The EUTeens4Green Podcast

GREENiH is an initiative addressed to the mining communities of Hunedoara County, Romania. We wanted to inspire young people in the community and beyond it to understand the impact of fossil fuels have upon the environment and that there are more eco-friendly alternatives for producing energy. We organised a series of workshops, both online and offline, on various topics revolving around green actions and intentions (renewable energy, urban gardening, meteorology, pollution and sustainable architecture).

Scoarta – Awareness, Learning, Exploration is the project implemented by a group of young people from Scoarta, Romania, holder of the European Youth Village 2023 title. 
Their project aims to increase the capacity of youth in rural areas, to empower them to develop green skills and to create a structural dialogue with local authorities. They founded a Youth Council, organized workshops, movie nights, exhibitions, debates, sports championships and exchange of good practices to achieve their goals. 

The general goal of the project  is to promote sustainable habits, green mobility, well-being and healthy lifestyle. We aim to make young people understand the importance of using bicycle on a daily basis. We want to equip young people for the challenges of the green transition and to empower them to became active actors for a green life.

Identity in Transition is a project initiated in 2023 by the Kandila Humanitarian Association. This project aims to form meaningful connections between young people in the Jiu Valley and the local mining heritage in order to support the transition of the area towards a climate neutral economy. The project consisted in guided tours, workshops to explain the working procedures in the mine, an exhibition with emblematic photos of the Jiu Valley "in the mirror" exhibit with their current version and an interactive photo album.

Eco-conscious technologies are not part of the traditional curriculum in Hungary. The knowledge of sustainable construction materials which were widely used in making buildings just a few hundred years ago is not widespread in the secondary schools of architecture. Design your own eco house project aims to fill this knowledge gap. It organises the competition to give the architecture students an opportunity to explore the sustainable solutions in modern construction building. Discovering for themselves the pros and cons of each solution, they can actively learn about how modern equipment can make a building eco-conscious.

The Hear Silesia project is about development and learning. We want to show young people how to create modern media and speak about the heritage of Silesia, a region that is currently in the process of a just transformation. Participants in the project took part in media training and speakers about the Just Transition, which combined the theme of the present with the region's past. We recorded podcasts called "Hear Silesia" and educated young people about the climate.

Inspiring Change in Engineering! 

We're a group of Pécs University students fueled by Engineers Without Borders (EWB). 

In just 2 years, we've tackled sustainability issues, focusing on Pécs' transition from harmful mining practices.

Our mission? Promote the circular economy through workshops and sessions, empowering students with tools for a greener future. 

The Just Youth Energy Transition Academy (Just YEA) empowered young people to become active players in promoting an energy transition in Portuguese territories that have been most dependent on carbon-intensive industries, focusing on the Alentejo Litoral region. Our project provided young people from these regions with theoretical and practical knowledge and skills using non-formal education methods, through Masterclasses, and the Youth Energy Academy with virtual sessions and a 3-days in-person Workshop. We believe in the youth and in their power of making the difference for a greener future!

Listen to Deyan Angelov – a high school student and a team leader of Sustainable Bobov Dol project in Bulgaria! His project wants to restore the garden at their school, build a relaxing spot and start a club that gives the students of Bobov Dol an opportunity to learn about important environmental topics.

In the region surrounded with iron, alluminum, different alloys and CNC machines, the students of Sisak Industrial High School came across an idea how to "green out" their school. Respecting the area limitations, the students along with the teacher guidance decided to grow a vertical farm of strawberries. Imagine the fragrance of organically grown strawberries spreading through the school hall corridors all the way to the mechanical practicums! Learn more about the project that uses organic agricultural production free of agrochemicals.

The project “JUSTROOF – Implementing a green roof to support the just transition” deals with the installation of a green roof in one of the main buildings of the School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Crete.

