GREEN NETWORK OF ACTIVIST GROUPS
ZMAG
GREEN NETWORK OF ACTIVIST GROUPS
The Green Network of Activist Groups (ZMAG) is an association with the primary goal of developing and promoting permaculture, ecological knowledge and skills, and applicable models and technologies for sustainable living and improving the overall quality of life.
The Recycled Domain is the base of the association. It is a place that has given ZMAG a space to experiment, make many mistakes and have the opportunity to correct them and learn a variety of skills. It is a place where ZMAG members have learned about nature and sustainable living, but most importantly, it has always encouraged them to get to know each other and the loved ones with whom they share this adventure more deeply.
Field of activity
Sustainable development
Work team
7 employees, 1 contractual on media promotion, 4 volunteers
City
Zagreb
Good ecological practices
The ZMAG association has become known as an incubator for the implementation of sustainability. Its most important initiative is the construction in 1999 of the educational center the Recycled Estate in the village of 150 inhabitants of Vukomerić near Zagreb, which is the headquarters of the association and a socio-educational center.
On the building waste side, the actions have been to:
build the Recycled Estate with recycled or already used materials, such as old wood, tiles, bricks, or natural materials such as straw bales, natural clay or lime-based plasters, wooden constructions, stones etc.
rehabilitate the houses. The first house, which now serves as a common and educational place, was dismantled from the old site and rebuilt at the location of ZMAG (old wooden construction, traditional in this area, can be dismantled like a lego box and rebuilt again and again). The association also saved a traditional house typical of the Vukomerić village area from the year 1913
recycle furniture, e.g. many old cupboards, chests, old barrels and everything that can be saved.
install bio-cleaners for the building’s sanitation system (system based on special plants that have the ability to collect on their root system all the dirty particles of wastewater)
use composting toilets
recycle all possible objects in Croatia
On the energy side, the actions consisted in:
build all houses with natural materials and high energy efficiency factors. Thanks to this, ZMAG uses a very small amount of wood for heating.
not to install air-conditioning devices thanks to the insulation system
use wind and solar energy systems installed on the roof for electricity and be connected to the national grid where ZMAG provides additional energy to the system and can use energy from the national grid when needed
use solar water heaters for hot water production, built by ZMAG members
What was the trigger?
At the beginning of the initiative in 1999, the members of ZMAG were all activists, friends, quite young, who wanted to answer the crucial question of whether and how another world is possible. This collective of inhabitants became an association after 3 years of actions.
After many unsuccessful attempts to settle in the city, a member of ZMAG offered to use his land near Zagreb. As ZMAG works to promote sustainable living, it was important to enter into an eco-building process.
Running the project
The Recycled Domain is managed by ZMAG employees but also occasionally with the work and contributions of its local community, the people who live nearby. ZMAG has a coordinating committee composed of the president, secretary and the leaders of all major programs. The committee meets according to needs and deals with the most important issues. All members and staff participate in weekly meetings where decisions are made by consensus. It takes one year of work in the association to have veto power.
Keys of success
- own the Recycled Domain. ZMAG manages the site on a 39-year contract.
- have the support of institutional donors after ZMAG suffered greatly from the earthquake of late 2020.
- be part of several networks (Solidarity Economy Network Europe – RIPESS Europe, Community Seed Bank and also at the national level)
- work with local partners (educational institutions, civil society organizations, public institutions) on the implementation of paths for a better world, a more solidary and sustainable one.
Financial support
ZMAG had no financial support at the beginning of the initiative. The association built the Recycled Domain on its own, with its own investment and a lot of volunteer help and work. Subsequently, in 2018, ZMAG was granted three years of financial support for the construction by the Swiss foundation Salvia. This support was a perfect match for public support and ZMAG’s self-financing activities.
