It was another exciting year for GreenDependent in 2023: we had several events, both citizen and expert workshops in our two European projects (EU 1.5 Lifestyles and EnergyPROSPECTS), participated in several conferences and distributed nearly 1500 fruit tree seedlings. As it would be almost impossible to list all the big moments, we would like to show you our favourite ones.

Bringing and distributing fruit trees

One of the most rewarding part of our work is the distribution of our TreeDependent tree seedlings to educational and social institutions that have committed to planting them. Packing, sorting and bundling up hundreds of trees is a light physical work in the fresh air that can be very enjoyable after hours in front of a computer, but we also love it because we get to meet super nice, dedicated educators and civic-minded people. Many teachers come to us to green the school gardens at their own expense and in their free time.

In this photo, our colleague Edina Mihály proudly smiles with Kata Eszenyi from the Igazgyöngy Foundation after they transported 100 saplings in pouring rain and a cheerful atmosphere to Kata's car in November 2023.

One of Kristóf Vadovics' favourite moments is also connected to our TreeDependent project, when he personally delivers thousands of native fruit trees in spring and autumn in several rounds from Prima Primissima award winner Gyula Kovács, from Pórszombat, Zala county.

Trips and meetings

Somehow, 2023 was the year of project meetings that included face-to-face encounters. So we travelled a relatively large amount by train in Europe. We were in Berlin, for example, which can be reached from Budapest by day and night without a change of train. Our colleague Anita Szőllőssy came to Berlin by train with her husband and combined the project meeting with a weekend of sightseeing, bio-marketing and excursions.

Although we were here in the framework of the EnergyPROSPECTS project, we have chosen an earlier photo taken on the same train journey, in the framework of another of our projects (EU1.5 Lifestyles). Our colleagues, Edina Vadovics and Kristóf Vadovics travelled together with Irén Márta, who is a member of the project's advisory board, and we experienced that train journeys are also provide a great opportunity for pre- and post-project meetings and discussing other things we have in common!

Another project meeting (EU1.5 Lifestyles) photo of Edina and Kristóf Vadovics, on the beach in the Netherlands after their train ride, getting in the mood for the meeting and wondering if we will manage to keep the 1.5 degree goal...

It's essential to recharge our batteries, meet people, talk, brainstorm, and of course eat and drink :) . One of these super occasions was the 9th International Degrowth Conference in Zagreb at the end of August 2023. In the picture, we were sitting on the ground in front of a socialist-realist building, visualising a 1.5-degree future.

Workshops

We loved all of the workshops, this picture was taken at our two-day expert 1.5-degree lifestyles focused Delphi workshop in the summer, where it was incredibly interesting and inspiring to hear the ideas of experts from different fields.

"And why are these events really good? Apart from providing a lot of very useful input for research projects, they are also important because they bring together many experts with similar interests but from different fields for one day. This means exciting conversations and new contacts are built, setting the stage for further collaborations and thus new ways and opportunities to promote sustainable, low footprint lifestyles." - observed Anita.

Written by Edina Mihály, Anita Szőllőssy, Edina Vadovics, Kristóf Vadovics
Source of photos: GreenDependent ©