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?

Here are 14 ways avoiding the car makes your life better.

What anyone can do in September

• Experiment with yourself: Every time you get into your car, ask yourself – do I really need to drive right now, or could I manage on foot, by bus, or by sharing a ride with a friend?
• Experiment with others: While stuck in traffic, count how many oncoming cars have only one person inside. How much smaller would the traffic jam be if, for example, a third of those people shared a car or took the bus instead?
• Experiment with your bank account: How many kilometers per week and per month do you drive out of convenience, trips that you could actually do without a car? How much fuel do those trips consume? How many euros could you save each month for, say, your birthday party or a home fund, if you switched those trips to (free) public transport?
• Measure your health: How many active minutes do you usually get in a day if you make all your trips by car? How many minutes do you get if you leave the car at home? And how many if you use the car only for places that are otherwise hard to reach, but continue the journey with other means?
• Measure your time: Since one of the main arguments for using a car is time, let’s measure how many minutes per day and per week you usually spend in traffic jams. How do you usually fill that time – with something useful, fun, or relaxing? (Bonus question: Do traffic jams make you nervous?) If you spent that same time on the bus, what useful, fun, or relaxing things could you do while the bus idles in traffic? (Bonus tip: it’s also a great place for meditation.)
• Share your progress, struggles, joys, and frustrations in the Facebook group Roheampsud.

What we can do together in September

• Starting in September, you’ll find directions and departure times for the nearest bus stops posted at the entrances of the Mustamäe campus buildings. Check them – maybe one goes exactly where you need!
• On the Mustamäe campus, all buildings are within a maximum 10-minute walk. Driving doesn’t save much time, yet many still take the car. That’s why we’re bringing some bicycles donated by alumni to campus. Their new life is as campus bikes – carrying staff and students to neighboring buildings.
• If you bike to work or school, depending on the distance and your enthusiasm, you might want to freshen up. We’ll mark “shower points” on the campus map.
• The Tipikad Cycling Club invites anyone interested to join their evening rides to exciting places – for example, planned excursions to the TV Tower, Song Festival Grounds, Observatory, and more. 
• To give you more motivation to experiment and explore options, we are closing 15 parking spots at the Student House until 22 September. Instead, you’ll find space to play basketball with friends or work out in an outdoor gym. In the same area, you can join a “Financial Literacy Afternoon” hosted by Coop Bank and Tuleva, check out the ISEAUTO self-driving shuttle, and maybe discover something else exciting!
• On 22 September we’ll celebrate World Car-Free Day in style.

World Car-Free Day at TalTech

By 22 September, a large part of the university community will already have discovered some car-free mobility options. We’ll celebrate the International Car-Free Day in the parking lot with dignity and fun. 

Don’t stay in your home office that day – come to university on foot, by bike, public transport, taxi, or rideshare, because the freed-up parking area will be full of activities. 

Check out here.

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.

This year, Earth Overshoot Day was on July 24. Overshoot Day marks the date when we have used up all the resources the planet can regenerate in a year, and this day keeps coming earlier each year.

For Estonia, this day came already at the beginning of March this year. This means we've used up our fair share of renewable resources in just about two months, and for the rest of the year we're living at the expense of the future. So what will be left to live on in the future?

That’s why, in November – before Black Friday and the Christmas shopping rush—we’re focusing on the themes of mindful consumption and reuse.

SOME FACTS

• In Estonia, the amount of household waste per person is lower than the European average, but over 12 years the volume has increased by nearly a third.

• Estonian residents consume about 12 kilograms of new clothing per person annually, not including purchases from abroad.

• Textile waste in Estonia amounts to around 18 thousand tons per year – 14 kg per person.

• The majority of our purchases are produced in Asia, ranging from clothing and consumer goods to fine electronics. Postal workers know how much cheap goods arrive in Estonia from China.

• These items are produced with a large environmental footprint, often contain harmful toxins for users, and frequently last only a few uses.

• Reuse helps reduce the demand for new products. The best way to manage waste is to prevent it.

