Latest news and the first results of the project 'Circular Economy Makerspaces'

Circular economy and sustainability, eco-friendly choices and efficient use of materials. These and similar topics are being discussed more and more actively this year in Valmiera and several other cities of the Baltic Sea region. Valmiera Development Agency, in cooperation with Valmiera Municipality Government as the leading organization and partners from five countries (Latvia, Denmark, Norway, Lithuania and Germany), is implementing the project “Circular Spaces”. The goal of the project is to create an consortium of makerspaces in the Baltic Sea region, where all of these makerspaces could cooperate with each other in the field of eco-design and material reusability. At least 300 makers and entrepreneurs will be trained and at least 5 new business ideas will be tested.

On April 29, the event about first results in the project “Circular Spaces” took place. Project experts Ilze Eglāja and Liene Krūmiņa informed about what has been done so far and what activities will happen in the near future. Representatives of makerspaces, NGO’s and public organizations of regional and local importance attended the event. As well as businessmen and businesswomen, creative enthusiasts (makers) and other interested parties who care about environmental issues and are interested in current affairs of the circular economy in Valmiera, Latvia and the Baltic Sea region were present. During the event, the participants were informed about the developed guidelines, which will help makerspaces, including Valmiera makerspace DARE, to become more environmentally friendly and introduce circular economy principles into their everyday life.

One of the most extensive results of the project, which will be available to anyone interested, is a training program created by all project partners, which aims to educate creators, makers, creative enthusiasts and interested parties! The training program includes nine topics – circular economy and sustainability, transformation of waste into resources, product life cycle and ecological footprint, as well as design thinking and reuse of materials. So far, 85 participants have successfully completed the program, 62 of whom have given very positive feedback.

The participants of the training program highly appreciated its theoretical and practical content. After the training, the majority of participants report a significant improvement in their knowledge – before the training, the average level of knowledge was rated as 7, and after the training as 9. In addition, 61% of the participants claim that the training inspired them to learn more about the circular economy, and 46% are committed to changing their habits to create less waste and live a “greener” lifestyle.

The educational program is an important cornerstone of the project, which helps the participants not only to acquire the necessary knowledge, but also to practically integrate the principles of the circular economy into their everyday life.

“The success of the program is a clear signal that our approach is effective and that it can drive real change,” says project expert Liene Krūmiņa.

Latest news about training dates and topics can be found on the Valmiera makerspace DARE’s social media: Instagram (@dare_valmiera) and Facebook (@DARE.VKD).

Information prepared by:
Liene Krūmiņa
Expert of the “Circular Economy Makerspaces” project

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