Know your Carbon Footprint

Every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted and according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations the carbon footprint of food waste is 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. The European Union (EU) aims to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to reach the goal of "0" carbon emissions by 2050. Within the framework of the European Green Consensus, actions to reduce the carbon footprint and raise public awareness are being promoted. In this area, 85% of school teachers and pupils were found to lack knowledge, skills and behaviours on carbon footprint, global warming and sustainable development, both within the EU and beyond. Head teachers, teachers and pupils needed to be trained to learn and reduce their carbon footprint. With this project we aimed to raise awareness among teachers and pupils about the need to promote a healthy, environmentally sustainable future to ensure the survival of the species and participants learned what a carbon footprint is, how it is calculated and what they can do to reduce it.

With the implementation of the project the consortium aimed to address several objectives and to apply a holistic intervention approach in order to make participants aware of their carbon footprint. Our main priorities were to improve key competences of pupils and teachers such as language learning and the use of ICT applied to environmental issues. We also sought to build participants' confidence and potential to work towards improving environmental issues. Efforts were made to raise pupils' awareness in order to make them better citizens and more environmentally friendly. Efforts were also made to equip participants with tools to research, learn and get involved in global issues such as global warming, climate change, pollution, carbon footprint and social awareness, as well as to promote students' self-sufficient work. With this project, the aim is to motivate participants to take action to reduce their carbon footprint and to consume responsibly, thereby raising European awareness of the issue.

Reducing Carbon Footprint in Lithuania (26/09/2022 - 30/09/2022), Activity 2. Sustainable thinking in Spain (24/11/2022 - 28/11/2022), Activity 3 3R (Reuse, Recycle, Reduce) in Turkey (15/05/2023 to 19/05/2023) and Activity 4. Environmental training in France (30/01/2023- 04/02/2023). Worked with the target audience (teachers, educators, students, sustainability trainers and sustainable businesses) to raise awareness of carbon footprint issues among participants and their communities. It provided them with tools to reduce their ecological impact and worked on enhancing their motivation to reduce their carbon footprint. Participants were motivated to take an active role in environmental issues, as well as participate in promoting the use of learning and innovation as tools to encourage eco-responsible living. This was achieved through visits to innovation spaces, nature reserves, responsible consumption and production initiatives, research and monitoring centres, community projects, with a view to encouraging active participation.

During the implementation of the project, several project outputs were produced and disseminated through the project website (http://knowyourcarbonfootprint.eu/). These included the production of an illustrated booklet on carbon footprint and the project, the project communication material, a new teaching/learning approach (guide) created by the teachers involved in the project, the Know Your Carbon Footprint Magazine with relevant information on the project and news on environmental issues relevant to the public and the project. Students also created compost bins, recycling bins and a bicycle rack to encourage environmentally friendly habits among their peers through the project. A project space was also created on the eTwinning network to ensure the dissemination and replicability of the initiative. Short videos on ways to reduce the carbon footprint created by pupils (with the subsequent authorisation of their legal guardians) were also produced and disseminated. Information leaflets showing the impact of the carbon footprint of food were created.