Sustainability In Schools: From Efficiency To Sufficiency Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sustainability In Schools: From Efficiency To Sufficiency

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : School Exchange Partnerships

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Environment and climate change; Social/environmental responsibility of educational institutions; Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development)

Project Summary

For years the European Union has been working to promote efficiency. Using natural resources more efficiently has been a strong focus of European policies and support programs. Since efficiency and recycling are clearly not enough, as recent indicators show, it is time to implement a different strategy – sufficiency. Sufficiency aims at providing a good quality of life for all based on the assumption that “more isn’t always better and that less is more”. Also, this project is very much in line with The Green Deal, which stimulates sustainable development and working together in a European Climate Pact. We are fully commited to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Four European partners have built this project with the common aim of taking environmental action. These partners have teamed up in order to work together towards the attainment of this main goal, by identifying what can be improved in our school and actually improving it, in the fields of sustainable development and environmentally-friendly actions. Our project is a response to our schools identified problems. Each school has established its own objectives based on practices that can be improved. The main aim is to make a positive impact in our schools by first analyzing and then implementing what can be improved towards having more sustainable school communities. Each partner identified problems regarding this subject in their schools and the partners aim to create actual improvements in their schools. The project can also lead to the participating pupils being more aware of the environment. In each mobility there will be five pupils from each participating country. During the exchange in Germany the subject would be ‘waste prevention’. Also producing energy (from waste) can be a topic. Our pupils work on artwork with the theme ‘Save the planet’. They will also collect waste in the city of Bielefeld, using the app ‘Litterati’, which will stimulate the collaboration between the pupils. The pupils wil also visit Bielefeld’s local waste incineration plant. During the exchange in Turkey the subject would be ‘water management’. This activity is organized around the use of water in the schools. This week our pupils will work on activities that help answer questions like: How much water do we use? What is it used for? Can we find several ways of saving water in the schools? How can we deal with this at home? How to reduce the negative impact of marine pollution on living creatures? By finding the answer to these questions the pupils gain knowledge and skills to improve their own behaviour about the subject and to carry out measures and changes in their own schools. During this exchange in the Netherlands the subject would be ‘recycling’. The pupils work on a recycle-campain for which they make posters. The pupils collect litter in and around the school. They will make a photocollage, using the app Piccollage and they will share their outcomes. Which kind of litter is most common? Can they explain that? The pupils will create an Eco-corner, by working on ideas to start recycling plastic bottles (500 ml) in our school, get rid of the Noodles-packaging in our school canteen and to start recycling batteries and lamps in our school. The pupils will participate in ‘green classes’ like animal care, flower arrangements, plant production and cooking. We will host a recycling exhibition for which we will invite all parents and colleagues. Our pupils can show everything they have done during the exchange, give a presentation and they can also provide visitors with information about the subject. By working on these activities the pupils gain knowledge and skills to improve their own behaviour about the subject and to carry out measures and changes in their own schools. During the exchange in Portugal the subject would be ‘Foodwaste’. The pupils will work on a waste audit of discarded food, on a debate, they will participate in workshops, watch documentaries, set up a sorting station in de schools cafetaria and they will try to achieve share tables. They will also create a food brigade, try to grow a vegetable garden and create a compost system. The project results and the project in general will be shown to as many users as possible at all levels. This will contribute to the dissemination of information and introducing the potential users to the possibilities of the Erasmus +.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 110973 Eur

Project Coordinator

Wellantcollege vmbo Klaaswaal & Country: NL

Project Partners

• MUSTAFA ASIM CULA ORTAOKULU
• Realschule Heepen
• AGRUPAMENTO DE ESCOLAS DR ANTÓNIO AUGUSTO LOURO – E.B. 2,3 Dr. António Augusto Louro