PROJECT DESCRIPTION

On a large scale our common problem and a huge challenge is the obvious danger of climate change, which has an effect on our school and learning on a daily basis. The weather is getting more unpredictable each year. We are no longer capable of going skiing or skating, the rains are harder and at the same time some traditional species are disappearing. These things have a huge effect on our school’s daily life and in the curriculum as well.

Some concrete problems in our school specifically are the production of waste as well the overall lack of environmental thinking in everyday school work. We still use a whole lot of paper; recycle too little; buy materials without evaluating or comparing them from environmental point of view; buy all kinds of equipment, computers, tablets, projectors, school desks, sports equipment without truly thinking their purchase through; eat school lunches, which are in no way supporting the environment nor are sustainable.

We have to actively start thinking together as a school about our way of life, how we could improve in environmental issues and to raise our pupils’, their parents as well as our own awareness and begin to adapt greener habits.

OBJECTIVE 1

To transform our schools to zero-waste schools by reducing, reusing and recycling for a toxic free environment.

This work has begun. We have all done some background work in our schools and collected the theory behind the idea of reducing the amount of waste at school. There are official surveys on their way in each school, in which the current situations are charted; how are things recycled in schools? What is the waste like that is being produced? What are the recycling bins like? Where and by whom are they emptied? Where do they end up? Whose responsibility is it to take care of the waste management in schools? After this we are starting the process of collecting this knowledge and finding the best options for each school.

OBJECTIVE 2

To adopt green habits that reduce disposable products and promote organic farming.

All of the schools have actively worked on learning and adapting greener, sustainable habits already, and got to know the concept of organic farming. We will continue studying the subject and finding the right solutions for our school environments. 

OBJECTIVE 3

To reduce energy consumption and implement wiser water management at our schools.

This has a lot to do with the choices we make every day, and this is one thing that we all have been addressing and discussing about often with the school staff as well as the pupils. We all realize that small things matter. These are important observations , and these topics will be dealt in both Hilda’s adventures as well as in the toolkit.

OBJECTIVE 4

 To test, evaluate, adopt or adapt methods of the past and present generations for a sustainable use of the land and of the physical materials (wood, metal etc.).

We have actively started research as well as begun the testing and evaluating part in different ways, and now we are on our way to find the usable solutions in our own school environment as well as daily lives.  The three Rs have a good point to start from, as well as planting the seed of humility and modesty; less is more.

OBJECTIVE 5

 To adopt practices that preserve and restore biodiversity in urban and agricultural spaces (depending on the physical

environment of each participant’s school).

Most of the schools are studying the topic of biodiversity in the classes across academic subjects and they have e.g. visited sights where it is being preserved. In addition we have all together tried to find ways to promote biodiversity in our school grounds, and we have found out that there are many things we could do; planting wildflower gardens, place bird houses, feeder and baths, set up an aquarium or an ant farm, growing local products from seeds and so on. We will most definitely continue working on this and try to incorporate the promotion of biodiversity in our daily work.

OBJECTIVE 6

To find methods and means to motivate and inspire learners as well as teachers to begin the path towards a more sustainable way of life. The STEM approach and the ideas from outdoor learning and positive pedagogy are studied in more detail.

In our opinion this is one the most important objectives of our project, motivating and inspiring the students as well as the staff and the whole school societies, since it would have the biggest impact altogether. Motivation, inspiration and the will to do good have the power to change things. And this is what the whole project is all about, changing things. We have also realized that changing things takes time, and we will probably need tens of projects to have actual concrete changes, but we still believe that we are on the right track now. At least on a better one.

OBJECTIVE 7

To support the skills of teachers in active use and implementation of environmental topics into daily teaching.

The idea of the toolkit originated from this thought, and the active work with the toolkit is starting. We have already found out that environmental topics and the notion of sustainability has a big role in many curriculums, but because of many other demands, it is easily pushed aside. And this is what we are trying to change and to try to make the implementation easier and also worthwhile.

OBJECTIVE 8

To produce a toolkit on climate change and environmental education including theoretical background, innovative teaching resources and worksheets.

It was decided already in the application phase that the toolkit is an ongoing process throughout the whole project and that we will actively try to keep in mind; what do we as teachers feel that we would need from a toolkit? What do other teachers think they need? What are the exact topics that we would like to address? How the toolkit is gathered together and the whole thing compiled? How can we make it easily accessible and appealing? This work has been done and continues through the whole project, and as a result we will hopefully have a toolkit that as many teachers and educators want to utilize in their daily work.