Education for all

Education creates opportunities and has a lasting impact on our lives. Encouraging critical thinking through awareness raising, political education and capacity building are essential drivers of socio-economic justice. Classic educational institutions and external learning centres as well as cities and towns play an important role. In addition to campaign work and educational offers for all age groups, differentiated and critical perspectives on a variety of topics help develop a thriving global civil society. We need transparency, freely available information and opportunities for participation for successful awareness raising and comprehensive capacity building.

Each person’s contribution counts when it comes to achieving a resource-saving, environment-friendly community, but not everyone is aware of the positive impact they can have. In order to ensure that it is the case, municipalities’ involvement in offering education to all is crucial!

Municipalities, institutions and individuals are all invited to download and use the variety of educational material available on this website. Whether videos, information brochures or workshop concepts – the materials for different age groups and in different languages can be downloaded for free.

 

The topics we focus on are (rain)forests, sustainable consumption, good living and sustainable mobility.

Let´s start building a more sustainable future all together. The following materials support you in your local education work. Have fun!

Discover the (rain)forest

Forest week publication

A leaflet / play map where all local autochthones trees are identified and children are challenged to find them in their nature walks. On the other side, there is a blank page so that children can draw their vision of a protected forest and share it via social media or keep it for themselves. 

Developed by the City of Cascais, available in Portuguese for children and their families.



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The sustainable forest

This film has been prepared in 2017 and introduces rational use of the forest. The film is closely related to the training material so this film is structured around four major themes:
•    ecology of the forest,
•    nature and environmental protection in the forest,
•    possibilities of spending free time,
•    dangers of the forest

Developed by IMRO, available in Hungarian and soon in English and German for everybody!

Tropical Timber: global trade with local consequences

The factsheet throws light on the environmental impact of our use of (tropical) wood products in Europe/Germany, especially on tropical rainforests. It raises the question if and how a sustainable forest management is possible and highlights the negative impacts of an unsustainable use of forest resource extraction. Particular attention is paid to illegal deforestation and political answers to it like the EU Timber Regulation. The Factsheet promotes an environmental-friendly use of the resource wood as well as alternative uses of regional wood species instead of tropical wood products.

Developed by OroVerde, available in German for young adults, pupils, students and NGOs.



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Ecopassport

Small booklet with 10 good practices of sustainable activities in different areas.

 

Developed by the City of Cascais, available in Portugese for children and their families.



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Pedagogical guide for primary school pupils

The activities of the guide were implemented during the Summer Creative Activities (activities to keep pupils occupied during summer) in primary schools of the Municipalities Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Pylaia-Hortiatis and Thermi (Greece). The guide aims at informing and raising the awareness on the issue of climate change, the role of forest and its connection to everyday life.

The educational material is a tool to be used by teachers so that they educate and train pupils on forests and climate change issues. In addition, the educational material enables teachers to develop their own activities, utilizing their knowledge and educational experience. 

Developed by Anatoliki, available in Greek for children between 6 and 12 years.



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Snake floor game and cards

Floor / table snake game that is played with questions on climate change using a dice.

Children split into teams and start the game. After throwing the dice, they move. Each time they stop in a box indicating an environmentally friendly or environmentally negative action. Depending on what the box says, they go forward or backward. The game ends when a team reaches the end. The game can be played with question cards depending on the age of children.

 

Developed by Anatoliki, available in Greek for children between 6 and 12 years.



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One square meter of forest

The educational materials on “One square meter of forest” aim at discovering the different functions of forests through exploration. With the help of a student´s book, accompanying booklet as well as an exploration kit, a workshop of 1-3 days can be carried out. Besides discussing about forests, children discover the variety of colours, forms, patterns and functions of forest. With provided macro lenses for smartphones, equipment for the exploration of the forest as well as materials for the shaping and presentation of the discovered objects, students encounter the fascination of nature.

