Lombardy has the highest population density in Italy and the environmental impact caused by human activities is more severe than in other Italian regions. The main issues are waste management, energy consumption, air quality and food waste.
The aim of Green School project is to spread sustainable practices, knowledge, competences and attitudes among all the schools of Lombardy, with the support of Regione Lombardia, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and thanks to the activation of a network of 21 local associations and institutions.
Networking and sharing good habits: these are the fundamental principles of the Green School initiative in Lombardy. The project was inspired by the success obtained by the Province of Varese, where, since 2010, 160 schools have been developing sustainable practices and decreasing their environmental impact. The Green School model is now ready to spread in the whole region: schools will become more sustainable and will contribute to reach Goal 11,12 and 13 of the 2030 Agenda.
The project involves 40,000 students from 250 Lombard schools of every kind and 2,000 teachers. Thanks to teaching materials, guidelines, training courses for teachers and the support offered by experts in various fields, schools have the means to integrate sustainable actions and themes into their educational objectives.
These eco-actions concern six areas of intervention: energy saving, waste management, food waste reduction, water saving, protection of biodiversity and sustainable mobility. Through Green School project, children can learn by acting directly, by becoming the starting point of a sustainable change. With their teachers' help, students can create and work in their school garden, organize a "pedibus" or "bicibus" (walk and bike together) initiative, improve their school's recycling practices and much more!
Green School prizes are assigned at the end of the school year. During this occasion, schools which have been monitoring the effect of their eco-actions and decreasing their environmental impact will gather to celebrate their achievements. Schools which take part to the project do not only involve their students and their school staff, but can also share their results with everyone else, by cooperating with other local institutions.
Green School project aims to build local networks made by local authorities, companies, cooperatives and protected areas, in order to support sustainable development education and to promote sustainable and concrete initiatives, so that schools can always count on receiving support and so that eco-actions may always be carried out by every single person.
The project was devised thanks to the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, and a partnership network spread throughout Lombardy: ASPEm, Cast, Celim, Istituto Oikos, Aleimar, Project for People, Coe, Mlfm, Acea, Altro Pallone, Ruah, Svi, Mmi, Scaip, Guardavanti, Deafal, Isola Solidale APS, Uninsubria, Provincia di Varese, A21 laghi, Comune di Milano.
