Sustainability Months

Estonia is one of the most car-dependent countries in Europe: while the European average is 570 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, Estonia has 630 – placing us 5th in Europe. At the same time, according to 2022 data, 52.8% of Estonia’s population aged 16–64 is overweight or obese; excess weight is becoming an increasing concern already in childhood and adolescence. Constant traffic noise also harms health. In the European Union, noise is considered the second most harmful environmental factor after air pollution. In Tallinn, the main source of noise is traffic. Both are caused by cars. Incidentally, the average car trip in Tallinn is only 3 km long.

So we invite people to step out of their cars – onto bicycles, buses, trains, or sidewalks, if possible. Let’s switch off the autopilot that says “Going somewhere = getting in the car” and start noticing unnecessary or convenience-based trips. For example, do you really need to drive now, or could you walk, take the bus, or share a ride with a friend?

Therefore – if you come across an old but rideable bicycle during your garage clean-out that nobody uses anymore, bring it to the university. Read more [here] and contact us at rohekuud@taltech.ee

Activities

• 22 September – Car-Free Day

This month, we’re talking about coping with climate anxiety on an individual level and exploring the possibilities of degrowth at the societal level. What if we didn’t have to chase economic growth? Is endless growth even possible? What if we stopped wanting more all the time and instead embraced enough? But what is enough – and where does happiness lie, according to wellbeing researchers?

Climate anxiety is a normal response to an abnormal situation.

• You are not alone. More and more people are experiencing climate anxiety – it means you care.

• Fear for the environment is a sign of empathy, not weakness.

• Climate anxiety needs to be heard, not silenced.

• Anxiety doesn’t have to mean paralysis – it can also be a catalyst for change.

• Even small steps can create a sense of control and help ease climate anxiety.

• Acting together with others reduces feelings of helplessness and increases hope.

• Climate anxiety is not just an individual issue – it’s a societal signal.

• Caring for nature is also caring for yourself.

• Sometimes, you just need to breathe – not save the world right away.

• Strength is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act despite it.

Earth Overshoot Day falls on August 1 this year – but for Estonia, it was already on March 4. Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity's demand for ecological resources exceeds what Earth can regenerate in a year – if everyone lived like the residents of a particular country. In other words, Estonia behaves as if we had nearly six planets' worth of resources. In 2018, Estonia’s Overshoot Day was on March 30, meaning that our small country’s burden on the planet has been growing year by year.

Before the holiday season, in November, we invite everyone to reflect on what and why we buy – Is it because an ad told us to? Because we were in a bad mood? Because “it was so cheap”? Because last time we bought something low quality and it broke?

In November, we focused on consuming less. In December, we smoothly shift the focus to consuming with as little packaging as possible.

In Estonia, each person generates around 373 kg of municipal waste and 145 kg of packaging waste per year. The amount of waste generated by Estonians hasn’t significantly changed in the past 10 years, even though we’re supposed to sort waste to improve recycling. Although 69% of Estonians sorted their waste in 2023, conscious plastic consumption dropped from 45% to 31%. And while people do sort their waste, they still buy far too much single-use packaging.

When grabbing yet another plastic bag at the store, it’s easy to say: “What difference does one bag make?” But in Estonia, the average person uses 152 lightweight plastic bags per year, placing us 6th in the EU. By the end of the year, people in our small country will have used over 208 million plastic bags. Were they all truly necessary?

This December, we’re inviting everyone to notice excessive and pointless packaging – and how the lifespan of some packaging is as short as 50 seconds. 

In the cold winter months, when the sun barely shines and the wind turbines fall silent, energy consumption is high in northern climates. In Estonia, around 50% of all energy use goes to buildings, and according to Statistics Estonia, a large share of our energy is still produced from non-renewable natural resources, such as oil shale. The Ministry of Climate aims not only for cleaner energy production, but also for more sustainable energy consumption.

For example, people tend to cool indoor spaces and cars to 18°C in summer, while heating them to 24°C in winter. Instead, we invite everyone to embrace the four seasons (while we still have them!) and accept slightly warmer temperatures in summer and slightly cooler ones in winter. In summer, it’s perfectly fine to ditch the jacket and wear short sleeves; In winter, pull on wool socks, a sweatshirt, or a cardigan.

Everyone can also turn off lights and unplug devices they’re not using, and adjust the fridge temperature at home or in the lab to be a degree or two warmer, if possible.

In 2023, the average Estonian used about 91 litres of water per day, making us one of the most water-efficient nations in Europe. However, 82% of Estonia’s water use still goes to cooling power plants. While this number is decreasing—along with water use in industry and agriculture—we face clear problems with pollution loads. According to environmental assessments, nearly half of Estonia’s surface water bodies are in poor or very poor condition. The main reasons are eutrophication (nutrient overload), dams, and the presence of hazardous substances like mercury and cadmium in fish, as well as wastewater reaching surface and groundwater.

When it comes to food, we’re not nearly as efficient. According to a 2021 study, over 80,000 tonnes of food were wasted in Estonian households—that’s nearly half of all food waste. The biggest contributors were families with children, followed by young people living alone and young couples without children.

Reducing food waste leads to less food production, lower energy consumption, reduced use of water, fertilizers, and agricultural land. It also saves money on transportation and waste management— and most importantly, helps each of us save money in our own households.

In March, we invite everyone to notice the invisible: the digital waste we generate and our excessive digital burden. While smart systems can help save energy on one end, they demand even more energy on the other. For example, a single ChatGPT query uses 50–90 times more energy than a typical Google search.
The rise of streaming, cloud computing, and blockchain systems requires an ever-growing data infrastructure, which in turn consumes large amounts of electricity.

Each active social media account generates around 0.5 to 2.5 grams of CO₂ per minute – anyone can calculate the footprint of their accounts per month or year.
According to Telia, the digital life footprint of the average Estonian is 11.1 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Protecting nature is not for nature’s sake – it’s for ourselves. Our economic systems, societies, and lives all rely on the services provided by ecosystems – the best-known examples include clean air, water, and food. The main drivers of biodiversity loss are changes to natural habitats, driven by intensive agriculture, construction, mining, and the overexploitation of forests, oceans, rivers, lakes, and soil. Other major factors include invasive alien species, pollution, and increasingly, global climate change.

One might think that Estonia has a lot of clean nature and little pollution. But it’s important to remember that the European lifestyle depends heavily on global resources and imported goods from around the world.

If in previous months we focused on reducing our consumption, then in April, we turn toward nature itself – to get to know it more closely.

Why does movement support mental health?

• Movement releases feel-good hormones – even 20 minutes a day can lift your mood and reduce anxiety.

• When the body moves, the mind calms – physical activity helps quiet overthinking and ease stress.

• Walking in fresh air is free therapy – it improves focus and sleep.

• Regular movement = better sleep – and good sleep supports emotional stability.

• Movement gives physical release to mental tension – excess stress doesn’t stay trapped in the body.

• Time for yourself – movement is a moment to be present and listen to your own needs.

• One step at a time – even short activity creates a sense of control over your life.

• Movement connects – moving together builds support and a sense of belonging.

• Clear your thoughts, get emotions flowing – physical activity helps you process feelings.

• Do your mental health a favor – get moving!