 

Developed by Umwelt-Exploratorium in cooperation with Climate Alliance, available in English and German for children between 7 and 14 years.



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Interactive education package for children

These interactive online games present the forest in its different functions as living-space, place for recreation and doing sports, working place and as an important spot for environmental protection. Discover the forest from your laptop, computer or tablet!

Developed by IMRO, available in Hungarian for children between 5 and 15 years.

Consume sustainably

„Information from a shopping basket“ – raw material- / product game

The participants have the task to assign various daily products from a basket to the corresponding raw material pictures. Whether the products are correctly assigned can be checked by opening the raw material cards. Each resource card contains interesting information about the  rainforest „as a supermarket, drugstore and pharmacy“ (for example, on mounting and dismantling conditions, effects on the ecosystem and the inhabitants of the rainforest). In addition, the participants can learn about action alternatives for sustainable consumption behavior.


Developed by the City of Munich, available in German for children up from 10 years.



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Palm Oil – The controversial resource from the rainforest

The fact sheet throws light on the environmental impact of our palm oil consumption habits in Europe/Germany, especially on tropical rainforests. After an overview of worldwide production and consumption of palm oil, the negative impacts on biodiversity, forests and climate change are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to the use and impact of palm oil in the European biodiesel production. The fact sheet ends with recommendations to European consumers how to contribute to a reduction of rainforest destruction and greenhouse gas emissions.

Developed by OroVerde, available in German and English for people up from 15 years.



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Paper – Our consumption and its impact on the rainforest

The fact sheet throws light on the environmental impact of our paper consumption habits in Europe/Germany, especially on tropical rainforests. After an overview of worldwide production and consumption of paper and cellulose, special attention is paid to monoculture wood plantations leading to direct and indirect land use change and deforestation. The fact sheet promotes a general reduction in paper consumption as well as the environmental-friendly use of recycling paper.

 

Developed by OroVerde, available in German and English for people up from 15 years.



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Soy – What our meat consumption has to do with the rainforest

The fact sheet throws light on the environmental impact of our meat consumption habits in Europe/Germany, especially on tropical rainforests. After an overview of worldwide production and consumption and use of soy, the negative environmental impact on forests is highlighted. Particular attention is paid to the indirect deforestation for soy plantations and the link between soy production in tropical countries and the high consumption of European meat and dairy products. The fact sheet promotes a more environmental-friendly meat consumption as well as policy recommendations for a sustainable link between livestock quantity and grazing area.


Developed by OroVerde, available in German and English for people up from 16 years.



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What do you think about development?

We use the photos from the “What do you think about development?” photo contest to inform the people about overconsumption and the actual problems of consumer society.

 

The contest was developed by Focus Eco Center.

Exhibition - Here and there

On eleven banners, the impact of our consumption on deforestation of tropical rainforests is illustrated. Two banners per topic  show on the one hand the production of palm oil, soy, paper, cocoa and mineral resources. On the other hand, the consumption banners show the opportunities for everyone to change its own  behaviour to save the rainforests.

 

The exhibition was developed by OroVerde, available printed in English and German for people from the age of 12 up. Find more information (in German) on oroverde.org



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The future we want – educational material about sustainable consumption

The educational material describes the connection between our consumption in Europe and the deforestation of the tropical rainforests. In order to give an overview of the main drivers of deforestation palm oil, paper, soy and mineral resources as well as cacao the chapters include tasks and little experiments for the pupils. Each chapter comprises facts about the topic, stories, graphs and colourful pictures. In addition, it promotes – as part of a creative competition – the development of posters and campaigns related to the protection of rainforests.

 

The material was developed by OroVerde, is available in German and is for people from the age of 12 up.



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Simulation game: Green Gold

In the Brazilian state of Acre, 1,000 ha of rainforest are to be sold and cleared. Due to protests from civil society, the Brazilian government has invited various representatives and affected people to a hearing in the region.

The materials include a teaching folder with background material, the game manual, all information about the players and also the six folders with the relevant factsheets on the various actors.

Developed by Climate Alliance fo children and youth up from 12 years, available in German



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Mineral resources– … and their negative impact on the tropical rainforest

The fact sheet focuses on the environmental impact of our mineral resource usage in Europe/Germany, especially on the consequences for the tropical rainforests. After an overview of worldwide production and consumption of mineral resources, the negative impacts on biodiversity, forests and climate change are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to the use and impact of mineral resources for the production of electric devices. The fact sheet ends with recommendations to European consumers how to contribute to a reduction of rainforest destruction and fighting unjust labor conditions.

Developed by OroVerde, available in German and English for people up from 15 years.



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Handbook about Renewable Energies

To raise awareness of the role of municipalities in energy supply as well as in energy consumption, learn about the advantages and disadvantages and the functionality of wind-, water- and solar-energy from experts as well as about citizen participation in energy production.

 

The handbook was developed by the city of Munich.



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Live a good life

Game „What do you think is really important for a good life?“

The participants play in groups of 4 to 8 people. Every group gets a game set consisting of 27 playing cards and a dice. On every card there is a graphic with a term for something that is or could be important for ones life (objects, fundamental rights, values).  In each round, as many cards as the dice shows have to be sorted out. Each group should decide together and discuss what objects or values are indispensable to life. It is diced until the final three things are left.


Developed by Ökoprojekt MobilSpiel e.V. for the City of Munich, available in German for children up from 6 years.



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Whom guided by the stars

A short movie about some people who changed their lives and left the consumer society to create a new life, to a sustainable way of life keeping the traditional values.

Whom guided by the stars
Călăuziți de stele
Akiket a csillagok vezetnek

 

Developed by Focus Eco Center, available in Romanian, Hungarian and English for people up from ten years.

It can be better

This video was made by a team in the framework of school competitions, and it shows current problems of the society and how we can help to make it better or to solve these problems. 

Developed by Focus Eco Center, available in Romanian for people up from six years.

17 goals for a better world

Climate Alliance Austria released, together with some other NGOs (Baobab, Südwind, etc.) and the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) Vienna, this brochure about the SDGs.

The brochure aims to present the important objectives. Furthermore background information, questions for discussions and links are provided. It highlights the global but also the national challenges addressed in the 17 SDGs and stimulates the discussion about what the goals mean for the society and national and international policy.


Developed by Climate Alliance Austria, available in German for people up from 16 years and adults.



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T-kit 13: Sustainability and youth work

The Council of Europe and the European Commission published a tool kit with 18 different activities in the field of eduaction for sustainablity.

Each activity contains detailed instructions, and some also provide additional background information. The last part of each activity makes some suggestions for how young people can take forward the work done in the session and begin to make a difference in their communities.

 

Developed by the Council of Europe and the EC for young people.

 

Further Information l direct download

“Your future in your hands” educational leaflet

This educational leaflet targeting children aged 10-14 years includes short interviews by six children from all around the world, representing all continents and talking about various environmental issues. They explain how they see these issues in their own personal environment and suggest improvements.

 

The Hungarian leaflet is used in local primary schools, with the aim to draw children’s attention to global environmental issues. The objective is to bring these topics closer to them, and show that they can also take an active part in handling these overarching challenges. It also demonstrates how interconnected our modern world is, how children in far-away countries think and what problems they face there.

 

Developed by IMRO, available in English and Hungarian for people from 10 to 14 years.



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Move sustainably

ZOOM campaign

The ZOOM campaign invites children all over Europe to make their daily journeys independently and in a climate-friendly way. During an activity week on sustainable mobility and climate each journey covered by foot, bike, skater, bus, train etc. counts as one "Green Footprint". That way, the children show the "big ones", what the "small ones" do to protect the global climate!


Developed by Climate Alliance, available in English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Greek for children between three and 12 years.