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Green Liberty

Green Liberty (“Zaļā brīvība” in Latvian) is a non-profit NGO founded in 1993. Green Liberty’s mission is to contribute to the development of a society where people live in harmony with each other and the environment. Green Liberty aims at raising awareness about social and environmental implications of current trends in consumerism, trade and globalization, empowering people to make meaningful decisions connected with their lives directly and indirectly and opposing abuses of power.

Green Liberty participates in several international networks: CEE Bankwatch Network, Climate Action Network Europe (CAN), European ECO Forum, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Reloop, and national networks: Association ‘Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia’, Environmental Consultative board, and Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation (LAPAS). 

Green Liberty organizes press briefings, conferences, exhibitions, public lectures, expositions, and runs webpage and online campaigns. Green Liberty publishes environmental information, organizes different cultural and environmental actions, as well as does studies on socio-environmental issues and works on sustainable development and lifestyles, development issues and particularly on fair trade, climate and energy and waste related issues. Green Liberty also advocates government on sustainable development and environmental policy integration in various sectoral policies.

Key Areas of Activity and Expertise:

Global or development education

Green Liberty works in global education via projects that are focused on media, solidarity economy, fair trade, and sustainable tropical fruits and supermarket private label products. We are organizing CSO seminars, workshops, and lectures. We actively engage people in discussing development issues, inform them about connections between development and environmental issues, and global impacts of local processes. We also work on fighting myths and misconceptions about development.

Climate and Energy

Green Liberty is actively involved in advocacy work with national decision makers regarding climate and energy policy. At the same time, we follow European and international policy developments and we are a member of Climate Action Network (CAN) and CEE Bankwatch Network. We promote a climate-friendly lifestyle and work on climate education and research (carbon footprinting). Recently we published joined book with University of Latvia “Climate and sustainable development“. Our work contributes to informing society in Latvia about the implications of climate change and building an understanding of low carbon development and climate change-related global and local challenges.

Sustainable consumption

Green Liberty has longstanding experience in sustainable consumption. We have been involved in several projects related to the topic, e.g. EU 7th FW funded project “Action Town” looking for the ways NGOs can provide new insights for research on sustainable consumption and production with the goal of reaching absolute decoupling of economic growth from resource use. Green Liberty has published Consumer guide on sustainable living and regularly worked with media to popularize sustainable behavior. We have also done several studies on sustainable consumption and related topics, e.g. „Current Status and recent changes in consumption and production patterns in Latvia”, the background report for UNEP.

Waste and Circular economy

We are advocating for efficient use of resources, by promoting green public procurement, eliminating unsustainable subsidies and promoting green budget reform in Latvia. We have also done research and implemented campaigns to promote the zero-waste concept and the introduction of a deposit-refund system in Latvia. Currently we are working on the issues of food waste and global development.

Get involved!

Become a volunteer!

Volunteering is one of the basic principles of the “Green Freedom”. It is a way for everyone, by donating their time and skills, to help to inform the public about the impact of consumption and globalization on nature and the social environment, to participate in decision-making on issues that directly or indirectly affect everyday life, and to promote environmental NGOs in the drafting, adoption and implementation of international law and in combating the abuse of power.

Join the Green Liberty as volunteer!

Anyone who wants to use their abilities and experience, acquire new knowledge and skills, influence what is happening in society, be active and spend their free time usefully can become a volunteer. The volunteer chooses the projects that suit his / her interests and the amount of time he / she devotes to volunteering.

How to become a volunteer?

Choose the field of activity of the Green Liberty you are interested in from the section above and contact the project manager of the field and / or fill in the Volunteering application form.

Volunteer activities

  • Translation
  • Working with social networks
  • Assistance in organizing events
  • Assistance in the implementation of events
  • Research work
  • Work with photos, videos
  • Other (your offer)

What you get as volunteer?

  • Opportunity to address issues that are relevant to yourself, the community and society as a whole.
  • Opportunity to implement your ideas or help others, thus spending useful free time.
  • Gain new experience and knowledge, new contacts and the opportunity to socialize.
  • Opportunity to participate in various events in Latvia and elsewhere in the world.

See you!

We will also be happy to receive your assessment of your volunteer work in Green Liberty. Form of evaluation of voluntary work.

Practice opportunities

Do you want to supplement your knowledge with practical experience? Come and join our team! We offer internship opportunities for students of higher education institutions.

What do we offer?

  • a place of practice in one of the most experienced nongovernmental organizations of environmental protection and environmental education in Latvia;
  • Complementing practical experience with socially relevant work in one of the following areas of Green Liberty: Development Cooperation and Fair Trade, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Consumption, Product Composition, Energy, Climate, Resources and Waste;
  • the opportunity to get involved in both regional and international projects;
  • flexible time for internships;
  • gain experience in organizing events;
  • professional practice leaders / mentors in their field of activity;
  • recommendation.

How to apply for an Internship?

Apply by filling in the “Internship Application Form”, indicating also the field in which you want to work and the desired internship period!

We will also be happy to receive your assessment of your practice in Green Liberty. Form of evaluation of Internship.

Contacts

Lapu iela 17Rīga, LV-1002Latvia

Tel/Fax: +371 67 225 112

E-mail: info@zalabriviba.lv

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZalaBriviba/