WHAT IS THE GREEN HOMES PROGRAMME
Green Homes is an educational programme for families concerned about the environmental and social impact of their decisions and daily habits. This initiative helps them in the process of change towards a more responsible management of their home: Promoting control of domestic consumption of water and energy. Introducing water and energy saving measures and behaviours. Helping to make shopping more ethical and green. While the focus of the Green Homes Programme is for families, in reality it can be implemented with virtually any type of group, adapting the methodology and educational materials to the profile of the participants. In this guide we offer variations of the Programme for three different groups: groups at risk of social exclusion, schools and associations.
a. Green Homes Programme for schools: The Green Homes Programme can be developed in the same way and using the same methodology in schools as with families. The objectives of the Programme in schools are: Promote the implementation of Green Homes Programme in schools. Provide teachers with tools and resources to act as environmental educators. Promote ecological values encouraging changes in behaviour patterns and strengthening behaviours that contribute to mitigate climate change. Educate families and teachers to develop responsible consumption habits, thus promoting rational and sustainable use of natural resources. Provide parents with skills and strategies for the education of their children, strengthening their responsibility in acquiring key skills and achieving educational success. Foster communication, participation and teamwork of the educational community. The Green Homes Programme was created as a proposal to find alternative spaces and times, for both families and the educational community, in relation to the sustainable management of the schools and homes of families and teachers. Thus, although the implementation of the Programme is done at schools, students, their families and teachers can transfer their learning to their homes, amplifying the results and exchanging experiences. The topics covered in the Green Homes Programme in schools are the same as when working with families, accompanying the participants in the transformation of their schools and their homes, with the aim of achieving a more responsible and sustainable management .
b. Green Homes Programme for associations: The Green Homes Programme can also be organized with associations, the objectives and methodology can stay exactly the same as with families. The only difference is that when conducting meetings, environmental audits as well as any other activity, the technicians of the Green Homes Programme will coordinate their work with the contact person from the participant entity and the entity in turn will be responsible for inviting and motivating participants, as well as it will be co-responsible of Programme monitoring. Also, the contact person will provide the technicians of Green Homes Programme with the profile of the participants: their expectations, prior knowledge, etc., so that the technicians can adjust the methodology and educational materials to the group characteristics.
c. Green Homes Programme for groups at risk of social exclusion: Saving energy and water and their efficient use in general is an issue of crucial importance in all countries, which has been reinforced by the economic crisis. In this situation, the groups at risk of social exclusion face a higher risk of fuel poverty, so saving and efficient resource management are key factors to improving their economic situation and therefore to reducing their vulnerability. Waste is another emerging issue in developed and developing countries and in the consumer society in which we live. The groups, however, at risk of social exclusion often do not think about the waste they produce when making shopping. Waste reduction would not involve any financial effort on their part, but nevertheless would have a positive impact on the environment. There are even more reasons for organizing Green Homes Programme with groups at risk of social exclusion: One of the characteristics of these groups is low level of information and awareness on climate change, the consequences of the high consumption of energy from fossil fuels, waste related issues and the importance of efficient use of water. Most of these people lack basic information on these issues, which have reached the rest of the population through various local campaigns and the media. This lack of information is directly related to low levels of education, poor access to technology, often with a reduced understanding of the local language (in the case of immigrant, minorities and semi-illiterate locals), advanced age for the elderly, intellectual, physical or sensory disability. Taking into account the economic difficulties these groups face, they tend to prioritize other issues over the environment. These groups often rely on different types of social assistance, depending on their specific situation and needs. This assistance ranges from representing their interests and organising activities (e.g. in the case of intellectual or sensory disabilities etc.), training for employment and improvement of social skills (e.g. the long-term unemployed, immigrant women), temporary accommodation and assistance to meet the basic needs, such as food, housing and education (victims of gender based violence, children living in supervised housing, immigrant women with dependent children, the homeless, etc. ) to detoxification programmes and labor insertion (as in the case of drug dependencies). In many cases they are highly motivated to learn about saving energy, water and waste. This motivation is often reinforced by the context of isolation in which they find themselves and the monotony of their daily lives, which makes any different activity on different topic of great interest. Based on the reasons explained above, the Green Homes Programme has the following benefits for groups at risk of social exclusion: The Programme provides training and practical recommendations for saving energy and water as well as reducing waste, thus helping to reduce their bills and therefore improves their economic situation, which is often precarious. It improves their training and education in relation to environmental problems such as climate change, water scarcity, desertification, waste generation, etc.; allowing them to be closer to the level of the general population and therefore to be able to relate to other groups that are not at risk of social exclusion (improving their social and labor insertion). It fosters their self-esteem, commitment and the acquisition of values. Self- esteem is strengthened because in the Programme the participants can share their knowledge, making them feel useful. The commitment is strengthened by the Green Homes methodology, where it is permanently pointed out that the objective of the Programme is
to achieve collective challenges. The values are strengthened by promoting the respect for the environment and saving resources, even in cases where there is no financial motivation. For some participants the knowledge and awareness gained in the Programme will give them an ‘eco advantage on the labor marketing’, allowing them to demonstrate ‘added value’ at their job interviews. The methodology of Green Homes Programme when working with groups at risk of social exclusion is the same as with families, schools and associations, adapting the educational materials to the characteristics of the group. The programme delivery organization is made the same way as in the case of partnerships with associations, that is, when organising meetings and environmental audits as well as any activity that may arise, the technicians of the Programme coordinate their work with the responsible person from the organisation or association representing the collective that the Programme is working with. This person is responsible for inviting and motivating the participants and is co-responsible for monitoring the programme and providing the Green Homes technician with information on the profile of participants: their expectations, previous knowledge, etc. There have also been cases in which entities working with groups at risk of social exclusion, have trained their own technicians to take advantage of their regular visits to implement the Green Homes Programme. This methodology is used, for example, by the Red Cross in Spain, which makes regular home visits to accompany the elderly.
1. Phases of Green Homes Programme: The Green Homes Programme has three phases, which are conducted in three consecutive years. • • •
In the first phase, participants face the challenge of saving a significant amount of water and energy in their home. For participants who chose to stay in the Programme, in a second phase, a more respectful way to consume is proposed. The third phase consists of workshops and practical activities that provide more in depth information on the issues discussed during the first two phases.
Sometimes the structure of the project does not allow to work for three consecutive years, as there is funding only for a shorter period, usually one year. In this case, Green Homes Programme can be adapted to a shorter duration, addressing all issues during the same year and dividing the workshops or meetings on topics of energy and climate change, water, responsible consumption and sustainable mobility. In this case, domestic savings kit (explained below) can include elements corresponding to all three phases of the Programme.
2. Challenges of Green Homes Programme: In the first phase, participants receive a simple yet ambitious collective challenge: Reduce domestic CO2 emissions by 10% within two years. Reduce between 6 and 10% domestic consumption of water, depending on the type of housing. The consumption of water and energy in households is very significant. To give an example, in Spain the citizens are directly responsible for 30% of the energy consumption and 10% of the water consumption. These statistics provide a reason to promote change for more sustainable and equal use of collective resources. These changes will have two positive consequences: for the wallet as it will reduce the energy and water bills, and for society, as the reduced consumption of resources helps to maintain the environment healthier. During the second phase the participants of the previous phase are offered to continue with new challenges: Exclude from the shopping list at least two products harmful to environment and/or health. Exclude from the shopping at least at least two superfluous products. Include or strengthen new criteria when choosing what to buy: prioritise local products, avoid overpackaging, etc‌ The main objectives of this second phase of the Programme are: to make the participating families more aware of the effects of their consumption decisions; teach them to plan what they really need; phase out products wasteful and harmful for the environment or their own health; and opt increasingly for healthier and more ethical products. The ultimate goals of the third phase are: Maintain the responsible consumption habits obtained during the previous phases. Analyse the evolution of water and energy consumption in their household during the programme. With these objectives the Programme intends to incorporate and internalise attitudes and habits worked on throughout the programme in the daily lives of the participants. If the Green Homes Programme is conducted in a single phase, the objectives to be achieved in the three editions can be condensed in one year. In this case some of the proposed challenges can be reduced.
3. Practical organization of the Green Homes Programme
a. Dissemination of the programme and recruitment of the participants To apply for participation in the Programme the interested families must fill in an application form, attached to the Green Homes leaflet (do not confuse with initial questionnaire). This application form contains the basic data of each household, which some selection criteria if necessary (type of housing, number of residents in the home, existence of individual water meters, etc.). Leaflet also informs the possible participants about the objectives and duration of the Programme, the commitments made by each party involved and ways to contact the technician who will "provide tutoring" to the group. Examples of leaflets used by various Spanish organizations:
Personal data
More information:
Green Homes 2009
Full name
CENEAM National Centre of
A participatory environmental
Address
Environmental Education
programme from your home
Postal Code and City
Ester Bueno 921 473 883
“Before changing the world, first walk
Phone number Send the inscription form before
around your home three times” Organized by:
Chinese proverb
We consume important amounts of
You have an opportunity to participate
Data of the household:
energy and water in our homes. This
in a collective challenge together with
Number of habitants
makes our homes the perfect stage for
other Segovian families:
Type of housing:
promotion of more reasonable and just
-To reduce your CO2 emissions by 5.2%
house,
usage of these collective resources.
(According to protocol of Kyoto)
house, Detached house
We want to invite a group of Segovian
- To reduce your water consumption by
Approximate floor area (m ):
families to participate in a programme
6-10%
promoting responsible usage of water
As the coordinators of the programme
31.05.2009 to the entity organising Green Homes near your place of residency. The neighbors from Segovia should send their form to:
and energy in their homes, which will have a positive impact on their economy reducing the bills as well as will help save the common resources, which in turn will translate into healthier environment.
we promise: -Quarterly meetings where we will provide you useful and practical information for reduction of your water and energy consumption. These
Flat,
Attached
Semi-detached 2
Garden: Yes No? Heating system is: individual, communal? What is the main heating system in your home? (Mark only one) I don´t have one Radiators Underfloor
The great advantage of the programme
meetings will be celebrated in different
heating FireplaceHeater
is that it will not affect your well-being,
municipalities.
Do you have water metre:
as it is possible to reduce the energy and
-Personalized attention through email
water consumption through simple
and phone to solve all your doubts.
actions and small changes in habits.
Yes
No?
-Materials with information and simple
CENEAM – The National Environmental
tools for saving
Education Centre – together with some
The families promise:
local town councils are starting the GREEN HOMES programme, and promise to provide families with all the resources needed for the implementation of the programme, as
-
form -
To attend the meetings
-
Provide their consumption data (which will be kept
well as to realize follow up and support families in the changes in their households.
We are looking for families wanting to improve
To send in the application
confidential) -
To fill in questionnaires for the follow up
Participate
Green Homes
their economy and help the planet. It doesn´t matter if your family is big or small, you can be living even alone, you can still participate in this free programme. All you need is not to have planned to change your place of residence in some time. Benefits for the participants: 1. Assistance to informative meetings and practical sessions with advices to reduce your water and energy consumption, waste you produce and economic savings. 2. Materials of the programme: Domestic savings kit, information sheets, best practices guide. 3. Personalised consultation and follow up service for one year to solve your doubts and get you started to save and reduce your bills. 4. And all of this is totally free.
The planet and your wallet will be thankful
Participate: You will save on your bills and help the conservation of the environment
For further information on how to join the programme, contact: hogaresverdes@columbares.org
60% of the emissions come from our the daily activities of the families We, the citizens, can help reduce them by responsible behaviours. We want to promote a change of habits in the homes of the municipality of Murcia, in different areas such as water consumption, energy, transport, waste, consumption etc., to prove that simple measures can achieve energy and cost
Reusable bag for all your shopping Air conditioner in summer… better at 24 degrees
Domestic savings kit Tools that will help you save
Go by bicycle… Good for planet, perfect
Some of the objects given to the
for your legs
participants for free and economic
Energy saving light bulb – the ideas are equally bright and it consumes less Better shower than bath Leaking tap – bad idea
options for all. Low consumption light bulbs: last longer and reduce the consumption of electricity a lot: 80%
savings without reducing the wellbeing and contribute simultaneously to the
Standby- ugly idea. Consumes and does
Weather-stripping: Install them on doors
conservation of the environment.
nothing
and windows thus improving the
Public transportation – good idea 1.
waste and increase recycling 2.
isolation. 6%
Reduce by 10% the generation of Reduce by 10% the consumption of
This one consumes less
Bags for tank to be placed in the WC tank 1.5 litres per discharge
energy 3. 4.
Reduce by 10% the consumption of
Power strips with master switch:
water
connect your electric devices and turn
Reduce by 8% the CO2 emission
them off when you don´t need them
(main cause of climate change) 5.
Improve the economy of the households by better usage of the resources
6. Improve the quality of life in the town by better usage of energy and better waste management
Aerators: place them on tap to reduce the water consumption 30% Low-flow shower heads: Place them in the shower 50% Thermometer: To maintain the best temperature in the house: (19 -21 degrees in winter/ 24 – 25 degrees in summer). 8%
The technicians should maintain a data base with the information on all the participants and their personal data, as it can be useful for organizing the meetings, and unique code for each participant, to identify their questionnaires and guarantee their confidentiality.
We have tried different ways to disseminate the information on the Programme to people who might be interested in participating. Depending on the type of locality (city, rural territory, etc.), the media used should be different. I.
In case of a city:
Posters and brochures placed in the busiest places in the city (markets, pedestrian streets, cultural centres, sports centres, etc.). Mailing to the Parent Associations of local schools. Letters to people that have participated in other educational activities organized by the entity that wants to promote the Programme. Presentations of the Programme in civic associations, training courses, schools, citizen participation events, etc.). Informational stand in shopping centres. Information in social networks and web Information on the web and social networks. II.
In rural territories:
The recruitment of participants is easier due to the close relationship that people tend have with the technicians that organise the Programme. In any case, it is easier to inform people, with posters and brochures placed at key meeting points and presentations for target groups or community leaders. III.
In schools:
The best way how to reach schools is to contact the management team and the Parent Teacher Associations, Student Associations or similar institution, to inform them about the Programme opportunity. It is advisable to hold an informative meeting at school and provide a kindergarten service for the youngest children, so the families are able to participate in the meeting. It is also essential to have the commitment and support of both teachers and nonteaching personal. IV.
With citizen associations:
When working with associations, first it is recommended to organise a communication campaign directed at the selected type of entities, and, where appropriate, municipal services working within the relevant sectors. For example, if you are planning to work with groups at risk of social exclusion, in addition to contacting social organisations, you should contact Municipal Social Services and other municipal agencies that provide assistance to the target groups (day centres for seniors, shelters for immigrant women and victims of gender violence, supervised apartments for minors, juvenile prisons, multipurpose centres for people with disabilities, etc.). You can send them a presentation of the project including a brief description, its objectives, activities, duration, commitments made by each party involved and ways to contact the technician who will "provide tutoring" to the group. After an initial expression of interest, you should arrange a meeting with the representatives of the organizations to explain the Programme and evaluate the real possibilities of its implementation in their organisation, depending on the profile of their users who and the commitment the social educators and technical personal of the entity are willing to accept. This is extremely important, because to ensure the success of the Programme when working with civic associations, it is essential to have involvement of a contact person from the partner entity. To design the partnership with a high degree of involvement, since the partner entity will be responsible for convening and motivating its members and will be co-responsible, along
with the Green Homes technician for the monitoring of the Programme. This person will also provide detailed information to the Green Homes technician on the profile of participants, their expectations, prior knowledge, etc., so that the technician can adjust the methodology and educational materials to the characteristics of the group.
b. The methodology of Green Homes Programme: The working methodology of the Green Homes Programme consists of organising regular meetings or workshops with families (or with other groups) in which the participants work on the various issues addressed by the Programme: saving energy and water, responsible consumption and sustainable mobility. Furthermore, at the first meetings, the participants will receive a domestic savings kit, which is explained to them. During this first meeting the families are invited to complete an initial questionnaire, which contains data of their energy and water consumption from the year before the Programme and their consumption and mobility habits. At the end of the Programme, families complete the final questionnaire, providing data on the energy and water consumption during the year of participation in the Programme, and their consumption and mobility habits. In this way, the organisers can evaluate the energy and water savings and changes in habits. As a variation to the traditional methodology, organisers can conduct environmental audits (eco-audits) in the homes of participating families, schools and local civic associations. In continuation the methodology of different parts of the Programme is explained in detail: I.
Environmental audits
Environmental audits are an instrument that involves environmental assessment and improvement of housing, offices of civic associations or schools, inviting people to reflect on the consumption of natural resources, waste production, contamination, our relationship with other living beings and spatial planning; detecting errors in management, applying corrective measures to increase and improve the environmental quality of housing, offices or schools and their immediate surroundings. As discussed above, the audits are not part of the general Green Homes methodology, but represent a modification and additional activity which provides more personalised information on how to save energy, water and residues at home, school or office and have more sustainable consumption and mobility habits. If the Green Homes Programme includes audits, they should take place at the beginning of the Programme, so subsequent meetings and workshops will serve to strengthen and expand the ideas that have been pointed out during in the audit. Depending on human and economic resources, audits can be done individually in each of the participating households (maximum degree of customisation of the recommendations for saving energy, water and waste) or for a group (either at the headquarters of the partner organization, or in one household inviting several families). If the audit is conducted for a group, the trainer has to give recommendations for the different situations that may occur in houses (for example, providing information about different heating systems, water heaters, etc.), so that all participants can transfer these recommendations to their homes. Environmental audit in schools consists of a number of activities to find out the energy the school uses for lighting, heating, etc.; What are the characteristics of different types of energy
(where do they come from, how do they arrive to the school, what are their environmental impacts), and finally we find out if the energy is used wisely. A protocol for conducting audits is offered in homes and schools are explained in detail: 1. Environmental audits in households: The protocol for environmental audits in homes can be used in audits in associations. In this case, if the office does not have all the usual characteristics of a house (kitchen, bathrooms, dining room and living room), the audit can be completed with a power-point presentation containing images of equipment or consumption points of energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation in the missing rooms. For example, one of the most common cases is that the office lacks a kitchen, but this can be solved easily by projecting some images of a fridge, a washing machine, a microwave oven...). The proposed protocol can be adapted depending on the type of housing and the region where the Programme is implemented. Protocol - script of key questions and tips to conduct an environmental audit in a household: 1.
Kitchen / the laundry room General questions: • • • • •
Take a look at the lighting. Advice using energy efficient light bulbs. LED is the best option, but fluorescent light bulbs and downlights can be used if LED are not available. What do the habitants do with the leftover oil after cooking? Advice to collect it in a closed jar and either bring it to recycling centre (if one exists) or make soap from it. How do the habitants wash their fruit and vegetables? Advice to use a bowl. Important: cover the pans and pots when cooking; adjust the size of the pot/pan to the size of the heat source. Ceramic hob: use the residual heat.
Q & A related to the dish washing: •
Is there a dishwasher? o NO: How do they wash the dishes? One sink for the soaping and other for rinsing (a bowl can be used as well). o YES: How do they use the dishwasher? Economic programme, fully loaded, rinse with dishwasher, not by hands, if possible (see instructions of the dishwasher), use low water temperature and let the dishes air dry.
Q & A related to the fridge: • • •
Does the refrigerator form frost? If so, defrost regularly. Does it close hermetically? If not, change the seals. When placing the food inside the fridge: o Cover the liquids and wrap the food (to avoid liberating moistness and overwork the fridge). o Allow the products to cool before putting them in the refrigerator and freezer. o Thaw the products by placing them in the refrigerator the night before (the cold given off is used by the fridge and in this case it is not necessary to use oven or microwave oven) or by placing them at room temperature. Never under the tap.
• •
Where is it located in the kitchen? It should be placed away from heat sources and be slightly separated from the wall to ensure aeration. When buying a new fridge, advice choosing one with automatic humidity control and energy class A+++.
Q & A related to the oven: • • •
How do they check if the food is done? Open only when absolutely necessary, because 20% of the energy is lost when the over door is opened. Use light and the glass door instead. For small amounts of food it is better to use toaster oven or microwave oven with grill function. When buying new oven or gas furnace: advice choosing one with automatic electric ignition to save gas. Q & A related to the washing machine:
•
How do they use the washing machine? At full load, better with cold water, do not tumble dry, if possible. Q & A related to the waste:
•
• •
Do they separate the waste? Speak about the recycling and the need to bring electric appliances, furniture, batteries, electronic devices, etc. to the recycling point. Do they use disposable products of (paper towels, paper table covers, plastic cups and plates, etc.) often? Change them for their reusable versions. Do they think about the type and quantity of food wrapping? It is better to buy in bulk or in recyclable wrapping, reduce the use of polystyrene, plastic bags and avoid aluminum. Do they consume bottled water or use water filters? Explain the residues generated from buying bottled water and explain the alternatives. Important: Reduce the use of batteries and use rechargeable batteries. Where do they usually do their shopping? Better buy local (less transport, more local development), ecological and fair trade. Explain shortly fair trade and ecological products. Speak about composting.
2.
Bathroom
• • • • •
General questions: • •
Have you ever checked your household for water leaks? Only thing you have to do is to read the metre before going to bed and in the morning. Tip: Close the stopcock slightly and always close the main stopcock when leaving your house for a trip. Q & A related to the sink:
• •
How do they brush their teeth, hands and how do they shave? Turn off the tap; for teeth use a glass and fill the sink to shave. If they are going to change the taps, suggest choosing mono-bloc (save water and energy) with upper limitation of flow and standard opening position being “cold”. If not, use temperature regulators with thermostat. Q & A related to the shower:
• •
How frequently do they take a bath? Shower is better. Do they collect the cold water that comes out from the shower before showering? Use a bucket.
Q & A related to the WC: • • •
Do they have a paper bin in WC? Throw everything possible there, including toilet paper. Do they know how to check if their tank is losing water? Put a couple of drops of ink or food coloring in the tank. If after 15 minutes the water in the accumulating in the toilet bowl has changed color, the tank is losing water. Important: use white toilet paper, without chemical substances. It is easier to treat it.
DEMONSTRATION OF WATER CONSUMPTION WITH AND WITHOUT AERATORS DEMONSTRATION OF LOW-CONSUMPTION SHOWER HEAD 3.
Living room/Dining room Q & A related to the windows:
• • • •
How are the windows and doors isolated? Check for leaks. If they change the windows suggest double glazing windows. How long to they open the windows for the air to change? 10 min. are enough. Do they have any element that protects the house from sun? Install curtains and blinds or white reflective sheeting on windows and awnings on the outside. In summer, keep blinds and curtains half way down during the day and open at night; in winter do it the other way around. Q & A related to lighting:
• • •
Do they clean their light bulbs? It should be done. Important: Use the natural light any time it is possible and turn the lights off when they are not necessary. Speak about incandescent bulbs, low consumption light bulbs and LED. Q & A related to heating:
• • •
What temperature do they keep in winter in their homes? Between 19-21ºC (in bedrooms this temperature can be 3 - 5ºC lower). Do they have central heating? If so, o Do they bleed the radiators? o Do they do the periodic maintenance? Cleaning of the filters. For any type of heating: Do not block it and clean it periodically. Q & A related to the air conditioning:
•
Do they have air conditioning? o YES. At what temperature do they usually set it? Between 25-26ºC. Hint: Complement the air conditioning with a ventilator (better distribution of the air). o NO. If they are planning to install it: place it in shadow, preferably in the northern side, if not possible: place a small roof over it that gives it a shadow. Choose class A. Q & A related to electronic appliances:
•
Do they turn off the stand-by? Explain the ghost consumption and advice using power strips with switch
• •
Do they leave the mobile phone charger plugged in constantly or do they charge the phone over night? Relate this to the timers. Do they leave computer and monitor turned on for a long periods of time? Do they turn off the monitor when switching off the computer? Turn it off when it is not being used, and programme to go into hibernation after 5 minutes of inactivity.
DEMONSTRATION OF A MEASUREMENT OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF VARIOUS ELECTRIC APPLIENCES AND VARIOUS TYPES OF LIGHT BULBS. DEMONSTRATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHT BULBS. 4.
Garden
• • •
How do they clean their garden? Using a broom, not a hose. What type of plants de they have? Better local ones. Do they have lawn? It is better to use ground cover plants (protect the soil from erosion, limit the evaporation, reduce the growth of the weeds and do not need a lot of care); if they want lawn, it should be a mix of resistant species with lower need for maintenance. When do they water their plants? Early in the morning or late in the evening, one can use water collected from the shower, water from cooking, etc. How do they water the plants? Better drip irrigation, there are programmemable versions. Tip if the garden is big with many plants. Set up a rain water collecting cistern. Do they have a pool? o YES. Do they cover it during the winter? Cover it to protect water from getting dirty and avoid changing it in the beginning of the summer. What´s the lighting system used in the garden? Speak about solar lamps and photosensitive lamps.
• • • • •
5.
Mobility
•
Speak a bit about sustainable mobility. Compare the same using different means of transportation. Speak about low emission vehicles found in the market. o Important: chose a vehicle adapted to the needs, taking into account the consumption and emission data. Some tips for efficient driving: o Circular with the highest gear possible and at low rpm. o Circular at moderate speed and avoid sudden braking and acceleration. o When slowing down, let the car roll braking only when necessary. o The extra weight, air conditioning, a roof rack and circulation with windows open increases fuel consumption. o Heat the car for more than 30 seconds is ineffective. o Maintenance of the vehicle.
• •
2. Environmental audits in schools. To perform an environmental audit in schools, it is more appropriate to use an interdisciplinary approach, since the topics of the audit are present in all educational areas and form part of the school life. The audit is motivating because it implies a possible resolution of environmental problems in the centre, contributing to an improvement of the school. Finally, the audit should be active and participatory. Last but not least, it is necessary to consider local environmental problems, promoting individual and group involvement of students, teachers and parents. Protocol - script to perform an environmental audit in a school: During the first phase the educator approaches the students and ascertains their preconceptions in addition to introducing the subjects to study (energy, water, waste, etc.). For the audit it is important that the participants know the school well. For this reason one of the first activities is to get to know different dependencies of the school, its distribution and the used given to every space. It helps to plan the audit better and allows the participants to form an idea of the characteristics and dimensions of the questions dealt with. To do this, we can deliver to every student a plan of the centre where they will have to place (preferably in small groups and during a short walk through the school) the various departments: classrooms, laboratories, offices, toilets, storage spaces, etc ... and all elements related to, for example, energy: boiler, transformer, meters, light bulbs, radiators, different types of machines, etc. They should take into account not only the space and its uses but also the ventilation, orientation, etc... We end this phase by sharing of the plans and an open debate in which we observe the ideas students have on the energy use and consumption. We can also ask each student to fill in a short questionnaire about their own energy consumption habits. Later we can ask them to fill in the questionnaire once more in order to observe possible changes in attitudes and habits. We can establish three blocks of activities: • Block I: What kind and how much energy the school uses? • Block II: What are the characteristics of different types of energy we use at school? • Block III: How do we use energy in our school? To facilitate this work sheets and questionnaires should be used. In a second phase we collect the data, systemize and analyse it. Finally we draw conclusions and proposals for the development of the action plan. After thinking about the results, the group develops some proposals to rationalise and improve the use of energy in the centre from the environmental point of view, which are later sent to the Environmental Committee (or Board of Governors) of the school, which will be responsible for drafting a final report with PLAN OF ACTION and a CODE OF CONDUCT to be agreed by all.
II.
1.
Meetings or workshops:
Timing of the meetings:
The frequency of the meetings can vary, depending on the duration of the Programme. If the Programme is annual (calendar year) meetings of presentation of each topic can be done quarterly. In addition, the participants can be proposed to take part involuntary additional meetings or workshops for those who would like to obtain more information. The invitation to the meetings can be done by email and by making a confirmation call a few days before the meeting. The ability to offer a kindergarten service parallel to the meetings is a key element to facilitate assistance, given the family nature of the Programme. As an example, we propose a possible schedule of meetings and issues to be addressed in each of them: • Saving water and energy: o o o o
1st Meeting: Presentation of the module. Saving energy at home. 2nd Meeting: Saving water at home. 3rd Meeting: Transport and sustainable mobility. 4th Meeting: Final evaluation and a celebration.
• Responsible consumption: o o o o
1st Meeting: Presentation of the module. Ecological agriculture and farming. 2nd Meeting: Where to find the products that interest us. Consumer groups. 3rd Meeting: Fair trade and ethical shopping. 4th Meeting: Final evaluation and a celebration.
• The workshops module: o o o o o
1st Meeting: Presentation of the module. Home composting. 2nd Meeting: Organic farming practices. 3rd Meeting: Efficient driving. 4th Meeting: Development of natural products for cleaning and personal hygiene. 5th Meeting: Final evaluation and a celebration.
Keep in mind that this proposed schedule is highly variable, as it depends on the length of Programme, availability and characteristics of the group, prior knowledge and expectations, etc. For example, in the case of groups at risk of social exclusion with limited financial capacity, it is preferable to place more emphasis on saving energy and water, waste reduction and management, sustainable mobility habits and responsible shopping from the point of view of consuming local products. In these cases, you can introduce ecological agriculture and farming as well as fair trade, but they are likely to be unaffordable for these groups because these products are generally more expensive that their alternatives. The same situation may arise in countries where the supply of such products is limited or nonexistent. Therefore, flexibility and adaptation to the reality of the territory and the needs and characteristics of the group is vital to ensure not only the success and usefulness of the Programme, but the motivation of the participants as well.
In the event that the Programme lasts only one year, the organizers should increase the frequency of meetings and workshops, for example once a month, to deal with all the issues. When working with schools or civic associations school or organization should be responsible for inviting the participants. 2.
Organization of meetings on WATER, ENERGY AND MOBILITY:
It is important to take into account that at the first meeting, before speaking about energy saving at home, there should be a space for attendees to present themselves. In the case of working with groups at risk of social exclusion these presentations should be guided by the Green Homes trainer: after presenting himself/herself the trainer will invite the participant to tell their name and add, for example "something you'd like to learn" or something "you do well" or "something you teach the rest". Thus the organizers can avoid uncomfortable situations and presentations that do not bring anything to the Programme, when participants tell their problems to the others and explain why they are facing a situation of social vulnerability. The trainer must provide a comprehensive introduction to the Programme and deliver the domestic savings kit. Finally, there should be space for the participants to express their opinions and ask questions. To facilitate the presentation of issues related to saving water and energy and sustainable mobility the trainer can use power-point presentations, videos, simulation games or any other fun and participatory activity. 3.
Organization of meetings on CONSUMPTION:
In the consumption module you can invite some local producers or marketers to directly what the organic farming and fair trade is, or how a group of green consumption works. In the first session, the participants receive a bag of commodities from ecological agriculture or farming, fair trade products and local products, to allow participants to familiarise with the options available nearby. In the remaining sessions, organized as workshops, participants will be encouraged to research and test new products, even order them together, to achieve the objectives of the Programme. Other topics related responsible consumption issues can be included in the workshops as well, such as technology, clothing, etc. considering the earlier mentioned idea of taking into account the characteristics of the group and the need for adaptation of the contents, so that they are useful for the needs and purchasing power of the group. Non-formal activities, such as role play, group dynamics, etc., during which the participants think about their consumption habits are very useful. The topics of these activities can the difference between buying in the local market or supermarkets; social, environmental and economic consequences of each alternative; the importance of labeling... This applies to any other product like clothing, technology, etc.
Finally, it is important to note that apart from the contact with participants during the meetings, periodic monitoring and contact is recommended, via telephone, e-mail, personal visits, etc., and maintain an open communication links, such as email or a Facebook group where the group can receive updated information, invitations to interesting events, etc. When working with schools or associations, this responsibility can be given to the contact person in the participant entity, who will be responsible for follow up with the participants and intermediary between them and the Green Homes technician, informing about developments and possible doubts. 4.
Energizing the workshops
Maintaining the methodology of the Programme, it is recommended to give the participants a product or item that facilitates and encourage savings: solar or dynamo flashlight, natural hygiene or cleaning products. It is also useful to perform some recreational activity that combines several of the issues discussed during the Programme. For example, you can make cycling tour visiting various shops for ecological, fair trade and local products, markets, thus combining sustainable mobility and responsible consumption. This proposal is particularly useful in the cases when Programme has been developed with various associations independently, allowing the participants from different entities to meet and exchange their experiences. 5.
Educational materials: I.
Domestic savings kit:
The domestic savings kit consists of a series of tools and devices that help families to save energy, water and reduce and manage their waste and improve their consumption habits. It is very important to convey that although the kit can help them in the process, the most important thing is to change their consumption habits. The kit is delivered in the start of each of the first two phases of the Programme, during the first two consecutive years. The first year the participants receive a kit for saving energy, water and mobility is delivered, while the second year they receive a kit related to responsible consumption. If the programme lasts only a year, the delivery of the kit can be done in two phases as well, so that the second kit coincides with the start of the meetings or workshops on consumption. Thus, the participants remain motivated to stay in the Programme to receive the second kit. If the Programme is implemented with organisations, the number of kits can be adapted to the characteristics of the group. For example, in the case of associations whose users go to the office of the association just for a few hours, we can choose to provide a kit per household; while in shelters, prisons, with drug rehabilitation centres, etc., we can deliver one or more kits for the centres in which they users live. Finally, in the case of schools, we may choose to deliver either a kit for the centre, if the evaluation of the consumption takes place in the centre itself, or provide savings kits for selected parents and teachers, which may apply simultaneously saving devices and recommendations of the in their homes.
An example of domestic savings kit that can be delivered to the participants in each of the two modules is offered in the continuation. However, this kit can be adapted to the economic possibilities of the project, the characteristics of the territory and the profile of participants. Example of domestic savings kit for the first phase of the Programme: “Saving water, energy and mobility”: To be coherent with the philosophy of the Programme, the materials for the domestic savings kits should be bought in local establishments, so that any participant in the Programme can buy any product from the kit locally, if they choose so, without any complications and promoting local trade. As a guideline, we offer a content of an example domestic savings kit, costing around 50 EUR Light bulb: OSRAM DULUX SUPERSTAR 16W/827 LUMILUX Warm White Digital thermometer: TFA/Germany Shower head: TRES nº 913472906. Aerator: Bossini nº R000060030035 IDEA(Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy) guide (in Spanish):http://dl.idae.es/Publicaciones/11046%20Guia%20Practica%20Energia%203%20 Ed.rev%20y%20actualizada%20A2011.pdf Sheets with recommendations for saving energy and water and to a more sustainable transportation (attached below). Magnets, stickers, bookmarks, or other materials that can help remind the recommendations, tips and tasks. Possible materials to be included in the kit for water and energy savings and sustainable mobility.
MATERIALS
You can also include other materials in the kit, such as LED, timer, multiple power strip with switch, flow restrictor for the shower, solar flashlight, standby eliminator, etc ... always taking into account our target group and economic resources available. Examples of stickers included in the savings kit
Better between 24 – 26 oC Decide what you want before you opening it Better with cold water and fully loaded Turn off the stand-by when you are not using me
I´m not a garbage bin Turn me off and don´t pay The fuller the better Better between 20 – 21 oC
Not a garbage bin Ghost consumption. Turn me off! Always full and with cold water
Example of the alternative shopping cart for the second phase of the Programme: “Responsible consumption” The "alternative shopping cart" helps the participants to become familiar with different types everyday consumer goods, is valued at about 20 EUR and consists of: • • • • • •
½ kilo of locally produced organic meat. 1 packet of legumes of a local variety. 1 packet of organic and fair trade coffee. 1 tablet of fair trade chocolate. 1 packet of ecological rice. 1 microfiber dishcloth that reduces the use of cleaning products.
As noted above, the contents of the basket can be changed considerably to adapt to the reality of the local reality and the profile of the group. For example, in the case of groups at risk of social exclusion it can be more useful to provide bags for selective waste separation, since often the their level of awareness in this area is low, as well as cleaning products prepared from natural products such as soap, vinegar or lemon, food products purchased in bulk at local markets or shops, etc. Besides being associated with responsible consumption these products also help reduce waste generation and improve the economy of the participants, which is often very precarious. Similarly, the kit will vary in each country, since in some countries it is much easier to find products in bulk and almost impossible to buy fair trade or ecological products.
II.
Recommendation sheets:
For saving energy:
Advices for saving‌on electric appliances Do I need it? Sometimes we buy electrical appliances of doubtful utility or ones we use rarely. Before buying an electric appliance take a moment and ask yourself: Do I really need it? Choose appliances of class A + (or more) Refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances have a label that informs us about the efficiency of energy use. The most efficient are those belonging to categories A +++, A ++ and then A +. Remember that the length of the usage of the appliances is usually over 10 years, so that the difference in initial price of an efficient model is usually repaid with energy savings achieved. Do not leave your appliances in "standby" The so-called "stand by" is common in devices with remote control, such as TVs, DVDs and stereos. In the "standby" device appears to be turned off, but is actually using energy. This is known as "ghost consumption", which represents up to 15% of energy consumption of turned on device. We can avoid this unnecessary expense by plugging appliances into a power strip with a switch. Fridge Size Matters Also the size of the refrigerator affects its energy consumption (the larger the fridge, the greater the consumption), so simply choosing an efficient model is not enough – you should suite the size of the fridge to the real needs of the household (number of residents and consumption level). Do not put hot food in the refrigerator. Let cooked foods cool before putting them in the refrigerator, thus the fridge will work less. And, whenever possible, defrost food in the refrigerator. Place your fridge in a cool, ventilated place. It is important that the refrigerator is away from sources of heat and that the place is well ventilated to ensure the efficient operation of the device.
Maintenance also saves energy. Clean refrigerator at least once a year: clean the back of the device, defrost when necessary to remove the ice and keep the insulation strips in good condition... these are the three rules to ensure the smooth operation of the refrigerator. Dish washer and washing machine Wash clothes in cold water Between 80 and 85% of energy consumption of a washing machine is used for heating the water. By washing in cold water or low temperature, this expenditure is avoided or reduced. The new detergents allow for efficient washing without using hot water. Use economic programmes It is also important to adjust the washing programme. Check if the dishes and clothes are clean after the use of short or economic programmes and, if the test is positive, use them! Load appliances fully before using them Using the ability of washing machines and dishwashers fully avoid their unnecessary use. Screens Beware the big screens! Remember that consumption is proportional to the size of the screen. A TV with 20-inch LCD screen consumes between 45 and 65 W while if the size of the screen is 32 inches, the consumption reaches between 115 and 160 W. Screens that consume less The new screens with LED technology consume about 40% less than traditional LCD displays. Kitchen Do not waste heat If you have the glass ceramic stoves, use containers with a diameter equal to or greater than the burner zone, so the heat produced is used properly. Cook with pressure cooker The pressure cooker is a fast and very effective way of cooking. Use it, all the advantages are there! Use lids on pots and pans With conventional pans, you can save up to 65% energy with the simple gesture of using the lid.
Reduce the heat when the water starts to boil Once the water starts to boil, we should reduce the temperature of the fire for not doing so is a waste of energy. Advices for saving‌ on lighting Use the natural light whenever you can No light is as nice, healthy and cheap as the sun. Arrange the lighting in our house trying to make the most of natural light is the main recommendation to take into account. The walls also illuminate The walls painted in light colors allow you to get more out of sunlight and reduce the need for artificial lighting. Plan the lighting Search for the most suitable location of the points of light and think what intensity is required and what will be the time of their normal usage to choose one or another solution. If you do not need it, turn it off Do not leave lights on in rooms that are not being used. Replaced incandescent bulbs with energy saving lamps They save up to 80% energy and last up to 8 times longer. Incandescent bulbs convert into light only 5% of the electricity they consume. The rest is lost as heat. Keep the lamps and fluorescent tubes clean Dust that accumulates on the bulbs decreases their luminosity, so cleaning them from time to time gives us more lighting without increasing the consumption. Lights and shadows of the halogen spotlights If you plan to use halogen light bulbs, think about whether it is the most suitable type of light, given that they produce a very intense, but very concentrated light (which increases the need for points of light) and at it can be annoying. Their consumption of electricity is quite high as well, as it is largely wasted as heat. Beware the dimmers Many of the devices that regulate light intensity (resistors) work dissipating the energy that is not used by the lamp as heat; so even when the light is dimmed, the consumption level is the same. Therefore, it is advisable to replace the dimmers with electronic controllers, which only use energy the lamp actually consumes.
Consider sunlamps for the outdoors In the market there is a wide and affordable supply of outdoor lamps that have a built in their own solar panel, thus using solar energy to recharge. Advices for saving… on heating Watch the thermostat A temperature of 20 ° C is sufficient to be comfortable in a home. In the bedrooms that temperature should be lowered by about 3 ° C. For every degree we increase the temperature, the energy consumption increases by 7%! If you're feeling cold, first try putting on a sweater. Turn it off at night At night, turn off the heat, it's healthier for the sleep. In the morning do not turn it on until you have finished ventilating the house and have closed the windows. If the house is empty in the morning, you only have to keep the thermostat at 15-17º C. If you leave the house, turn down the thermostat It is absurd to heat an empty house. Remember lowering the thermostat to about 15 ° C; when you return, it will be easy to heat it again up to 20º C. Do not place objects on the radiators To ensure optimal performance of the radiator, it is best not to block it with furniture or any object that can block the air flow. Ventilate the house for 10 minutes Ventilating the house is a very healthy habit, but without going overdoing it. Ten minutes of ventilation ensures the air renewal but avoid excessive cooling of the rooms. Choose a 4 star heater Just as refrigerators or washing machines, domestic heating boilers are classified according to the efficiency of their energy usage. The rating goes from one to four stars. One star more saves at least 3% of the energy. It is worth to choose a four-star boiler! Remove air from the radiators Each year, before starting to use the heating, you must bleed the radiators, i.e., extract the air that accumulates in the circuit and reduces their effectiveness. It is a very simple operation that improves the functioning of our heating system. Do not forget the maintenance Proper maintenance of the heater can result in savings of up to 15%. Do not wait for it to break to invite a technician to review it.
Useful things Thermostats: Allows temperature regulation preventing energy waste and generation of excessive heat. Programmemable thermostats: useful for setting the temperature for different time slots and days of the week. If the house already has a conventional thermostat, replacement is very simple. Thermostatic valves: are installed directly on radiators. The valves open or close the passage of the hot water in function of temperature that we wish to maintain. How to save... with insulation A poorly insulated house needs more power: in winter it cools faster and it gets hotter in summer. Small improvements in insulation may result in up to 30% in energy savings on heating and air conditioning. Do not skimp on insulation When building or rehabilitating a house, good insulation is the best investment. You gain in well-being and save money on air conditioning and heating. Install double glazing or double windows Between 25 and 30% of heat loss in a home occurs in the windows. Therefore, it is important to install double glazing or frames with double glazing and thermal break. Become a draft hunter In a windy day, hold a candle next to windows, doors, ducts or any place where outside air might get in. If the flame moves, you have located the point where the air enters. There are cheap means to solve this issue, such as caulking, weather-stripping or silicone. Close blinds and curtains at nigh Curtains and blinds reduce heat los, preventing it from escaping through the windows. How to save‌ on hot water Hot water is a quarter of the total energy consumption of a home. It is the second biggest energy consumer, after the heating. Regulate the temperature of hot water in the boiler If your boiler allows to regulate the temperature of the hot water, adjust it so that you don´t have to mix it with cold water.
Choose the shower instead of the bath A shower consumes, on average, a quarter of the water required for the bath: you need around 200 litres of water to fill the tub, while a five-minute shower consumes around 50litres of water. Install a low-flow shower head Efficient shower consumes about 6-7 litres of water per minute, compared to 12-15 litres of traditional shower head. Its installation is very simple: just unscrew the old shower head and screw the new one on the hose. Control your shower time It is easy to lose track of time in the shower. There are simple and inexpensive devices such as hourglasses, which let us know when you 4 or 5 minutes have passed by. It is better to choose a tap which opens in the “cold” In most mixer taps, when the lever is left in central position a mixture of hot water and cold water is obtained. If the tap is opened in that position for a short period of time (which is very common) the hot water does not even get to the tap. This waste of hot water mixers can be prevented by choosing taps with cold opening. In these models, the central control position is reserved for the cold water. The hot water is obtained by turning the knob to the left. If you wash by hand ... use the plug When washing dishes by hand you can reduce the water consumption with some simple "techniques”: turn off the tap while soaping the dishes, use the sink stopper for both the washing and rinsing. Prevent leaks and drips Saving water, even the cold one, is also saving energy, since water is usually driven to our taps by electric pumps. How to save… on cooling Use awnings and blinds Installation of awnings and closing blinds and curtains are effective systems to reduce the temperature in the house, as they prevent the sun from entering through the windows. Ventilate when it´s cool In summer you should ventilate the house when the air is fresh on the outside (early hours of the morning and at night).
The fan, a good invention A fan, preferably ceiling, may be sufficient to maintain adequate thermal comfort at home. The movement of air produces a feeling of temperature drop by 3 to 5 degrees and their electricity consumption is much lower than the one of air conditioner. Plants also help Plants on balconies and terraces improve air quality and refresh the environment. Air conditioning Purchase an efficient model If you choose to buy an air conditioner, look for a high-efficiency model. Check the energy label and choose the type power according to your cooling needs. Place it in a shady place It is important to place the refrigeration in a place where it gets as little sun as possible and where there is a good air circulation. If condenser units are on the rooftop, they should be cover using a shading system. Set the cooling temperature to 26 째 C The adaptation of our body to summer and the wearing of less and lighter clothes explains why this is the temperature that allows us to feel comfortable inside a home. The thermostat does not change the performance of the device When you turn on the air conditioner, do not adjust the thermostat to a lower temperature than you really want to get: It will not cool the home faster and the drop in temperature may be excessive. For saving water: General advices Discover leaks: testing the meter Record the number the water meter marks before going to bed and read it again the next morning before any use of water is made. If the number of the counter has changed, you may have a leak. Discover leaks: control the WC cistern Sometimes water losses in WC are not visible to the eye. If we dye the water in the tank with a harmless dye, we can find out easily if there is a leak.
Close or repair the leaky faucet The seemingly innocuous dripping tap can mean, ultimately, very significant water losses. A dripping tap loses about 30 litres of water every day. If you go on a trip, close the stopcock If you will be away from your home for a few days and you have not installed any irrigation system, it is best to close the stopcock. Thus you can avoid water losses from small leaks or flooding from sudden ruptures. How to save water... in the kitchen You can save even when washing by hand The water consumption can be reduced substantially by using a small bowl of water to soap dishes and one for rinsing (or the sink itself closing it with a plug). If you buy a washing machine, choose a low consumption model Currently you can find in the market washing machines of a capacity of 7 Kg that consume from 42 to 62 litres of water, while for a load capacity 5 kg, the consumption varies between 39 and 52 litres. Considering the efficiency gains, washing machine can be considered low consumption if it uses up to 44 litres per wash (5 kg load capacity)or a maximum of 47 litres if has 7 kilos of cargo capacity. If you buy a dishwasher, choose a low consumption model The water consumption of the models that can accommodate 12 to 13 services ranges from 6.5 to 18 litres per wash. Given the improvements in efficiency, we can consider that a new dishwasher consumes little water if it spends under 10 litres per washing. Select the most efficient washing programme Some programmes consume only half the water than others. Read the instructions manual and take a look at the water and energy consumption of each programme. In dishwashers, the programme called "fast" often provide very substantial water savings by eliminating some phases, such as prewash and rinse. Detergents: better non-phosphate ones Detergents containing phosphates contribute to the proliferation of algae in rivers and reservoirs, depriving rest of the aquatic fauna from oxygen. There are phosphate-free laundry detergents and dish soaps in the market. Choose them. Do not throw used oil down the sink. Save it in a small container. When it is full, you can use it to make soap or take it to the recycling centre. If you like your water cold, put it in the fridge To obtain chilly water, do not let the tap run. Instead put a water bottle in the fridge.
Place an efficient aerator also on the sink tap Saving water… in the bathroom Choose the shower instead over a bath A shower consumes, on average, a quarter of the water required for the bath: it takes around 200 litres of water to fill the tub, while a five-minute shower consumes around 50 litres. Install alow-flow shower head Efficient shower consumes about 6-7 litres of water per minute, compared to 12-15 litres of traditional shower head. Its installation is very simple: just unscrew the old shower head and screw the new one on the hose. Control your shower time It is easy to lose track of time in the shower. There are simple and inexpensive devices such as hourglasses, which let you know when you 4 or 5 minutes have passed by. Open the tap only when you need the water You can close the tap while you are soaping. Do the same while you brush your teeth or shave. Use the toilet flush correctly If your tank has a dual switch, use the reduced discharge when you need little water. You will use only half of the water from the tank and you will achieve the same result. If the hot water takes its time to arrive... You can use a bucket or bowl to collect the water from the shower until the water is hot. With this water you can water the plants, wash floors, etc. Place a paper bin in the bathroom It will be easier to prevent the WC from being used as a garbage bin. You will save water and avoid contamination. Place an aerator on the sink tap If your tap is not efficient, you can install an aerator. You will save between 40 and 60% of the water while maintaining a similar sensation of wetness. They are very cheap (about 3 €) and are installed simply by screwing them on the conventional taps. Saving water… in the garden In Spain, single-family homes with gardens consume between 2 and 5 times more water than the flats. The garden is often therefore a major water consumer. But there are solutions to avoid it...
Use plant species that consume little water One of the most obvious ways how to reduce the consumption of water in the garden is to use plants with modest irrigation requirements or simply without any irrigation requirement after they have rooted well. This does not mean we have to fill the garden of cactuses. Actually most of the species traditionally used in Mediterranean gardens (trees, bushes and plants) are very undemanding when it comes to irrigation. Replace the lawn or reduce its size Typically more than two thirds of the water used in a garden is dedicated to the maintenance of the lawn. It is therefore no exaggeration to say that the grass is the major consumer of water in our modern gardens. Therefore, limiting its spread is the safest and most effective way to cut the water consumption. Some alternatives for this are the following: - Reduce the area for grass with trees and shrubs, whose irrigation demands are much lower. - Replace the lawn with ground covering plants. - Use coatings (see next tip). Use coatings Cover surfaces in the garden with natural materials, such as stones, gravel, tree bark, etc. They greatly reduce the water usage, while looking beautiful. The coatings prevent excessive heating of the soil, protect against wind and erosion, prevent the emergence of weeds and facilitate the concealment of irrigation systems. Install efficient irrigation systems Localized irrigation systems provide water to the plants by "droppers" that provide water at low pressure (drop by drop). These systems allow each plant to get the exact amount of water they need, and prevents water loss by evaporation. Therefore, they use between a half and a quarter of the water than a sprinkler would use. Take advantage of rainwater to water the garden Rainwater that falls on rooftops and courtyards can be used for watering the garden. Once collected by the gutters or drainage the water can be collected in a small reservoir where it is stored and then used for irrigation. A small and half-buried container is ideal for storing rainwater, but we can also use other improvised containers, ranging from a barrel to an old bathtub. The container should be placed in a highest area of the garden, to use gravity for irrigation. Water during the coolest hours of the day Avoid evaporation losses and damage to plants. Also, remember that excessive watering makes plants less resistant to drought and more susceptible to diseases.
On transportation The best transportation is the one you don´t need Is it always necessary to move so much and so far? Make an overview of the places to which you are traveling more often and think about whether and how- you could reduce the number of trips you make. Chooses the near-by: the neighborhood stores Discover nearby shops and what possibilities they offer to prevent or reduce long journeys to distant shopping centres. Compare the prices, but introduce in the calculation the expenditure of time and fuel. Maybe you will be surprised... The car is not always the best option The best option for short trips (around 2 km) is certainly walking not only in terms of health and ecology, but for saving time as well; for medium trips (5 - 6 km), the bicycle may be the most advantageous means; for long journeys, public transport is often the best option. Before taking the car, make sure you really do not have a better alternative. Public transport, the unknown friend Are you a car addict? Dare to try public transport! Discover the benefits of reading the newspaper, get rid of jams, avoid looking for parking spaces, talk with lost tourists... Make the sport of walking your daily habit Problems of overweight? Does the doctor recommend exercising? You do not have time or interest to go to the gym? The simplest and cheapest solution is to incorporate sport into your daily life, walking to one of your daily destinations. Walking is one of the most complete and healthiest activities, suitable for all ages, and the most efficient alternative from the energy point of view. Cycling is also a means of transport Bike has been, until recently, an exotic guest in the streets of many cities and, in any case, it was used for leisure or sport. But something is changing and many cities are beginning to promote the use of the bike as a daily means of transport by creating networks of bike paths, loan systems, installation of bicycle parking spaces, means to transport bicycle in trains and buses, etc. If you have a chance, try it and enjoy the freedom and satisfaction it provides. Walk to school How far is your school? If you can reach it with a short walk of 15 to 20 minutes, it makes no sense to drive there with your parents. Meet with your friends and use the moments of freedom to chat, get to know yourneighbourhood, stretch your legs... and learn to be autonomous and if you can go by bicycle, it is a good experience! You can even organise a cycling group with your friends to go together and feel safer...
How to save… when using a car Learn to drive efficiently Even if you have a driver's license for more than 20 years, maybe you do not know some basic tricks of "efficient driving", which is lower the fuel consumption and allows you to use the vehicle better. Here are the main advices: - Use first gear only to start the car and switch to 2nd 2 seconds after. - Do not exceed 2,500 rpm in gasoline vehicles and 2,000 in diesel. - Use the higher gears as much as possible and keep the speed as uniform as possible, avoiding unnecessary gear changes. - Slow down by lifting the foot off the pedal, letting the vehicle roll with the gear engaged; brake smoothly and as late as possible. Speed is dangerous and consumes a lot Fuel consumption soars above 100 km/h, so here's another good reason for driving at moderate speed, apart from contributing to the safety of the streets and roads. Turn the car off when you stop There is nothing more absurd than to burn fuel while the car standing still; if the stop is longer than a minute, turn off the engine not to burn money and pollute the air without any benefit. Keeping the vehicle in good condition is another type of savings Check the engine frequently, control the levels and filters and, above all, the tyrepressure: it is a basic safety standard, but it also has a positive environmental consequence because it influences the car´s fuel consumption. Go easy on the air conditioning The use of air conditioning represents around a 25% increase in fuel consumption, so try not to abuse it: an inner temperature of 25-26 °C is perfectly adequate and cheaper! Avoid bumps on the outside of the vehicle Any external accessory increases fuel consumption, particularly the roof rack loaded with luggage on the roof of the car. Whenever possible, load inside! Carpooling for work Maybe you are one of those who bump into the same person when arriving in the office; and find him/her once more again eight hours later, just when you both are taking your cars to go home. Yes, the same colleague who lives three streets away from your flat. Have you ever considered the possibility of suggesting car sharing to make the daily commute? How much would you save in a year? And maybe you will make a new friend…
On responsible consumption: Advices for consumption... Ecological farming and gardening Opt for ecological food. It´s healthier and helps protect the environment. In ecological farming, the vegetables are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. In addition, their consumption helps prevent soil and groundwater contamination and encourages a new way of understanding agriculture. As for ecological farming, its principles are based on free grazing or extensive production, in healthy food for the cattle with ecological or wild products, health care based on therapies and alternative medicines, without the supply of antibiotics, hormones or other substances toxic to the animal or the consumer. And remember... • They help maintain the health of farmers and consumers. By respecting the natural rhythms and not using biocides produced foods are more healthy and balanced. • With ecological food we get back to the real taste of food, also they preserve better than conventional products. • The compost, a key ingredient for fertilization in organic farming makes the soil suitable for supporting life and feed the microorganisms that dwell in it, which are the ones who make the substances the plants need available to them. Chemical fertilization, however, mineralizes the soil, reduces microbial life and ultimately impoverishes it. • Organic farming fertilizes the soil and slows the desertification by improving water retention. • Organic farming maintains the habitats of wild animals, allowing and encouraging the life of many species thus helping to maintain biodiversity. • Ecological agriculture and farming reduce energy consumption as they do not abuse the usage of machines. • It promotes the creation of jobs in the countryside, by requiring, by its very nature, work and presence of farmers. Look for the seal of ecological farming to ensure that the product you are buying meets the guarantees of the Regulatory Boards. Ask your regular shop to start offering ecological products (rice, pasta, canned goods...) Advices for consumption... fair trade A fairer relationship between producers and consumers For the products sold with the fair trade seal: -The producers are organized into cooperatives and other voluntary organizations that operate democratically. - The work is done with dignity and with respect for human rights. - The price paid to the producers allows for decent living conditions.
- The quality of products and their production is assessed taking into account sustainability criteria. - Buyers often pay in advance to prevent producers from being subject to inadequate financing conditions. Delicious alternative Some of the products with fair trade label you can purchase are: sugar and sweets, cocoa and chocolate, coffee, tea and juice. Find your point of consumption On this website http://www.fairtrade.net/buying_fairtrade.html you can find a list of stores that offer certified fair trade products in your country. Look for the Fair trade seal Fair trade products are identified by the fair trade label or seal, which ensures that the product has been produced and sold according to the international Fair Trade criteria. Advices for consumption... the shopping cart If you do not need it... do not buy it Consumption is becoming a form of entertainment... or even therapy. Every year we buy products that do not need, simply because of their appearance, because they are fashionable... or because we cannot think of anything better to do. Before starting to buy, think about whether you really need the thing you are planning to buy and if you'll actually use it. Make a shopping list before you leave home, it will help you buy things that you really need. Consume foods from ecological farming They are healthy and help conserve the environment. They are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Look for the seal of organic farming to ensure that the product you are buying has the guarantee of the Regulatory Boards. Buy in-season products They are much cheaper. But also, by buying in-season products you avoid transport over long distances and conservation and artificial maturation that, besides the energy and chemical costs, reduce quality and even the taste of food. Best fresh than frozen If you can choose between the same product fresh, chilled or frozen, choose fresh, unless you are not going to consume it in a short period. If you must choose between refrigerated and frozen products, choose the refrigerated, as the water and energy consumption of refrigerated products and very inferior to their frozen versions (about one third of it).
Buy local products It contributes to the economy and local culture and avoids transportation costs. Buy fair trade products Fair trade networks pay a fair price for the product they sell, and even help farmers in the financing of production and in their training, limiting the intermediaries. Some of the most common fair trade products include coffee, chocolate, tea and clothing. Carry bag or cart for shopping Make purchase with your cart, basket or reusable bag (which is washable, spacious and comfortable). Avoid using plastic bags and if you use them, at least reuse them. Avoid products with excessive packaging It is preferable to buy products in bulk or packaged in lighter and easily recyclable materials. Avoid single-use products Single use products, such as plates, glasses, cutlery or napkins entail an unnecessary waste of such resources as plastic or paper. Better without foil The traditional lunchbox and waxed paper are a good alternative to aluminum foil. Consume tap water According to some estimates, the consumption of water in plastic bottles supposes 250 times higher CO2 emissions than those from the consumption of tap water.
EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES FOR GREEN HOME WORKSHOPS 1. Example activities for the explanation of Green Homes Program ACTIVITY 1 NAME
Green Homes Bingo
TOPIC
Presentation of the Green Homes Program. Beginning of the topic of saving energy.
TYPE
Game
DURATION
20 minutes.
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+ years) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Bingo cards and stones or other materials to cover the fields.
OBJECTIVES
Present the Green Homes Program. Present the objectives and activities of the program, as well as the timetable for its completion. Present the commitments of the participants. Promote the involvement of participants in the program.
DESCRIPTION
The participants are divided into 6 groups. Each group receives a bingo card (Annex 3). The boxes of bingo cards with text are answers to questions on the Green Homes Program from the Annex 4. The educator reads questions following the order or mixing them, but the last question in the list should be left as the last one. The educator invites participants to speak out if they think the answer is on their sheet. The educator asks the participants to explain the answer or does it himself/herself. All the groups cover the corresponding field after a question is answered to complete the bingo. At the last question all groups reach “bingo” (all fields covered) at the same time.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
You have to prepare the cards before the activity by filling in the model card (Annex 3)with answers to the questions of your choice. The questions 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15 should be adapted to local national or regional situations. The ones in the question sheet provided to you come from the version adapted to Spain. You can change and adapt the rest of the questions as well, but we do not suggest you to change the distribution of answers in the bingo sheets, as they are created to maintain a competition between the groups, and allow groups to reach “bingo” at the same time with the last question. You can make the bingo cards easier, with drawings or illustrations related to saving energy.
Annexes: Annex 1. Example bingo card
The skin of anapple
Water vapor and CO2
Blooming seasons and migratory birds arrive sooner
Fossil fuels
Adaptation
Our homes
Green Homes
Annex 2 Structure of the bingo cards
1 X 3 X 5 7 X 9 X 11 13 15
2 X 4 X 6 8 X 10 X 12 14 15
1 X 3 X 5 7 X 10 X 12 14 15
2 X 4 X 6 8 X 9 X 11 13 15
1 X 4 X 5 8 X 9 X 12 13 15
2 X 3 X 6 7 X 10 X 11 14 15
Annex 3 An empty bingo sheet to be filled in by answers before the activity
Annex 4 Questions for the Green Homes Bingo 1. The Earth's atmosphere seems very big, yet its thickness is only an equivalent to: the skin of an apple. 2. Since the last ice age, when ice covered much of Europe, the global average temperature has only risen: 3 to 5 centigrades. 3. The main greenhouse gases (which absorb infrared radiation emitted by the earth) in the atmosphere are water vapor and CO2. 4. Without the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the average land surface temperate would be: -19 degrees Celsius (instead of 14 degrees it is actually). 5. The thickness of sea ice in the Arctic has decreased by 40% in during the last decades. *6. In the past 30 years temperatures have risen in Spain: twice the global average. *7. One of the signs of climate change in Spain are: Blooming seasons and migratory birds arrive sooner. 8. In urban heat waves and air pollution will increase: health problems. *9. In which area across Europe the rise in average temperatures and the decrease in precipitation will be particularly marked: in the Iberian Peninsula.
10. A key element of the current situation is that expect changes will be very fast, making the adaptation very difficult. 11. To avoid jeopardizing the climate everyone on the planet should emit per year: 2 times less carbon. *12. 80% of the energy consumed in Spain comes from: fossil fuels. *13. The responsible for almost 40% of energy consumption in Spain: Transportation. 14. 25% of emissions come from: our households. *15. In the next newscast there will be news of the beginning of new program for families called: Green Homes.
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
Putting the Green Homes Puzzle together
TOPIC
Presentation of the Green Homes Program
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
20 minutes.
TARGET GROUP
Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Laminated sheets with paragraphs cut in lines explaining:
OBJECTIVES
• What is Green Home program • What activities are going to be included in the program • What are the commitments of the participants Present Green Homes Program. Introduce the objectives and activities, as well as the timetable for their completion. Introduce the commitments of the participants. Promote the involvement of participants in the program.
DESCRIPTION
The participants are divided in groups of about 5 people (depending on the size of the group).Each group receives a set of disordered lines together forming a text that explains the Green Homes Program (Annex 1) Each group should try to arrange the lines in order to understand the text. The first group which finishes ordering the rise their hands and read the text. If it is correct, the activity is. If it is wrong, the game continues. At the end the educator briefly describes the program and explains if participants have some doubts. They may be asked to write the most important information on a separate card so that whenever they have doubts about Green Home, they can look at the text and solve them..
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Each group can be accompanied by a tutor to help them and guide them when ordering text and accompany them in their understanding.
Annexes Annex 1
WHAT IS THE GREEN HOMES PROGRAM? Green homes is an education program which aims to promote responsible consumption of water and energy in the households, as well as to reduce the quantity of waste we produce in our homes through energy audits in the households, workshops and collection of bills and initial and final questionnaires to see the actual savings and changes in habits made by the participants. At the moment this program is implemented in 6 different countries. In ________this program is implemented by _____________. Welcome aboard! We hope you will enjoy it!
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
Green Homes for children
TOPIC
Presentation of the Green Homes Program.
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
15 minutes.
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+). Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Small colorful sheets of paper and markers, two large sheets of paper, something to attach the sheets to the wall.
OBJECTIVES
Present the Green Homes Program. Introduce the objectives and activities of the GH program. Promote the involvement of participants in the program.
DESCRIPTION
The educator gives the children two large sheets of paper. The children write the titles on the sheets: "What is Green Homes Program?" and "What shall we do?" These sheets then are put on the wall. The children receive small colorful papers. The educator explains in a very simple language what Green Homes Program, while asking different children to write down or draw the main ideas on the papers. These papers are then attached to the corresponding big sheet of paper. The same is done with the project activities.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
For children with special learning difficulties, it is advisable to have several teachers / tutors with them during the activity.
2. Examples of activities on climate change and energy saving ACTIVITY 1 NAME
Green Homes Energy Goose
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Game
DURATION
Max. 1 hour
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+ years) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Blackboard, paper, pencils, dice, hourglass of one minute, game board, game pieces and question cards
OBJECTIVES
Introduce the main aspects of energy efficiency in housing in a playful way. Point out the importance of carrying out simple energy saving practices at home.
DESCRIPTION
This activity is an adaptation of the classic game of the goose – The Energy Goose. The educator divides the large group into small groups of 4-5 participants. The teams are rolling the dice and move on the board as during a regular game of goose. Depending on the square they end up with in each turn they will have to take a test, which can be: a question, a drawing or charades (Exercise cards). If the move stops on the “mill to mill” square, the game piece travels to the next mill. If a game piece ends up on the “death” field, they have to goes back to the beginning of the game. The group who first reaches the final square wins. Throughout the game the educator explains the basics ideas behind each test card and promotes critical thinking about the consequences of consumption and usage of energy.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the questions marked by * to your local reality and your local statistics. Feel free to add your own questions and tasks to the game. It is necessary to adapt all the tests and questions to the level of participants, drawings and fewer questions can be used for some groups.
Annexes: Annex 1 Game board of the Energy Goose.
Substitute with English versions:
La oca de energía = The energy goose De molino a molino = From mil to mill Ahorra energía = Save energy Muerte = Death 1 turno sin jugar =Miss a turn Que derroche = What a waste!
Annex 2 Exercise Cards Charades: The energy efficiency label is an informative tool you can use when you are buying electric appliance. There are 7 classes of energetic efficiency, ranging from red F to green A Show to your teammates: ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Renewable sources of energy, for example sun, wind and geothermal, are the ones that can be used permanently, as they are inexhaustible. Show to your teammates: SOLAR ENERGY
The price of the energy an electric appliance consumes during its lifetime can be much bigger than its price. Choose electric appliances from the A class to reduce your electricity bill. Show to your teammates: ELECTRICITY BILL
The domestic savings kit you have received contains a useful tool for the reduction of energy consumption – the list of tips. Have you already put it on your fridge using a fridge magnet? Show to your teammates: FRIDGE MAGNET
The transportation and households are two fields that have increased the consumption of energy the most during the last years. In order to bring energy to the households, a complex infrastructure is needed Show to your teammates: ELECTRICITY PYLON (TRANSMISSION TOWER)
Did you know that in the stand-by mode TV consumes up to 15% of energy it consumes when turned on? Show to your teammates: GHOST CONSUMPTION
Renewable sources of energy, for example sun, wind and geothermal, are the ones that can be used permanently, as they are inexhaustible. Show to your teammates: WIND ENERGY
What kind of regime do you use when washing your clothes in the washing machine? Do not use the high-temperature programs. Up to 90% of the energy the washing machine consumes is used to heat up the water. Show for your teammates: WASHING MACHINE
Drawings: Renewable sources of energy, for example sun, wind and geothermal, are the ones that can be used permanently, as they are inexhaustible. Draw for your teammates: HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY
There´s a system that can cut by half the loss of heat when compared to single-pane windows. At the same time it reduces drafts, condensation and frost. Draw for your teammates: DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOW
Solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere. The Earth absorbs solar radiation, emitting part of the energy back to the space. Some gases, for example CO2, stops the energy from escaping thus increasing the temperature of the surface of Earth. Draw for your teammates: GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Air conditioners are becoming more and more popular for keeping our houses fresh during the summer, however a room ventilator can consume up to 98% less than the air conditioner. Choose wisely! Draw for your teammates: AIR CONDITIONER
The most important consequence of the emission of greenhouse gases is the climate change. To try to control and reduce the emissions, the Kyoto protocol was created and signed by around 190 countries. Now the countries are discussing and ratifying the second round of the Kyoto protocol. Do you know the commitments of you country? Draw for your teammates: KYOTO PROTOCOL
Our organization is implementing a program for motivating people to actively participate in the reduction of water and energy consumption. Draw for your teammates: GREEN HOMES PROGRAM
We use many electric appliances in our households that simply do a mechanical action (cutting, whipping, mixing). Some of these activities could be done manually, without using electricity, for example: squeeze orange juice Draw for your teammates: JUICE SQUEEZER
One way how to save energy is to design houses that allow their habitants to use the natural light as much as possible. The natural light is free and does not emit any CO2. Draw to your teammates: NATURAL LIGHT
Questions: Which electric appliance consumes the most in a household? Answer: The fridge
In Spain the average temperature has increased during the last century by Answer: 2.4 C 1.5 C (correct) 0.9 C For every degree we rise turn up the heating, the energy consumption rises by Answer: 7% (correct) 4% 11% If you use colder programmes in your washing machine, you can reduce the energy consumption by 90% Answer: True (correct) False According to the latest studies each Spaniard emits Answer: 2 t CO2 per year 4 t CO2 per year 5 t CO2per year 50% of the energy in the household are used for heating. Answer: True False (correct – it´s 40%) In 2014, how much energy in Spain came from the renewable sources: Answer: 10% 30% 42% (correct) If you leave the fridge door open for 10 seconds, it takes 40 minutes for the fridge to chill to the normal level. Answer: True (true) False Every time you open the oven, it loses at least ______of the energy accumulated inside it. Answer: 33% 10% 20% (correct) Incandescent light bulbs use only 12% of the energy they consumes for light. The rest is spent in heating. Answer: True False (correct – only 5% are used for light) The optimal temperature to feel comfortable inside the house in summer is: Answer: 21 C 25 C (true) 19 C
LCD screens save 37% of energy when turned on and 40% in the energy saving mode Answer: True (correct) False The screensaver that consumes the lowest quantity of energy is: Answer: A photo from vacation Windows logo Color black (correct) In general it could be said that electric cookers are less efficient than the gas ones. Answer: True (correct) False The use of a microwave oven instead of conventional oven allows _______to be saved Answer: 20-30 % of energy 40-50% of energy 60 -70% of energy (correct) The standard unit of measure for light is: Answer: Lux Watt Lumen (correct) The generation of electricity in Spain is responsible for ‌‌... of all the greenhouse gases emissions Answer: 45% 28% (correct) 16% Name all the things in your Domestic savings kit. Question: Which two things you are planning to change n your behavior after this workshop? Annex 2 Examples and models of cards
CHARADE Renewable sources of energy, for example sun, wind and geothermal, are the ones that can be used permanently, as they are inexhaustible. Show to your teammates: SOLAR ENERGY
DRAWING One way how to save energy is to design houses that allow their habitants to use the natural light as much as possible. The natural light is free and does not emit any CO2. Draw to your teammates: NATURAL LIGHT
QUESTION Question: In general it could be said that electric cookers are less efficient than the gas ones. Answer: True False
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
Understanding Climate Change
TOPIC
Climate Change
TYPE
Workshop - presentation
DURATION
About an hour, although you can adjust the length to the number of experiments you want to show.
TARGET GROUP
Children (10 +) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Thermometers, vinegar, baking soda, 2 reading lamps with incandescent bulbs, beakers, big bowl, block of ice, water, microwave oven, squid ink, ice cubes, food coloring, mortar, blotting paper, petri plates, chard leaves or similar ones, alcohol.
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants about the importance of the climate change, its emergence and development, our involvement in its causation and the need for collaboration of all to mitigate it.
DESCRIPTION
This activity consists of various very simple experiments that serve to highlight the characteristics of climate change and its effects. Example experiments: Sea Currents: The experiment consist of observation of movement of liquid depending on the temperature (hot and cold) and compare it with the effects of climate change on ocean currents. The educator places a small a small flask filled with hot water dyed with food coloring in a large glass jar filled with water. The hot water from the flask slowly rises up. The educator places in the same bowl is placed an ice cube dyed black with squid ink. As ice melts, the cold water from the cube descends. These water movements serve to explain the activity of sea currents and their influence on the weather. The Melting: Analysis of the loss of ice masses and their impact on increasing the level of seas and oceans. The educator introduces a block of ice in a bowl full of water and marks the level the water reaches on the side of the bowl. Then the ice is left to melt. After the ice has melted, the group reviews the change in the water level, which should not have changed. From here you can talk about the consequences of the loss of sea and land ice on sea level rise and other effects of the loss of ice on humans and life in general. CO2 emissions: Analysis of the increase in temperature as a response to the increase of CO2. The educator places two glasses upside down and places closely by two lamps with incandescent bulbs. The educator places a small thermometer inside of each glass. The
educator places a small flask with a mix of sodium bicarbonate and vinegar inside of one of the glasses. This mixture emits CO2, which then accumulates inside the glass. The two glasses are left alone for about 35-45 minutes and the educator invites the participants to review the temperature in the two glasses. In the glass with higher concentration of carbon dioxide, the temperature should be slightly higher than in the other (0'5-1ยบC). From here you can talk about the greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases and their influence on the process of climate change. CO2 fixation: through an extraction of chlorophyll and other photosynthetic pigments from plant, group participants understand the process of CO2 fixation, together with the need to promote the conservation of vegetation, improvement and increase of the of forests and as an activity for reduction of Climate Change. Chard, spinach, lettuce leaves or similar leaves are crushed. They are placed in alcohol. The extract in the alcohol is then filtered and placed in the bottom of a petri dish. The educator places in this plate a strip of blotting paper folded into an inverted V shape. The liquid will rise up the paper, depositing several bands of green and yellow colors, very rarely orange or reddish colours can be seen. This lets the educator talk about photosynthesis and the role that plants (trees, forests, etc.) play in the uptake and reduction of CO2 from the atmosphere. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Most of these experiments can be performed with children 810 years old children. However, with younger children or groups with learning difficulties, it is recommended to have the support of several tutors / teachers and avoid using glass elements to reduce accidents through breakage.
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
Happy face – Sad face
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Game
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+) People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Sets of happy/sad/I don´t know faces List of activities
OBJECTIVES
Discuss the daily activities that can increase or reduce energy consumption at home.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants in groups and gives each group a set of 3 faces.The educator reads the list of activities and the groups have to decide is this activity environmental friendly (happy face) or not (sad face) and show the card with the corresponding face (happy or sad), or if they are not sure – the one with I don´t know face. The educator explains the correct answer after each statement.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
One monitor can be assigned to each group, to help them pick their answer and show the card.
Annexes: Annex 1 List of possible questions: Take a very hot shower Turn off lights when leaving the room Keep the house cold during the summer using air conditioning Completely turn off the TV and the computer (including stand-by lights) Clean only a pair of pants in the washing machine Put hot food in the fridge Turn on TV and computer while you're playing a game on mobile Unplug your mobile charger when you are not using it Open the curtains instead of turning on the light Use energy saving light bulbs Boil a litre of water when you want to make a cup of tea Open the refrigerator and spend a lot of time thinking “What do I want” Open the oven many times when you are cooking Put a sweater on instead of turning on the heater
Annex 2: The three faces
ACTIVITY 4 NAME
Our Planet
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
30 min
TARGET GROUP
Children, people with intellectual disabilities
MATERIALS
Big sheet of paper, glue, scissors, sheets of paper with images of the effects of Climate Change, GHG emitters and what can we do (Annex 1 - each printed on paper of a different color)
OBJECTIVES
Understand the processes responsible for climate change and its relation to our energy consumption.
DESCRIPTION
The educator invites participants to draw on the sheet of paper an image of our planet, while other participants may begin to cut images of the effects of Climate Change, GHG emitters and what we can do to stop CC. The educator draws a larger circle around the planet and explains that it is the atmosphere. Using the image of the planet and atmosphere educator explains the greenhouse effect to participants. The educator invites the children to glue the pictures of emitters of greenhouse gases, explaining them one by one. When all the images of the emitters are glued, the educator invite children to finish cutting the images of the effects of climate change and glue them to the image of the planet, explaining them one by one. The educator asks if they think this is a good image and if they have any ideas to reduce our emissions. The educator offers pictures of the ways to reduce emissions and the children glue the images on the drawing, explaining them one by one.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The educator can vary the depth of the explanation of global warming and climate change according to the characteristics of the group, but the visual way to represent it allows more people to understand the processes behind climate change.
Annexes: Annex 1: The images Emitters of Greenhouse gases
Effects of Climate Change
What can we do?
ACTIVITY 5 NAME
Using the light better
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Workshop-presentation
DURATION
Approx. 1 hour
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+) People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
An extension cord and power strip to plug one or two meters of electrical consumption, a pair of table lamps, various types of light-bulbs (incandescent, fluorescent, improved halogen, LED).
OBJECTIVES
Demonstrate the lower energy consumption of improved lighting systems technologies.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of measuring the consumption of each type of bulb by measuring the time it takes for the consumption meter to indicate the minimum consumption (usually 0.01 Kw / h). The results show that the incandescent light bulb change the consumption data the quickest and thus is the biggest consumer. LED takes the longest time to reach the minimum consumption (can take hours) and, therefore, is the one that consumes less. The measurements should be made in the following order: 1st incandescent bulb, 2nd Improved halogen, 3rd fluorescent, 4th LED. The educator writes the data on a whiteboard and the group together draws the conclusions about the light bulbs according to the consumption involved in each type of lighting. It is interesting to establish relationships between types of lighting and the use that will be given to it, to reach the lowest possible consumption and good practices for the use of electricity not only for lighting.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
It is also interesting to show the official calendar of phasing out of incandescent bulbs. The bulbs we use should generate a similar amount of light (measured in lumens). To organize this workshop with special groups the educator must take more care with protection against shock hazards: only the personnel in charge of the workshop should handle the electric appliances Workshop should be organized in accessible spaces.
ACTIVITY 6 NAME
Climate change: What is it and how is it produced?
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children( 8 – 12) People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Markers, 2 large colored sheets of paper, tape or putty to stick the paper to the wall, cards with photos of oil plants, cars, motorcycles, airplanes, factories, polluted cities, increase in temperature, mosquitoes and tropical diseases, floods, hurricanes etc.
OBJECTIVES
Understand how climate change occurs. Identify the major consequences of climate change.
DESCRIPTION
In this activity participants understand how climate change occurs and identify the problems associated with it. The educator ask the participants to write on one large sheets of paper "How Climate Change occurs" and "What are the consequences of the Climate Change" on the other. These cardboard are then put on the wall. Then the educator briefly explains what climate change by showing the participants photographs of oil plants, cars, motorcycles, airplanes, factories, accompanied by an explanation of what are fossil fuels and how they are produced, and associating them to our everyday activities. Participants will stick these photos on the corresponding sheet of paper. Then the same is done with the consequences of climate change, in this case showing photographs of polluted cities, temperature rise, mosquitoes and tropical diseases, floods, hurricanes, etc. Finally, a group discussion takes place and participants are invited to give ideas on how we can, through lifestyle changes contribute to the mitigation of climate change.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1: The causes of Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE
What causes it?
Means of transportation. Motorcycles
Means of transportation. Cars
Means of transportation. Airplanes
“Smoke” factories
Light bulb
TV
Heating
Annex 2 Consequences of Climate Change
CLIMATE CHANGE
What are its consequences? The poles are melting
Floods
Droughts
Hurricanes
Heat waves
More mosquitoes. Transmission of illnesses.
ACTIVITY 7 NAME
Renewable Energies, what are they and what are their advantages?
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children( 8 – 12) People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Markers, 2 large colored sheets of paper, tape or putty to attach the paper to the wall, cards with photos of fossil fuels and renewable energy.
OBJECTIVES
Understanding what is renewable energy and learn to identify them. Learn what are the advantages of renewables versus nonrenewable energies.
