ViteMeir and SIMAS with visionary collaboration

Press release: ViteMeir and SIMAS come together to strengthen identity and create activity within the environment and circular economy

ViteMeir and SIMAS have signed a three-year cooperation agreement on both financial contributions and the development of academic content at the science center - "An important cooperation project for SIMAS," says Director Hallvard Thomassen.

The reason for the agreement is that both parties see the benefit of close cooperation on the world's climate-related challenges and the transition to a circular economy. The solutions to the challenges must be addressed locally as much as globally. 

- This is an agreement I have been working on throughout the autumn and I am very happy that we have reached the goal. ViteMeir With this agreement, we are one step closer to our internal requirements that we should be at the forefront of the environment and circular economy, says Erlend Fardal Lunde, day-to-day manager ViteMeir . 

SIMAS will be ViteMeir -partners in the period 2021-2023 with a total contract value of NOK 400,000. 

Focus on food waste 

- In our collaboration, we will focus particularly on preventing food waste. Here, information and education will be crucial to bring about a change in both consumption and waste of usable food," says Thomassen. 

ViteMeir has visionary targets for its own food waste and will design its own plan for "zero food waste". The visionary thoughts can lead to ViteMeir at some point manage without food waste bins. 

- After many years in the hotel industry, I know that food waste is a big problem. We throw away far too much food and know that 50% of all the food we throw away could be eaten. ViteMeir has a dream that all food waste should be recycled on its own premises. To make this happen, it is absolutely crucial to collaborate with SIMAS, says Erlend Fardal Lunde. 

ViteMeir has both short-term and long-term plans for, among other things, larval farms and own composting. ViteMeir wants the guests to be able to eat vegetables grown in composted soil from their own food waste. Even higher on the visionary ladder, the science center sees that they might be able to offer bread made from larval meal.  

- It probably sounds crazy, but anything is possible and I really want to offer caterpillar bread one day," says Lunde enthusiastically. 

Through learning programs and concrete installations in the exhibition, SIMAS and ViteMeir focus on how to reduce food waste and what this can mean for your finances. 

- SIMAS recently conducted a picking analysis that showed that 30% of residual waste was wet organic waste. The majority of this was edible food. "This is the wrong use of resources and of our own wallets," says Thomassen. 

Learning program for 4th grade 

SIMAS has previously had its own learning plan aimed at all 4th graders in the region. SIMAS wishes to further develop this in conjunction with ViteMeir , and that they can now reach even more target groups. 

- There is a great need for information and knowledge if we are to succeed in the transition to a circular economy. In the future, we must use the earth's resources in a completely different way than today. With this collaboration, we want to further develop our information activities," says Thomassen. 

Reuse 

Consumer society is a challenge for achieving circular economy goals. ViteMeir will have sewing machines in his Skaparverkstad. Maybe old clothes can be turned into an environmentally friendly carrier bag or old curtains can be turned into new clothes?  

Thomassen and Lunde are enthusiastic about the road ahead and are confident that together they can create exciting activities for all age groups.  

Contacts: 

Erlend Fardal Lunde, ViteMeir : +47 464 28 741
Hallvard Thomassen, SIMAS: +47 995 78 118