The JUSTROOF project and the green roof will operate for demonstration purposes as well as an experimental facility by carrying out measurements and collecting weather data (temperature, precipitation, humidity, etc.) and parameters such as soil moisture on a continuous basis in the building with the green roof as well as in another building without a green roof for comparison purposes. The aim of the project is to demonstrate how green infrastructure projects such as green roofs can be installed in an urban environment and upgrade it. Such projects show the multiple benefits for the people living in these areas which may be economic, environmental, or social. Through our project we intend to provide information and an actual example for the purpose of raising awareness among the public and stakeholders.

We started this project with the desire to expand our network and do something meaningful to a just transition region. Since Galabovo is one of the most affected areas in the Stara Zagora region, and we very much like this city, we decided to focus our attention on this small town.

We wanted to include all the schools in the area and to elevate the knowledge of the students in the town as well as the community.

We believe that one of the easiest ways to clean the air is the trees. That is why one of our main activities is forestation with 350 trees. This is also one of the biggest problems in the town – the lack of trees. We wanted to make some changes with this project and to leave a positive mark - to plant the seed of change in the minds of the young generation

In the episode of EUTeens4Green podcast we spoke to another project from Greece "Green Out of the Box" based in Kozani region. Here is what they have to say:

“Green Out of the Box” is an exhilarating and mobile gamification challenge that’s ready to make its mark on 10 high schools in Kozani, offering an immersive two-week learning extravaganza. As students dive into this adventure, they’ll engage in non-formal learning while tackling pressing local “green challenges” and addressing environmental issues that matter. But here’s where it gets exciting – once a challenge is conquered, students become champions of sustainability in their school. They choose the next “green” mission and challenge the next school to continue the “Green Box” journey. We don’t just talk the talk; we walk the walk by promoting sustainability education and lifelong learning. Our vision is to empower teachers to seamlessly integrate sustainability principles into their teaching, ensuring a lasting impact on future generations who will lead sustainable lives.

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to a team member from 'Transition to a compost waste system in Tripoli', an EUT4G project based in Greece.

They said; 'Tripoli's Green Revolution: From waste to wealth! Introducing separate organic waste containers citywide, our project turns solid waste into a local compost goldmine. Schools educate, and communities thrive in sustainable agriculture.  Join the eco-revolution! A project featuring innovative solutions, capacity-building actions, and local success stories. The project is supported by Startup Greece and the youth of the region!

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast, we speak to one of our projects from Lithuania, 'Youth for Green future of Jonava district municipality'.

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we find out more from one of our projects in Hungary.

They said...

'We are the Greenagers team, a group of young, passionate individuals, who would like to make their environment greener. Our mission is to raise awareness to the importance of protecting our planet. We encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle, and to love nature. We are also renovating a greenhouse, and placing raise-bed structures in our school. We visit local farms, and gardens, to learn about ways to create our own. In order to have a better future, we need everyone to contribute, whether its through recycling, saving energy, or just spreading the word.'

On this episode of the EUT4G podcast we speak to ' Festival por la Energía Comunitaria'. Find out about this project including their motivations and more about their activities by listening to the podcast.

They said...

'Last June 10th we, Amigos de la Tierra Aragón, organised and held our first Ecosocial Festival, called “Festival por la Energía Comunitaria: Tomemos la Energía” in Alcorisa

(Teruel, Spain). It was an event to gather all the local people and associations of the villageto have a moment of thought and learning, as well as a space of safe celebration and alternative leisure. The energetic transition is one of the actual keys on creating a sustainable life and it is key to take time to learn together about the different options and consequences the energy model has. That is why we decided to create an event in which everybody could put in common their needs and thoughts and to learn from people who are experienced in alternatives, such as community energy.'

You can check all the information and photos about the festival, as well as this project's work on fighting for a better world in @amigosdelatierra_aragon and in https://www.tierra.org/comunidades-energeticas/festival/

In this episode of the EUTeens4Grene podcast we speak to team members from the project 'Innovative program to promote the sustainability of social entities and entrepreneurs in rural areas in Asturias through the connection with university talent' from Spain.