DESCRIPTION
In this activity the participants learn to differentiate renewable energies from non-renewable energies and understand their advantages and disadvantages. To do this, the educator invites the participants to write on one sheet of the paper "Renewable Energy" and "non-renewable energy" on the other. These papers are then put on the wall. Then the educator briefly describes what the non-renewable energies are and by showing photographs of thermal power plants, combined cycle coal plant, etc., together with an explanation of what are fossil fuels and how they are produced, and associating them to our everyday activities. Participants the stick these photos on the corresponding sheet of paper.
Then the same is done with renewable energy sources, in this case showing pictures of windmills, solar panels, hydroelectric plants, etc. The activity ends with a group discussion. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1. Photographs of non-renewable energy sources and consequences of their use
Non Renewable energies OIL DISASTER - DEAD FISH
OIL DISASTER – BIRDS AND BEACHES WITH OIL
CONTAMINATED CITY.SMOG
PEOPLE WITH MASKS IN CONTAMINATED CITY
THERMAL POWER: POLLUTANT
PETROLEUM PLANT: POLLUTANT
POLLUTION BY CARS
POLLUTION BY MOTORCYCLES
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF CARS. JAMS, POLLUTION.
HIGH VOLTAGETOWER. TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRICITY AND LIGHT TO OUR HOUSES
Not free Can end
Annex 2 Photos of Renewable Energy sources
RENEWABLE ENERGY PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS, ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION
THERMAL SOLAR PANELS. PRODUCTION OF HOT WATER AND HEATING
WIND TURBINES
BIOMASS STOVE
HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
TIDAL POWER
CLEAN AND BLUE SKY
FREE CANNOT END ACTIVITY 8 NAME
Climate Change comes into your house
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children( 8 – 12)
MATERIALS
Markers, large colored sheets of paper, tape or putty to stick to attach the paper to the wall, cards with daily activities (Annex 1).
OBJECTIVES
See the connection between our daily activities with the emission of greenhouse gases and climate change.
DESCRIPTION
In this dynamic children will learn about the relationship between their everyday activities (either their own or done by their parents but connected with children) and Climate Change. To do this the educator asks to first to write on one big sheet of paper "activities that affect climate change" and "activities not affecting Climate Change" on the other. Thesepapers are the attached to the wall. After that the educator reads different activities and asks children to comment then one by one, deciding if they believe the concrete activity affects climate change. Then the educator gives the correct answer. Finally, a group reflection is done. The activity ends with a group discussion.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes: Annex 1 Activities I do
Activities of my parents
Turn on the light. Watch TV. Play computer or videogames. Shower or bath. Wash my face / teeth / hands. Play in the park. Go to school walking Go to school by bicycle Go to school in car with my parents.
Cook. Wash clothes Dry clothes outdoors Dry clothes in the dryer. Go to shop by car Go to shop walking. Go to work by car Go to work by bus Go to work by walking Go to work by cycling. Recycle Not recycle.
ACTIVITY 9 NAME
Solar dehydrator workshop
TOPIC
Energy
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
2 hours
TARGET GROUP
Adults and collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Large cardboard boxes (ideally 2 boxes of 80 X 130 X 30 cm); black paint (can be made with coal and linseed oil); glue (can be produced with flour, hot water and vinegar); strong transparent plastic; strong fabric; wooden slats.
OBJECTIVES
Show the possibilities of harnessing solar energy for various functions. Show the use of technology in everyday life and make it accessible to the capabilities of anyone. Make the most of vegetables and fruits that are in -season avoiding losses due to temporary overabundance. Add to the diet new forms of consumption of fruit and vegetables. To appreciate the manual work and small autonomous construction challenges.
DESCRIPTION
Although a good way how to start to build a solar dehydrator is to search for a video-tutorial (there are many good examples that can be found easily in any search engine), we will explain here one of the most robust and simple models, which, despite its large size, works very well. This device built from 2 boxes (the collector, or horizontal box, and the dehydrator itself, placed vertically). It can be constructed from a large box (130 X 80 X 50, for example) that is cut in half or from fragments of other boxes until you find the right size (Annex 1). The horizontal portion resting on the ground is a 'collector',
where the heat builds up. It is situated in a slightly raised position, with bent legs made of cardboard and glue which helps air circulation. The front is covered by a piece of curtain to keep away pantry ants and other unwelcome visitors. Heat rises by convection to the vertical dehydrator, the other half box, where finely cut fruit is placed on the trays. These trays are wooden frames made from thin wooden sticks with curtain fabric or similar stapled to it. It allows heat to go through the frames and the fruit placed on them. To hold the trays supports (also made from cardboard) are placed on the sides of the dryer, with about 10 cm distance between them vertically, so there is room to place five or six trays in the dehydrator. There should be an opening in the behind of the dryer close to the top, (also covered by curtain), which functions as a chimney and forces air circulation. The entire device (both the horizontal and vertical boxes) is covered by transparent plastic, which causes greenhouse effect and increases the temperature. Dehydrator oriented to south, easily reaches temperatures above 60 degrees, which means that in 24 hours, the fresh fruit slices become dry. They look suspicious, but taste delicious. They can last perfectly a year in a paper bag placed in the pantry without additional preservatives. Any fruit is susceptible to dehydration in this device, although the drying time depends on the percentage of water in each fruit and thickness of the cut. Therefore it is advisable to cut pears or apples in 2-4 mm thick slices. For tomatoes or kiwis, you'd better slice them in 2-3 mm thick slices or leave the fruit in the dehydrator for various days till all the water is removed. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1
Adapt the explanations to the level of participants. Supervision of educators group is required during use of products and containers.
3. Examples of activities for promotion of water saving ACTIVITY 1 NAME
Saving water
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Workshop-presentation
DURATION
Approx. 30 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+), youngsters and adults. Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
One or several aerators, a container to collect water (a small bucket, a bottle of water or similar), a tool to measure the volume of water, a watch, a space with a tap (kitchen sink or any place with a tap where the aerator can be installed smoothly).
OBJECTIVES
Demonstrate the ability to save significant amount of water in the home and elsewhere installing aerators on the faucets.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists in comparing the volume of water coming out of a tap in the same period of time with an aerator and without it. First we run the tap for about 5 or 6 seconds without the aerator, collecting water into a container. Then we measure the volume obtained. Then we repeat the operation for the same time, but this time with an aerator. Once more we measure the volume of water obtained. As a final result, we calculate what percentage of water has been saved by the use of the aerator (usually between 30 and 50% water saving) and discuss the advantages of its use.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Check prior to the activity that the faucet to be used allows easy and correct installation of the aerator. Also note that the space where the activity will take place are adjusted to the number of people taking part in the activity. Perform workshop spaces accessible to the people with mobility problems. Avoid using glass elements to minimize accidents by breakages.
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
What does this has to do with the water?
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
30 min
TARGET GROUP
Children (12+), youngsters and adults. People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
A bucket with objects related to water consumption or their images.
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants on our water consumption. Reflect on behaviors that promote water savings or, on the contrary, increase it. The educator invites participants to sit in a circle around a cube that contains a series of objects.
DESCRIPTION
The educator invites participants to extract objects and discuss their link with the water consumption. The educator invites the next participant to explain their object and helps/corrects them if necessary. Repeat until all the objects are discussed. The possible content of the bucket can be found in Annex 1. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In the case of groups with special needs or with little previous knowledge on the subject, the tutor / monitor can help to establish the relationship of each object with water.
Annexes: Annex 1.
1 2
OBJECT Aerator A roll of toilet paper
3
A bottle of bleach
4
A bottle of oil
5
A flow restrictor for the shower
6
An image of a leaky tap Water Bottle (0.5 l or 0.75 l).
7
EXPLICATION Saves up to 50% of water, easy to install, cheap. Harmful. Can clog the pipes and makes the water treatment more difficult. Remember that the toilet is not a trash bin and the less you put in it the better. Harmful, highly contaminating. Alternative for cleaning: vinegar and / or baking soda. Harmful. Complicates the water purification. It´s important to never throw it down the sink. You should take it to the recycling center, put it in with regular garbage or make soap from it. Beneficial. Helps save up to 50% of water, easy to install, cheap. In general, we can compare shower vs. a bath: a bath uses 150 liters, while a shower, if we close the tap while soaping, uses around 50 liters (half of it with Low-Flow Showerhead or flow restrictor). Harmful. If a tap is dripping, we lose 2-10 liters of water every day. Beneficial, as filled with water or sand it is a homemade device for water saving in the toilet (when placed in the toilet tank). It can also be seen as harmful, as it takes water to produce it, and there
8 9
Bag for the toilet tank Razor for shaving
10
Drawing of a dishwasher
11
Low-Flow Showerhead
12
Toothbrush
13 Garbage bin 14 15
16 17
18
An image of washing machine An image of car being washing with a hose An image of a watering can An image of washing one´s hands Bucket
are many issues related to bottled water in general. Beneficial. Filled with water is a device for saving water when using toilet. If we do not close the tap when we shave, we spent about 55 liters. If we fill the sink with water or open the tap only when we need it, about 5 liters are consumed. Beneficial. Dishwasher saves energy and water, but you must fill it completely. Washing dishes by hand can consume up to 100 liters. If you wash your dishes by hand, turn off the tap while soaping (saves of up to 50 liters). Beneficial. Saves up to 50% of water and energy. In general, we can compare shower vs. a bath: a bath uses 150 liters, while a shower, if we close the tap while soaping, uses around 50 liters (half of it with LowFlow Showerhead or flow restrictor). Close the tap while you brush your teeth. If we brush our teeth with the tap open, we lose about 20 liters of water. With the tap turned off, we use only 1 litre. Beneficial. Minimizes the times we flush the toilet. With old cisterns, every time we flush it, we spend 10 to 15 litres of drinking water. Using modern cisterns with two buttons with the small flush we spend about 5-6 liters, which is still more than not flushing at all Spend less that when washing by hand, if we load it full. When washing the car with a hose we spend about 500litres. With buckets and sponges we spend about 80 litres We should water our plants at late evening/night or in the early hours of the morning. Close the tap while soaping. If we wash our hands with the tap open, about 20 liters of water are lost. With the tap turned off, only 1 litre. THE LAST ONE. Beneficial. You can use it to collect the cold water while waiting for the hot water to come in the shower.
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
Hidden water
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Activity
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (12+), youngsters and adults. People with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Laminated cards with the images of the product and quantities of water s
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness among the participants on the use of water in producing different products
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides participants into groups of 3-5 people and gives each group a set of cards with different products and number of litres of water. During 10 minutes, each group needs to match a product
card with a card indicating the number of litres of water it takes to produce it Groups present their work and explain how they came up with their solution. The educator corrects the wrong answers. The educator concludes the activity with a discussion asking the following example questions and explaining the importance of water. - What surprised you the most during the activity? - How could we reduce our water footprint? - How could we make people more aware of their water footprint? - Would they like to know the water footprint of any other product PRODUCT
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
LITRES OF WATER NEEDED FOR ITS PRODUCTION 16.000 litres 140 litres 3000 litres 7 litres 10 litres 1000 litres
1 kg. of beef A cup of coffee 1 kg. of rice An empty plastic bottle 1 liter of gasoline 1 pack of sheets of paper for printer (80 gr) The number can be replaced by a more visual representation of the amount of water needed: an image of 1 drop of water per 100 litres. In the case of groups with special needs or with little previous knowledge on the subject tutor / monitor can help to establish the relationship of each object with water. You can use the website http://virtualwater.eu/ as a good example to look for more information on this topic
Annexes Annex 1
PRODUCT
LITRES OF WATER NEEDED FOR ITS PRODUCTION
1 kg of beef
16.000 litres
A cup of coffee
140 litres
1 kg of rice
3000 litres
An empty plastic bottle
7 litres
1 litre of gasoline/petrol
10 litres
1 pack of sheets of paper for printer (80 gr)
1000 litres
ACTIVITY 4 NAME
All the water in the world
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Demonstrative workshop
DURATION
10 min
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+), youngsters, adults groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
A globe or an image of our planet, a bucket or any other water container of 5 liters, a bucket bigger than 5 litres and 3 small cups of coffee (approx. 50 ml.)
OBJECTIVES
To visually demonstrate to the participants that even though the planet is largely covered in water (ž)of it, only a small amount (1%) is fresh water in liquid state, which is what we use for the human consumption.
DESCRIPTION
First, using a globe or an image the educator shows how the planet's surface is covered largely by water (3/4 of it). Then he/asks, but ... can all this amount be used for human consumption? (Let's see) The educators invite 3 volunteers, who each take an empty coffee cup (approximately 50cc). The educator empties the five-litre bottle in the bucket and says: "Imagine that the bucket contains all water on the planet". Then the educator invites people with coffee cups, to fill them with water from the bucket. When the cups are full, the educator states that "of all the water on the planet, and it is represented in this bucket, only approximately 3% is fresh water – as much are in these three cups. Of these 3 cups, 2 represent the freshwater that is frozen (poles and glaciers, about 2%). Only the third cup represents liquid fresh water (1%). This last cup is water available for human consumption.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
ACTIVITY 5 NAME
Tastes like water
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Game/workshop
DURATION
20 min
TARGET GROUP
Children (6+), youngsters, adults groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
A blindfold for each participant, a box of toothpicks (to pick up food), 1 cucumber (sliced), knife (optional, as you can bring the cucumber and bread already sliced), a package of almonds, grapes, bread cut in pieces, napkins, sheets of paper (at least 5), pens (at least 5), the water content in the food in digital or paper format, the percentage of water in the different phases of development of the human species and the percentage of water in other species.
OBJECTIVES
To show how the water is fundamental to the development of life and as is also present in a large proportion in all living beings.
DESCRIPTION
The activity starts with a tasting. All participants are sitting in a row with their eyes covered. They should not make any comments about what they taste. The educators give them different foods (cucumber, grapes, bread and almonds), inviting them to perceive the water in the life. The educators alternate drier foods with the juicier ones. Once the participants have tasted all the food, they are distributed distribute in groups of 3-4 people. They have to write down foods that they tasted an order them according to the proportion of water they contain from highest to lowest. They should do it 5 minutes. After this time, they compare the lists prepared by the groups, with the correct table of percentages of water in foods that have tasted. To end this workshop, the educator shows a short video, in which the proportion of water is shown in various stages of the human species development (embryo, adult / child ay), and other animals and plants (jellyfish, algae, insects, trees). The activity can be concluded by commenting that water is present in all living beings and forms a large proportion, we can survive without food for 15 days, but without water but only 2 - 3 days!
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1. Table of the proportion of water in different foods
Grape Cucumber
Bread
Almonds
Annex 2. Poster with the percentage of water in the different phases of human development and the percentage of water in other species.
Children
Embryo
Adult
A tree A medusa
An insect
Seaweed
ACTIVITY 6 NAME
How can I save water in my home?
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Game
DURATION
20 min
TARGET GROUP
Children (6 -12) People with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Cards with images of household items that can save water (Annex 1), questions about water saving (Annex 2), glue, scissors, markers, tape, a big sheet of paper with a house drawn on it with the following spaces: bathroom, kitchen, garden.
OBJECTIVES
Educate children about the importance of saving water. Teach children how we can save water at home.
DESCRIPTION
First the educator distributes among children a set of cards with images (sink, plastic bottle, button cistern ...). Children are placed in a circle with the sheet of paper with a picture of a house and its different rooms in the center. Then the educator asks the children questions related images and saving water. They have to give the answer and raise the image accordingly. Once they have been successful, they stick the picture on the image of the house
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Help of the tutor / monitor for children with special needs or disabilities.
Annexes Annex 1
Annex 2 Questions about saving water. 1. What can we do with a bucket to save water? Answer: Put it in the shower to catch cold water. IMAGE OF THE BUCKET PLACE IT IN ON THE SHOWER/BATHROOM 2. What should we do every day for five minutes to save water? Answer: Close the tap while we are soaping in the shower. IMAGE PERSON SOAPING WITH CLOSED TAP. 3. How should we wash our hands and brush our teeth? Answer: With the tap closed IMAGE PERSON WASHING HANDS OR TEETHWITH TAP CLOSED. 4. Where you would throw an ear swab to avoid flushing it down the toilet? Answer: In a trashcan / waste basket. IMAGE TRASH BIN/WASTE BININ THE BATHROOM. 5. What button to press on the toilet tank when you just pee? Answer: The one with a single dot on it. (IMAGE TANK WITH TWO BUTTONS) How do you push the button of the tank if you just do pee? Press it a second time to cut the discharge. (IMAGE OF TANK WITH BUTTON TO STOP THE DOWNLOAD). 6. How should we use the washing machine and dishwasher to use less water? Answer: Load it completely IMAGE OF FULLY LOADED WASHING MACHINE AND DISH WASHER. 7. If we have only a few things to wash, how do we do? By hand or in the dishwasher? Answer: In the sink. IMAGE OF THE SINK. 8. If we do not like to drink tap water, which uses less water? An osmosis apparatus or a Water Filter Pitcher. Answer: A pitcher. Also, it uses less plastic. IMAGE PITCHER AND CROSSED WATER BOTTLE. 9. What to do after watering the garden? Answer: Close very strongly the hose. IMAGE HOSE. 10. Where is best to wash fruit and vegetables to save more water? Answer: In a bowl or in a container. IMAGE BOWL WITH FRUIT. 11. What time is the best to water the garden and the plants? Answer: At night. IMAGE PERSON WATERING IN THE NIGHT 12. If we want to wash a car and save water, what can we do? Answer: Use sponge and bucket. IMAGE SPONGE AND BUCKET.
ACTIVITY 7 NAME
The importance of not contaminating the water
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Guided visualization
DURATION
30 min
TARGET GROUP
Adults Participants with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Power-point presentation of bio positive and bio negative characteristics of water and photos of clean and dirty water. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12xmtlzrMEHqQQo1oCOw abFtI9vPXOm-NQXepTJSpb9M/edit?usp=sharing Bio positive and bio negative characteristics of water (Annex 1). A round object for each participant (oranges, stone marbles, etc.). Computer, projector, speakers.
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants about the importance of not contaminating the waters.
DESCRIPTION
This activity consists of the following three part: Part 1. Powerpoint presentation with bio positive and bio negative features of the water (slides 1 and 2). With this presentation, participants are invited to think and comment bio positive and bio negative features of the water. Simultaneously, the educator explains that humans adopt behaviors that sometimes resemble the bio positive and sometimes the bio negative features. Part 2. Powerpoint presentation with photos of clean and dirty water (slides 3-15). With this presentation, participants are invited to express what they feel when looking at the photos of clean and dirty water and asked if they have seen similar images in their countries. The last photo is a photo of the world's most polluted river, the river Citarum in Indonesia. The educator reads the information about it (Annex 2). After this the participants are invited to think about the consequences of consumerism, the state of our immediate environment and how we would like it to be in a few years. Part 3. Guided Visualization. All participants are placed in a circle and sit on the floor with their eyes closed. The educator reads a text accompanied by music (Annex 3). When the text speaks about delivering a gift, the educator gives participants the round object (the participants keep their eyes closed).In the same time some participants are given the final sentences (Annex 4). When the visualization is over, the educator asks participants to open their eyes and read out load the phrases they have received. Finally they participants are asked to share what they felt during the activity and discuss it in the group.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes
Annex 1 WATER: Positive characteristics
Limitations
•Ability to adapt: The water takes various forms.
Loss of self: The rivers meet, losing their own
It can be found in the form of water vapor, rain,
identity, they flow into the sea and lose
river, sea.
themselves. Water adapts to its container.
Living in the Present: The river takes its course
Example: some people adapt to their friends,
and can not return, it does not care where it
family, etc. to fit in and lose their identity.
passed, or where it will pass, it just flows ...
Stagnant water: dirt, neglect.
Annex 2 THE STORY OF CITARUM RIVER This was a river where fishermen used to cast their nets and the birds used to feed. It had its natural beauty. The villagers used its water for irrigation canals. Today, the Citarum River, located in the western part of the island of Java in Indonesia, is a river completely full of residues. Due to more than 500 factories in the zone, mostly related to the textile sector, whose processes require many chemical treatments, this river is full of substances that should not be there. The villagers do not fish anymore. What they do now is "trash digging" to find something that could be good enough to sell or exchange for food. They risk their lives in order to survive, as they are exposed to many diseases "living" in this river. Today, the Citarum is a river in crisis, choked by the domestic waste of nine million people and residues from the hundreds of factories. The carpet of garbage is so dense, that the tiny wooden fishing crafts which float through it are the only indication of the presence of water. Their occupants no longer try to fish. It is more profitable to recycle or save specific garbage for trade - such as plastic bottles, broken chair legs, rubber gloves - the risk of catching some disease is high compared to one or two pounds a week they can earn, if they are lucky . For the World Environment Day, The United Nations showed the shocking way mankind has abused the Citarum River, near the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. They say the death of Citarum began with rapid industrialization in the late '80s
Annex 3 Guided visualization: MUSIC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLJ3SWxz104 (2.09min) We are the morning dew, fresh and clean, that turns into clear and wild water, flowing unstoppable in its search for the sea. Serving to sustain fish and frogs, joining other rivers to have more strength for running forward. Irrigating fields and gardens, giving life to plants and animals while passing by.Tickling rocks, stones and roots to give them the green blanket of moss, crossing lakes, that are calmly sleeping, sleeping, sleeping, sleeping. Visualize, feel the cool water on you face, or be yourself that flowing water, let go. CHANGE THE MUSIC! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuA88m6iHTU&NR=1&feature=fvwp The river continues its course, crossing cities, where it swallows paper and waste, which gives its water a muddy color. The river flows through industrial zones, where the discharges create sticky foam, which the ones with a delicate nose can smell. It sticks to the fish scales, causing them to die after hours of agony. The river is without life, it moves thick and heavy, stealing life from species while passing buy; dying fish, drowned birds, dry plants, blank stares of children and the elderly who wonder why. Why we all can´t give a bit of effort? Why do we let the river die slowly together with its surroundings? The sea, rough and free, is waiting for the arrival of fresh mountain rivers. It becomes sad when the corrupt and stinking waters reach its shores, full of cans, debris, pesticides, chemical waste, and dead animals. CHANGE THE MUSIC! Relaxing. Ask the participants to relax and breathe. Give them a moment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvuPyOB6AiI Today is a great day. You have just woken up and you're getting ready to leave, when a man knocks on your door. He says the wise man of the mountain wants to see you. He is a strange man, but you feel like trusting him, so you leave the house and follow the man. You feel that the sun on your face is smooth and enjoyable. You walk along the short man, slowly and steadily you progress, you come to the mountain and you start to climb. You thank the shade of the trees and the musty, humid smell around you. You are touch the grass as you are climbing, and you feel how soft it is. You come to the door of a cave hidden in the mountains. The man asks you to open the door and enter. So you do and you go into a dark but cozy room. Along comes a man, no doubt that he is the wise man of the mountain. He is dressed in white and radiates light as he approaches you. He turns to you and says "What joy! You have arrived. I was waiting for you" He touches your hand and you become glad that you decided do come. He keeps talking to you: "I've waited for a long time to tell you something very important, but now it's time, you're ready." At this moment he gets close to you ear and whispers something. You realize you have known it for a long time, but you are glad that somebody has reminded it to you. You feel happy and hopeful. Again, he comes to you and puts something in your hands saying: "It's a gift for you" "Play with it" "Hug it"
"Love it" "This gift is for you, but you can share it with others and even give it to your loved ones". "This gift is the world, Mother Earth, we inherit from our parents to give it to our children." "Take care of it" He tells you that it's time to go home and that he trusts you . You come out of the cave and go down the mountain. You feel the breeze on your face, the smell of the forest, the freshness of the herbs into your hand. You remember what the wise man said. You touch the gift that he gave you and you feel happy, hopeful, sograteful. Annex 4 It all can be resumed in:
I am aware that the land is a common good that should be take care of. I take the responsibility that I have to take care of it.
We finish being more aware:
Love the Earth! It is slowly dying! Madre Tierra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE20uuhnOd4 And happy
Act! Your small actions matter! Moving: http://www.macaco.es/?p=315
Mundo roto: http://www.macaco.es/?p=693
ACTIVITY 8 NAME
Let´s calculate our water footprint!
TOPIC
Water
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
20 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14 +) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Computers. Water Footprint calculator of National Geographic: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/fresh water/change-the-course/water-footprint-calculator/
OBJECTIVES
Explain the concept of water footprint. Rise awareness of our water consumption and the differences between one country and another.
DESCRIPTION
First, the educator divides people into groups of 4-5 people, depending on group size and the number of available computers (there must be at least one computer per group). Each group will choose a person who is going to calculate their water footprint. This person will need to calculate their actual water footprint of (even if they waste water in their daily tasks). When all groups have finished, they present their findings to the rest, naming the points where their consumption is the highest. The activity will end with a group reflection, commenting on the differences between one country and another in relation to water consumption.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Support of monitor / mentor for each group when calculating your water footprint, in the case of groups with special needs. Help of the tutor / monitor to guide the group discussion, in the case of groups with special needs or with little previous knowledge on the subject.
4. Examples of activities to work on the 3R: reduce, reuse and recycle ACTIVITY 1 NAME
Reducing before recycling
TOPIC
Waste
TYPE
Workshop presentation
DURATION
Approx. 30 min
TARGET GROUP
Children (6 +), youngsters and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Scales, water bottles and jugs of various volumes, water filter pitcher
OBJECTIVES
Rise awareness among the participants about the large amount of waste we generate with our daily actions, and the possibility of reducing that amount in a simple way..
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of comparing the amounts of waste produced by the consumption (for drinking and cooking) of such essential element as water, depending on the consumption choices. To do this, first we establish the ways we use water: • Directly from the tap. • From the tap, using filter pitcher. • Water packaged in various types of containers. The group calculates the weight of the waste produced by the use of a certain amount of water depending on how it is obtained. It is advisable to perform this calculation for the volume of water per 1 filter (taking into account the filter capacity). To calculate it the group weights the filter and at least three different types of containers with different volume and multiply it by the number of containers needed to match the volume produced by the water filter. As a final result we can see that the maximum amount of waste is generated when using the water containers (from the smallest to the biggest), then the filter, and finally (logically) directly using tap water when no residue is produced. As an addition to this workshop we can also calculate the economic costs of each form of consuming water: prices of individual containers of bottled water, the cost of the filtered tap water and cost only tap water. In this case very striking results are obtained in terms of the enormous differences of the costs of the consumption in one form or another (the most expensive, packaged in smaller format and the cheapest by far, the tap). Data are recorded on a chalkboard/whiteboard and the results are discussed in the end of the activity.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The filter of the filtering pitcher is suitable for the use of a certain amount of water, which is indicated by the manufacturer. Depending on the jar used, adjust the volume of the water used for the calculations. Avoid using glass elements to minimize accidents by broken glass.
