a centre for place-making
MADE has organised this study visit as part of its commitment to the ESF funded Skills for Climate Change Project.
The Skills for Climate Change Project is led by Birmingham Metropolitan College and funded by the European Social Fund. The project brings together a number of the West Midlands leading environmental organisations to address the skills required to reduce CO2 emissions from existing buildings.
Day one:
Arrived in Copenhagen and travelled by train from the airport to our hotel which is near the Central Station.
We had lunch at DOP, an organic hot dog stand established to provide healthier fast food. DOP is regularly in the top ten places to eat in Copenhagen and links to Lessons to Take Away fast food conference organised by MADE on behalf of the Department of Health, West Midlands Teaching Public Health Network, and Sandwell MBC.
Delegates were surprised by the amount of graffiti in Copenhagen, but really impressed by how the on-street parking is outside the cycle lanes, so cyclists do not have to swerve around parked cars.
Day two
Our first visit was to Energi & Vandvaerstedet an experimental environment school. The school is a teaching resource to help young people aged 3 to 18 learn about their impact on the environment. The school also provides training for teachers on how they can engage their students in the environmental areas of the curriculum.
The school is funded by the Municipality Copenhagen, the utilities companies and training fees. It costs around £200 for a four-hour visit to the school.
As part of the learning experience visitors travel down a giant toilet to the sewer system complete with rats (stuffed) and sewer blockages!
In the afternoon we visited Environment Point in Norrebro and met Lisbeth Smonsen. Norrebro is the most densely populated area of Copenhagen and has traditionally been a working class area. The life expectancy of residents of Norrebro
Enviornment Point works closely with the community to help people to learn to conserve energy and to set up and drive environmental projects such as city gardens. Lisbeth and her team also liaise with the local politicians to help drive change.
Lisbeth and Environment point will be visiting Russia as Danish Experts to discuss their work.
On a walking tour of the area Lisbeth showed us some of the projects they had been working on including negotiating with landlord to create gardens for residents to use, working with sheltered housing schemes to allow local kindergartens to use gardens the older people were not using and their street planting scheme where plants were given to residents to plant outside their building to help ‘green’ the street scape.
Day three
We visit Copenhagen Business School to discuss the green strategy at Copenhagen Business School – CBS Goes Green; The value of the Green Economy – a Danish perspective and The Climate Game.
Sustainability at the Copenhagen Business School is viewed from a business angle and must add value to the students’ education.
CBS Goes Green is about engaging the18,000 students in sustainable living. Students who become Green Ambassadors receive an ‘Environmental Stewardship’ Diploma on graduation which they can include on their CV.
CBS goes green is funded through the university and through fundraising but was originally presented as ‘smart’ options – sustainable ideas which would cost noting to implement but would save money eg switching off lights in classrooms.
The university now has 1,600 green ambassadors among the students and has set long terms goals to reduce CO2 by 40%.
They have also set short term goals such as using recycled cups in the canteen, rubbish separation and reusable water bottles for students.
The value of the Green Economy
Denmark is committed to becoming a green growth economy and has established State of Green to create international awareness of the innovation and skills of Danish companies in achieving a sustainable future for business.
State of Green is a public-private partnership founded by The Branding Denmark Fund, the Confederation of Danish Industry, the Danish Energy Association, the Danish Agriculture & Food Council and the Danish Wind Industry Association. H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark is patron of Climate Consortium Denmark.
The Climate Game has been created as a fun resource to help families discuss ways they can reduce their energy consumption.
MADE has organised this study visit as part of its commitment to the ESF funded Skills for Climate Change Project.
The Skills for Climate Change Project is led by Birmingham Metropolitan College and funded by the European Social Fund. The project brings together a number of the West Midlands leading environmental organisations to address the skills required to reduce CO2 emissions from existing buildings.
To see photos from the study visit click here.
