I am a lawyer, and I have 20 year experience in this field. Recently, in 2014, I established (together with four friends) a bio lavender farm – Banat Fragrant Farm.
I started to protect the ecosystem through my business in several ways:
- by reusing the remaining water after the distillation of the plant,
- in making a make-up removal product,
- by reusing the residues of the lavender plants as organic fertilizer,
- by reusing parts of the lavender plant by giving them to a Horse Ranch to drive away insects instead insecticides
- beekeeping – because bees are a very important factor for the wellbeing of the planet, as they proliferate life on earth.
Nothing is thrown away, everything is reused!
You are a lawyer and a founder of an agricultural cooperative. How have you used your knowledge and experience at your host, Gourmet Garden, a supplier of green walls? Tell us more about your placement!
In 2015 I was involved in the PIP program as a Pioneer. In the regional placement I was placed at Gourmet Garden in Budapest. The company realizes and installs green environmental friendly walls made up from plants, with positive physiological effects and many other benefits: it cleans the air, reduces stress, improves concentration, reduces fatigue and stress, increases the capacity for work, etc. The oxygen produced by plants stimulates the brain and relaxes, thus making people happier and more creative.
My assignment was to support the company in identifying new species of plants or aromatic plants that can be used in their system and to create a new green wall model with edible plants and flowers.
Green walls may save the world in a time when the population is growing and cities are becoming more and more crowded. Beginning with the building itself, green walls provide insulation, helping cool the building naturally as well as retain heat during cold weather. The plants filter air particles, providing a natural reduction in air pollution; offer the opportunity for urban agriculture, such as vertical gardens of small fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
The edible walls offer sustainability in almost any location. Using less space, edible walls can produce fruit, vegetables and herbs. Edible green wall systems is a way to lower food costs, increase nutritional quality and cut fuel consumption and carbon emissions by using fewer delivery trucks. In the developing world, vertical farm sheds featuring hydroponic systems can help create healthier, more high-quality seedlings or animal fodder in rural areas. It is important to eat something you have grown yourself by changing the way of thinking about agriculture and the relation to urban inner cities.
During your group assignment (Green life and children awareness) you also dealt with soil and air quality improvement through planting medical herbs. How are your domestic placement and your group assignment connected?
The main objective of the project was raising awareness of an entire generation, regarding the steps needed to be made in order to protect the soil, the air and the planet through planting herbs and medicinal plants, which have a positive impact for the environment any ecosystem (non formal education)
Our project was an environmental education program, that give children the chance to became aware of and think about the relationship between things and the environment, between global environmental issues and the daily life of people.
As far as I understand, your international placement in Wiesbaden, at Naturefund was about dynamic agroforestry. What have you learnt, and will you be able to bring your knowledge back to your own business?
Also, in my international placement I have learned from my host Naturefund about Dynamic Agroforestry. A dynamic agroforestry plot consists of various agricultural crops, fruit trees and a range of indigenous plants, above all native shrubs and trees. This creates a closed nutrient cycle that imitates natural forests.
What is your general take away from the programme?
Currently, I’m establishing an NGO – „ GreenEduCare ” - through which we (14 friends...including a fellow Pioneer, Csilla) intend to continue our GA project, but with many more activities.
After the PiP, I am a new person, with new knowledge, new insights, new friends and I understood that there are more important things than being a lawyer.