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
Your sustainable garden
TOPIC
Sustainable gardening
TYPE
Workshop - presentation
DURATION
Approx. 1 hour
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14 +), and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Pots, substrate, plant sticks, cuttings, scissors, hand pruner, string. Materials for showing: fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants about the advantages of developing sustainable gardening techniques.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of showing the various benefits of the use of organic gardening techniques (xeriscape, native plants, composting), both environmentally and in terms of consumption of such resources as chemicals or water, as there is an important reduction in impact between employing a certain product or other, and one technique or another. A small practice gardening can be made by planting cuttings (Annex 1).
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Ivy cuttings are good for this activity. You can also perform very simple bulb plantations. Use simple materials adaptable for any group. This workshop can also be performed in a garden or field, in spaces adapted to the disabled. etc. Avoid using tools that can be dangerous for children or people with special needs.
Annexes
Annex 1 How to make a cutting: To make a cutting correctly we must use a mother plant. From this plant will cut the pieces of branches which will quickly grow their own roots. In the case of ligneous species the growing of roots may take 34 months, so the cutting should be done in autumn-winter, but in the semi-ligneous it takes
approximately one month and the cutting can be done in mid-spring, mid-summer and early fall, without excessive heat or cold. Step 1.Choosing a branch
To make a cutting from a woody species, you should choose a branch that has had flowers in the summer. It should be about 6-10 mm thick and 20-25 cm long. Step 2.Cutting the branch
The base of the cutting is cut horizontally with slight inclination just above a shoot. You should cut the leaves and spots to prevent perspiration, which could dry the cutting. Step 3.Pruning scissors: When you want to cut or prune branches up to 2 cm in diameter, for example, rose bushes and a variety of shrubs and herbaceous plants, you should use pruning scissors. They have a very comfortable handle that can be used with one hand, they are lightweight and have a safety to keep them closed.
Step 4. Apply rooting product
Soak the base of the cuttings with rooting product that helps root development. The rooting products contain hormones that stimulate root growth for all types of seedlings and cuttings: soft, semi-hard and hard. This product also contains a fungicide to reduce the risk of rotting.
Step 5.Substrate
The cuttings need to be planted in a substrate of sand and turf, thus we protect the cuttings against the cold. We must bury about 10-15 cm of the cutting and wait 3-4 months until they have roots. Turf is a 100% natural soil improver; it retains water and improves soil structure. It is especially recommended for use in pots and reproduction of plants, bulbs and flowers.It contains a high percentage of organic matter, improves root development and promotes soil aeration. Watering and precautions
Keep the soil moist by spraying water on soil and ensure an ideal temperature of 18 degrees. If it gets too cold, you can cover the plants with plastic. They should get enough sun, but avoid direct sunlight, as it dries the substrate.
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
Shopping and the waste of the world
TOPIC
Waste
TYPE
Guided visualization
DURATION
40 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (12+) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Power-point presentation “Hungry Planet: what the world eats�: http://www.weston.org/schools/hs/library/ZP383_Hungry%2 0Planet.ppt_files/ZP383_Hungry%20Planet.ppt.ppt
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness among the participants about the large amount of waste we generate with our shopping (especially plastic) and about the huge differences between one country and another. Reflect on how our way shopping and establishment we chose can reduce or increase our footprint. Discuss how the type of diet that we chose influences our ecological footprint.
DESCRIPTION
The activity starts with a slideshow of pictures of families from different countries, showing a typical family, with their weekly purchase and the amount of money spent on it. During the presentation, the educator invites the participants to comment their general impressions and observe different aspects in the image: type of food (quality, healthiness), amount of packaging and waste. After the end of the presentation the is a short discussion, asking participants to think about which country produces the waste in general and which the biggest quantity of plastic, to compare the waste generated by our grandparents to the actual production of the waste, as well as share ideas for reducing the generation of waste in general and plastic in particular.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In the case of groups with special needs tutors / monitor can lead the discussion to help participants think about the slides.
ACTIVITY 4 NAME
Recycling race
TOPIC
Waste
TYPE
Game
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (5 -12)
MATERIALS
2 sets of recycling bags according the existing recycling system 2 bags of mixed waste of all kinds (previously washed).
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants about the importance of selective separation at home. Teach the participants what kind of waste goes into each container.
DESCRIPTION
First the educator reminds the children of the importance of recycling and asks them to say how many types of containers there are and what goes into each. The educator also explains what to do with such types of waste as oil, batteries, electronics, hazardous waste, etc. Then the participants are divided into two groups. Each group has their own recycling bag kit and a bag of mixed waste. A relay race starts, in which children will have to correctly separate waste and also run as fast as possible. Each group stands in a queue. The first one takes any object from their waste bag and runs to the recycling bags placed at a short distance, places the object in the correct bag, runs back, passing the turn to the next player in the queue and goes to the back of the queue. The race finishes when both teams have placed all their objects in the recycling bags. The educator gives a point to the team that finished first. Then the educator checks if the separation between the bags has been done correctly and gives a point to the team with the lowest number of mistakes, explaining all the mistakes and solving doubts. Finally the race is repeated again to see if the participants can do it with a lower number of mistakes.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
ACTIVITY 5 NAME
Constructing our own Worm Composter (vermicomposting)
TOPIC
Waste
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
45 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (8+), youngsters and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Un plasticized cards with images of different foods (Annex 1), large cardboard, tape, colored markers, worm bait box made out of cork, a lid for boxes(also cork), wooden blocks, cutter, punches, long-necked bottle with a plug, silicone, Californian red worm.
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness among the participants about the large amount of organic waste we generate. Explain possible utilization of organic waste and the benefits of worm / vermicomposting against depositing in waste treatment plants. Involve participants in reducing household waste in their home.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of two parts. First part: consists of explaining what is the worm / vermicomposting and types of residues that we can feed to the worms. To do this, first the educator briefly describes the process of worm / vermicomposting. Then the participants divide a large sheet of paper into two parts and write "What can worms eat" on one and "What worms cannot eat on the other". After that the participants receive cards with images of different foods and they have to say whether the worms can eat each type of food and glue the card onto the correct part of the sheet of paper. Educator follows the process and corrects the mistakes. Second part consists of the construction of a home worm / vermicomposter. • Glue the wooden brick to one of the cork trays in order to make the legs. • Using the puncher make holes in all the trays except the one that has legs. The lid also needs to have holes. Holes must be wide enough to allow passage of the worms except lid, where the holes can be smaller. • Cut of the neck of the bottle, making something like a funnel, put it through the cork tray with the legs, leaving the wider part inside the tray and the neck of the bottle with the plug outside. Place silicone around the bottle to prevent leakage. • Nail the lower part of the bottle in the center of the tray with legs, to allow the worms who fall in it to climb and not drown.
You can consult the construction process in many video tutorials found in youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9lO7emUKk0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JiKFCvBxvo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DTsex06ppE COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1 What do the earthworms eat:
When working with children and groups with special needs, be extra careful when using cutter and puncher. The support and supervision of teachers in activity is always necessary.
What earthworms don´t eat:
ACTIVITY 6 NAME
Let´s make some soap
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
Up to 1 hour
TARGET GROUP
Children (10+) and adults Participants with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Ingredients: • 7 litres of used oil (filtered) • 1 kg of caustic soda • 2 liters of water Materials: • A container with sufficient capacity, made of stainless steel or heat resistant plastic • Wooden or plastic stick. • Empty and clean one litre containers (Tetra Pak).
OBJECTIVES
Show the environmental impact of waste. Apply different techniques to make artisanal soap. Demonstrate the benefits of recycling cooking oil. Recognize the role played by soap along the history and in the development of new technologies.
DESCRIPTION
The work should be done in a well ventilated area. First, add the soda to the water slowly and stir until it is dissolved,
avoiding dangerous spills and irritating fumes. Add the oil slowly, while stirring the liquid with the stick. Stir without stopping until the liquid begins to thicken. The soap is ready when a bit of the mixture is taken up and poured back (with the stick) leaves a trace on the surface. The stirring process is slow but can be accelerated if the container is heated a bit, or a hand mixer is used, but do not introduce air in the mass when using it. Finally, the soap is poured into the containers, and is allowed to harden for one or two days. After this type the containers open the containers and cut the soap in the desired size. The cartons should be opened carefully because there might be irritating liquid at the bottom. Once cut, the soap should be left to mature for a month in a well ventilated space. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The supervision of one or more educators is always necessary when working with children and groups with learning difficulties, as hazardous products are used in the workshop.
ACTIVITY 7 NAME
Cooking with leftovers
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
1 hour of theoretical explanation of the objectives of the workshop and competition. A week to send in the recipes.
TARGET GROUP
Children (10+) and adults Collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Recipes and everything for their common party
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness of shopping habits, to know what we buy and eat, and what we throw away. Provide guidelines for ecological consumption, since organic products are much healthier and environmentally friendlier.
DESCRIPTION
After providing some data on the amounts of wasted food and the importance of avoiding this waste, the educator invites participants to send insome recipes prepared at home using leftovers of other dishes. It is important to encourage collaboration and highlight the value of sharing these ideas that work in our own home and are used to take advantage of leftovers, reduce waste and save money. The families can send in up to 3 recipes .A selection of the recipes received are used to develop a GREEN RECIPES COOKBOOK that all the participants receive. The best can be chosen and can receive a
symbolic and educational award. Once the Recipe Contest is closed, the participants are invited to a common low-food-waste meal. To do this the organizers can use and give the following recommendations: • Avoid using single-use towels or wipes. Use the ones made of fabric that can be washed and reused. • Avoid using disposable tablecloths, opt for one made from fabric, or perhaps none, if not really necessary. • Do not use disposable cutlery and crockery, use reusable items (cutlery, glasses, plates, etc.). • Food products used should have as little packaging as possible and the most easily recyclable packaging. • Some of the waste produced can be reused for other uses, such as compost, animal feed, etc. • Avoid at all costs the use of aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Use lunch boxes, trays or similar utensils that are reusable. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the explanations to the level of participants.
5. Examples of activities for work on responsible consumption ACTIVITY 1 NAME
What´s the connection between your mobile phone and Congo
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
45 minutes: 15 min for work in small groups and 30 min for a common discussion
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults Collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Big sheets of paper, markers, laminated worksheets.
OBJECTIVES
Understand the relationship between our electricity consumption, the need for technological resources, the conservation of biodiversity in third countries and social conflicts, such as the ones associated with coltan.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into groups of 4-5 people, who then perform the following activities: Part 1: The initial questions (Annex 1): This is an advertisement with questions to promote group discussion. Part 2: The image with the modified offer (Annex 2) and a sheet where some social and environmental consequences of the production of technology are explained. Example: Child soldiers, deforestation, reserves for gorillas (endangered species), endangered species, etc. (Annex 3). With this new information, again the group has to discuss their previous decision. Part 4: Finally, the participants receive a series of questions for the final discussion (Annex 4) and are asked to provide at least three proposals for realistic solution.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the questions using simpler language for groups with special needs. Reduce the amount of information given in case of groups with special needs. In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject Discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor
Annexes Annex 1
Annex 2
Annex 3 According to the U.N. Security Council, there are approximately 21 active rebel groups operating within the Congo. Out of all these armed resistance groups, the most dangerous and dominant rebel group is called “M23″ — which means ‘March 23 movement.’ The rebel group M23 wants to control all of Eastern Congo and to overthrow the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by any means necessary. This includes kidnapping government officials, recruiting young kids into their army, forcing young boys and men into mining for coltan and other valuable minerals, as well as terrorizing the civilian population. “The recruitment and use of children and all forms of human rights violations in the Congo are committed by the March 23 movement (M23) and other armed groups against children.” – The United Nations (14 June 2013) “Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms.” — British politician Oona King (Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2005) The rebels groups are fighting each other and the government for the control of the world’s largest coltan reserves, which is located in Eastern Congo. With supply and demand, electronic corporations wanting to meet production will go to third parties such as armed rebel groups posing as legitimate mining businesses to obtain coltan (a mineral that is necessary for production of high-tech electronics) and other supplies. In other occasions, the rebels will sell the mined coltan and other valuable minerals to the black markets, many of which are then smuggled overseas to places like China, Thailand, Malaysia, and India to be refined. Then the minerals are processed into components and are shipped to places like the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Due to the high demand for coltan, thousands of children (young as 10 years of age) are used to mine in filthy coltan reserves while others are forced to
be child soldiers – often fighting against government soldiers to protect the mining sites. Other than military conflicts the current growth of mining industry in western Africa has also caused a lot of environmental problems in the region. In the case of DR Congo many mining sites are actually located in the eastern side of the country where a lot of natural reserves with rich ecological values are located. Such as the Kahuzi-Biega reserve and Okapi reserve that will be mentioned in the next part, are home to a lot of critically endangered species. In recent years due to the gradual increase in demand of valuable minerals like coltan, thousands of Congolese’s have moved into the area in order to work in the mining sites. According to a report the tech boom since 1990s have pushed the price of coltan from US $65 to nearly US$100 per kg and at the highest point the number even reached $600 per kg. And so due to the high value of these minerals the wages for coltan mine workers are relatively higher. Compared with ordinary worker who earn only about US$10 per month coltan mine workers can nearly earn as high as US$200 per month. This has attracted thousands of workers to move into the natural reserves in order to improve their living standards.
Soil erosion caused by excessive mining (source: ABC Australia)
The massive inflow of population into the natural reserves has also led to a great increase in the demand of daily necessities such as food and wood. Due to underdevelopment of local infrastructure such as transportation system and road it’s very costly and very difficult to
deliver necessities and resources into the region. According to some estimation nearly 10,000 & 4,000 people have moved into the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Okapi Wildlife Reserve in recent decade. These large numbers of population in so have to depend on consuming natural resources in the reserve in order to support their daily lives. First of all people need to chop down the forest in order to obtain land to build up mines and also camps for them to live in. On the other hand, they also need wood for the camps and also to build up fire. These demands on wood generated by pressure of population growth have led to serious deforestation in the eastern region of Congo and nearby regions like Rwanda. The deforestation process has seriously affected the environment of the region (and possibly also other part of the world, in the way of emission of greenhouse gases) in several ways. Many wild animals have lost their natural habitat due to the rapid development of mines. Besides animals, the deforestation process also removed a lot of rare plants species in the region. On the other hand the deforestation has also led to serious problem of soil erosion which led to serious silting in the river. Finally, in the process of clearing forest, the burning the charcoals also release a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. At the same time, the clearance of forest also reduces the capacity of rainforest to absorb greenhouse gases released by nearby regions.
A murdered guriella (Source: national geographic magazine, issue 2008 July)
Other than simply destruction of forest, the increases in population also lead to increase demand in food, especially meat which can provide a lot of protein (especially for miners
who have to carry out a lot of manual works). As mentioned above, it’s very costly to deliver food from other regions due to lack of development of the area. And so the increase demand on food has turned to the consumption of natural wildlife animals such as gorilla & elephant. Even worse is that some of these animals are already critically endangered even before the arrival of the mining industry, such as Eastern lowland gorilla. In recent decade, the gorillas are increasingly threatened by the mining and hunting activities by nearby communities. According to one source it’s estimated the mortalities of elephants & lowland gorilla in the area are 3,700 & 8,000 respectively in recent years. According to another source in recently only 140 eastern lowland gorillas remain in the KahuziBiega Park, down from 280 in 1996 due to the growth of mining industry. On the other hand 4,000 out of 12,000 elephants were killed between 1995 & 1999 in the national park. Out of 350 elephant families, only 2 still recently remain in the coltan rich natural reserve. Finally other than deforestation and hunting on wild animals the mining industry themselves also creates a lot of pollution to the region. Other then mines that are located in forest, some other mining sites are located in river bed, such as coltan. Many miners in the region are actually artisanal miners which are actually individual miners rather than other systematic mining corporations. Artisanal miners usually only use very primary methods and tools to extract the minerals from the river bed. And so the way they dig out the minerals are also relatively more destructive to the environment when compared with traditional large mining corporations. For example, during mining process many artisanal miners would simply dump the mining tailings (leftover of the minerals after extraction) into the river or nearby places. Some of these materials maybe toxic and can pose harm to organisms which live in the region. On the other hand, the pollution of river in the upper stream area in the national park area can also flow to lower stream areas with cities and villages, which may threaten the health of people who live nearby.
Annex 4. Questions for the discussion: Discuss the following questions in the group: * What is the relationship between the consumption of technology and social and environmental problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? * Why coltan has become so expensive? * What are the consequences of war for coltan for the inhabitants of Congo * How we can be affected by the loss of biodiversity in these countries? * What can we do as consumers?
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
Choose your menu… and something else
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Role-play
DURATION
40 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults. Collectives with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Laminated work sheets with menus and additional food information for the experts. Big sheets of paper, markers. If possible, some identification sign for restaurants (apron, chef's hat) and experts (goggles, lab coat ...).
OBJECTIVES
Analyze our consumption and its environmental and social consequences. Think about the importance of knowing the origin of the food we eat.
DESCRIPTION
The participants are divided into various groups: • Restaurants: Three restaurants will promote their menu (Annex 1). Restaurants can be represented by one or two people, depending on group size. • Friends: At least two groups of friends (ideally three, but this will depend on the size of the group) who will select a menu from the restaurants and analyze its environmental and social consequences. Groups of friends can be represented by 5-6 people, depending on group size. • Experts: One group, which has information on menu items and their social and / or environmental consequences; there should be at least one person for each food description (Annex 2). The activity: - First speak the restaurants. Each restaurant receives one menu has to sell it to the groups of friends. - Second speak the groups of friends. With the information provided by each restaurant, friends chose menu that suits them (in this part they do not know the opinion of experts yet). -Third the experts get involved. Friends should think about the
environmental and social consequences of the menus and ask the experts opinion. Each expert has a card with information on one (or more) of the foods and give the summary of the information. - Fourth, the friends with information from the experts must decide whether to stay with the initially chosen menu or changed it. Finally a common discussion takes place and the participants are provided with guidelines for a more responsible food consumption. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the Annex to your local situation / products, and the eating preferences of the group (no pork, vegetarian food, etc.) Adapt the questions in a simpler language for groups with special needs. Reduce the amount of information given (especially by experts) in case of groups with special needs. In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor
Annexes Annex 1. Examples of menus. Note: menus are adapted to the Region of Murcia, Spain. Each region/country must choose local foods.
DAILY MENU 1
Starter: Fried California Almonds with salt. First dish: Quick lentils with sausage. Second dish: Nile perch or pangasius with vegetables Coca-Cola and water. Desert: Mango syrup with chocolate. Coffee.
Price: 8 â‚Ź
DAILY MENU 2
Starter: Pod razors with lemon First dish: Brown lentils with sausage Second dish: Atlantic cod with vegetables. La Rioja wine (2 glasses) and water. Desert: Grandmother´s Cake. Coffee.
Price: 9 €
DAILY MENU 3
Starter: Ecological almonds from Murcia with local cheese First dish: Ecological brown lentils with sausage. Second dish: Mullet with red bell pepper and potatoes. Ecological wine from bullas (2 glasses) and water. Desert: Rice with milk. Fair Trade Coffee.
Price: 10 €
Annex 2 .Information on environmental and social effects of the food
Almonds Almond sector in Murcia is in critical condition. From 2005-2009 2005 2009 the prices paid to the growers have fallen by 58%. Competition from California in the US, the largest almond producer in the world, is one of the main causes of this situation. The majority of fields soon will be "unfeasible". There are more than 10,000 almond farms currently present in the region, which add up to 70,600 ha. It is the most extensive ensive cultivated area of the whole community and it includes a specific way of life and traditional landscape in our fields.
Ecoato Borges Fried an salted almonds from California 200 gr. Price 3,28 €
Campo Nubla, S.L.
Ecological Murcia
Ecological almonds from Murcia.
250 gr
1.000 gr.
Price: 3,16 €
Price: -Big ones whole: 11,44 € -Big ones peeled: 14,56 € NOTE: You can buy them online
almonds
from
Lentils Lentils have a high content of fiber and protein, but their cultivation has been reduced and they are being replaced by more competitive products. On the one hand, the farmers have seen how their soil has lost nitrogen and chose to use higher amounts of fertilizer, even when lentils are very good at fixating nitrogen in the soil. In the same time there are more and more lentils coming from Turkey and, especially, Idaho lentils -the the American lentils – so called “quick” lentils, in multiple colors, well presented and having the same size. However, the traditional al lentils in our food (la rubia de la Armuña, la rubia castellana, la pardina Franciscan and la verdina) lentils are tastier, richer in fiber and proteins and more tender. However, even our traditional varieties are beginning to be cultivated in other countries countries (including the US). For this reason, it is not only important to choose local varieties, but read the labels to know where these varieties have been cultivated as well, since it may come from other countries, contributing to impoverish our farmers in n particular and our labor market in general and contributing to increased emissions of greenhouse gases associated with transportation. Currently a multitude of varieties, adapted to very different local environments, have obtained resistance to differentt pests and have been selected for centuries, have disappeared or are at risk of doing so. In its place are emerging commercial varieties, perhaps better presented to the public.
El Hostal
El Hostal
Brown lentils extra.
Quick lentils extra.
1 kg.
1 kg.
Price 2,35 €
Price 2,70 €
Rincón del Segura Ecologicalbrownlentils 1 kg. Price: 3,46 €
Nile perch and pangasius Nile perch: Many of the people of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania traditionally lived from fishing in Lake Victoria (lake surrounded by these three countries). The men fished different kinds of fish and women smoked or dried them and sold them in local markets, in which the families themselves controlled the prices. Perch was introduced in the lake In the 60’s. In the 80’s the exporting firms installed in the shores of the lake and started to export perch to Europe. Many fishermen began working for these companies and as a result, they lost their own fishing equipment and their capability to compete. Even those who continue to fish on their own, sell fish to middlemen at very low prices, as now the prices are set by intermediaries, not the fisherman. Women have lost their jobs because they no longer have fish to sell. Some work in bars for the pilots exporting fish; and AIDS is spreading easily. The number of families dependent on industries has increased and although the townspeople fishing and processing the fish has dropped and they no longer have access to the fish. Hunger is spreading, but the townspeople can no longer pick up the remains of processing perch, because they are used to make fishmeal, which is also exported. The lake is no longer the same. The surroundings have been deforested for the installation of industries that generate contamination, and perch, as they are aggressive and hungry fish, have brought more than 200 of the 300 species of local fish to extinction. As a consequence of this increased poverty there´s an armed conflict between the three countries surrounding the lake for the appropriation of the remaining fishing business. In fact, the same vessels that bring fish for sale to Europe are sometimes used to transport weapons from Europe to these countries, fueling these armed conflicts. In some European supermarkets analysis have found traces of heavy metals in concentrations harmful to health.
Pangasius: 90% of the panga we consume in Europe come from the Mekong Riverin Vietnam. The rapid fattening of these fish is achieved by feeding them fishmeal, soy, cassava and vitamins. They breed in high population density. The benefit of the business goes to the few entrepreneurs who buy live fish from the breeders, clean it, freeze it and resell it to European wholesalers. Local workers receive very low income and work in demanding conditions with very low wages and high productivity. This exploitation has serious environmental impacts: water is contaminated by the administration of drugs (antibiotics and hormones) and by the high density of fish. It also causes overfishing in other areas to produce fishmeal. Transport to Europe generates considerable CO2 emissions.
Perch: Price per kg: 8,25 € (Alcampo).
Pangasia: Price per kg: 4,99 € (Alcampo).
Atlantic Cod and Mullet Atlantic Cod Spain is one of the largest consumers of fish in the world; however such species as Bluefin Tuna, Anchovy and Cod are disappearing from our plates. This is due to overfishing, illegal fishing andother destructive practices are depleting the resources and destroying our oceans. In Europe over 80% of fisheries are overexploited or depleted. Meanwhile, aquaculture can only contribute to the production of sustainable seafood if it meets strict environmental criteria. Aquacultureor growing of specific species causes serious environmental problems and contributes to the depletion of fish stocks. Cod stocks have been suffering a great overfishing on both sides of the Atlantic. The main fishing areas of the Northwest Atlantic have been and continue to be overexploited. The two Canadian populations are at such low levels that they are classified as endangered. In the northeast Atlantic most stocks are in a critical situation and all are classified as overexploitedor at risk of being exploited unsustainably, except Iceland and the Barents Sea (Arctic Northeast) which are better managed. Moreover, the cod fishing with bottom trawling damages the seabed and has a high rate of bycatch of other species which are discarded at sea, often dead or dying. Mullet The mullet lives in shallow sandy areas and close to the seaweed meadows if endemic plant of the Mediterranean Sea Posidonia oceanic, which forms "underwater forests and meadows". It is caught with gillnets (artisanal fishery method) between the months of April and September. Artisanal fishing has the following advantages over industrial fishing and other types of more aggressive fishing methods: • This is a local and ancestral fishing, benefitting the local economy. • As the name states "artisanal" fishing are a work of art and forms part of the historical and cultural heritage of the local people. • It is sustainable: The catches, as well as fuel consumption are much lower than those of industrial vessels. The ecological footprint of consumption of local products is much lower than that of products produced elsewhere. • The fishermen are changing gear and target species throughout the year. This alternation allows the other species of commercial interest to carry out their life cycles and not suffer any fishing pressure at certain times of the year. • It is a professional fishing conducted nearby, so we can enjoy extremely fresh seafood.
Mullet: Price per kg: 14,60 € (market).
Cod: Price per kg: 9,80 € (market)
Coffee
Coffee is the second largest commodity in the world after oil. Only in Spain we consume 200 million kilos of coffee each year. Its price is set at the stock markets in New York and London and it has significant volatility. It is estimated that each year the the marketing of coffee generates 52,000 million euros, mostly controlled by five major companies. Only 10% of this income goes back to the producers. The rest stays in the hands of intermediaries. For example, the Ethiopian coffee, great quality coffee which which is often sold in the North at a high price (you can pay even 15 euros per kilo) is produced by 1.2 million farmers who receive less than 2 euros a day for their work. Moreover, the International Labor Organization estimates that child labour accounts for around 10% of people working in the coffee plantations. Fair-trade trade guarantees a stable income for the producer groups higher than the regular market price. A study of the French Platform for Fair Trade concluded that with this alternative system system farmers receive 17% of the final sales price, whereas in the conventional trade it stays at 5%. Fair Trade ensures that no child work is used in the production. Does this mean that the final price of Fair Trade products is higher? Not necessarily. There Th is an increase in the margin of the final price that the producers receive, but the number of intermediaries and advertising costs are reduced, and the other actors renounce enormous profit margins to compensate the higher price paid for the producers. A fair price is not necessarily a higher price for those who consume but a worthy price to the producer in origin. A price which ensures that no one has suffered for others to enjoy a good coffee.
