The project topic arose from the need of raising awareness about sustainable consumption for the future of the next generations.
According to the European Environment Agency, Europe consumes more resources than most other regions in the world. Unsustainable patterns of consumption threaten the sustainability of the environment and of life on earth. As teachers, we are concerned about the fact that the modern world promotes a culture of pictorial and passivity (virtual world- TV, computer, telephone). There is simplification of communication and language as well as shortness of meaning. All this leads to formatting docile consumers, conformist community members, focused on material values. The consequence of this approach is the degradation of the natural environment and human environment (grocery products, air, soil, electromagnetic smog, ubiquitous chemicals). The After having a grasp about the present situation in our countires, analyzing reports and articles about unsustainable consumption (UNEP, WHO, WFO) the project team decided that it is needed to educate the students of the tomorrow’s world in order to be more responsible about the way in which they use resources.
The coordinator prepared surveys which were applied in all partner schools, in order to measure the behaviors of the studens in frame with the problems of unsustainable consumption. According to the statistical analysis, the results show that the ideal citizen is described as being conscious, carrying his responsibility, consuming not more than his needs, behaving responsible, providing added value having healthy lifestyle. Compared to the ideal citizen having a sustainable consumption lifestyle rated with 100%, the average rates of our results among the partners are: PL: 45%, IT: 30%, RO: 35%, TR: 30%, EE: 30%. The main aim of our project is to increase the results with 20%. Our project was designed starting from threats, from the wrong habits that individuals have related to the topic, taking into consideration the current partners and the needs of each partner school related to environmental education.
The project's objectives are:
• to improve the quality of school curricula encouraging a sustainable consumption behavior through educational activities in 5 different European schools;
• creation of educational base - lesson plans, posters, book.
• enhancing the potential of teachers: mastery of ICT skills, increase in language competence and intercultural competence
• improvement of teaching reading comprehension (it is important in developing critical thinking and proper consumer choices)
• to actively involve a number of 65 students in designing an innovative interactive book that promotes environmental protection;
• o increase knowledge about sustainable consumption among 2500 students and local communities during 2 years project;
• to stimulate students’ creativity, observation skills, comparison and classification techniques;
The project has three stages. During the first stage the threats of unsustainable consumption will be analyzed. This stage will last for 3 months. In the second stage students will have to create a scenario. They are part of an international crew of the imaginary spaceship Illuminator that landed on the habitable planet called FuturEU after a 500-year-long quest for a planet and they want to start a new civilization era. They are expected to deal with the problems/threats about key themes of sustainable development – such as Healthy Living / Food / Sports; Economy; Environment / Climate change/ Environmental protection; Innovation. They will imagine and create a new civilization on FuturEU planet. The second stage of the project will last till the end of the fourth students’ exchange. In the third stage, the project outputs and results will be disseminated to the target groups.
The direct target group of our project is formed by students (9-14 years old) and teachers.
The activity of the project is divided into subtopics as follows:
PL- “Unsustainable consumption & Threats “
IT – “FUTUREU & Healthy Living & Food & Sports"
RO- "Employment & Economy"
EE- “Environment & Climate change& Environmental protection"
TR – “Education & Innovation"
The necessity of caring this project at an international scale is that it addresses global issues and is important to have a common framework of understanding of the topic as we live in a global world. The students need to be aware of the world around them and a direct experience with the contemporary issues will help them realize, compare and envisage new ideas for having a better attitude towards sustainable consumption both on a local and global scale. The project will achieve its objectives by applying the activities transnationally and by involving people from different corners of Europe.
A multicultural setting will encourage our students to broaden their horizon by looking beyond national borders.
According to the European Environment Agency, Europe consumes more resources than most other regions in the world. Unsustainable patterns of consumption threaten the sustainability of the environment and of life on earth. As teachers, we are concerned about the fact that the modern world promotes a culture of pictorial and passivity (virtual world- TV, computer, telephone). There is simplification of communication and language as well as shortness of meaning. All this leads to formatting docile consumers, conformist community members, focused on material values. The consequence of this approach is the degradation of the natural environment and human environment (grocery products, air, soil, electromagnetic smog, ubiquitous chemicals). The After having a grasp about the present situation in our countires, analyzing reports and articles about unsustainable consumption (UNEP, WHO, WFO) the project team decided that it is needed to educate the students of the tomorrow’s world in order to be more responsible about the way in which they use resources.
The coordinator prepared surveys which were applied in all partner schools, in order to measure the behaviors of the studens in frame with the problems of unsustainable consumption. According to the statistical analysis, the results show that the ideal citizen is described as being conscious, carrying his responsibility, consuming not more than his needs, behaving responsible, providing added value having healthy lifestyle. Compared to the ideal citizen having a sustainable consumption lifestyle rated with 100%, the average rates of our results among the partners are: PL: 45%, IT: 30%, RO: 35%, TR: 30%, EE: 30%. The main aim of our project is to increase the results with 20%. Our project was designed starting from threats, from the wrong habits that individuals have related to the topic, taking into consideration the current partners and the needs of each partner school related to environmental education.
The project's objectives are:
• to improve the quality of school curricula encouraging a sustainable consumption behavior through educational activities in 5 different European schools;
• creation of educational base - lesson plans, posters, book.
• enhancing the potential of teachers: mastery of ICT skills, increase in language competence and intercultural competence
• improvement of teaching reading comprehension (it is important in developing critical thinking and proper consumer choices)
• to actively involve a number of 65 students in designing an innovative interactive book that promotes environmental protection;
• o increase knowledge about sustainable consumption among 2500 students and local communities during 2 years project;
• to stimulate students’ creativity, observation skills, comparison and classification techniques;
The project has three stages. During the first stage the threats of unsustainable consumption will be analyzed. This stage will last for 3 months. In the second stage students will have to create a scenario. They are part of an international crew of the imaginary spaceship Illuminator that landed on the habitable planet called FuturEU after a 500-year-long quest for a planet and they want to start a new civilization era. They are expected to deal with the problems/threats about key themes of sustainable development – such as Healthy Living / Food / Sports; Economy; Environment / Climate change/ Environmental protection; Innovation. They will imagine and create a new civilization on FuturEU planet. The second stage of the project will last till the end of the fourth students’ exchange. In the third stage, the project outputs and results will be disseminated to the target groups.
The direct target group of our project is formed by students (9-14 years old) and teachers.
The activity of the project is divided into subtopics as follows:
PL- “Unsustainable consumption & Threats “
IT – “FUTUREU & Healthy Living & Food & Sports"
RO- "Employment & Economy"
EE- “Environment & Climate change& Environmental protection"
TR – “Education & Innovation"
The necessity of caring this project at an international scale is that it addresses global issues and is important to have a common framework of understanding of the topic as we live in a global world. The students need to be aware of the world around them and a direct experience with the contemporary issues will help them realize, compare and envisage new ideas for having a better attitude towards sustainable consumption both on a local and global scale. The project will achieve its objectives by applying the activities transnationally and by involving people from different corners of Europe.
A multicultural setting will encourage our students to broaden their horizon by looking beyond national borders.