Compiled in cooperation with http://Lifestyletest.eu – Guide for Sustainable Living
I hope it bites!
Are you a greenhorn when it comes to environmental issues or are you already quite green-conscious?
Take the challenge!
The green compass shows if you are on the right track.
Compiled in cooperation with http://Lifestyletest.eu – Guide for Sustainable Living
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User manual
With the help of the Green Compass, you can map your current green behaviour in four different areas. Start answering green activities questions by clicking on the topic you like.
Read the statement and answer honestly - there are no right or wrong answers. If the statement is true, move the button on the timeline and select the year when you started the activity and press "yes".
Every green behaviour has a specific value. The longer years you have practised this green activity, the bigger the "reward tree" will be in the picture of your green behaviour.
After mapping your green behaviour, you can choose green behaviours that suit you, i.e. make green promises to make your lifestyle even more environmentally friendly. You can also read what Tallinn is doing in these areas in the European Green Capital title year and in the near future.
Share and compare the result of your green behaviour with friends.
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Select a topic
Find more information on reducing environmental impact in PSL’s Guide for Sustainable Living.
You produce the electricity you need at home yourself
You use a ventilation device with heat recovery instead of opening the window
You have made your home energy efficient
You have reduced the use of the electric sauna
You only use green energy
To regulate the temperature, you heat less instead of opening the windows
When choosing a place to live, I preferred buildings with A, B or C energy class
You do laundry at a time when energy prices are reduced
You check the energy labels when buying appliances
You monitor hot water use
You do not heat empty rooms
You turn off the lights when you leave the room
You turn off devices when you leave the room
you could do more!
The test results show that your habits are not yet very environmentally friendly. However, it’s never too late to start – try to make more sustainable choices in the future and see how it not only helps nature but also improves your own quality of life.
let’s do more together!
The test results show that your environmental habits could be better. Don't be sad – try to adopt new more environmentally friendly habits and let’s move towards a greener future together.
you are a good friend of the environment!
The test results show that you are already environmentally aware, but the Green Compass believes you can do even more. Feel free to set new goals for yourself, as only big steps will lead us towards a greener future!
you are an exemplary friend of the environment!
The Green Compass praises and celebrates you for your exceptionally environmentally conscious behaviour.
Encourage and motivate people around you as well, as that’s the only way to ensure a green future.
Improving the world starts with you!
Join the Green Compass movement and plan your green activities for next year!
What is Tallinn doing to use less energy?
- In 2023, Tallinn will build 17 solar parks next to municipal buildings and plans to continue constructing them in the future.
- There is a plan to cover large city car parks (such as the Zoo car park) with solar panels as well as to build solar parks on the roofs of municipal buildings.
- Since 2019, the share of LED lights in Tallinn’s street lighting has increased from 14% to 38%, a trajectory which will continue in the future. The aim is to switch street lighting completely to LED lights within four years.
- Two-thirds of the capital’s buildings use district heating provided by Estonia’s largest renewable energy producer Utilitas. The heat and power stations produce both electricity that is transferred to the grid and heat that is used to heat buildings. This method, as an efficient district heating, uses less fuel to create energy and generates less waste.
- The future is green energy and greater energy stability. That is why the city of Tallinn and Utilitas have agreed on a form of cooperation, during which they will start building thermal energy production capacities based on new technology using local resources. Wastewater and seawater heat pumps are planned as the first investments.
- For several years, Tallinn has been buying only green electricity that has been certified as originating in renewable sources. Thus our buildings, streetlights, traffic lights and trolley bus lines use renewable energy.
- Tallinn has created a facade renovation measure that supports apartment associations in making their houses energy efficient: www.tallinn.ee/et/teenused/toetus-fassaadid-korda. This includes the Green Transition grant, which helps apartment associations build solar parks: www.tallinn.ee/et/rohepoordetoetus.
You prefer home-cooked food to takeaways
You prefer plant-based food to meat products
You buy products with a non-standard shape and non-commercial appearance at risk of being scrapped
You buy discounted groceries past their "best before" date
You use up leftover groceries so that they don’t end up in the bin
You plan your grocery shopping
You avoid giving impractical things as gifts
You mainly buy second-hand furniture
You mainly buy second-hand clothes
You shop at second-hand shops
You send things you no longer need to second-hand shops
You prefer local food products
You prefer organic food
You grow most of your food yourself
You grow your own herbs
You grow your own vegetables
You use up leftover food from the previous days
You prefer local products
When you buy takeaway food, you put it in your own box
When you buy coffee to go, you use your own cup
You use as little packaging as possible
You avoid single-use tableware
If possible, you repair broken furniture
If possible, you mend clothing and shoes
If possible, you repair broken technical devices
You avoid fast fashion
You avoid emotional spending
You mainly buy used technological devices
What types of waste do you sort
you could do more!
The test results show that your habits are not yet very environmentally friendly. However, it’s never too late to start – try to make more sustainable choices in the future and see how it not only helps nature but also improves your own quality of life.
let’s do more together!