Marcilla
Saimaza
Natural ground coffee
Mixed grounded coffee
250 gr. Price 2,15 €
250 g. Price 2,14 €
Altercafé Coffee coming from small producer cooperatives in Africa and South America. 250 gr. Price: 2,81 € NOTE: It can be bought online
Wine The cork oak is one of the great symbols of the natural wealth of the Mediterranean basin. The cork oak covers an area of 2.7 million hectares in the Western Mediterranean, distributed unevenly between Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Since immemorial times, man has used natural resources offered by this unique ecosystem to build an operating system that combines livestock, agriculture and forestry.
Currently, more than 100,000 people still have the cork oak as their main source of income, especially with jobs linked to the cork industry. The most important economic activity linked to cork is making corks for wine and other beverages. This is the use of some 85% of the cork obtained in Spain. Annually worldwide there are produced over 15 million corks. Just over half of them are made from cork from the Iberian Peninsula, thus Spain and Portugal are the main cork producers in the world. Only in Spain there are currently over 600 registered companies working in this sector, employing around 3000 people. Preserving the cork production, besides maintaining a sustainable economic activity, protects the unique habitats that act as a refuge for some of the most endangered species in the Peninsula and the Mediterranean in general. If the wine companies stop using cork, up to two million hectares of cork oak would be left in the risk of forest fires, desertification or conversion to other uses. No fewer than 50,000 people, including employees of the cork sector and forest workers could lose their occupation/job, many of them in areas of particularly fragile and precarious economic environment.
Luberri SABATACHA
Las Reñas
Red wine, cork
Ecological red wine, cork.
Denomination of Origin: Jumilla
Origin: Bullas.
Denomination of Origin: La Rioja
Bottle of 75 cl.
Bottle of 75 cl.
Bottle of 75 cl.
Price 4,09€
Price: 4,89€
Price: 5,65 €
Red wine, plastic
Coca-Cola On the coast of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco a group of fishing families is struggling to regain their homes in the sanctuary of SirinhaĂŠm river. In 1998, 53 families were expelled from the mangrove forest where they had lived for decades and from which they got their food and income, due to the installation of the sugar refining plant UrsinaTrapiche. According to the communities and their advocates, Trapiche began destroying their homes and small farms without any provocation also threatened them with violence and destruction unless they left the islands. Trapiche resettled families in the village of SirinhaĂŠm, where they have access to electricity, water, sanitation and education. However, transfer has brought many difficulties. Families live in favelas and if they want to fish, they have to go a long way to reach the mangroves. Living in the village is expensive, and as they have lost their own land, some families have to resort to wage labor to pay for their food and other basic needs, often cutting sugar cane for Trapiche. In 2009 the rights on the reservation were granted to the evicted families, but the state has not yet approved it, which many attribute to political influence of Trapiche and the sugar industry in general. Coca Cola has confirmed that it uses sugar from UrsinaTrapiche for developing their products. Currently, Coca Cola faces allegations of child labor in its supply chain in the Philippines as well. Most recently the company has committed to take steps to end the land grabbing in its supply chain after almost 225,000 people signed a petition and took actions requiring food and beverage companies to respect the land rights of local communities. These actions are part of Oxfam's campaign Behind the Brands.
Fair trade Cola: Price: 1,10 â‚Ź (Oxfam).
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
In the nature everything comes back
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
45 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults.
MATERIALS
Big paper sheets, markers, laminated Annexes.
OBJECTIVES
Reflect on how the decisions we make affect the environment and how the environment affects us. Show the relationship between human activity, marine pollution, bioaccumulation in the food chain and the return of contaminants to humans.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into groups of 4-5 people, who then do the following activities: Part 1: Two images are given to the participants and they must establish the relationship between them (Annex 1): - Image 1: Electricity consumption in the home, energy-consuming devices. - Image 2: Pregnant woman who is buying tuna and someone is telling her it is not healthy. Part 2: Participants receive a text with information on mercury, its origin and marine pollution (Annexs 2); and another on nitrate accumulation in vegetables (Annex 3). Part 3: Finally the groups discuss how they could promote responsible consumption (Annex 4) and present the results to the rest of the groups.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1. What is the link between these two pictures?
No, Elisa, tuna is not good for pregnant woman. Maybe a different one?
It could be the energy consumption in the house of Elisa or in yours. Do you think our energy consumption in the households is high or low? Is there any relationship between our energy consumption and the situation in the image on the left?
Give me two pieces of tuna, it´s a healthy fish
Questions for discussion: Do you think our energy consumption in the households is high or low? Is there any relationship between our energy consumption and the situation in the image on the left?
Annex 2: This fish has mercurium. And you? Source: European Food Safety Authority http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/contam040318.htm EFSA provides risk assessment on mercury in fish: precautionary advice given to vulnerable groups
Press Release 18 March 2004
The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) published today an opinion regarding the possible risks to human health associated with the consumption of foods contaminated with mercury. Mercury is present as an environmental contaminant in foods, notably in fish and seafood principally in the form of methylmercury. While exposure to methylmercury varies by country, intake estimates for European consumers are close to internationally established safe intake limits. The Panel advises that further dietary studies be conducted among vulnerable population groups, including children and women of childbearing age, where specific intake data are lacking. Taking into account the important nutritional contribution that fish makes to the diet, EFSA recommends that vulnerable groups in particular select fish from a wide range of species without giving undue preference to large predatory fish likely to contain higher levels of methylmercury, such as swordfish and tuna. Additional guidance regarding the types of fish most suited to consumers’ diets is provided by national food safety authorities in Member States.
Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA’s Scientific Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) has evaluated the possible risks to human health from the consumption of foods contaminated with mercury, in particular methylmercury, based on intake estimates for Europe. In carrying out its risk assessment, the Panel focused on methylmercury, which is considerably more toxic than inorganic mercury in food. In doing so, the Panel considered the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established recently for methylmercury by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) as well as the intake limits established by the U.S. National Research Council (US-NRC).
The main source of human exposure to methylmercury from food is fish and seafood products. Given that the average intake estimates of methylmercury for European consumers are below but at times rather close to the PTWI established by the JECFA (1.6 µg/kg body weight) and some intake estimates exceed the limit established by the US –NRC (0.7 µg/kg body weight per week), the CONTAM Panel recommends that a more complete evaluation of exposures be carried out in Europe.
Commenting on these conclusions, the Chair of the EFSA Panel, Dr. Josef Schlatter explained: “Above safe levels of intake, methylmercury is particularly toxic to the nervous system and developing brain. Exposure during pregnancy and early infancy is therefore of particular concern, and this is precisely where appropriate intake data are lacking. Consequently, the Panel advises that specific dietary intake studies be conducted among those more vulnerable population groups including children and women of childbearing age.” Following on from this recommendation, EFSA has initiated and will pursue collection of data from Member States through the networks of its Advisory Forum.
In light of the conclusions of the CONTAM Panel, EFSA endorses the precautionary advice concerning fish consumption given by national food safety authorities in Member States in order to protect against the risks for the most susceptible life stages: the unborn child, breast-fed babies and young children. Taking into account the important nutritional contribution that fish makes to the diet, EFSA recommends that women of childbearing age (in particular, those intending to become pregnant), pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as young children select fish from a wide range of species, without giving undue preference to large predatory fish such as swordfish and tuna. Due to their place in the food chain, these fish are likely to contain higher levels of methylmercury than other fish species.
Fish is an important part of a healthy diet as it provides important nutrients. EFSA supports dietary advice given to consumers regarding the benefits of fish consumption. Indeed many national and international authorities advise that people should eat at least two portions of fish a week. Additional guidance regarding the types of fish most suited to consumers’ diets is provided by national food safety authorities in Member States.
Background note on EFSA risk assessment related to mercury and methylmercury in food (Request N° EFSA – Q- 2003-030)
Mercury and Health Mercury is an environmental contaminant that exists in different chemical forms. Inorganic mercury in food is considerably less toxic than methylmercury which is mainly present in fish and seafood products. Due to the accumulation of mercury in the food chain, large predatory fish (such as swordfish and tuna) contain higher levels of methylmercury than other species of fish and represent significant sources of human exposure. Methylmercury is particularly toxic to the nervous system and developing brain; therefore, exposure during pregnancy is considered the most critical period for methylmercury toxicity. Population groups particularly concerned by exposure to mercury include: women of childbearing age and especially those intending to become pregnant; pregnant and breastfeeding women; and young children. Mercury is a natural component of the earth's crust that is sometimes released into the environment through natural processes, for example as a result of volcanic activity and weathering of rocks. However, it can also be released by humans through numerous activities, such as the paper industry, mercury mining, fossil fuel combustion, cement production, waste disposal, etc. Mercury released into the environment ends up in our oceans and contaminates fish and seafood we consume. As it accumulates in the flora and fauna through a process called bioaccumulation, animals that are at the top of the food chain are those with the highest levels of mercury. Much of the fish we eat, such as tuna and swordfish, are near the highest level of the marine food chain.
Annex 3. Can vegetables save us? RECOMMENDATION OF THE SPANISH FOOD SAFETY AND NUTRITION AGENCY Bearing in mind the conclusions of the EFSA on nitrates in vegetables and consumption habits and recommendations from Spanish pediatrician’s, the Spanish Food Safety and Nutrition Agency makes the recommendations on consumption indicated below with the aim of reducing the exposure to nitrates of sensitive groups of the population (babies and young children): As a precaution, it is recommended not to include spinach or Swiss chard in their purées before they are one year old. In the event of including these vegetables before the first year passes, ensure that the content of spinach and/or Swiss wiss chard does not exceed 20% of the total content of the purée. Not to give more than one portion of spinach and/or Swiss chard a day to children between 1 and 3 years of age. Not to give spinach and/or Swiss chard to children who have gastrointestinal bacterial infections. Not to keep cooked vegetables at room temperature (either whole or in purée). To keep refrigerated if they are going to be consumed on the same day, if not, freeze them. It should be remembered that when comparing the risks/benefits of exposure to nitrates from the consumption of vegetables the beneficial effects acknowledged from their consumption prevail. In any event, a varied, balanced diet is one on of the bases of adequate wholesome nutrition.
Nitrates Nitrates are found naturally in vegetables, especially in green leaf vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce. Nitrates in themselves are relatively not very toxic. Their toxicity is determined by their reduction into nitrites in the human body, which in high concentrations may cause methemoglobinemia, the most characteristic manifestation of which is cyanosis. This disease particularly affects babies and young children who are exposed to a high concentration of nitrates because of their diet, which is often called the “blue baby syndrome”. Aware of this food risk, maximum limits of nitrates have been set in the European Community for lettuce and spinach as well as for baby food (Regulation 1881/2006 of 19th December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs). These limits are being re-evaluated at the present time based on the control data collected over recent years. In some cases it has been confirmed that, in spite of the implementation of good agricultural practices, compliance with the maximum limits for nitrates, especially in the case of fresh spinach, is not attained. The key to explaining this situation resides in climatic conditions, specifically light, as a fundamental factor in the cultivation of these vegetables. A high intensity of light favours the metabolism of the plant, fixing the nitrogen in nitrogen organic compounds, such as amino acids, proteins, chlorophyll, and so forth, which reduces the content of nitrates, therefore any factor that reduces the intensity of light and the velocity of photosynthesis favours the accumulation of said nitrates in the plant. This is why winter crops have higher concentrations of nitrates than summer crops and for the same reason, crops from countries of northern Europe have higher levels than those of the southern area. For the same reason, crops cultivated in the open air have less content of nitrates than those cultivated in a greenhouse. Scientific opinions The panel on contaminants in the food chain of the EFSA has published a declaration relating to the possible effects on the health of breast-fed babies and young children due to the presence of nitrates in certain leaf vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce. This declaration complements a scientific opinion on “nitrates in vegetables”, published by the same panel in 2008, in which the risks and benefits of the consumption of greens and vegetables were compared. The EFSA panel stated that the nitrate levels in lettuce did not represent a risk to children. In the case of spinach the situation is otherwise; the EFSA has studied different scenarios of exposure and has drawn the following conclusions: Infants (babies from 3 to 12 months): It is unlikely that the consumption of spinach is a concern for health, bearing in mind that this vegetable forms part of the diet as one of the ingredients contained in the purée for babies aged between 6 and 12 months. The EFSA acknowledges, however, that there would be a risk in the event that more than one portion of purée with spinach were given a day (considering that spinach constitutes 50% of said purée). Children aged between 1 and 18: The EFSA has studied three groups of the population of children (1-3, 4-6 and ≥7 years of age), in which one complete portion of spinach can be consumed and it has determined that the most exposure to nitrates occurs in the segment aged between 1 and 3. The absence of risk in extreme situations is not ruled out in this group, such as that in which a high consumption of spinach is combined with the presence of high levels of nitrates in said vegetable. Lastly, the EFSA warns that the inappropriate storage of these greens when cooked (the preparation of purées over one day in advance and preserved at room temperature) may give rise to the conversion of
the nitrates into nitrites in situ, thereby raising the possibility of causing methemoglobinemia. Furthermore, children with bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract are more sensitive to nitrates, the reason for which the panel advises against feeding spinach to these children.
Annex 4. Discussion • Do you think that our decisions affect the environment? Does the environment return us that influence? How? • Does the environmental pollution is only a problem for wildlife? • To what extent are we responsible for this issue, what role do consumers play in the contamination of oceans and other ecosystems? • Can a change in our habits improve this situation? In which way?
ACTIVITY 4 NAME
World in your closet
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
45 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Initial sheet of papers, markers, laminated work sheets, printed world map and stickers to point the origin of the clothing.
OBJECTIVES
Analyze the origin of the clothes we buy and environmental and social problems related to the decisions we make when buying a piece of clothing.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into groups of 4-5 people, who then go on implementing the following activities: Part 1: 5 + 5 cards are dealt for each group with two different types of information on clothing. We have chosen 5 brands of clothes (Adidas, H & M, Zara, Abarcas (Murcia) and Titis (Murcia)). - Type 1 Card: Card where working conditions, contamination level and type of manufacturing site of the clothing brand are described, (without mentioning the name of the company) (Annex 1). - Type card 2: Card with an image of a piece of clothing of this brand, along with the name of the brand, material it’s made of and its price (Annex 2). As a group, participants must join the cards of type 1 with type 2 and justify their choice (Annex 3).The educator gives the correct answers. Part 2: Visualise the origin of the clothes of the group. Each group looks up the production places of the clothing they are wearing and
place a gomet (sticker) on the corresponding country. Thus we obtain an approximated division of the textile production places (Annex 4). Part 3: How the participant can promote responsible and fair consumption? The educator presents the campaign "Clean Clean Clothes Campaign " (Annex 5) or similar local campaign. Finally the group shares their impressions and come up with proposals of at least three realistic solutions. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the questions in a simpler language for groups with special needs. Reduce the amount of information given in case of groups with special needs. In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor. Adapt the activity including your local clothing companies.
Annexes Annex 1.Type 1 cards
Brand 1 At the factory the company has in Yue Yuen in China, the hourly wage is about 0.21 euros and the workers work between 60 and 84 hours per week. In the Tung Tat Garment Factory (salary: â‚Ź 0.24 per hour), the employees pay fines for being late, for taking a break, or for speaking in the workplace. Besides that, there are mandatory morning gymnastics sessions. In 2000 workers for the suppliers of this company in El Salvador reported that twelve year olds were working overtime and sleeping on the floor of the factory to begin the next working day. The workers also said they were forced to work overtime and to undergo pregnancy tests while they were prohibited sick leaves and unions. Currently new cases of discrimination and sexual harassment are being uncovered. In the fabrics of its suppliers located in Indonesia workers (including youngsters less than 15 years of age) were required to work overtime. Penalties for breach included layoffs, detentions, and cuts in wages, cleaning bathrooms and standing outside the factory. In addition, there have been numerous cases of sexual harassment. The salary is below the minimal salary required by law .In some of their clothes the percentages of nonylphenolethoxylates (NPE) were above 90% even after the first wash. NPE is an elaborate chemical group that once is in the wastewater treatment plant or reaches the environment degrades into nonylphenol25 (NP). It is known that NP is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, and can act as a hormone disruptor. NP is known to accumulate in the tissues of fish and other organisms and bio magnify (to be found in increasing quantities along the food chain.
Brand 2 This company sells about 400 million garments a year and has about 700 stores in 14 countries. The company has about 900 contracted suppliers in different parts of the world. In the factories in India, Mauritius and Madagascar the workers have to do mandatory overtime and work 7 days a week with extremely low wages. In factories in Romania, according to the complaints, the workers received the equivalent of about 69138 â‚Ź / month. Currently the company is taking steps to improve working, safety and environmental conditions for their suppliers. 33% of the samples analysed by Greenpeace in its Detox campaign tested positive for the presence of Nonylphenolethoxylates (NPE), some with values up to 8.7 mg/kg. NPE is an elaborate chemical group that, once is in the wastewater treatment plants or reaches the environment, degrades into nonylphenols (NP). It is known that NP is persistent, bio accumulative and toxic, and can act as a hormone disruptor. NP is known to accumulate in the tissues of fish and other organisms and bio magnify (to be found in increasing quantities) along the food chain.
Brand3 There have been scandals of slavery at least 34 secret sweatshops of their suppliers in Brazil. In them the workers were living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions and extremely small wages. Many of them were in the country without papers and had entered it through networks of human trafficking. In addition, many of the products that are used to "wear" jeans have a high toxicity and have a permanent impact on health of both workers who handle them and the rivers were the waste water is redirected, sometimes without any treatment. 60% of the samples analyzed by Greenpeace during the Detox campaign were positive for the presence of Nonylphenolethoxylates (NPE, some with values up to 25 mg/kg). NPE are elaborate chemical group that, once in the plant effluent wastewater treatment or directly into the environment, to degrade (NP). It is known that NP is persistent, bio accumulative and toxic, and can act as a hormone disruptor. NP is known to accumulate in the tissues of fish and other organisms and bio magnify (found in increasing quantities) along the food chain.
Brand 4 The clothes and accessories in the shop are made by the designers and emerging artists from Murcia. The brand defines its philosophy as “to promote sustainable production, work with nearby suppliers, support the local/national economy�. The whole process of making clothes is done entirely in Spain. The brand tries to use the best possible materials, to provide good quality and create durable objects to be enjoyed for many years, helping to value our past and preserve our future. In many cases they use natural dyes and other dyes that comply with current legislation in the EU, where since January 2005 products containing more than 0.1% of nonylphenol (NP ) and Nonylphenolethoxylates (NPE ) cannot be sold, however, the restriction on textiles imported from outside the EU have not been approved. The store has posted the following statement on their website : 1. We support the small businesses. 2. We strengthen sustainable production 3. We support young talent, local artists and designers. 4. Handmade &Love made. 5. Eat - if it is beautiful, ecological and local ... even better! 6. We love objects made with ancient techniques and contemporary designs. 7. Reclaim the public transport and sustainable urban mobility: Long live the Bike!
Brand 5 It is a Spanish company located in the Region of Murcia. The company staff is Spanish (mostly Murcian), the company complies with the employment legislation and labour rights and creates unique clothes, as the manufacturing process is completely handmade. In the craftsmanship fine materials such as leather or 100% cotton are used.
Identification of the brands Brand 1 Brand 2 Brand 3 Brand 4 Brand 5
ADIDAS H&M ZARA PAPARAJOTE ABARCA SHOES
Annex 2. Type 2 Cards
ADIDAS Sweatshirt with the following characteristics: • • • •
The Climalite® cotton expulses the sweat from your skin Zipper and drawstring hood Colourful Fabric: Plush (60% cotton / 40% polyester)
Price: 55 €
H&M Women’s dress 100% polyester. Price: 7,95 €
ZARA Children’s coat Outer layer: 100% polyester. Inner layer: 65%polyester, 35% cotton. Filling: 100% polyester Price: 29,95 €
Paparajote
Short Sleeve Top in turquoise with black silhouettes of rabbits.
65% Cotton 31% Polyester 4% Spa
Price: 36,75 €
Abarca shoes Red leather espadrille, made with the following materials: • Jute • Rubber Comes in a 100% cotton bag and in a recyclable box. Price: 60 €
Annex 3. Connection and reasoning Brand
Related card
Reasoning
ADIDAS
H&M
ZARA
PAPARAJOTE
ABARCA SOHES
Annex 4. Origin of the clothes of the group members • Each member of the group picks an item of clothing he/she is wearing with a label reads the information that comes on the label. • Based on the information found on the label the participant places a red sticker on the place where each piece of clothing is manufactured each a green sticker where it is consumed. • Discussion about the results: Who are the main producers of the clothing? And the consumers?
Annex 5. Clean Clothes Campaign The Clean Clothes Campaign (http://www.cleanclothes.org) is dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting the empowerment of workers in the global garment and sportswear industries. Since 1989, the CCC has worked to help ensure that the fundamental rights of workers are respected. We educate and mobilise consumers, lobby companies and governments, and offer direct solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and demand better working conditions. The Clean Clothes Campaign is an alliance of organisations in 16 European countries. Members include trade unions and NGOs covering a broad spectrum of perspectives and interests, such as women’s rights, consumer advocacy and poverty reduction. We rely on a partner network of more than 200 organisations and unions in garment-producing countries to identify local problems and objectives, and to help us develop campaign strategies to support workers in achieving their goals. We cooperate extensively with similar labour rights campaigns in the United States, Canada, and Australia. One of the biggest achievements of the CCC is the signing of Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh by more that 30 brands. This agreement includes independent safety inspections and public reports, grant more power to workers by creating health and safety committees, requires manufacturers to finance the costs of the necessary improvements in the dangerous factories and to adequately deal with the fire safety and structural problems. It should be pointed our that this agreement gives the workers the right to refuse unsafe work, according to Convention 155 of the ILO (International Labour Organization). The brands that have signed this agreement include: H&M, Inditex, C&A, PVH, Tchibo, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Primark, El Corte InglÊs, Hess Natur, jbc, Mango, Carrefour, KiK, Helly Hansen, G-Star, Aldi, New Look, Next, Mothercare, Loblaws, Sainsbury's, Benetton, N Brown Group, Stockmann, WE Group, Esprit, Rewe, Lidl, Switcher y Abercrombie&Fitch. On the other side, Gap y Wal-Mart have not signed it. ACTIVITY 6 NAME
Where to shop
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Game
DURATION
40 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (12+) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties and with literacy problems.
MATERIALS
3 large sheets of paper, images of products (printed and cut), images of three types of stores, markers.
OBJECTIVES
Discuss the differences between different types of shops and their economic and social effects. Share the best experiences for reducing our environmental impact when shopping.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into 3 groups. Each group receives a sheet of papers, markers and is assigned a type of
business (supermarkets, dime stores, small businesses/ecological shops).Each group has to think and write down (with pictures or text) positive and negative aspects of shopping in their type of shop, considering customers, producers and workers. When ready, each group explains their work and discusses the difference between various types of businesses. During the second part of the activity each participant receives images of 2-3 products. The educator places in the middle of the group images of the three types of shops that were discussed in the previous activity. One by one the participants explain where they generally buy the products they see in their images and place each image on the image of the corresponding shop. When all participants have placed their cards, the educator invites participants to offer alternatives to the place of purchase for products that are not located on the image representing ecological/small shops. The educator can highlight some products and talk about the importance of buying their ecological and / or local versions (fruit and vegetables), fair trade versions (coffee, chocolate), or limit their overall consumption (bottled water, phones). COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1. Photos of products
Annex 2 Photos of shops
ACTIVITY 7 NAME
Mapa Mundi
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Game
DURATION
30 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults, group of up to 20 participants. People who might have some international travel experience.
MATERIALS
World map, small stickers in 2 colors (A and B) (approximately 5 in each color per participant).
OBJECTIVES
Visualize the map of textile production. Raise awareness on the issues related to the textile industry
DESCRIPTION
The educator starts by placing the world map in the middle of the group. The educator distributes the color A stickers to the participants and invites them to place the stickers on the countries they have visited. After it is done the participants receive the color B stickers and are asked to look for the place of production of 5 things they have with them at the moment (bags, clothing, etc.). The educator invites the participants to help each other with reading the labels. The participants place the stickers on the corresponding countries. The educator invites the participants to observe the map. It should show two zones – one that people visit and know, and one where majority of production is done. The educator starts a discussion using the example questions: NOTE: review a world map before the activity and have a detailed map by hand during the activity, as usually participants do not know the geography of South-east Asia.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Annexes Annex 1: Questions for the discussion -
What does this map show? How do you feel when you look at it? Are you surprised by the map or places of production? Did you know where all the countries are situated? Why the most of our production is done so far away? What is the local and global impact of this kind of relationship? Should we take into account the country of production when shopping?
