Green Living Lab
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The Green Living Lab: Healthy Urban Living

Email: info@greenlivinglab.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/greenlivinglab
Instagram: @greenlivinglab
Twitter: @greenlivinglab

Our Team

Would you like to join our team of volunteers? If you are interested in creating with us at The Green Living Lab
we would love to hear from you! Please contact us at: volunteer@greenlivinglab.org

Aveen Colgan

Aveen Colgan

Designer, Educator & Co-founder

Aveen is co-founder & designer of the Green Living Lab. She designed the Green Living Lab facilities in harmony with surrounding nature, and advocates biophilic design as a foundation of healthy living in the city. She creates the Green Living Lab’s education programmes, which connect people to nature in the city for health and well-being.

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Aveen created the 'Green Student Bootcamp Challenge' education programme in order to support the VU research programme, 'Green Healthy Students'. The students taking part in the Bootcamp Challenge programme formed a research sub group for the research programme. This education programme now takes place on an annual basis, where students are inspired towards holistic lifestyle choices and to reconnect with nature for health and well-being. She finds inspiration in nature, biomimicry and people working to enable the transition towards a healthier, more balanced world. "The harmony between human activity and nature is tangible at the Green Living Lab, and demonstrates how nature can be integrated with urban spaces for the enhanced well-being of people in the places they work, learn and play. "
Arthur de Smidt

Arthur de Smidt

Co-founder

Arthur is co-founder of The Green Living Lab foundation and also runs the Green Co-creations foundation (Groene Co-creaties). Arthur has been busy inspiring people for years towards positive social and environmental impact through co-creating in nature...

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He has organised mass tree-planting actions at festivals in Amsterdam, and he has experimented with growing quinoa at diverse locations across the city. He is also the mastermind behind several beautiful sunflower mazes in Amsterdam.   "I first came to our current location, the former Almatuin garden, while experimenting with growing quinoa in the city for the Amsterdam Quinoa Project. I was moved by the beauty of the garden, located in the middle of so many tall buildings. I saw that the garden formed a natural hub, where people connected with each other and with the natural world. We have put our hearts and souls into creating The Green Living Lab, a place for people to learn, work and play in nature, and in the process we hope to inspire others to take more care of our natural world and of each other."
Daniel Sagath

Daniel Sagath

Willow Wizard

Daniel cares for our willow structures and he is currently a PhD researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), investigating Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the space industry sector. Daniel grew up close to nature in Slovakia where he learned the art of building with and weaving willow.

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The 2 dome-shaped willow structures are integral to The Green Living Lab as they create a feeling of balance between nature and the high office buildings around, helping our visitors feel relaxed and in a natural setting. Daniel supervises our volunteers to maintain these willow structures and develop their shape further. "I first heard about The Green Living Lab from a professor at the VU University and I was immediately inspired to help as a volunteer. Since the first volunteer workshop in March 2015 The Green Living Lab has become an important place for me. I go there weekly for relaxation, self-realisation and inspiration. There I discovered my passion for creating and maintaining living green structures, the two beautiful arcs of willow that encircle The Green Living Lab garden."
Roos van der Deijl

Roos van der Deijl

Events & Media Co-ordinator

Roos studied a Master’s degree in Neuroscience with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). She first came to The Green Living Lab to take part in our Green Student Bootcamp Challenge education programme and now assists with events.

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"The Green Student Bootcamp Challenge made me feel so at home in the garden, that I keep coming back to relax, socialise, organise, get inspired, and (hopefully) inspire. The Green Living lab allows me to share my passion about how to care well for our environment and ourselves with like-minded people. What I particularly like about this project is that it’s both a place where you are inspired to meet and find creative solutions as well as a place where these solutions can directly be put into action. I believe it’s this combination which we need to make Amsterdam a sustainable and enjoyable city for us all to live in!"
Sameena Safiruddin

Sameena Safiruddin

Educator

Sameena is a permaculture designer who is inspired by the beauty, balance and intelligence of the natural world. She is experienced in leading nature-based workshops for primary school children on themes including foraging, cooking with native herbs and crafting with natural materials. She also leads fun, nature-based craft workshops for big kids, including Kokedama.

