Funding from the European Green Capital project will be used to support environmentally-friendly business innovations, jobs in industry, and youth engagement

Businesses, higher education institutes, and associations are launching 19 new green projects in the Päijät-Häme region. A total of 58 applicants and their partners sought funding from the Green Capital project in the second applications round.

The evaluation team that scored the projects found that the number and overall quality of applications increased from the first round of applications. In the second round of applications, the Green Capital project allocated EUR 418 000 to environmental projects in the region. A total of approximately EUR 1.3 million of funding was applied for.

-Funding was granted, for example, to develop circular economy business operations, tyres, and plastics into usable secondary raw materials. “The innovative projects involved include those of local companies, such as Lohimesta’s proposal to utilise wetlands in rearing predatory fish or Lahti Autovuokraamo’s new car share service”, says Saara Vauramo, Programme Director of the Green Capital project.

– We also fund several local and inclusive art projects, such as Nastola Society’s Nature Trail project and the Kaarisilta art project”, she continues.

Project funding was used to support opportunities for youth engagement, for example, through the RARE project focusing on social media and the ‘UrbanCaretaker’ project run by Inspis, a Lahti-based youth group.

The Green Capital funding is being used to identify new and bold green solutions that can be jointly tested and developed by various parties during the project cycle. The project funding application also serves as a platform for engagement and co-development, with the aim of improving cooperation between various actors in the Päijät-Häme region and the visibility of their joint ventures.

Funded projects

Painovoima ry: Circcu Urban Circular Economy Centre (EUR 25 000)

University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+: Introductory course at the Academy of the Environment (EUR 20 000)

Lahden Videokuvaajat (Association of Lahti Filmmakers) and Päijät-Häme Film Centre: Documentary film on Lahti Green Capital 2021 (EUR 10 000)

Lahti Region Development LADEC Ltd.: Measuring sustainable development targets in SMEs (EUR 25 000)

Smash Mill Oy: Global Sustainable Sports Smash (EUR 25 000)

Salpaus Further Education: joint municipal authority Haavi-Heikki – filtration of microplastics from waterways (EUR 20 000)

Green Tyre Recycling Finland: Tyres and plastics for intensive use – Zero pollution (EUR 17 000)

Kaarisilta ry: Kaarisilta Biennale 2021 Goes Green (EUR 25 000)

Lohimesta Oy: Utilisation of wetlands in rearing predatory fish (EUR 25 000)

Inspis Lahti ry: Inspis ‘UrbanCaretaker’ (EUR 25 000)

Rodinia Oy: ‘Everyday Circular Economy’ (EUR 25 000)

Nokian Paikalliselämykset (Nokia Local Experiences): Lahti Wild Food Week (10–16 May 2021) and the organisation and opening of the Radiomäki ‘Horta Park’ (EUR 23 000)

Kankurin Ilo Co-operative: ‘Giving Rags a Second Chance’ – household reuse of textiles (EUR 23 000)

LAB University of Applied Sciences: ‘Everyday people’ (EUR 25 000)

RARE: RARE x European Green Capital 2021 (EUR 25 000)

Lahti car rental: ‘Lahti leads the way’ (EUR 25 000)

Nastola Society: Luontoretki – Nature Trip (EUR 25 000)

Ankkurilahti Residents’ Association: Trash picker loan stations in Ankkuri, Anttilanmäki and Mukkula (EUR 5 000)

Further information

Saara Vauramo

Programme Director, tel. +358 (0)44 7161585

Funded Green Capital projects: https://greenlahti.fi/projektit