 "In Estonia, Hook-nosed Sea Pig also known as the Gray Seal, is endangered. As one of the keystone species in marine ecosystems, seals help maintain a balance in the food web."
ESTONIA
LIISI TAMMOJA
Height: 173 cm
Measurements: 33 in - 27 in - 33 in Career/Education: Administrator  |
DESCRIBE YOUR CHILDHOOD/GROWING YEARS
I have always been so full of life and curious about trying everything. Reading books was my favorite activity when I was little and that’s where I got my love for writing from. I wrote so many books and the best of them I created into scripts. My classmates gathered in my garden to film short movies based on my scripts due to the fact that we all went to acting classes. When I moved to another city I discovered a new way to express myself - writing my own songs.
WHAT IS YOUR MEMORABLE MOMENT?
My most memorable moment was probably when I published my first song. I was super afraid to do that but I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. You should always do that because, after that, feeling amazing is guaranteed. Nothing ever happens in that zone anyway, all the growth happens out of that place.
ANY SPECIAL STORIES OR FACTS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?
The writing books and creating music gene ran through many generations. My father used to play guitar, write books and create his own music as well. My grandmother has even published a book about her life story. We love nature so we bought a water mill which is a popular place for tourists to discover. There we can produce our own electricity.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE?
It's a bit of a funny story. In Estonia we have a holiday called “midsummer day.” Historically, this day marks the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvest. The night before Midsummer Day is called Midsummer Eve (June 23) which is on or near the shortest night of the year! We have many traditions and one of them consists that picking up seven flowers and placing them under your pillow when you’ll go to sleep. Your dreams reveal who will be your future husband. So I have done it with my female friends multiple times and had a lot of fun while doing that.
WHAT TIPS CAN YOU SHARE TO PROMOTE ECOTOURISM & CLIMATE CHANGE?
The first step would be to stop burning fossil fuels - coal, oil, gas, oil shale - in energy production. The transport of goods causes as much as 45% of all transport emissions - therefore, from the point of view of climate change, it is worthwhile to prefer local products and services. Intensive deforestation is another issue. During photosynthesis, trees store carbon in their trunk, branches, leaves and roots for a long time, which they get from the CO2 compound in the air. So to contribute to slowing down climate change we should reduce doing that and plant more trees. We also should eat less meat and to not waste water. Wherever we travel we should try to make these places a little better during our visit or at the very least to leave it the same as when we arrived.
WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD OF YOUR COUNTRY?
Since I absolutely love music I’m super proud that we sang our way to freedom. In World War 2 Estonians gathered in the hundreds of thousands to celebrate their heritage in song, in what became known as “The Singing Revolution.” Raising the banned Estonian flag while gathering en masse and singing banned patriotic songs, this movement eventually gained the support of the republic’s ruling Communist Party in defying Moscow, faced down Soviet tanks, and successfully declared Estonian independence. I think that it makes our country really unique.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVOCACY?
My advocacy is to fight against air pollution by planting as much trees as possible. I’m also doing a charity project for one famous clothing brand from United Kingdom which has built 5 campuses for the orphans already and will keep doing that. They are also donating lot of money to them as well. Children, especially orphans are particularly vulnerable to many environmental risks. For an example: air pollution, inadequate water, hazardous chemicals and waste, sanitation and hygiene, radiation and of course climate change in general. My chosen fauna is the cute animal called as The Gray Seal so i'm cleaning the beaches to make the environment more comfortable for them.