They said: ' Innovative program to promote the sustainability of social entities and entrepreneurs in rural areas in Asturias through the connection with university talent, we put students who have to do their Final Degree Thesis, in contact with rural entrepreneurs, to work together on a real project, implementing internal sustainability techniques for SMEs and rural start-ups in Asturias. In this way, we are helping and giving visibility to young entrepreneurs, and encouraging knowledge transfer in university students.'

Visit the EUTeens4Green website to find out more!

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to members form the project 'Youth 4 Green Transition'. Listen to find out more about their motivations and passions.

They said... 'The project will support and empower youth and create possibilities for improvements in their regions. As a result, 300 young people will be trained on the topics of climate change and the Just Transition. The aim of the "Youth 4 Green Transition" project is to train 300 young people in two coal region cities in Bulgaria (Kyustendil and Stara Zagora) on the topic of climate change and Just Transition through the educational workshop Climate Fresk and to train new facilitators to organize their own events using the educational game.'

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On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to a project from Greece 'The Green Gate of Transition'. Listen to find out about their motivations, their project and why they are involved in EUTeens4Green.

They said...

' The “The Green Gate of Transition” project is coming from the recent trend that is related to the Escape rooms and is trying to explore the potential of escape games as a new strategy to promote sustainable attitudes and beliefs, focusing on environmental sustainability, renewable energy development and climate change. The project is implemented in Florina, Western Macedonia, Greece by a group of young people living in the area and having a passion about the concept of the Escape rooms. A shipping container that is home to an innovative Escape room has become the main idea of our project. Teams of participants are locked in the container and have to complete a series of brain-taxing puzzles to get out focused on the topic of environmental sustainability, renewable energy development and climate change. The container is situated in a central place of the city of Florina and is available and accessible to all citizens, for free, for a period of 3 months.' Find out more about the work of EUTeens4Green on our website!

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On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to a project from Lithuania 'Sustainable Futures: A Two-Part Event for Lithuanian Students'. Listen to find out about their motivations for creating their project, what it involves and much more!

Members of the project said... "Meeting each other abroad made us decide to bring back something valuable to Lithuania. Thus, we have started a movement "Tvarus Jaunimas" (or "Sustainable Youth"), with a mission to gather Lithuanian youth to connect with like-minded people and seek for better future as a society. Our opening ceremony took place in Lithuania, Kaunas on September 9th, which was funded by Euteens4Green. Our future steps are presenting sustainability concepts to high school students and formulating a bigger vision as a future non-profit organization."

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast, we speak to the project 'Youth Active 4 Green Transition'' from Romania.

The team said.. 'Meet the passionate team of young changemakers driving the "Youth Active 4 Green Transition" project - a dynamic initiative by EUTeens4Green. Committed to catalyzing environmental change, this group of dedicated youths blends innovation and advocacy to promote sustainable living. With a shared vision for a greener future, they harness their energy to empower communities, raise awareness, and foster eco-conscious actions. Through creative collaborations and grassroots efforts, they inspire positive transformations and cultivate a collective drive towards a more sustainable world. Join us as we want to lead the charge towards a greener, more resilient planet.'

Find out more about the work of EUTeens4green via our website www.EUTeens4Green.org

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we find out more from project 'Educational youth meetings for social talent and green transition'.

Educational meetings of young people for social talent and the green transition is a project in La Bañeza (León Spain) for adolescents to learn about new professions and carry out internships for future professional careers aligned with the missions defined in the Sustainable Development Goals .

The project aims to motivate and offer support, promote local projects, campaigns and ideas towards a green and sustainable entrepreneurial transition of young people in the long term. The workshops that took place in the last week of June at Molino Maestrices were a success. An e-book on the methodology has been published and will be replicated at other times and places to maximize the positive impact among young people thanks to EUTeens4Greens. All this is under the framework of an alternative, transformative and open-air education.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to Michael Gatt, Projects Officer of JEF Malta, which is a youth political organization with the aim of creating a more united Europe. He discusses the upcoming event named the Air Pollution Hackathon. This project consists of a competition whereby teams of either two or three people create solutions to the air pollution problem in Malta. The teams learn more about the topic at hand from three esteemed guest speakers, who are at the top of their fields, and will have time to formulate ideas to tackle air pollution. The ideas are then presented by the teams, and it is up to the judges to select the most creative three solutions, who are then presented with outstanding prizes!

