Environmental Education in curriculum

Hamburg

http://europeangreencapital.ie

"Europe is an urban society, with many environmental challenges to face.  The European Commission has long recognised the important role that local authorities play in improving the environment, and their high level of commitment to genuine progress."

The European Green Capital Award has been conceived as an initiative to  promote and reward these efforts.

The award aims to provide an incentive for cities to inspire each other and share best practices, while at the same time engaging in friendly competition. In other words, the cities become role models for each other.

http://9.image.hamburg.de

So, after Stockholm 2010, Hamburg is the current "European Green Capital", chosen between 34 cities from 17 different European countries that applied for the title.

"Green Capital 2011, Hamburg is a learning city, seeking out best-practices from fellow European cities promoting sustainable development.  Mutual learning, the exchange of problems and solutions and themes of the future are essential to promoting greater sustainability in cities."

Education:

"Our planet, our home is being neglected. Climate change continues unabated. It seems there's a new ecological disaster happening almost daily." 

Schools have an important role promoting environmental education as a Civics value.

I have already publish different posts about environment and education. Earth Day 2008; Environmental education and outdoor; Earth Hour 2011: It's time to go beyond the hour; Fate of the World: a SG in school; Green Actions for Earth Day 2011; Earth Day 2011; Earth Day 2011: a Story about the Forest,

For years, I shared my green ideas with the students. Today, I know that they are young citizens who care about Environment. And some of them are involved as volunteers in different NGO's.

Level: All levels;

Curriculum: Environment | Civics is a cross-curricula;

Educators can provide resources for students educating for a sustainable future.

And students will evolve in creative green projects  that they will share with families and friends.

Among different past activities and projects, a group of Portuguese students (higher junior school, up 12), published a green blog in 2008. Now, only a small volunteer group, is continuing to update the blog and has already published a post (Portuguese language) about Hamburg Green European Capital 2011.

http://hamburggreencapital.eu/

Hamburg, a 2ª cidade alemã, foi escolhida a Capital Verde Europeia de 2011. A estrutura de transportes e a meta ambiciosa de redução nas emissões de carbono foram factores importantes que motivaram a escolha.

O condado, localizado no norte da Alemanha, pretende reduzir em 40% as suas  emissões até 2020 e em 80% até 2050, comparado à quantidade que era emitida em 1990. Actualmente a cidade já alcançou níveis respeitáveis, com a redução de 15%.

http://7.image.hamburg.de

A cidade utiliza dois autocarros híbridos e outros oito estão em fase de testes. Outro transporte colectivo de destaque é o S-Bahn, espécie de comboio elétrico alemão, que tem como fonte energética a hidro-energia.

http://4.image.hamburg.de

"Hamburg is one of Europe’s greenest cities. Parks, green spaces and trees shape the look of the city and promote a high quality of life. Hamburg’s nature enthusiasts enjoy a diverse array of green spaces located within the city center and throughout Hamburg’s outer region such as the National Wadden Sea national park."

A cidade também é exemplo na preservação das áreas verdes, que ocupam 28% de seu território. As terras cultivadas, parques e áreas verdes públicas compõem 41% da área municipal, que possui 240 mil árvores. Todos esses factores colaboram para que a qualidade do ar seja considerada muito boa.

O local é um alvo bastante escolhido por cientistas e pesquisadores para os estudos climáticos. A Universidade de Hamburgo abriga actualmente mais de 450 cientistas no Centro de Ciências Marinhas e Atmosféricas, que também é conhecido como campus do clima.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, Greeb Capital 2012

http://ec.europa.eu/

The next "European Green Capital" will be Vitoria-Gasteiz 2012 (Spain) next Nantes 2013 (France).

So, it's time for European educators to motivate their students in different curriculum to explore environmental resources and involve the schools in "green" activities for the next European Green Capital.

The short video below shows why Hamburg is the current "European Green Capital", and examines the benefits of being a "European Green Capital". 

So don't miss out! Get your city involved to be the next "European Green Capital " in 2014

"Your choices make a world of difference. Do you want to live life to the full while respecting nature? Then Generation Awake is for you. 

It's all about opening our eyes to our consumer choices and the consequences they have on the earth's natural resources. When you're part of Generation Awake, you're aware that your choices not only change your world, but also the planet."



G-Souto

12.12.2011
Copyright © 2011G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Environmental Education in curricula by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

References for Educators:

European Green Capital
http://europeangreencapital.ie/


European Commission|Environment
http://europeangreencapital.ie/brochure-on-the-european-green-capital-hamburg-published/


Hamburg.de | European Green Capital 2011
http://hamburggreencapital.eu/about-the-title/

Generation Awake
http://www.generationawake.eu/en

Environmental for Europeans
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/news/efe/flip/efe/index_gw2011.html#/page_l1

Environmental Education at School I ? by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.