WHAT EACH OF US CAN DO

• Before you buy something, think: what are you buying, from where, and why? Is it because an ad told you to; because you're in a bad (or good) mood; because “it’s so cheap!”; or because last time you bought something poor-quality and it broke?

• Repair and upgrade your worn-out gear. A surprisingly common reason for throwing away clothes is that a button fell off. But in that case, it’s better to buy a new button, not a new blazer! Alongside sewing on buttons, it helps to know how to patch small holes with embroidery or an applique, or where in the shopping center they replace coat zippers or shorten trousers and skirts.

• Reincarnation of things. Items that are “dead” to you might live on as something new for someone else. An old thing can be reborn with a new function. There's a joke that a coffee table can make a great pallet—but seriously, an old fur coat can become slippers; jeans and shirts can become shopping bags, handbags, or wallets, etc.

• Host a swap party with colleagues or friends. Clothes, books, dishes, toys, furniture, and other items no longer used in one home can save another household from buying new.

• Do the math: if something is 30% off, not buying it saves you the other 70%!

• Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming. Prepare wisely: think in advance about what you actually need and find out the regular prices. That way you’ll save money on things you truly need and avoid impulse buys just because “it was so cheap!” (See previous point.)

• If you're used to rewarding or comforting yourself with shopping after a tough week, try finding new ways to treat yourself. Hard week? Spend the “comfort purchase” money on a massage! Achieved something big? Celebrate with a concert instead! Low on money? Instead of chasing sales, bundle up, take a thermos and some snacks, and spend a few hours outside watching the waves or listening to a babbling brook! (See also two points up.)

• Rarely used items can be rented instead of bought.

• Plan your Christmas gifts in advance to avoid last-minute panic buys that bring joy to neither the giver nor the recipient. Ask your loved ones early on to write a “letter to Santa” and take your time choosing something truly right for them. Think about non-material or digital gifts too. Instead of a random book, cooking together in your kitchen, a trip to nature, or a shared cultural experience may hold more value. Rather than a thing, a gym membership, massage voucher, or a subscription to a digital platform might bring more joy—if you know the recipient would truly appreciate it. Food is always a good gift, since it won’t sit unused on a shelf—gift fair-trade chocolate, local farmers’ goods, or your own homemade preserves. This applies to birthdays as well.

• If you’ve truly thought it through and it makes sense to buy something new, choose something durable—preferably from local producers. In the long run, it’s cheaper and saves you stress.

WHAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER AT TALTECH IN NOVEMBER

From November 3 to January 16, you can get a closer look at various clothing materials. How to choose the right fabric and what to leave on the rack? What lasts, what breathes, what decomposes quickly, and what never does? Visit the material exhibition “How to Package a Human” in the SOC building foyer.

On November 8, from 11–16, the Lapikud Repair Café will be in the main building café, where you can repair your broken items – whether an electrical or electronic device, clothing, or something else. Tools and instructors will be available on-site. Dig out that old broken lamp or toaster and bring it back to life! The Repair Café is open to everyone, not just the university community.

From November 10, visit the exhibition “Cherish What Lasts” in the main building foyer. Many homes have an old beloved item that could be replaced with a new, modern one—but just wouldn't be as good. Things used to be made to last! This November, we’ll exhibit such treasured old items collected from university households.

On November 11–12, the Student House will host the Clothing Swap. Bring clean, wearable clothes you’re tired of and during the event, choose something from what others have brought. NB! This is also a chance to prepare for the Alumni Ball—swap ballgowns and formal wear so you don’t have to buy a new dress just for one event!

At the TalTech Late Autumn Fair on December 2, we’ll start getting ready for Christmas. Everyone can bring their handmade crafts or upcycled goods to sell. Start preparing now and you’ll soon be able to reserve a sales table.

We’re also organizing a gift circular economy at the fair! Got a vase from a neighbor that doesn’t fit your decor? A book from your boss you don’t care about? Too many scarves, ties, or earrings as gifts? Bring your unused presents to the fair and trade them for someone else’s unused gift that suits you better!

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!