In this episode we speak to our of our EUTeens4Green Projects, 'Educate, Engage, Act'. The aim of this project is to engage more young people in the North of Denmark in the fight for climate action. They do this through workshops, where young people can learn different ways of engaging in the green transition, as well as through talks that inform about different topics in the green transition.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast, we speak to members from 'Able 2 be sustainable' one of our projects from Bulgaria.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to members of 'Youth read to take action for just transition' - a project based in the Czech Republic. This project's goal is to bring together young people from across the Czech coal regions but also from other parts of the republic to learn about the just transition and how to get involved with it as well as to meet other active or interested young people and connect with one another. For this they are going to organise a five day educational event in Děčín where the circa 20 participants can do all this.

On this week of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to one of our projects based in Poland, 'Skills for the future'. Learn all about the goals and motivations of this project and what it sets out to achieve.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we speak to one of our Projects from Spain. "Por un rural vivo" is a project of Pedro Miguelez Casas in collaboration with Asociación Tilos Asturias. The aim of the initiative is to engage young people from the rural areas of Asturies (Spain) into the Just Transition and the movement toward a greener future. In order to achieve it we are doing a podcast in Spanish and a participatory process involving rural youth, together with advocacy actions.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green Podcast we speak to one of our projects from Greece 'Educational web application for raising teens' awareness about just transition.' Tune in to find out more about it!

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green Podcast we speak to one of our projects from Greece 'Syra Smart Sustainable Island'.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green Podcast we speak to one of our projects 'Believe in the Opportunity that the Loving Youth can Alter and Impact the Future'. This project is run by three high school students from Romania: Kiss Emma, Nagy Kincső Emese and the team leader, Fancsali Biborka Timea. The name of the project is Believe in the Opportunity that the Loving Youth can Alter and Impact the Future (BOLYAI.F) which refers to the high school the girls attend. The project focuses on starting separated waste collection in the school, but also contains of various trainings in different topics such as Green Mobility or Fast Fashion. It plans to make young people realize the importance of the green life with activities like Study Trips or Cycling.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green Podcast, we speak to Emma from Climate Literacy Summer School for Teens.

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green Podcast, we're finding out more about one of our projects; Midland Youth Conference on Green Deal & Climate Justice. Their conference seeks to bring more youngsters with fewer opportunities including those with financial difficulties, those who do not know about the EU Greens Deal, those with mental health difficulties, refugees, and those living in isolated disadvantaged rural areas among others in the EUTeens4Green field to improve active participation of youth in the community to combat Climate Change through real active citizenship pragmatic actions.

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we spoke to one of our projects happening in Finland!

On this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast we're speaking to one of our projects 'Arte (sania) - interviewing with territorial knowledges'. This project team lives together in the intentional eco-community Sunseed Desert Technology in the South of Spain. They created a series of events around the water justice conflict happening in their region Almeria. An art residency gave space to a group of young activists to create a performance on water justice, which was presented at the water justice festival they hosted at Sunseed in April. Currently, they work on a zine to present their reflections on the creation process. 

Listen to this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast to find out more about one of our projects...

The project "A sustainable future for my hometown Kyustendil" aims to encourage students to create a safe environment where they can share knowledge about green practices, exchange ideas, and form as going green individuals. The project will cover topics such as environmental issues and changes, going green businesses, going green individuals, and some useful practices to implement in day-to-day life. The whole project will consist of school lectures, big conference day with eco-friendly business owners, social media awareness campaign, and media interviews. The lectures and events will also include useful information about starting an eco-friendly business, choosing a job, and growing together in Kyustendil (the attendants’ home city). 

Listen to this episode to find out what's next for the EUTeens4Green podcast!

