Make it Greener!

"<< Background >>Our project ""Make It Greener!"" connected five schools spread across Europe using five mobilities to achieve one goal: bring about the transformation of our schools to make them ""greener"", i.e. more environmentally-friendly and more sustainable. We strongly believed that we could only bring about a change in environmental awareness together, as a network following the motto ""Think globally, act locally"". The Erasmus+ project thereby only was a starting point to get expertise, to trigger change. By carrying out this project students became sustainability experts and green ambassadors, and by establishing green teams in our schools we ensured the idea of this project tobe taken to a wider audience.Within our mobilities we learnt about different aspects of sustainability using a different focus of methodology: Portugal provided an overview of the topic, zooming in on economic aspects and creating bonds within the community.Norway and Slovakia, labelled as Eco-schools, showed how to become a green school by providing best-practice examples and indicating a pathway towards that goal. Turkey already an expert on zero waste, used a creative and critical thinking approach to show where and how we can reduce waste and water usage.<< Objectives >>Using our commitment to change our mindsets towards our individual responsibilities for the future, we raised awareness of green policies. The network of schools and educators helped to change people's attitudes as we need to connect in order to solve the problem on a large scale by learning from each other. We aimed to make our students: -Understand the biggest challenges the world has to face regarding its future - Develop critical thinking towards the environment and sustainability -Identify patterns and behaviours that put sustainability at risk; - Propose and create solutions for problems they observe around them; - Be the spokespeople for this change of mindset; - Take these changes to their homes and communities; - Embrace the commitment to create a better environment.In Portugal mobility the concept of a ""circular economy"" brought an emerging perspective on sustainability creating a new mindset. Slovakia introduced the topic of “Garbage collecting and recycling” and in the workshop, students made upcycled goods from collected garbage.Turkey provided a comprehensive overview of ""Zero waste "" with a focus on issues related to sustainability and Norway addressed how we can meet future demands for clean energy.<< Implementation >>Each school was the coach to a specific topic, chosen through a questionnaire applied by all schools, and leaded a transforming process not only in its own community but also in other partners' schools. The project included 4 learning, teaching, training activities (Norway, Portugal (INETE), Slovakia, Turkey) 2 transnational project meetings (Norway, Portugal) and 1 Multiplier Event (Portugal ISG) were programmed, each with a different purpose, as kick-off and closure, depending on the progression achieved. Two TPMs, four LTTAs, one ME were planned, the teachers and staff who coordinated the project checked the work carried out, proposed improvements, evaluated the milestones achieved and set new deadlines accordingly. There were also project virtual activities (webinars via e twinning) and local activities for each school to implement within their organization such as World Environment Day, Celebrating Earth Hour, Bike to school/work everyday activity, Sustainability Days activities, ""World Clean Up Day"" event ,Global Recycling Day"", Celebrating the Earth Day.<< Results >>Students enhanced 21st-century skills like communication and problem-solving skills, feel connected in their commitment, experience self-efficacy by seeing that their action has an impact.When ""Make it Greener"" resources and outputs are integrated into the curricula, it will lead to change in consumption habits, which affect educational outcomes positively. From a wider perspective, it will contribute to the quality of sustainable living and green skills.Teachers gained more proficiency by working cross-curricular and in different teams, by developing their ICT skills e.g. using eTwinning and they became sustainability experts to guide future students to a responsible attitude towards consumption.The teachers involved in the project improved their competences in organizing and executing a complex international project. Participant organisations; With the help of this project, the participating schools achieved to be more sustainable, learn and implement more ecological and environment-friendly procedures and adopt a greener mindset in their communities.As for concrete outputs; we created a Sustainability Kit to be used as a tool for teachers who want to create a sustainable project in their school or in collaboration with other schools. The target groups of this toolkit are the students and teachers in our schools, aswell as the local communities. In order to create a more green and sustainable future, we need to act locally, while thinking globally. We also produced an academic paper where we presented the results based on the data we have collected during the project. Overall, the schools we managed to establish a wider network regionally and on a European level, which is needed to make a lasting impact. The outputs are avaliable at the project website ""www.make-it-greener.no"" under the section of Project Results."