Climathon is a global 24-hour climate change hackathon, which takes place simultaneously in major cities around the world. Helsinki Climathon challenge 2018 aimed to develop the Tukkutori and Teurastamo district, an old wholesale, warehouse and abattoir area located in the heart of Helsinki, to become an urban food hub serving the local neighborhoods and the leader for a sustainable food revolution in the whole city?
Barbara Radaelli-Muuronen, a master student of USP, worked as a volunteer at the event: “It was great to see enthusiast young people working hard to make a more sustainable city. (--) There were people from many different backgrounds and that is the real richness of a hackathon.”
Radaelli-Muuronen thought that being awake for more than 24h was exhausting, but that there are many benefits: “The first one is that the event is happening simultaneously on a global scale, therefore 24h is an equal choice for being awake all around the world. Secondly, the participants can concentrate on working in one place, avoiding logistic problems. Last but not least, some creative people get their best ideas during the night time, so Climathon puts together not only interdisciplinary people, but also ‘morning and night people’".
Winter Garden wins the race
The group “Winter Garden” was the winner of this year’s Helsinki Climathon challenge. The winners were awarded by the jury members Oona Haapakorpi (Omnia Education), Iina Oilinki (City of Helsinki), Hanna Tuomisto (University of Helsinki) and Jouni Spets (City of Helsinki).
The winning team “Winter Garden” presented a solution for the Tukkutori (Helsinki Wholesale Market) where the yard area is covered and turned into a greenhouse with plant and vegetable farming. The Winter Garden is also a whole-year-round food market and testbed and playground for Teurastamo’s new food-entrepreneurs. In the summer time the roof can be opened for open air farming and events. The team is encouraged to take part in the Tukkutori Testbeds Innovation competition open till 19 November and to develop their idea further.
EIT Climate-KICs Climathon brings together the challenges of world cities with the people who have the passion and ability to solve them. Innovators and entrepreneurs all over the world actively participate in their own cities by providing innovative solutions to local climate change problems. Radaelli-Muuronen highlights the global nature of the event: “The event was international and simultaneously going on all over the world. Many students were from abroad as well as mentors, experts in climate change, for example Seona Candy from Australia and Gunta Kalväne from Latvia.”
This year was the fourth year for the global Climathon event. Read more: https://climathon.climate-kic.org/en/
Photos: Barbara Radaelli-Muuronen