Exploring Responsible Consumption in Practice: Training in Riga

What does responsible consumption really mean in everyday life? What happens before a product reaches us, and where does it go after we throw it away? And how can youth workers make these complex questions engaging for young people?

These topics were at the centre of the Consumo Justo Experimentation in Latvia, a five-day international training organised by EFE in Riga from 15 - 19 June 2026. The training brought together youth workers and project partners from Latvia, France, Spain and Türkiye for an intensive programme combining sustainability education, simulations, practical activities, study visits and reflection. 

As the final international mobility of the Consumo Justo project, the training focused on strengthening youth workers' competences to address responsible consumption, Fair Trade, climate change, ethical consumption and community-based sustainability. Participants did not only explore these themes themselves but also experimented with educational methods they could later adapt for young people in their own organisations and communities. 

Learning sustainability by experiencing it

Throughout the week, sustainability was approached from different perspectives rather than as a single environmental issue.

Participants began by developing their own definitions of sustainability and gradually combining them into shared definitions. They explored the Sustainable Development Goals through the SDGs Intelligence Cards, tested their knowledge through a climate myths quiz and exchanged experiences through a Walk & Talk on sustainability, climate change, responsible consumption and Fair Trade. 

As the programme progressed, the questions became more complex. During a Statement Debate, participants physically positioned themselves on different sides of controversial statements such as whether fast fashion should be banned or whether buying less is better than buying sustainable products. Importantly, participants could change sides when another argument convinced them, turning the exercise into an exploration of perspectives rather than a competition about who was right. 

From consumption to waste

One of the most memorable parts of the programme took learning outside the training room.

Using ActionBound, participants completed an SDG Photo Scavenger Hunt around Riga, searching for real examples of the Sustainable Development Goals in their surroundings. Instead of seeing the SDGs only as global targets, participants connected them with places, objects and situations visible in everyday community life. 

The group then visited Getliņi EKO, one of the largest waste-management sites in the Baltics. Participants saw first-hand how household waste is processed, biodegradable waste is managed, landfill gas is transformed into energy and circular-economy principles can be applied in practice. Seeing the scale of waste created a powerful connection between consumption choices and what happens after products are discarded. 

This connection continued through The Living Supply Chain, where participants mapped the actions and processes needed for an everyday product such as bread to reach the consumer. The activity highlighted the many often invisible steps behind a simple purchase.

From participants to facilitators

An important aim of the training was not simply to give youth workers new activities, but to strengthen their confidence to create and facilitate their own sustainability education.

During the “Design Your Own Activity” session, participants reflected on what had made the week's activities effective: movement, teamwork, creativity, clear goals, surprise and fun. Working in teams, they then designed new educational activities around food systems, energy, waste and reuse, local economies and local production. Ideas were pitched, discussed and improved through peer feedback. 

This marked an important transition from experiencing educational methods to becoming their creators.

The final day brought the different themes together through role-play, recycling activities and a SWOT analysis of responsible consumption among young people. Participants considered not only environmental challenges but also the economic interests, social realities and different stakeholder perspectives involved in sustainability decisions. 

The programme concluded with a Web of Connections, where participants shared lessons, memorable moments and ideas they would take home. The growing web of yarn became a physical representation of the relationships and learning created throughout the week, followed by the Youthpass process recognising the competences participants had developed. 

A final visit to Riga's Herbal Festival in Doma Square brought the topic back to everyday consumer choices, highlighting local producers, short supply chains, seasonal products and sustainable traditions. 

Across five days, participants moved between discussion and experimentation, individual reflection and collaboration, simulations and real-world experiences. Most importantly, responsible consumption became something participants could see, experience, question and practise, rather than simply discuss.

The training also introduced participants to the Consumo Justo mobile application, providing additional educational resources and tools that can continue supporting their work with young people. Participants returned to their organisations with transferable methods, stronger facilitation skills and new ideas for promoting fair, ethical and local consumption in their own communities.

The Consumo Justo App is free to explore on both iOS and Android:

App Store: 

https://apps.apple.com/lv/app/consumojusto/ id6755227445

Google Play: 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailsid=fr.wipsee.consumojusto&pcampaignid=web_share

Whether you are planning your next sustainability training, looking for a ready-to-use activity, searching for examples to inspire young people or simply want to learn more about responsible consumption yourself, Consumo Justo gives you a practical starting point – directly from your phone.

Erasmus+ Cooperation partnership

Consumo Justo

Project No.  2024-1-FR02-KA220-YOU-000248910

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.