There were information desks about renewable energy, posters about how to reduce our impact on Planet and climate and other topics, there was also Eco Catering cafe offering very tasty creme brulees and other yummies, animation workshops for children, poster workshops for adults. If you came earlier you could have listened the lectures on how to take care of your bicycle, but we missed it. Indoors you could watch some videos on environment and climate with a nice cup of herbal tea in your hands.
Few other very entertaining things were testing hydrogen car, "cycling music" and "cycling milkshakes", where you could either listen to the music or make your own milkshake by powering everything by cycling! These two were most popular in the event.
The big finali was the "wedding" of those who ride bicycles and those who drive cars with the promise of eternal friendship and respect to each other on the road. I must say, that is still a big issue here in Latvia and I am happy that quite many people attended this event. Even though, we can always wish for more, right? Well, at least I went home with the white ribbon attached to our car!
Someone in the public on the event said something like "green movement in Latvia is doomed".. I do not agree. It's just very new and our society is learning about green stuff quite slowly.. But we do need those baby steps! And such events are tiny little steps which will bring the society closer not only to "I'm green in my own way at home" but also to public actions, involvement, saying it out loud. Here in Latvia people tend to keep their good practices to themselves, they do not go around telling others- I switch the lights off, I cycle, I recycle, I eat local, I have solar panel etc. They are shy in a way. I believe the problem is the society at the moment- all about money, consumerism, "easy" lifestyle that uses whatever they have available not thinking about the impact on the planet. That is the reason "green people" do not tell. Because their parents, friends, colleagues are all sucked in this consumerism lifestyle that says "I do it because I can. I use every resource just because I can. I buy whatever I want (not need!) because I can. I drive 2min to the shop because I can. etc". So we are kind of scared of what people will say or think of us. But that is the main problem of green movement in Latvia. And maybe in more places in the world than we think.. To change the mindset of the world we have to share these practices, our habits, ideas and suggestions. We have to meet in such events and discuss it, see other people doing the same thing. Only then we can really Move the Planet! So good luck to organizations creating space for such events! And to all of us- sharing our ideas not only with like minded people, but also with those who do not agree and those who do not care!
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