REFE – Reducing Ecological Footprints through Eco-Awareness

Background

Although environmentalism is on the rise throughout Europe, consumerism and mass production are still deeply rooted in large parts of society. In Romania, two recent documents – the 5^th National Report on the Convention of Biological Diversity and the National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) – emphasise the need for more sustainable lifestyles. Both of them identify education and awareness raising among youth as key approaches in this regard.

Project

REFE complies with this through developing eight products that can be incorporated into Romania’s educational system. These support the adjustment of the school system to the priorities of the 5^th National Report on the Convention of Biological Diversity and the NSDS. The products consist of the following: a tool to measure the ecological footprint; a planning guide for an educational summer camp on ecological footprints; a documentary; a grade-6 curriculum, teaching material; a theatre script; e-learning modules; a report. The products provide young people in Romania with the fundamentals of ecological thinking and with practical options to make their lifestyles more sustainable. REFE ensures to monitor all products throughout the project life cycle and adjust them as needed. Translation into multiple languages makes them accessible to and usable by a broad audience across Europe.