First Estonian Zero Waste Conference agenda is out!

The conference takes place at Tallinn University Conference Centre, Uus-Sadama 5 in Tallinn. Registration to the conference has already ended.

9:00 Registration and morning coffee
9:30 Opening of the conference
9:45 Opening session “Contexts for Zero Waste”

• Welcome words on behalf of Zero Waste Europe by Jack McQuibban, Zero Waste Cities Coordinator
• “Zero Waste – the what, the why and the how” by Kadi Kenk, executive director of Let’s Do It Foundation
• Interactive discussion on different sides of zero waste and education with the workshop leaders

10:45 Break
11:15 Parallel workshops (1)

1. Zero Waste as a systems change for municipalities
2. How the “Zero Waste Training Handbook” can help you create better trainings / Kuidas “Zero Waste koolituskäsiraamat” saab aidata paremaid koolitusi luua? (workshop held in Estonian / eestikeelne töötuba)
3. Why is data at the core of Zero Waste?
4. Tracking and addressing misconceptions in a humble way
5. Role of education system in zero waste skills development

12:45 Lunch break
13:45 Parallel workshops (2)

1. Zero Waste as a systems change for municipalities / Jäätmeteta majandamine kui süsteemne muutus KOVidele (workshop held in Estonian / eestikeelne töötuba)
2. How the “Zero Waste Training Handbook” can help you create better trainings
3. Why is data at the core of Zero Waste?
4. Tracking and addressing misconceptions in a humble way
5. Role of education system in zero waste skills development

15:15 Break
15:45 Interactive panel discussion together with participants – “Zero Waste opportunities beyond the conference”. Moderated by Triin Toomesaar (Let’s Do It Foundation, The Responsible Business Forum Estonia)
16:45 Closing of the conference
17:00 Networking
18:00 End of the conference

Workshops

Zero Waste as a systems change for municipalities

What makes a zero waste city / municipality? What is not a zero waste city?
What will it cost and who needs to lead the process?
In this workshop, every municipality representative can draft the first steps for integrating zero waste principles in their plans. The very Zero Waste Cities Programme Coordinator, Jack McQuibbin will make a brief intro to case studies of ZWC’s network members similar to Estonian cities / municipalities. Jack can answer all questions and help get a move on if there is official interest in being featured in the Zero Waste Cities network.

 

Workshop leaders:

Kadi Kenk is a trainer and public speaker on the topics of excelling circular economy, community engagement and societal change management for solving global problems. Her work field covers all sectors: doing international advocacy with institutions, consulting local governments, training NGOs and businesses. Her current roles include managing Let’s Do It Foundation, representing Estonian circular business development in European circular business union (Ecopreneur.eu), doing circular economy research as a PhD student in Estonian University of Life Sciences and advocating for reuse on national and EU level.

 

 

 

 

Jack McQuibban has been the Zero Waste Cities Programme Coordinator at Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) for over three years, responsible for supporting local municipalities across Europe to design and implement effective zero waste strategies in their community. Currently, the programme works with nearly 500 municipalities who have committed to go zero waste, and Jack has been behind the creation of Europe’s first ever Zero Waste Cities Certification.

 

 

 

 

How the “Zero Waste Training Handbook” can help you create better trainings

What are the struggles you often face as an educator?
How to teach zero waste effectively?
In this workshop we aim to answer these questions, by focusing on the specific questions the participants have and looking more deeply into the “Zero Waste Training Handbook” as a tool for learning. This workshop is great for anyone who gives trainings or workshops on zero waste or other environmental topics.

Workshop leader:

Kadri Kalle is the education program manager in Let’s Do It Foundation and the editor-in-chief of the “Zero Waste Training Handbook”. She has been doing work in education and different sustainability topics for more than fifteen years, in the last five years focusing more on zero waste and circular economy.

 

 

 

 

Why is data at the core of Zero Waste?

In this workshop participants can play with data to see what kind of data is relevant depending on what decisions must be made based on them. Decisions like – will the zero waste approach save cost or is it more expensive; how do the municipality planning experts know how to design infrastructure that supports zero waste targets; how do I know how my company/organization is doing compared to others in waste generation and broader environmental impact scale.

 

Workshop leaders:

 

Kristiina Kerge has contributed to the growth of several environmental initiatives for the past 12 years, such as the Kuhuviia.ee service in Estonia (since 2013), the Let’s Do It Foundation’s digital tools for waste mapping – an AI tool and a mobile app (2016-2019). Latest development is Sustaxo – tool for SMEs to self-assess their GHG impact. Combining environmental challenges with smart technology and data is her passion.

 

Jaka Kranjc has been a full-time environmentalist since 2009, working in one of the most successful Slovenian environmental NGOs Društvo Ekologi brez meja. After organising two Let’s do it cleanups that both activated about every seventh inhabitant of Slovenia, efforts focused on long-term solutions. Jaka helps run the organization and works on various waste prevention projects, Zero Waste strategies and the stagnant problem of illegally dumped waste. He is the association’s main policy, waste management and technology expert.

 

 

 

Tracking and addressing misconceptions in a humble way

This description does not say anything and that is so for a reason. In order to achieve profound, real, deep conceptual change, there must be at least three steps that have to happen in every learning situation – at least at a small scale. What are these steps – can we figure them out together? How natural would it be to sew them in all situations where we have to change someone’s mind? What are the biggest obstacles inside of us that get on the way?

 

Workshop leaders:

Grete Arro (PhD in psychology) works as an educational psychology researcher and lecturer in Tallinn University and also as an advisor in the field of educational psychology in the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia. Her research interests are related to various learning-related topics – motivation, wise learning strategies, metacognition and conceptual change. Her second research interest is related to environmental psychology, concentrating on the development of environmental consciousness and pro-environmental behaviours.

 

Mihkel Kangur is a doctor of ecology and a master of educational sciences. He has studied the history of vegetation in Estonia and Europe, as well as Estonia’s environmental policy and readiness to switch to a circular economy. From such a variety of research, Mihkel Kangur has increasingly focused on the issues of education for sustainable development and contributes now to the birth of Rakvere State Secondary School as a head of study and development.

 

 

Role of education system in zero waste skills development

What are the skills and competencies needed for implementing zero waste and circular economy principles? What’s the role of education system in this process?
In this workshop we will dive into these topics. We will introduce a couple of relevant competence frameworks and discuss where and how education system can support in this. This workshop is useful for everybody who are interested in skills and competencies topic, but especially to those working in educational institutions or organisations.

Workshop leaders:

Mayri Tiido is an adult educator and a circular economy entrepreneur on a mission to transform the world to become circular. She has been researching what kind of competencies young people need to become future leaders in a circular world and raises awareness on the circular economy through trainings, already for the past 4 years.

 

 

Mait Kriipsalu is a professor of Water Protection and Waste Management at Estonian University of Life Sciences. He has been working together with professional organisations and the waste and water sector as well as providing education to students and post-graduates, already for the past 26 years.