Green Team Summer Special

Who knew so much experimentation and creativity went into baking? On 8 July, the ELIA Team had the opportunity to participate in a workshop at the Amsterdam-based circular Baking Lab. We mixed, kneaded, shaped, tasted, imagined, and tried exciting new combinations of ingredients. Granted, not all of our experiments were equally successful, but we enjoyed the process and were rewarded with a wonderful eco-responsible and circular lunch.

The Baking Lab is an innovative business that aims to positively impact the community around it. Its foundation is ecological and social responsibility. It has a volunteering programme, offers workshops, and is expanding into other educational activities. All the while, the shop sells tasty and circular bread and pastries to the locals in Amsterdam Oost.

We loved discovering that hands-on experimenting is core to what they do. The team and volunteers at the Baking Lab are always looking for new ideas to improve the circularity of their bread and pastries. For instance, they have found ways to reuse old bread and fruit fibers that are left over after making juices. This way, they are not only helping the planet by reducing waste but possibly creating better-quality bread and introducing new products to the bakery shelves.

The workshop with the ELIA Team was exactly what we needed: a moment to relax and breathe and a fresh boost of inspiration. Facing climate change and trying to reduce our negative impact on the planet can be daunting sometimes. This day reminded us that there are always new pathways to explore, that it is okay to experiment and to fail as long as we keep going, and that occasionally this journey can be a lot of fun!

Dear ELIA friends, thank you for being with us on our path to becoming more and more eco-responsible. Let’s not forget that inspiration on how to take care of our planet and our communities can be found all around us. To pay forward a little bit of the inspiration we found at the Baking Lab, we are sharing a few Green Team favourites for your summer read and watch lists. We hope your break will be an opportunity to recharge and get inspired! We will be back in the new semester with new Green Team insights and updates.

The ELIA Green Team

Green Team Summer Recommendations

The Climate Book, by Greta Thunberg

With contributions from over 100 experts, this book created by renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg is perfect if you wish to deepen your knowledge of the climate crisis this summer.

Read more>

Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer

Just entering the world of parenthood, American novelist Jonathan Safran Foer goes on a journey to discover what it means to eat animals in an industrialized world. What dietary choices should he make for his newborn child?

Read more>

The Biggest Little Farm

The Biggest Little Farm documentary film chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature.

Find out more here>

Secrets of the Whales

Sometimes it is good to be reminded of the wonders of the world we live in, and how amazing the diversity of species and ecosystems on our planet is. With this documentary series, sit back and dive into the oceans of the whales.

Find out more here>

Written by Irene Garofalo, Advocacy and Project Manager, ELIA Green Team