpreiss, the 20th-century craftsman renowned for his quality bicycles.

The highlight of the season, Valmiera City Festival (July 25–27), attracted over 30,000 visitors. It marked the first large-scale use of the upgraded reusable cup system. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of both organisers and the cup system provider, visitors enjoyed a smooth and convenient experience. The system was supported by extensive communication materials – posters, social media posts, and informational videos on stage screens – and received positive feedback, with only a few negative comments after the event.

A week later, the exhibition and live statistics activity travelled to the Lake Burtnieks Festival. Despite a rainy day and smaller crowds, visitors took time to explore the exhibition and share their thoughts in the survey.

The season concluded in Kocēni, at the Kokmuiža Festival, which gathered many visitors from across the region. Alongside learning about the environmental and health impacts of plastics and discovering practical tips to reduce plastic use, festivalgoers could enjoy drinks in reusable cups. Many proudly brought their cups that they had brought home from the Valmiera City Festival.

In total, several hundred visitors viewed the exhibition, and many participated in the live statistics activity. When asked whether they sort plastic, paper, and metal waste, most said they do – with only a few answering “no” or “sometimes.” When rating their sorting skills, most described them as good or average, and no one claimed they were weak.

The most thought-provoking question was: “Which room in your home contains the most plastic items?” The kitchen was the most common answer, due to plastic packaging in both pantry and fridge products. Families with small children often mentioned the kids’ room (thanks to LEGO!), while some – especially women – pointed to the bathroom because of cosmetic and hygiene products.

When asked what prevents them from living more environmentally friendly, many said “nothing,” while others mentioned the lack of alternatives. For example, even in Valmiera – the region’s centre – there are no zero-waste shops, so for people in the countryside it is even harder to get produce with no packaging. Some younger respondents noted that they lack encouragement from those around them.

As the reusable cup system entered its second year, visitors were asked to rate this municipal initiative. The majority rated it as perfect, followed by good and average, with only a few calling it weak. When asked what green initiatives they would like to see at future events, people found it hard to choose just one. All options – drinking water stations, decorations made from natural or recycled materials, reusable dish systems, and waste sorting bins – received almost equal support.

At the end of the year, event organisers, the reusable cup system provider, and caterers will meet to discuss what worked well and what could be improved. There is no doubt that festivals in Valmiera region will continue using reusable cups in the future, possibly expanding the system with different types of cups for various drinks and even reusable dishes. The municipality will also explore introducing the system in other types of public events, such as sports gatherings.

By combining practical solutions with active citizen engagement, Valmiera region continues to take meaningful steps toward a greener future. The positive feedback from residents and their visible participation show that environmental awareness is growing – one reusable cup at a time. People across the region appreciate the BALTIPLAST project and the activities implemented through it, which have inspired change, encouraged dialogue, and proved that sustainability starts with everyday choices made by all of us.

Elizabete Brūvere,
Valmiera Municipality Government

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