ACTIVITY 9 NAME
Dividing the Banana
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Game
DURATION
40 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults, group up to 25 people
MATERIALS
A pen and several sheets of paper for each group, printed and cut Annex 1: description of each step of production, Printed or projected Annex 2 the division
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness about the importance of Fair Trade products. Discuss the power of the consumer. Raise awareness about the power relationships in the production chain of bananas
DESCRIPTION
The participants are divided into five groups. The educator explains to the participants that the banana production chain consists of several steps, which they will have to discover and explain. At the same time the educator explains that the groups will have to split the profits from the sale of bananas among them, considering that the educator (consumer) will not pay more than 30 cents for a banana. The educator explains that they will be shown the correct distribution of the price of a conventional banana in end of the activity. The educator gives a card describing one step of the chain together with several sheets of paper (small) to each group. Participants have to read the description of their step, decide how much of the 30 cents they want to receive and put it in writing on a paper. When all groups are ready, the educator asks them to put the sheets with the income they want to receive face down and in front of them. Each group explains who they are and show the amount of money they want to receive from each banana, banana following the production flow (from the worker in the field to the supermarket). It is important that the participants do not change their demands while listening to others. The educator has to sum together the demands from all the groups. When all groups have explained their work, the educator announces that the price of banana, if everyone would receive what they want, would be X cents. The first result is usually greater than 30 cents. The educator explains that it is impossible to sell bananas at this price (I do not want to buy expensive bananas), so the groups have to negotiate and give up a part of their income to get a lower price. Groups discuss and attempt to decide who has to reduce their part. The monitor writes down each change and announces the new price of bananas, until the price reaches 30 cents. The educator starts a discussion, asking participants the example questions: - Who had the power to negotiate? - Is the distribution of income fair? - What can you say about the role and power of the consumer? The educator shows the participants the price distribution of a
conventional banana. - What are the major differences between the actual distribution and the agreement between the groups? -What do you think of this distribution? - Do you know any alternative to conventional trade? (Fair Trade) COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the questions in a simpler language for groups with special needs. In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor
Annexes Annex 1: Steps of the production chain Supermarkets 1. Staff: Supermarkets require a lot of staff. 2. Running Costs: Lighting, transport, designing of staff uniforms, carrier bags... 3. Developing/buying new property to stay competitive. 4. Risk: Supermarkets must not lose their image regarding the quality of their products. If the bananas are handled badly or arrive on the shelves over-ripe, they will lose customers on the long term. 5. Image/Advertising: To attract and keep customers, supermarkets need to invest in advertising and image building. Shipper 1. Ships: Big cargo ships are very expensive to buy and maintain. 2. Fuel: One load between Latin America and Europe may take up to 5 weeks. 3. Insurance: In case a cargo is lost or damaged, for which they will be held responsible. 4. Refrigeration: On board, the bananas are kept in big fridges to prevent them from ripening during the voyage, which would make them arrive at their destination “spoilt�. 5. Port Fees. These need to be paid to port authorities on either side of the voyage. Importer/Ripener 1. Transportation: By truck from the European port to big ripening centres, and from there to the retailers. 2. Contracts: The importer is liable for contracts both to the producers he buys from (promising to buy x amount per week) and to the retailers (promising to provide them x amount of bananas per week). They must honour these, even if they are let down by one end of the chain. 3. Licence Fee. Importers pay licenses for the importation of their bananas into the EU and or UK. 4.Offices/Administration: Importers need office buildings for the administration and bureaucracy that their role involves. 5. Ripening gas: Ethylene is used to ripen bananas 6. Repackaging: After ripening the bananas must be repackaged. Plantation Owner 1. Plantation Running Costs: Expensive pesticides, fuel for pesticide spraying airplanes, tools and
machinery 2. Cost of lawyers: In case workers sue them for work accidents 3. Waste: European Regulations demand a perfect, blemish free fruit which takes a lot of investment and still a considerable part of your crop does not suit the high demands. So every harvest you lose some money on these lost bananas. 4. Risk Factor: You bear the cost if the harvest is bad, or a hurricane or pest destroys your crop. 5. Modernisation Investments. You need funds to invest in modernisation of your plantation in order to stay in business. 6. Cost of Land: The longer a certain plantation is used for banana production, the more fertilisers it will need as the soil becomes depleted of important components. Therefore you need to invest in more expensive fertilisers or more land. Banana Worker - the Banana Caretakers! 1. 12-14 hours/day of hard physical labour in hot conditions 2. Selecting the best bananas 3. Washing bananas - hands in water all day 4. Cutting bananas - carrying heavy loads of bananas on your back 5. Applying fertilisers and pesticides - can lead to health risks such as cancer, sterility, birth deformations in offspring. 6. Pesticides are also sprayed from planes over schools and homes 7. You have to worry about having enough to buy food, pay medical bills or to pay to send your children to school. 8. Often discouraged or prevented from joining a trade union with other workers to ensure that your employer respects your rights, pays you properly and provides you with decent working and living conditions. Annex 2: Questions for the discussion - Who had the power to negotiate? - Is the distribution of income fair? - What can you say about the role and power of the consumer? The educator shows the participants the price distribution of a conventional banana. - What are the major differences between the actual distribution and the agreement between the groups? -What do you think of this distribution? - Do you know any alternative to conventional trade? (Fair Trade)
Annex 3
The division of banana
ACTIVITY 10 NAME
Eco labels
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Workshop - presentation
DURATION
About half an hour, although the length of the activity can be adjusted to the time available and expanded to up to an hour, depending on the items used.
TARGET GROUP
Youth (16+) and adults. Groups with learning difficulties.
MATERIALS
Food industry products with various certifications (local and international ecological labels, fair trade products.).
OBJECTIVES
Educate participants about the potential environmental, social benefits, etc. from consumption of more sustainable products.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of explaining the various benefits of the consumption of products with special certifications compared to other conventional products, logos that allow us to recognize these more sustainable products and their meaning.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
You can add to this workshop calculation of the carbon footprint of products with from different origins. If food products are used and consumed, avoid usage of possible allergenics. You can use this website to look up the ecological certifications: http://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabels/
ACTIVITY 11 NAME
Race to the bottom
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Game
DURATION
40 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults, group up to 25 people
MATERIALS
Rights cards Something to be used as a score board & something to write with
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness about the importance of work rights. Discuss the process how the multinational companies chose the places of production for their products
DESCRIPTION
How to Play: 1. Split the participants into small teams, 2-5 people per
team, with one person playing the corporation. Invite participants to come up with a name for their country 2. Have the corporation hand out a packet of rights to each country. 3. The corporation will then announce that they would like to begin producing their product in one of the developing countries. Each country must now compete to win their business in order to provide job and money for their people. 4. Round 1, each country should talk among them and decide which rights they are willing to give up on behalf of their people in order to invite the corporation to develop their activity in their country. After a few minutes, ask the groups to turn in the rights their country is giving up to the corporation. The corporation will keep score on the board or announce who gave up what rights, and which country is winning so far. 5. Continue to play in rounds, giving up rights, until the countries are no longer willing to give up any rights to the corporation and someone has “won�. Discussion: After the game ask the group a few questions to get everyone talking. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Annexes Annex 1
Bathroom Breaks
Lunch
Health Care
Safety Standards
Paid Overtime
Sick Days
Vacation Time
Maternity Leave
Paternity Leave
Ability to form a Union
Disability
Dental Care
Retirement Plan
Child Care Services
Clean Building/Workspace
Life Insurance
Respectful treatment
Help to balance work and family life
Bathroom Breaks
Lunch
Annex 2. Questions for the discussion: -Did the “winner” really win? - What rights weren’t people willing to give up? Why not? - What were the first rights to go? What made you choose them? - What rights do people have as workers in our country? What do we expect from our working conditions? - How does giving up, or having rights affect poverty and life overall in the country? - What can we do as consumers to support rights of the workers in developing countries -Would we be willing to pay higher prices for products that have been produced by workers who have more rights?
ACTIVITY 12 NAME
Towards the detoxification of our consumption
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
50 min
TARGET GROUP
Youth (14+) and adults Collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Sheets of paper with the circles of “detoxification�
OBJECTIVES
Promote discussion among the participants on their "addiction to consumption", analyzing and relating different daily activities with their attitudes as consumers. Promoting an active shift to "detoxification" explaining that the psychological process of leaving the consumerism is similar to the process of overcoming addictions in general, e.g. drugs.
DESCRIPTION
In the beginning of the activity the educator makes a short introduction to the relationship between the psychological processes of detoxification and the process of behavior change. Then detoxification circles (Annex 1) are placed on the floor and participants make a circle around them. The educator reads a series of habits (Annex 2) and encourages people to position themselves in the circle that represents their situation in relation to this habit. In addition to the debate on consumer habits, emphasis can be placed on the importance of respect and understanding of the dependencies of others, as we all have some. However, the importance of helping and accompanying all those who want to change also should be discussed. The activity ends with conclusions made by the participants.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Adapt the explication of the circles in a simpler language for groups with special needs. In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject work can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor.
Annexes Annex 1
RELAPSES
RELAPSES
Ignorance
I don´tt know what you are talking about
Precontemplation
I understand there´s there an issue, but I´m m not so interested
Contemplation
I should do something, but I do not know what
Preparation
I will do it like this
Action
I´m m already acting
Main tenan ce
RELAPSES
I have incorpora ted the new habit into my life
Buying bottled water is bad for the planet? I don´tt know…
But what does my car has to do with it all?
I understand it is bad, but for the moment I need it
I understand it is bad, but for the moment I need the car to…
I should stop buying it, but I have to think how to do it
I should use my car less, but I do not know how to
I´llll bring a reusable bottle with me.
I´llll take the bus and share my rides
I have a bottle with me
I go by bus and share my car
How could I buy them all the time before?
RELAPSES
I don´t understand how I was not aware of my actions
Annex 2 Habits: • Buy a new phone though the old one still works. • Buy new electric appliances, computers, television, etc. rather than repair the old ones. • Buy new clothes even if have some that we do not use. • Buy things just by looking at the price regardless of their environmental and social impacts. • Use the car instead of sustainable means of transport (bus, bicycle, walking, etc.). • Use the heating and / or air conditioning a lot.
ACTIVITY 13 NAME
What hides behind the brands
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
15 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Cards of the brand groups and names inside the sub brands (1 set per group) (Annex 1). Table linking all the brands in size A3 (Annex 2).
OBJECTIVES
Raising awareness of the participants on the control exercised by large Brands on the food system and the need for greater food sovereignty. Promote a change in the consumption patterns of participants towards more decentralized consumption to return power to small producers and entrepreneurs.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into groups and each group receives three cards of "Brand groups� and three cards of three major Brands that unites these sub brands. They have to try to unite them. Each group presents their findings and the educator gives the solutions: Philadelphia: Mondelez; Lipton: Unilever; Yoplait: General Mills. The educator shows the table that relates the major Brands and sub brands. It is followed by a discussion by adding the data from the Annex 3
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject the discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor.
Annexes Annex 1
UNILEVER GENERALMILLS MODELEZ
Annex 2
Annex 3 Some data: • 7,000 million food consumers, 1.500 million farmers and producers, but less than 500 companies control 70% of the food supply worldwide. • The income of these companies exceeds 1,1 billion a day. • Most producers supplying raw materials these companies are affected by hunger. ACTIVITY 14 NAME
Evaluating the big companies
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
20 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Cards of the denouncements and logos of Nestlé, McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Mondelez (1 set per group) (Annex 1). Table of evaluation of the companies (Annex 2).
OBJECTIVES
Raise awareness among the participants on the negative policies of some of the largest companies in the food system. Discuss the importance of our choice of one brand over another when shopping. Promote a change in the consumption patterns of participants towards more decentralized consumption to return power to small producers and entrepreneurs and encourage individual responsibility when shopping.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into five groups and gives to each group 4 cards of "Cases of denouncements" and 4 cards with the names of the companies (Coca-Cola, Nestle, Mondelez and McDonald's). They have to join them. Each group presents their version. After that the educator gives the correct answers: • Nestlé: With more than 500 factories... • Coca-Cola: On the coast of the Brazilian state ... • Mondelez: In 2009 ... • McDonald's: This company is the world's largest purchaser of beef... Finally the educator shows the participants the table of evaluation of the companies made by Oxfam and invites participants to express their conclusions, based on the Annex 3.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject the discussion can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor. Information can be presented in a simpler language to the groups with special needs.
Annexes
Annex 1
With more than 500 factories, this is the largest food company in the world. Many of its raw materials are purchased from foreign countries, where food production is characterized by very poor standards of human rights, specifically in relation to wages and health conditions. Much of the world production of raw materials the company uses is grown in C么te d'Ivoire. In this country 20,000 children slaves work in plantations. It does not mean that the company uses cocoa harvested by slave children, but, as it has great influence on the extremely fluctuating, low price of the raw material, by not paying a fair price for the raw material, the company is a complicit in working conditions of farmers and peasants. The company also has two factories in Ivory Coast. In 1999 workers reported that they are receiving extremely low wages. One of the biggest criticisms of this company is related to baby food and its marketing policy. On numerous occasions, especially in poor countries, the company has tried to convince pregnant women and young mothers not to breastfeed their children and buy their products instead, by handing out free samples. By using the free samples, the body stops producing milk and then the mothers are forced to buy baby food from the company's at high prices. According to the World Health Organization, one and half million children die each year from lack of breastfeeding, because in countries without access to drinking water, powdered milk is often mixed with contaminated water. In Pakistan, rural communities claim that the company bottles and sells extremely valuable groundwater near people who cannot afford clean water. As part of the campaign Behind the Brands, the company has announced it will take steps to ensure that the rights of women producers of cocoa supply chains are respected.
On the coast of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco a group of fishing families is struggling to regain their homes in the sanctuary of SirinhaĂŠm river. In 1998, 53 families were expelled from the mangrove forest where they had lived for decades and from which they got their food and income, due to the installation of the sugar refining plant UrsinaTrapiche. According to the communities and their advocates, Trapiche began destroying their homes and small farms without any provocation also threatened them with violence and destruction unless they left the islands. Trapiche resettled families in the village of SirinhaĂŠm, where they have access to electricity, water, sanitation and education. However, transfer has brought many difficulties. Families live in favelas and if they want to fish, they have to go a long way to reach the mangroves. Living in the village is expensive, and as they have lost their own land, some families have to resort to wage labor to pay for their food and other basic needs, often cutting sugar cane for Trapiche. In 2009 the rights on the reservation were granted to the evicted families, but the state has not yet approved it, which many attribute to political influence of Trapiche and the sugar industry in general. This company has confirmed that it uses sugar from UrsinaTrapiche for developing their products. Currently, the company faces allegations of child labor in its supply chain in the Philippines as well. Most recently the company has committed to take steps to end the land grabbing in its supply chain after almost 225,000 people signed a petition and took actions requiring food and beverage companies to respect the land rights of local communities. These actions are part of Oxfam's campaign Behind the Brands.
In 2009, the company was accused of buying beef from Brazilian suppliers involved in deforestation in the Amazon forest for grazing As part of the campaign Behind the Brands, the company has announced it will take steps to ensure that the rights of women producers of cocoa supply chains are respected.
This company is the world's largest purchaser of beef. In South America, large areas of tropical forests have been deforested to create land for grazing. The meat that is served today at branches of this company in Europe comes from European cows. However, the feed is imported from countries where most of the population goes hungry. The lands where food for animals is planted displace local food production. The company used to feed the chickens with transgenic soybeans, but thanks to global protests it has stopped. The company gives toys to the children as a part of their special children menu. In 2000 it was uncovered that five suppliers of these toys use child labor (more than 100 children between 12 and 13 years working in different factories). Moreover, wages were miserable: for 8 h work the children received around 1.5 EUR, although generally the work day lasted 15 h, and there were no days off. In 1997 there was a mass poisoning of workers with acetone in one of the factories in Vietnam. The factory refused to pay the cost of medical treatment, even though workers earned 0.6 EUR per hour.
Annex 2
In many poor countries, where disputes over land use are already acute, communities depend on their land for their livelihoods, and land ownership is horribly skewed, communities depend on their land for their livelihoods. Yet companies and governments are seizing land and evicting families to grow crops for export. The Behind the Brands Scorecard looks at whether
the big food companies say they do the right thing by the land and the communities who live on it, and have policies in place to deal with suppliers who violate land rights. Equal pay, equal rights and equal treatment are the keys to a future free from poverty for millions of women. On average, women account for around 43% of the agricultural labor force in the developing world but face a myriad of obstacles including limited power over decisionmaking, access to finance, land, and control of resources. So the Behind the Brands Scorecard looks at what the Big Ten companies say they are doing to fight discrimination and to make sure women get a fair deal now and in the future. One in three of us depend on food produced by small-scale farmers, but millions of these farmers are struggling just to feed themselves. The Behind the Brands Scorecard examines what the world’s biggest companies say they are doing to support the world’s food producers to become resilient and successful. For millions of people, working in agriculture means poverty, child labor, dangerous conditions and the constant uncertainty that comes with casual work. So the Behind the Brands Scorecard examines what companies say they are doing to ensure the rights of farm workers, including by tackling low pay, poor and unsafe working conditions, and child exploitation. The number of people at risk of hunger is predicted to increase by up to 20 percent by 2050 – a direct result of climate change. Now is the time for action, so the Behind the Brands Scorecard looks at what the big food companies say they are doing to reduce greenhouse emissions throughout their supply chains and to help farmers adapt to a changing climate. It’s only possible for companies to be held truly accountable if they are honest about the nature and impact of their work. The Behind the Brands Scorecard assesses how committed companies are to disclosing where they source their products and raw materials and under what conditions, as well as examining their lobbying practices, tax disclosure and how they enforce their requirements on suppliers. More water is used for farming than for anything else. So the Behind the Brands Scorecard looks at what the Big Ten companies say they are doing to disclose and reduce their water use, and to manage water sustainably and responsibly in areas where it is already in short supply. We also assess whether companies require consultation with communities on water use and recognize the responsibility to respect communities’ water rights. Annex 3 • Do you consider the way these large companies ethical? • To what extent do you consider yourself responsible for the problems described in the cards? • Do you think that what we eat affects the conservation of the environment and landscape? And local economy? What about labor / social conditions in other countries? What about the biodiversity and gastronomic diversity? • Do you think we can do something to change things? Can the public pressure do something?
ACTIVITY 15 NAME
Action for a more responsible consumption
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Dynamic
DURATION
20 min
TARGET GROUP
Youngsters (14+) and adults. Collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Big sheets of paper and markers
OBJECTIVES
Promote a change in the consumption patterns of participants towards sustainable consumption through identifying concrete actions individuals can take.
DESCRIPTION
The educator divides the participants into four groups and gives to each group a large sheet of paper markers. Each group is assigned a topic whose title then they write on their sheet of paper: • Reduce emissions associated with food transport. • Reduce food waste • Improve working conditions of workers. •Conserve biodiversity, local varieties and landscape. On cardboard, each group will write ideas for changes related to food in each of these areas habits. Finally, each group presents their ideas and discuss their common conclusions
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In the case of groups with special needs or with little knowledge on the subject the discussion and group work can be guided or encouraged by a guardian / monitor.
ACTIVITY 16 NAME
Production and usage of medicinal plants
TOPIC
Responsible Consumption
TYPE
Workshop
DURATION
2 sessions of 60 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Adults and collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Various medicinal plants (fresh and dried), stove, pots, balance, juicer, cutlery, droppers, jars, scissors, string, mortar, other natural products needed for the selected recipes.
OBJECTIVES
Provide guidelines and criteria for the use of medicine and its disposal. Inform about the benefits associated with the use of medicinal plants. Increase knowledge and culture associated with the recognition of plant species used for the workshop. Show the various forms of usage of medicinal plants.
DESCRIPTION
The workshop consists of two sessions: The first session is dedicated to the knowledge of plant species and natural elements with medicinal characteristics that we can use in our homes. Their names and appearance, where they can be found, their characteristics, how to collect and conserve them, etc. For the development of this workshop we start with inviting the group to share how they use home remedies for some common ailments: headache, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, etc. and compare the possibilities offered by conventional medicine versus the use of plants and natural products, taking into account environmental and economic effects as well. To conduct this session, we can group the species according to their medicinal uses: those used for diseases of the respiratory system, the skin, the digestive system, etc. To do this we need to have fresh and / or dry versions of the various species that we will use. The educator starts with an explanatory tour to the selected species: what they are, where they come from, where they can be gathered, during which time of year, what parts should be collected and how, etc. A small practice should be included in this workshop to learn how to collect plants from the natural environment and how to treat them (how to cut, transport and store them, how long are they useful, etc., It should be like a code of practice to obtain the highest quality plants and affect them and their environment as little as possible). Various activities can be used to reach these objectives: • Preparation of some sort of material for drying at home and / or in the oven.
• Removing seeds of some plants (rose hips or flax seeds etc.). • Preparation of extracts (eg plantain (Plantago lanceolata)). The products obtained in these small activities can be used in the second sessions. For that we will need glass containers in which to save the seeds or extracts we have obtained. The second session will be dedicated to the ways we can use these plants and products: tea, cooking, maceration, plasters, extracts, etc. This second session should be much more practical than the first one. During this session several natural remedies using the medicinal plants are prepared from the selected recipes. The educator organizes the group into smaller subgroups (3 or 4 people per group, depending on the number of participants), and each of them prepare a couple of different recipes. Each group receives the recipes as well as ingredients and materials needed to prepare them. The participants can bring the products prepared to home, so they should be asked to bring some glass containers with them when they come to the workshop. At the beginning of the workshop the educator explains the group both the ingredients to be used in the preparation of the recipes (what they are, what properties do they have, where you can collect or gather them...) and the process of preparation. Each group will prepare the recipes they have received. Once all the preparations are done, all the materials prepared are placed on one table. It is important that they are labeled to know what's what and when they have been prepared, so they can be used. The participants can be prepare various types of teas (thyme, lemon and honey for the throat; nettles to relieve osteoarthritis, chamomile, elderflower and roses to clean the eyes, etc.), creams (almond oil cream for skin blemishes, parsley and carrot mask for eczema, etc.), plasters and poultices (Chamomile poultice for chest congestion; plaster spinach for hemorrhoids, etc) and also syrups, decoctions, juices, lotions, etc. Before performing this workshop the organizers have to select the recipes that we will be prepared taking into account the available to the plants, the time of year, for the most common health conditions, and try to have a good range of recipes to develop representing different preparation techniques of home remedies. COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
In case of groups with learning the supervision of one or more educators is necessary, as the participants use a lots of materials.
6. Examples of activities to promote sustainable mobility ACTIVITY 1 NAME
How do you move?
TOPIC
Sustainable mobility
TYPE
Game
DURATION
20 minutes
TARGET GROUP
Children (10+) and adults Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
3 big dice and table of conversion (Annex 1)
OBJECTIVES
Learn and discover in a playful way the importance of bicycle in our daily commute. Raise awareness on the excessive and unnecessary use of cars in cities.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of a simulation of a race between pedestrians, bicycles and cars; the first one arriving at the finish wins. The activity aims to represent the actual situation of coexistence between pedestrians, bicycles and cars in urban areas. The methodology is of the activity is the following: The group is divided into 3 subgroups: pedestrians, bicycles and cars. The division can be done fairly or employ the proportion considered more faithful to reality. Then the three groups are placed in an imaginary start line. Each group is rolling the dice when it´s their turn and advances the corresponding number of steps according to conversation template which is read out loud by the monitor (Annex 1). The first one arriving at the finish wins. The conversion template provided is designed for bicycles to win. It can be modified to include other actions, other means of transport, etc.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The educator can shorten the distance from start to finish. The participants can move more steps on each spin to make the game quicker.
Annexes: Annex 1: table of conversion:
Pedestrians
1 You´re moving on One step forward
2 You go into a shop Stop
Cyclists
Red light Stop
You´re moving on Two steps forward
Drivers
You go to the gas (petrol) station Stop
An accident Stop
3 You catch the bus Three steps forward You´re moving on One step forward Good traffic Four steps forward
4
5
6 You´re moving on One step forward
Red light Stop
You meet a friend Stop
Stop sign Stop
Bicyclelane Three steps forward
You meet a friend Stop
6
Red light Stop
Traffic jam Stop
You have to pay a parking fine One step back
3
ACTIVITY 2 NAME
Move for Responsible Consumption
TOPIC
Sustainable mobility and responsible consumption
TYPE
Bicycle trip
DURATION
3 hours (without the lunch) or 7 hours (with the lunch)
TARGET GROUP
Children (5+), youngsters and adults Collectives with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Materials for the ride: Bicycles, locks, helmets for children under 16 years, energy bars, sports drinks and / or water, hats, sunscreens, balloons, yarn. Materials for workshops: yarn, crepe paper, herbs, markers, solar oven, food for baking, washed tetra-paks, plastic bottles, paint for plastic, scissors, tape, cuter.
OBJECTIVES
Promote cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transport. Encourage more responsible consumption (local, organic and fair trade products). Promote the visibility of initiatives for social change, such as leisure gardens or networks of alternative and solidarity economy. Create a space for exchanging experiences and coexistence among participants.
DESCRIPTION
The activity consists of a tour of the city visiting different shops of organic, fair trade and local products. The organization, duration, places to visit and complementary activities (workshops and dynamics) can be arranged according to the local situation and group, but an example activity is described in Annex 1.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL
Check your local legislation for the permissions needed to organize a group ride, when the helmets are necessary, etc.
5
NEEDS
It is recommended to have the assistance of an association of urban cycling to plan the route and guide participants. It is recommended to have at least one monitor per 15 participants. In case of groups with special needs, there should be 1 monitor per 10 participants. Besides the monitors there should be at least two route guides (one leading the ride and one closing it). If the participants are children, the help of monitors are needed for some of the workshops, especially in activities that may be hazardous, as the development of plastic flowers in which the cutter is used. Depending on the group's characteristics, the number of stops and the duration of activity, dynamics and workshops can be reduced
Annexes Annex 1 Introduction. Half an hour a. Explanation of the activity, the route and traffic rules. b. Decoration of bicycles with balloons. Bicycle ride visiting the local shops. Three hours a. Organic shop b. Fair trade shop c. Shop of other local products (clothing, crafts, etc.). d. Market Square The shops have to be informed about the visit and agree to it. During the visit he owner or the workers explain the business and why it can be considered “responsible”. For entry to stores smaller groups should be organized and while one group is inside the shop, the rest are offered a game or another activity. Find your pair: Cards with images of animals are distributed to participants (there are two images of each type). Participants have to locate the person who has the same animal as they by sound or movement. Once they find each other, they talk about a certain topic. Steal my tail: Twisted balloons are tied as a tail to each participant Each person has to try to take the tails from others and protect his/her own. Ricardo game: Educator paints a face on a balloon and say “This is Ricardo”. Participants are placed in a circle and pass the balloon from one to another, saying what they would do to Ricardo (give him a kiss, hug him ...). When all the participants have done it, they have to do the action they named to their neighbor on the right. Ride to the place of lunch. Time depends on the distance. An open-air place, such as community or leisure gardens is recommended. Lunch. 90 min
Workshops and visit to the community gardens. Two hours. The organisers divide the participants in four groups that rotate from one activity to another. a. Workshop 1. Development of potpourri bags. Participants cut crepe paper into squares (help the children). Divide the aromatic plants into pieces, removing the stems and keeping the leaves. Put the aromatic plants on the paper square and close it making a sack. Tie it with a yarn. b. Workshop 2. Solar cooking. The educator explains the functioning of solar ovens, emphasizing that it serves as an alternative for saving energy and cooking in areas without electricity. Cook some food that can be prepared very quickly, for example biscuits in the oven. c. Workshop 2. Reuse packaging: wallets made from tetra-paks and flowers made from plastic bottles. Wallets made from tetra paks: 1. Fold up the part or the "mouth" and mark how far the fold reaches on the pack. Cut off the remaining piece (just one side)
Form the closing of the wallet, double it and give it a nice shape.
Unite the two inner departments of the wallet with type, so it does not open. Flowers made from plastic bottles. 1. Cut the plastic bottle horizontally in the middle and keep the bottom part.
It´s time to create the petals. Cut the lower part into five places as shown in the picture. The bottom of the bottle will be the centre of our flower.
Open and push down the cuts that have been made, thus expanding the petals.
Use the scissors to give the petals a nicer form
Paint the center of the flower first, then the petals
Visit of the community gardens The visit to the gardens has to been previously discussed with those responsible for them, who will explain the way they work and discussed the advantages of growing our own food organically with the participants. 4. Return to the starting point. Depends on the distance. 5. Closure.
ACTIVITY 3 NAME
Workshop on basic bicycle maintenance
TOPIC
Sustainable mobility
TYPE
Workshop and a bicycle ride
DURATION
Up to two hours
TARGET GROUP
Children (5+) and adults Groups with learning difficulties
MATERIALS
Bicycles, patches, glue, tubes, tires, bells, helmets, pedals, chains, multifunctional tool, wrench, Allen keys, lights, vest, air pump, chain tool, saddlebags, rear carrier and a water container.