The test results show that your environmental habits could be better. Don't be sad – try to adopt new more environmentally friendly habits and let’s move towards a greener future together.
you are a good friend of the environment!
The test results show that you are already environmentally aware, but the Green Compass believes you can do even more. Feel free to set new goals for yourself, as only big steps will lead us towards a greener future!
you are an exemplary friend of the environment!
The Green Compass praises and celebrates you for your exceptionally environmentally conscious behaviour.
Encourage and motivate people around you as well, as that’s the only way to ensure a green future.
Improving the world starts with you!
Join the Green Compass movement and plan your green activities for next year!
What is Tallinn doing to reduce the footprint of consumption?
- Tallinn adds green criteria to procurements also in the areas that are not mandatory and is preparing an action plan to establish additional criteria of its own.
- From 1 June, all properties, regardless of the purpose or the number of apartments, must start collecting their bio-waste separately. Where possible, we will use bio-waste for energy production, e.g. for public transport and other biogas-based services. A free bio-waste collection bin can be requested on the Tallinn e-service portal (taotlen.tallinn.ee/). Consents for composting can be requested on the waste management register’s website (evald.ee/tallinn/app/jaatmekaitlus/).
- Tallinn established a guide for environmentally friendly events, which stipulates how to organise events in a more sustainable manner. From 1 June 2023, most public events in Tallinn are permitted to serve food and drinks only in reusable containers and using only reusable cutlery. From 1 January 2024, this requirement applies to all public events regardless of their size.
- Tallinn will open circular economy centres, which will organise workshops and master classes (Mustjõe, Punane and Poldri centres). The goal is to reduce consumption by giving people the opportunity to repair and recycle their things. Currently, there is a repair shop at Kopli 93. And recently a repair workshop in cooperation with MTÜ Uuskasutuskeskus and TTK University of Applied Sciences was opened at the Uuskasutuskeskus shop (Sõpruse puiestee 255), where city residents can bring both clothing and home textiles to be mended. As part of the European Green Capital year, Müürivahe 17 Trash to Trend repair and circular design studio was opened as well, focusing on extending the life cycle of clothes and shoes and sustainable consumption.
- In cooperation with Filaret, there are plans to reduce the amount of cigarette butts ending up in nature and to encourage their recycling. Filaret collects and processes toxic cigarette butts into compostable 3D printing material. Filaret cigarette waste boxes are made mainly from waste material, thus reducing their footprint and aligning with circular economy principles. www.filaret3d.com/
- As part of Tallinn Restaurant Week, Tallinn restaurants offer food with a green label. The green label, created on the initiative of European Green Capital 2023 Tallinn, labels environmentally friendly restaurant food; its purpose is to draw more attention to the importance of environmentally friendly decisions in food culture. The green label is given to restaurant food that meets at least one of the following criteria: vegan food, organic food, local grass-fed or game meat, local fish of natural origin. www.tallinnrestaurantweek.ee/et/green-choices/
- Tallinn has scrapped fireworks, which not only creates savings but also avoids stress for pets, zoo animals and species living in urban nature. Tallinn invites everyone to abandon private fireworks as well and instead make a donation to an organisation helping animals.
You have given up using pesticides
You have given up using artificial fertilisers
Plants suitable for pollinators grow in your garden
There is a birdhouse in your garden
There are unmown areas in your garden for pollinators
You compost
You mow less frequently to maintain biodiversity
You use rainwater for irrigation
You grow berries and fruits
You grow your own herbs
You grow your own vegetables
There is an insect hotel in your garden
You keep your cat(s) indoors
you could do more!
The test results show that your habits are not yet very environmentally friendly. However, it’s never too late to start – try to make more sustainable choices in the future and see how it not only helps nature but also improves your own quality of life.
let’s do more together!
The test results show that your environmental habits could be better. Don't be sad – try to adopt new more environmentally friendly habits and let’s move towards a greener future together.
you are a good friend of the environment!
The test results show that you are already environmentally aware, but the Green Compass believes you can do even more. Feel free to set new goals for yourself, as only big steps will lead us towards a greener future!
you are an exemplary friend of the environment!
The Green Compass praises and celebrates you for your exceptionally environmentally conscious behaviour.
Encourage and motivate people around you as well, as that’s the only way to ensure a green future.
Improving the world starts with you!
Join the Green Compass movement and plan your green activities for next year!
What is Tallinn doing to increase the biodiversity in the city?
- In 2023, Tallinn will create a total of 35,254 m2 of meadows with seeds collected from Estonian nature. Meadows will be established in all parts of the city, with two of the planned fourteen being part of the city’s biodiversity project, which invites people to create flower meadows near their homes.
- To improve the urban environment, Tallinn increased landscaping costs by two million euros in the 2023 city budget, to plant a thousand trees in the city. For the first time, also 300 larger trees will be planted in the urban environment to alleviate the heat island effect.