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"The Green Living lab is a beautiful and inspiring green oasis surrounded by a concrete urban jungle! I love being involved in this space where there is a vision of co-creating, sharing knowledge & experimenting and exploring how to live in the city in harmony with nature."
Manon Danker

Manon Danker

Educator

Manon is a Sociologist & Deep Ecologist inspired by the teachings of Joanna Macy & Thich Nhat Hanh. She has worked in environmental rehabilitation & wildlife protection in nature reserves in Indonesia & Peru & she now works to promote nature education in The Netherlands.

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Shanice worked as a co-ordinator with Green Office VU from 2016 - 2017, and she is skilled in working to raise awareness about sustainable challenges and solutions with students. "Getting involved in the Green Student Bootcamp Challenge was one of the best decisions I have made for my self-development. The Bootcamp gave me the feeling that there was still so much information out there about sustainable living that I did not know about. Being able to spend my Friday afternoons in the loving environment of the Green Living Lab made me appreciate nature and helped me de-stress after long weeks of studying. After the Bootcamp ended I just knew I still wanted to be involved with the Green Living Lab and be able to enjoy and learn about this beautiful piece of nature, and this is why I decided to volunteer. I love working together with other Green Living Lab volunteers to co-create educational events and to make the Green Living Lab an even more beautiful and loving place."'
Maggie Mulley

Maggie Mulley

Events Co-ordinator

Maggie came to Amsterdam to study Liberal Arts & Science at AUC and recently completed a Masters degree in Geo-information Science with Wageningen University. She first visited us when she came to study at the Green Living Library, and then took part in our Green Student Bootcamp Challenge. She helps to write our research surveys into the perceived effects of nature on work and study, writes blogs and helps organise events including our recent Green Fashion Fair.

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“My first experience at the Green Living Lab was at a Study in Nature day – I found that working in the dome went extremely well, it was just so peaceful and welcoming. Coming back for the Green Student Bootcamp Challenge gave me the opportunity to learn so much about sustainable living, social entrepreneurship, and of course the beautiful garden! There are always learning opportunities at the Green Living Lab; I am constantly inspired by the positivity and can-do attitude of the community here. It is so exciting to be involved in organising events at the Green Living Lab, as it is such a unique and special place to introduce people to.”
Sheila de Leeuw

Sheila de Leeuw

Educator & Programme Co-ordinator

Sheila has a degree in Forest & Nature Conservation and graduated in 2016. She first came to the Green Living Lab to take part in our ‘Green Student Bootcamp Challenge’ programme and since then she has led a craft workshop at our Green Fashion Fair, helps us in our education garden and to facilitate events including our student Library. She is inspiring to work with in the garden as she is truly in her element!

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Sheila also volunteers with Woesteland Academie, where she works to develop and organise workshops on nature and sustainability. "The first time I got in touch with the Green Living Lab was when I participated in the Green Student Bootcamp Challenge. I enjoyed the programme, the place and the people so much that I decided to become a volunteer! Since then, I help with organising study days and events. I was actively involved in the organisation of the Green Fashion Fair where I also gave a workshop.  I hope the GLL and all its volunteers will keep on inspiring and bringing people together to create positive change!"
Gabi Figueiredo

Gabi Figueiredo

Events Co-ordinator

Gabi brings bags of Brazilian alegria to The Green Living Lab! Her sunny, positive attitude is an inspiration for all of the GLL team. She was introduced to our project when she came to study in the dome on a Green Living Library day, while studying a Masters in Psychology at the VU University. She has since assisted us with creating and running events, and is one of our leading garden guardians. "I actually believe we have to be the change we want to see in the world...

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I’ve been vegan for 6 years and everyday is clearer that we need to reconnect with nature and the Earth, reevaluate our social and cultural practices to preserve our planet - and ourselves! I love to learn from everyone involved in the garden, and I volunteer in any way I can to help promote the project and to experience everything the lab has to offer."

Our Contributors

Thank you to everyone who has helped us develop the Green Living Lab, to connect city residents to nature.

 

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