In this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast, we focus on youth empowerment and meaningful participation with young people. Some experts in this area are Mollie McGoran and Ellie Craig. Youth Empowerment is key to the EUTeens4Green project. We empower young people to become actors of change. The organisation Mollie and Ellie are Chair and Vice-Chair of respectively is like no other. Young people govern this organisation and lead the way in ensuring Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is respected. Listen to this episode to find out why young people's voices matter, what meaningful engagement is and learn about two inspirational young people.

Join us in talking to Paul Ségalard. He had a passion for international relations since he entered university, which led him to move to the Czech Republic to study International and European law. After completing this degree he realised he wanted to learn more about the environment and expand his environmental knowledge and thus signed up for the LLM in Energy and Climate Law at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
This turned out to be a great choice! He was lucky enough to be selected to lead a new sustainable energy project with Youth and Environment Europe where he interacts with a wide variety of international and European institutions as well as contributing to enabling the energy transition in Europe. Paul share his experiences and journey. Listen to feel inspired and empowered!

What is Just Transition like in Italy? Listen to this episode of the EUTeens4Green podcast with our guest Evelina Barbanti to find out more. Evelina is an EU project manager focused on implementing initiatives promoting global health. She trained in Italy and is active worldwide, wherever there is a need for her skills. 'There is always room for improvement, I am in love with feedback and comments. I seek fairness and inclusion for all world citizens. I see people and communities empowered and ready to address challenges seeking a better future together.' - Evelina.

In this episode of the EUTeensForGreen podcast we spoke to Dr Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács.

Dr Zsuzsa Piskóti-Kovács is working for the Hungarian Coal Commission Secretariat as the head of the unit. She is skilled in project management, finance, and geography, has 13 years experience in the research industry. She holds a PhD dissertation in the field of Earth Sciences. 

She is active in the field of just transition: the Coal Commission Secretariat has first cirlcle membership in the Horizontal Stakeholder Strategy Working Group of the Just Transition Platform. She is committed to contribute actively to the development of a just and sustainable transition for the Northern Hungarian Coal Region.

Listen to Alexandra Vázquez Mera talk about just transition in Spain. Spain is the only country in the EU with a national just transition strategy which was created in 2019. In 2020 Spain approved a new law on climate change and energy transition. This new law established certain limitations on the exploitation of fossil deposits in Spain, listen to find out more! Alexandra participated as an evaluator of the EUTeens4Green call for projects and is now working in network support at GSCC - an international network of communications professionals in the fields of climate energy and nature.

Slovenia has been under energy transition since 1991 when it gained its independence after the fall of Yugoslavia. Listen to Rada Drnovšek and Tina Letić talk about how the locals are taking things into their own hands, what they are creating on the ground and why it is essential to work on issues that are affecting our lives. 

Sofia Savova has been working hard in empowering citizens to create visions for the Bulgarian Just Transition region Stara Zagora. Facing general distrust from the local communities as well as fake information regarding the Green deal, Sofia and her organisation focused on regional development, have organised local dialogues on social policy with the communities and stakeholders in order to ensure that the people really have a say in their future.

Slovakia has been one of the pilot countries in the Just Transition mechanism. It is wonderful to hear the perspectives of Dominika Belanská and Edita Bednárová on the Just Transition in Slovakia. It is understandable why the Just Transition may feel like a Lochness monster to local people, as it is a complex process that requires a great amount of time, resources, and energy to implement. The effects of this transition may be difficult to measure in the short term, and it can be difficult to see how it will benefit the local community. It is inspiring to hear Edita and Dominika’s love and appreciation for their roots and their vision for the future of their region. We can all learn from their example and be encouraged to do our part in creating a brighter future for our own communities.

Listen to Sofia Barbeiro talk about her personal journey into youth advocacy and her takeaways and ideas for engaging young people formally into the Just Transition mechanism in Portugal. We cover topics spanning from the history of the Just Transition in Portugal, similarities of the Just Transition process with other EU countries, and the ways energy poverty can take shape.

If you could envision the best possible scenario for the future of your region, what would it look like? Get inspired by Petr’s visions, his efforts to support the local community in his town and get a peak into some of the challenges and realities of the people living in Ústecký kraj, Czechia.