- In 2023, as part of the Green Tracks project, Tallinn will plant 150 trees celebrating the song festival and 304 shade trees throughout the city. It will create approximately 10 food forests and replace the asphalted areas at the Tulika/Endla/Sõpruse, Kadaka/Ehitajate and Tehnika/Endla intersections with shrubs.
- Tallinn reduces the mowing intensity on land belonging to the city and increases the share of biodiverse greenery. The meadows (3.5 hectares) will be created in the previously mowed areas and the intensity of mowing will be reduced in the areas that remain to be mowed.
- Tallinn has started the construction of two linear parks: the Pollinator Highway (14 km) and Klindi Park (9 km). A linear park is a green corridor that passes through various green areas and connects several city districts, making it easier for people to walk or ride a bike in the city. It is also used by pollinators such as butterflies, bumblebees and honeybees as well as other animals to move from one green area to another.
- 13.8% of Tallinn’s area is under protection. Tallinn is creating two new locally protected areas: Astangu-Mäeküla and Kakumäe.
- Tallinn will restore the marsh habitat of the Pääsküla Bog conservation area in the period 2023-2024. The best way to do this is to build hand-made dams during community action days. The first community action days took place in September 2022 and will continue to take place this year and the next.
- The Green Space Factor, i.e. a tool for diversifying landscaping, is in the testing stage in Tallinn and should become mandatory in the planning and design process of developments in a year’s time. The goal is to make the city greener in various ways and to reduce the effects of climate change.
- In order to maintain biodiversity, Tallinn does not use pesticides in road maintenance.
- Tallinn will build and restore Merimetsa frog ponds in 2023 and create a ‘frog infrastructure’ on Tähetorni Street in 2024.
- In 2023, Tallinn will conduct an inventory of valuable habitats in urban forests.
You have cut back on work-related air travel and prefer virtual meetings
You prefer to have a holiday in your home country instead of flying abroad
You have given up your personal car
Your family has given up a second car
You use car pooling to get around
You live a 15-minute lifestyle, where all the services you need for life are close to where you live
You move around the city mainly by public transport or on foot
You avoid lifts and escalators to move more
You move around the city mainly on foot
You travel by bicycle in the summer months
You travel by bicycle when there is no snow
You travel by bicycle throughout the year
you could do more!
The test results show that your habits are not yet very environmentally friendly. However, it’s never too late to start – try to make more sustainable choices in the future and see how it not only helps nature but also improves your own quality of life.
let’s do more together!
The test results show that your environmental habits could be better. Don't be sad – try to adopt new more environmentally friendly habits and let’s move towards a greener future together.
you are a good friend of the environment!
The test results show that you are already environmentally aware, but the Green Compass believes you can do even more. Feel free to set new goals for yourself, as only big steps will lead us towards a greener future!
you are an exemplary friend of the environment!
The Green Compass praises and celebrates you for your exceptionally environmentally conscious behaviour.
Encourage and motivate people around you as well, as that’s the only way to ensure a green future.
Improving the world starts with you!
Join the Green Compass movement and plan your green activities for next year!
What is Tallinn doing to improve mobility?
- Tallinn is building new tram lines: construction of the Vanasadama tram line has begun and will be completed in the summer of 2024. The construction of the next tram lines is being decided.
- All buses and trams in Tallinn run on renewable energy. The first 15 electric buses will start operating in 2024.
- Tallinn and Tartu signed an agreement for the development of MaaS, a travel planner and ticket purchase application that combines mobility services. The platform helps the user to combine modes of traffic in the most convenient way to reach the desired destination.
- Tallinn increases accessibility and convenience for pedestrians. Underground tunnels (near Balti Jaam, Kaubamaja) will be replaced by street-level crossings and pavements will be widened. Wider pedestrian crossings with longer traffic lights or full road pedestrian crossings will be created. The first of them will be completed soon at the Kaubamaja crossroads.
- Tallinn encourages bicycle traffic. To this end, bicycle (and electric scooter) paths will be physically separated from pedestrians and cars and permanent bicycle paths will be built. Crossroads and public transport stops will be reconstructed to be more bike-friendly (e.g. in front of the stops at Kaarli Avenue, Estonia Avenue, Tõnismägi, the English College and those connected to the Vanasadama tramway). New bicycle parking areas will be created, in 2023 around 90 new bicycling parking places will be created, in all city districts
- Tallinn is constantly creating new bike paths. Jõe-Pronksi and Vana-Kalamaja bike paths will be completed in 2023. Projects are being drawn up for Lastekodu and Ristiku streets. Tallinn is also working on a fast bike lane for Paldiski mnt (in between Toompuiestee and Endla/Mustamäe tee). Where possible temporary or quick solutions will be implemented until permanent solutions are ready.
- Tallinn is reducing speed limits on city streets in order to decrease the noise level and the probability and severity of traffic accidents. Greenery will also be added to road corridors to calm traffic.
Thank you for your contribution!
Thank you for your contribution! The Green Compass wishes you all the best in fulfilling your green goals!