OBJECTIVES
Provide participants with tools to improve their mobility habits. Inform the participants about the benefits of everyday cycling. Learn and experience in first-hand the basics of mechanics and basic bicycle maintenance.
DESCRIPTION
For the development of this workshop, we need nothing more than bike in one hand and tool bag in the other. The educator starts by briefly indicating the series of routines to be taken and always repeated before a bicycle ride, such as: - Have the necessary and compulsory equipment (the reflective vest and helmet – depends on the local laws). The bike, meanwhile, must have a functioning front and rear light and be in perfect condition. - Do a quick check of all components of the bike to test if they function properly, brakes, pressure of the wheels, chain, seat, bell, etc. - Adjust the seat to our height. Once these small tests are explained, the workshop itself starts. As it is a basic mechanical workshop, the educator will focus on a number of basic procedures and troubleshooting of common and easy to fix problems, such as: • Repair punctures • Clean the chain • Tighten a brake • Adjust the gears • Review of the other components Then the educator devotes a few minutes to adjust the height of the seat and handlebar height depending on the rider; verify that the pedals are well anchored and adjusted to prevent falls. The activity ends with a common short ride in a safe place.
COMMENTS / ADAPTATIONS FOR WORK WITH GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Explanations need to be adapted to the level of the participants. Consider the level of participants when planning the final ride.
4. Evaluation of the Green Homes Programme.
Evaluation is a tool for organizations that promote the initiative, the technicians that develop it and, last but not least, for the participants themselves, who have a right to know to what extent the objectives of the Programme have been achieved. The evaluation used in the Green Homes Programme, is also a tool to introduce a culture of measurement in the participating households, to facilitate that in the future, the participants are able to recognize and evaluate their progress and setbacks in sustainability. This evaluation tries to detect changes in attitudes, but also the evolution of more tangible sustainability aspects such as water and energy consumption through reliable data (invoices and meters). The Programme has two evaluations: •
•
An initial evaluation of water, energy and domestic consumption, where the starting situation of households and their consumption habits is evaluated. Consumption data that are asked participants include bills for electricity, gas or any other type of energy they use, as well as water consumption data. Also, other qualitative data are analysed. A final questionnaire to identify the changes and reduction in consumption.
These evaluations are done by asking the participants to fill in an initial questionnaire and a final questionnaire (annexes 1). We must ensure the participants that all their data will be treated confidentially and the results will be presented globally, without speaking at any time about concrete individual cases. It is essential that every questionnaire is identified by a code, which corresponds to one participating household. If participants find it difficult to access their consumption data, you can propose them to complete a letter authorizing a technician of the Programme to obtain their data directly from relevant utility company. In some cases, the coordinating organisation will have to sign an agreement with the companies to facilitate this task; in others, the companies provide the data with simply a written authorization from the contract holder. This is a good way how to obtain more reliable consumption data. If the programme is carried out with associations, there are several evaluation options: • Analyse the results of savings of the entity itself, if there are centres in which participants are living together (shelters, prisons, supervised apartments...). • Analyse the results of all the people involved in the programme through the organisation. • Analyse the results of a representative sample of participants in the Programme. The latter case applies when the profile of the participants makes it difficult to obtain data from all of them, for example with their families who, because of their vulnerable situation, tend to change housing frequently, are renting and have difficulties accessing the consumption data, etc.
When analysing the evolution of consumption, only cases with both initial and final data can be used. In this way, we avoid biases due to differences in consumption between one household and another, which can be very significant. The households who has had some important change affecting their consumption during the evaluation period (increase or decrease in the number of residents, change of energy supply, reforms etc.) will be considered statistically invalid. The way the data are processed depends on their quantity. You can use spreadsheets or more complex statistical programmes such as SPSS, which offer more options. The members of Green Homes Network have to agree to provide their results to the coordination of the programme, if they are requested. Participants have to fill in a satisfaction survey as well, to assess the programme and propose new challenges.
5. The Green Homes Network. Since the Green Homes Programme has been started in Spain, various organisations and groups have been interested in the Programme and have taken up the challenge of implementing the Programme. One of the greatest strengths of this initiative might be precisely this: the ability to share and cooperate in the development or adaptation of new materials, experiences, successes and failures, but always based on the same methodological basis. Each partner can adapt and contextualize the materials and dynamic as needed (target audience, timing, resources, etc.). Using the opportunities the social networks offer as a platform for exchange of opinion and information and according to the characteristics of each social network, we have launched and developed the different profiles for the International Green Homes Network: • • •
Facebook page (GreenHomesInternational) Facebook group (Green Homes International) Twitter account (@GreenHomesInt)
Spanish National Green Homes Network has a blog and an Instagram profile as well. Each social network offer different possibilities, they are all complementary and necessary for a good online presence. Some are open to participation and others are managed by one or more administrators. The network partners in Spain also communicate through a closed email group only for Green Homes technicians, where they can make inquiries and ask questions on any topic, as well as share information about their work. It´s really helpful for the entities already implementing the Programme and those who are interested in doing it meet once per year for a three-day conference. During this meeting the technicians can exchange experiences, materials and training, experiencing new methodologies, which then can be used for work with the participants of the local Programmes. In the case of The Green Homes Network in Spain, the national coordinator of the Network is the National Centre for Environmental Education (CENEAM) where the pilot programme was
designed and launched in 2006. Some members coordinate and train other technicians within their local autonomous region. For several years, CENEAM has also conducted a one-week training course for anyone interested in starting this or any other programme aimed at improving environmental performance in households. This model is perfectly reproducible, applicable and transferable to any other country. In the case of an international group, with partners from different countries, it might be good that the coordination of the network is rotatory and that, in addition to using the aforementioned social networks, the technicians actually meet once a year. The role of the coordinating entity would be the same as CENEAM has in Spain, while each country should designate an entity responsible for coordinating the network on the national level, providing practical information, compiling educational materials, providing technical advice and training, and boosting the exchange of experiences between the entities.
GREEN IN EVERYDAY LIFE (GIEL) Project: 1. Project details Green in Everyday Life (GIEL) is a project financed by the European Programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport ERASMUS + (http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmusplus/index_es.htm), under Key Action 2 (Strategic Partnerships). GIEL arises from the interest of some of the participants of Spanish Green Homes Network (Asociación Columbares and CENEAM) to test the national Spanish program Green Homes (GH) on international level. The project follows the first such experience –a training course in the mark of Youth in Action program- which was highly successful, confirmed the interest of international partners in this topic and helped form the base for a good partnership. Its objectives are: to promote moderate use of resources through the increase of individual responsibility; raise awareness about the environmental problems associated with the use of energy, water, waste and mobility; improve key skills and tools available for workers and partner organizations; and create a European level space of lifelong learning on environmental education. The phases of the project are: • •
• •
•
Initial training course, which will provide to the partners with the information needed to implement awareness-raising activities in their countries. Development of awareness rising activities by each partner organization in their countries, including environmental audits with delivery of domestic savings kits, educational workshops and analysis of the savings and changes in habits (through the study of electricity, water and gas bills and initial and final questionnaires). Exchange of experiences and results during the training course, transnational meetings and a final conference. Development of The Green Homes Manual, with educational activities carried out by each partner association and a methodological guide for any association who wishes to develop a similar programme. Creation of an International Green Homes Network, similar to that which exists in Spain, which will allow to involve new countries and regions in the education of citizens to reduce the ecological footprint of their households.
In each partner country, each partner entity will adapt the methodology of Green Homes Programme described in the above to the reality of their territory and the profile of their target group. The number of direct beneficiaries of the project will reach 510. Many different groups will be represented, as each country will work with different collectives. In case of Sweden the main beneficiaries will be young families; in case of Spain, people with disabilities and addiction problems; in case of UK, families with low income and criminality problems in past. Italy will work with classes from local schools, while Morocco will work with rural youth in schools and Jordan with urban youth and their families. The main impact of the project will be the decrease in the ecological footprint of the direct beneficiaries, which, when transmitted to their friends and family, can have an impact on their
ecological footprint as well, thus increasing the general sustainability of the society. Besides that the project will promote cooperation and exchange of experiences between different entities and regions in field of environmental education and will serve as a source of documentation and educational materials for other entities. The main long term impact of the project will come through the International GH Network, which will unite organizations interested in implementing GH program in their societies and a common international educational space. This Network will provide space for exchange of experiences, information and plans for cooperation.
2. Coordinating and partner organisations Contact Coordinating organization
Organisation: Asociación Columbares Address: C/ Adrián Viudes, 9 30570 Beniaján (Murcia) Spain
Full name: Navarro
Carmen
Molina
Email: carmen.molina@columbares.org
Url: www.columbares.org Phone: +34 968824241 Partner organisation
Ester
Organisation: Centro Nacional de Educación Ambiental
Full name: González
Address: Paseo José María Ruíz-Dana s/nº 40109 Valsaín (Segovia) Spain
Email: ebueno@oapn.es
Bueno
Phone: +34 921473883 Url: http://www.magrama.gob.es/es/ceneam Partner organization
Organisation: Insider Access
Full name: Robert Morrall
Address: 1st Floor, No 1 Carrera House, Merlin Court, Gatehouse Close Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP 19 8DP United Kingdom (United Kingdom)
Email: access.org
robert@insider-
Phone: +44 01442 818 215
Url: www.insider-access.org Partner organization
Organisation: Consorzio abn a&b network sociale
Full name: Irene Velloni Email: i.velloni@consorzioabn.it
Address: Via F. Iii Cairoli, 24 06125 Perugia Italy
Phone: +39 075514511
Url: www.consorzioabn.it Partner organization
Organisation: Global Playground Stockholm
Full name: Maxim Vlasov
Address: Götgatan 22A 118 46 SE110 - Stockholmslän Email: (Sweden) maxim.vlasov@hotmail.com Url:
Partner organization
http://www.globalplaygroundstockholm.com
Phone: +46 720437865
Organisation: Association Bassin Guir for the Development and protection of environment
Full name: Hamid Chayet
Address: BP n째2 Ain-Chouater Centre 61052 Province de FiguigAin-Chouater Morocco
Phone: +21 2672906133
Email: orbleu@yahoo.fr
Url: www.associationbassinguir.unblog.fr Partner organisation
Organisation: East & West Center for Human Resources Development Address: AlmadenahAlMonawarah St. Building no: 198961850 11196 Amman Jordan
Full name: Lauma Briviba Email: lauma.briviba@gmail.com Phone: +96 2 799361614
Url: www.wecenterfordevelopment.org
3. Communication: The general communication of the project will be done through the websites and social networks of each of the partner organizations. The international presence in the social media will be managed through a twitter account (@GreenHomesInt) and a facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GreenHomesInternational).
Annex 1. Models of Initial questionnaires:
HOUSEHOLD CODE:
GREEN HOMES INITIAL QUESTIONNAIRE. The data obtained from this survey will be used to better understand the characteristics of starting point of households participating in the programme. The data will be used for statistical purposes and references to specific participants will not be used. Thanks for your cooperation.
*Type of housing you live in: Flat Attached house Semi-detached house
individual house
2
*Approximate floor area of the house (m ): (Not including open terraces, yards or garages) :_________ *Number of persons living in the house: _________ ENERGY *What is the main heating system in your home? (Mark only one) I don´t have one Radiators Underfloor heating Fireplace Heater *What type of energy does the main heating system use? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomass Other________ *The main heating system in your household is:
Individual
Community
Do you use any other heating system as a support? Fireplace Wood using heater Electric radiators Other:___________ *What´s the winter temperature in differentplacesin your home? Living room/kitchen
Bedroom
Temperature in the morning (ºC) Temperature in the afternoon (ºC) Temperature during the night (ºC) *What type of energy do you use to produce hot water? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomas * Do you have air conditioning
YES
other: _______
NO
* How many times per week do you use washing machine? _______ How many times per week do you use dishwasher?_______ *How many electronic devices do you maintain in stand-by mode? (In this situation there usually you can see a small red light on) _______ * How many light bulbs, halogen bulbs and fluorescent light bulbsare there altogethers in the house? _______ *Are there any low-consumption light bulbs? YES NO How many?_______
*Indicate your consumption of water, electricity, natural gas and / or diesel fuel in the year prior to their participation in "Green Homesprogramme" (fill in the number of boxes needed to cover one year) Water Invoice period 3
Consumption(m )
Electricity Invoice period Consumption(KWh)
Natural gas Invoice period 3
Consumption(m )
Oil fuel Invoice period Consumption(litres)
WATER *Does your house has an individual water consumption meter Yes No *Does your house have any water saving systems installed? Yes No • If so, indicate which ones: WC tank Double discharge button Discharge interruption button Object to reduce capacity Taps / shower Flow reductor Aerator Low-flow shower head *Do you have your own garden Yes No • If so: It´s private (for your household) It´s shared 2
*If it´s private, what is it´s extensions: _____m * What´s its main watering system: manual automatic *Do you have a pool? No Yes, a private one Yes, shared with other households • If you have your own pool, how often do you completely change the water in it? every 4-6 years every 2-3 year once per year 2-3 times per year more than 3 times per year Mobility * * If you have a car, indicate the number of kilometres driven in the year prior to your participation in "Green Homes"
(You can look it up from the oil change bills or repairs to relate dates and odometer data. Fill in the number of boxes needed to cover one year)
Period
TOTAL
Car 1 (Kms) Car 2 (Kms) Car 3 (Kms) Motorcycle 1 (Kms)
* Indicate, where appropriate, major trips made in the last year by different household members, using different means of transportation except your own vehicles(record only routes with distances exceeding 1,000 km in round trip. Do not include trips made for work) Trip
Means of transport
Initial questionnaire modified Green Homes Programme to work with groups at risk of social exclusion and to collect additional data on consumption and waste.
CODE OF THE HOUSEHOLD:
GREEN HOMES PROGRAMME. INITIAL QUESTIONNAIRE The data obtained from this survey will be used to better understand the characteristics of starting point of households participating in the programme. The data will be used for statistical purposes and references to specific participants will not be used without previous consent. Thanks for your cooperation.
DATA OF THE ENTITY: *Name of the entity: *Address: *Phone: *Email: *Website:
GENERAL HOUSEHOLD DATA **Type of housing you live in: Flat Attached house Semi-detached house individual house 2 *Approximate floor area of the house (m ): (Not including open terraces, yards or garages) : <50m2 50m2 -100 m2 > 100 m2 *How old is the house: < 5 years 5-10 years > 10 years *Number of persons living in the house: _________ *ENERGY *What is the main heating system in your home? (Mark only one) I don´t have one Radiators Underfloor heating Fireplace Heater *What type of energy does the main heating system use? electricity oil fuel natural gas wood/biomass other________ *The main heating system in your household is:
Individual
Community
*What´s the winter temperature in different places in your home? Living room/kitchen Bedroom Temperature in the morning (ºC) Temperature in the afternoon (ºC) Temperature during the night (ºC) What type of energy do you use to produce hot water? What type of energy do you use to produce hot water? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomass
solar
other: ______
* How many times per week do you use washing machine? _______ * How many times per week do you use drier?_________ * How many times per week do you use dishwasher?_______ *How many electronic devices do you maintain in stand-by mode?_________ (In this situation there usually you can see a small red light on) *Are there any low-consumption or LED light bulbs in your household? YES NO How many?
WATER *Does your house has an individual water consumption meter Yes No *Does your house have any water saving systems installed? Yes No • If so, indicate which ones: WC tank Double discharge button Discharge interruption button Object to reduce capacity Taps / shower Flow reducer Aerator Low-flow shower head
WASTE *How would you characterise the quantity of waste you produce? Excessive Why?
Normal
Low
*Do you take any measures for reducing or reusing? Yes
No
Which ones?
* Do you separate your waste? Yes
No
*What type of residues do you separate?: Plastic containers, tetrapaks, cansâ&#x20AC;Ś Paper and cardboard Glass Oil Batteries Clothing/shoes/toys Household goods / bulky goods / electrical and electronic equipment Other *In case of selective separation of waste, indicate the amount and type of waste generated by your household every week or so: Type of Waste Mixed Organic Paper Packaging Glass
Number of bags per week
MOBILITY *Do you use public transportation (bus, tram) Yes * When do you use the public transportation? To go to work To go to my place of study Travel Other * If so, how often do you use it Every day Once per week
No
More than once per month Less than once per month Almost never
* Do you own a bicycle?
Yes
No
* How many bicycles do you have at home?_______ * What do you use bicycle for?________ Urban mobility Free time activity Sport Other * How often do you use your bicycle(s) Every day Once per week More than once per month Less than once per month Almost never
CONSUMPTION *How often do you shop in each of these establishments? Periodicity of shopping Establishment
Daily
Weekly
Bi-weekly
Monthly
Rarely
Never
Large supermarkets Street market Local shop Ecological shop Green consumer group (direct purchase from producers)
* When you shop: YES Do you think about reduction of consumption before shopping? Do you make a shopping list? Do you being a reusable bag with you
NO
* Do you take into account these criteria when shopping? NEVER
SOMETIMES
ALMOUST ALWAYS
ALWAYS
Do I really need it? Is it over-packaged? Are these products harmful to the environment and our own health Country of originof the products Labelling
*Do you consume any ecological product on regular basis? fruit vegetables juices Pasta and legumes Cookies, cereals ... Meat Other
*Do you consume any fair trade product on regular basis? coffee Tea, infusions chocolate Cookies, cereals ... Pasta and legumes other
* Open the closet and the number of cleaning products you use at home: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
+ 10
+ 15
+ 20
*Do you make any of the products commonly used for personal hygiene or cleaning from natural or artisanal recipes? Soap Toothpaste Moisturisers Laundry soap Liquid for washing floors Toilet cleanser Other
Energy and water consumption data and water. (to be filled in by the technician of Green Homes Programme)
Annex 2. Models of final questionnaires.
HOUSEHOLD CODE:
GREEN HOMES FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE. The data obtained from this survey will be used to better understand the characteristics of starting point of households participating in the programme. The data will be used for statistical purposes and references to specific participants will not be used. Thanks for your cooperation.
*Type of housing you live in: Flat Attached house Semi-detached house individual house 2 *Approximate floor area of the house (m ): (Not including open terraces, yards or garages) :_________ *Number of persons living in the house: _________ ENERGY *What is the main heating system in your home? (Mark only one) I don´t have one Radiators Underfloor heating Fireplace
Heater
*What type of energy does the main heating system use? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomass Other________ *The main heating system in your household is:
Individual
Do you use any other heating system as a support? Fireplace Wood using heater Electric radiators
Community
Other:___________
*What´s the winter temperature in different placesin your home? Living room/kitchen
Bedroom
Temperature in the morning (ºC) Temperature in the afternoon (ºC) Temperature during the night (ºC) *What type of energy do you use to produce hot water? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomas * Do you have air conditioning
YES
other: _______
NO
* How many times per week do you use washing machine? _______ How many times per week do you use dishwasher? _______ *How many electronic devices do you maintain in stand-by mode? (In this situation there usually you can see a small red light on) _______ * How many light bulbs, halogen bulbs and fluorescent light bulbs are there altogethers in the house? _______ *Are there any low-consumption light bulbs? YES NO How many?_______
*Indicate your consumption of water, electricity, natural gas and / or diesel fuel in the year prior to their participation in "Green Homes programme" (fill in the number of boxes needed to cover one year) Water Invoice period 3
Consumption(m )
Electricity Invoice period Consumption(KWh)
Natural gas Invoice period 3
Consumption(m )
Oil fuel Invoice period Consumption(litres)
WATER *Does your house has an individual water consumption meter Yes No *Does your house have any water saving systems installed? Yes No • If so, indicate which ones: WC tank Double discharge button Discharge interruption button Object to reduce capacity Taps / shower Flow reductor Aerator Low-flow shower head *Do you have your own garden Yes No • If so: It´s private (for your household) It´s shared 2
*If it´s private, what is it´s extensions: _____m * What´s its main watering system: manual automatic *Do you have a pool? No Yes, a private one Yes, shared with other households • If you have your own pool, how often do you completely change the water in it? every 4-6 years every 2-3 year once per year 2-3 times per year more than 3 times per year
Mobility * * If you have a car, indicate the number of kilometres driven in the year prior to your participation in "Green Homes" (You can look it up from the oil change bills or repairs to relate dates and odometer data. Fill in the number of boxes needed to cover one year)
Period
TOTAL
Car 1 (Kms) Car 2 (Kms) Car 3 (Kms) Motorcycle 1 (Kms)
* Indicate, where appropriate, major trips made in the last year by different household members, using different means of transportation except your own vehicles(record only routes with distances exceeding 1,000 km in round trip. Do not include trips made for work) Trip
Means of transport
After the programme, what new elements have you introduced in your household for saving water and energy? Please tick. Installation of energy-saving light bulbs Purchase of energy efficient electric appliances. Lower usage of the dishwasher Lower usage of the washing machine Installation of aerators. Lower boiler temperature Water saving system installation in the WC tank. Lower temperature during winter Turning off electric appliances on standby Improves irrigation systems Other_________________________________________________
Final questionnaire modified Green Homes Programme to work with groups at risk of social exclusion and to collect additional data on consumption and waste.
GREEN HOMES PROGRAMME. FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE The data obtained from this survey will be used to better understand the characteristics of starting point of households participating in the programme. The data will be used for statistical purposes and references to specific participants will not be used without previous consent. Thanks for your cooperation.
DATA OF THE ENTITY: *Name of the entity: *Address: *Phone: *Email: *Website:
GENERAL HOUSEHOLD DATA **Type of housing you live in: Flat Attached house Semi-detached house individual house 2 *Approximate floor area of the house (m ): (Not including open terraces, yards or garages) : <50m2 50m2 -100 m2 > 100 m2 *How old is the house: < 5 years 5-10 years > 10 years *Number of persons living in the house: _________ *ENERGY *What is the main heating system in your home? (Mark only one) I don´t have one Radiators Underfloor heating Fireplace
Heater
*What type of energy does the main heating system use? electricity oil fuel natural gas wood/biomass other________ *The main heating system in your household is:
Individual
Community
*What´s the winter temperature in differentplaces in your home? Living room/kitchen Bedroom Temperature in the morning (ºC) Temperature in the afternoon (ºC) Temperature during the night (ºC) What type of energy do you use to produce hot water What type of energy do you use to produce hot water? electricity diesel fuel natural gas wood/biomass
solar
other: ______
* How many times per week do you use washing machine? _______ * How many times per week do you use drier? _________ * How many times per week do you use dishwasher? _______ *How many electronic devices do you maintain in stand-by mode?_________ (In this situation there usually you can see a small red light on) *Are there any low-consumption or LED light bulbs in your household? YES NO How many?
WATER *Does your house has an individual water consumption meter Yes No *Does your house have any water saving systems installed? Yes No • If so, indicate which ones: WC tank Double discharge button Discharge interruption button Object to reduce capacity Taps / shower Flow reducer Aerator Low-flow shower head
WASTE *How would you characterise the quantity of waste you produce? Excessive Why?
Normal
Low
*Do you take any measures for reducing or reusing? Yes
No
Which ones?
* Do you separate your waste? Yes
No
*What type of residues do you separate?: Plastic containers, tetrapaks, cansâ&#x20AC;Ś Paper and cardboard Glass Oil Batteries Clothing/shoes/toys Household goods / bulky goods / electrical and electronic equipment Other *In case of selective separation of waste, indicate the amount and type of waste generated by your household every week or so: Type of Waste Mixed Organic Paper Packaging Glass
Number of bags per week
MOBILITY *Do you use public transportation (bus, tram) * When do you use the public transportation? To go to work To go to my place of study Travel Other
Yes
No
* If so, how often do you use it Every day Once per week More than once per month Less than once per month Almost never
* Do you own a bicycle?
Yes
No
* How many bicycles do you have at home? _______ * What do you use bicycle for?________ Urban mobility Free time activity Sport Other * How often do you use your bicycle(s) Every day Once per week More than once per month Less than once per month Almost never
CONSUMPTION *How often do you shop in each of these establishments? Periodicity of shopping Establishment
Daily
Weekly
Bi-weekly
Monthly
Rarely
Never
Large supermarkets Street market Local shop Ecological shop Green consumer group (direct purchase from producers)
* When you shop: YES Do you think about reduction of consumption before shopping? Do you make a shopping list? Do you being a reusable bag with you
NO
* Do you take into account these criteria when shopping? NEVER
SOMETIMES
ALMOUST ALWAYS
ALWAYS
Do I really need it? Is it over-packaged? Are these products harmful to the environment and our own health Country of origin of the products Labelling
*Do you consume any ecological product on regular basis? fruit vegetables juices Pasta and legumes Cookies, cereals ... Meat Other
*Do you consume any fair trade product on regular basis? coffee Tea, infusions chocolate Cookies, cereals ... Pasta and legumes other
* Open the closet and the number of cleaning products you use at home: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
+ 10
+ 15
*Do you make any of the products commonly used for personal hygiene or cleaning from natural or artisanal recipes? Soap Toothpaste Moisturisers Laundry soap Liquid for washing floors Toilet cleanser Other
+ 20
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Energy and water consumption data and water. (to be filled in by the technician of Green Homes Programme) * After Green Homes Programme, what new elements and changes in habits have you introduced in your life for saving water, energy and waste? Please tick. Installation of energy-saving lamps / LED Purchasing of more energy efficient appliances (Class A) Lower usage of washing machine Lower usage of the dryer Use of washing machine at lower temperatures and / or short programmes (ECO programme) Using the dishwasher at lower temperature programmes (ECO programmes) Increasing the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer (at least in winter). Heating at a lower temperature. Air conditioning at a higher temperature. Turn off electrical appliances on stand-by. Improved housing insulation (e.g. installation of weather stripping on doors and windows, windows replacement, greater coating on the walls, etc.). Installation of renewable energy sources. Installation of economizers on taps. Installation of economizers in the showers. Collecting cold shower water in a bucket while waiting for hot water to come out Installation of a WC cistern with watersaving device or introduction of an object to reduce its capacity. Installation of drip irrigation systems. Creation of a small garden. Recycling. Buying products with less packaging. Using cart or reusable shopping bag. Lower usage of the car. Greater use of bicycles. Involve children in saving energy at home Speaking with my neighbours / friends / familyabout the importance of saving and its environmental benefits. Other (please specify).
Annex 3. Per diem and travel expenses. NAMES AND SURNAMES OF THE PARTICIPANTS
NAME OF THE ACCOUNT HOLDER
BANK ACCOUNT (WITH IBAN) NAME OF THE BANK SWIFT
I have participated in Learning/Teaching/Training activity (C1) in the mark of project Green in Everyday Life in Segovia (Spain), 30th of May-5thof June 2015. Travel costs were:
NAME OF THE TRAVELLER
TRAVEL
TRANSPORT
COST1
1
TOTAL
1 For any cost which was not paid in EUR, please indicate the COST only in the original currency. Do not convert it to EUR yourself.
COST (â&#x201A;Ź)