Schooling in Sustainability project

Posted on
An educational project has launched across Europe which aims to make pupils more aware of climate change and energy efficiency by incorporating sustainability into the curriculum

The international project is aimed at creating fun and innovative learning tools for students that will help raise awareness of climate change and the importance of energy efficiency in preserving the planet and its natural resources for future generations.

Carbon Detectives is a three-year project looking to integrate the principles, values and practices of sustainable development into education and learning. The scheme aims to encourage and inspire teachers and 8-14-year-old pupils across 10 European countries to reduce the carbon footprint in schools while raising awareness of climate change and the importance of conserving energy.

The main project output will be the development of a stimulating and simple-to-use website for teachers and pupils to monitor their environmental impact. Users will learn tips and techniques to reduce their CO2 emissions through behavioural and system changes and be able to share ideas with other schools. There are two key areas impeding the advancement of sustainable energy education in schools. First, the lack of a universal learning tool that would help engage and motivate schools to be energy-efficient and second, the lack of a forum or appropriate platform for schools to share energy efficiency tips and techniques.

As a result, learning opportunities and consequently, the implementation of efficiency measures in schools are limited. Carbon Detectives aims to enhance teacher and student understanding of intelligent energy use within the context of sustainable development and climate change, and provide tools to enable schools to measure their CO2 emissions.

The project, which is being supported by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme, is also looking to enable schools to reduce their CO2 emissions through behavioural and system changes and increase understanding of the need for intelligent energy decisions to be made at European scale.

To help it achieve its objectives, Carbon Detectives has developed a user-friendly website featuring a carbon calculator that works in 10 European countries. The website is available in the national languages of all partner countries. It is also organising an international web-based competition that will encourage schools to implement their carbon action plan and share efficiency tips and techniques.

Founder members include BRE in the UK, the Hungarian Society for Environmental Education, Limerick Institute of Technology in Ireland,Focus Eco Centre in Romania and TIME-Ecoprojects Foundation in Bulgaria.

For details go to www.carbondetectiveseurope.org.