Abstract:

To achieve the goals of the 2030 agenda, all stakeholders in society try to apply the principles of sustainability in everyday life and at the same time raise awareness among the future generations. For the same reason, primary school and secondary education institutions play an important role in this ambitious task of involving young people in the development of healthy and environmentally friendly habits. This work presents the results of two workshops developed by the University of Almería to raise awareness about sustainable consumption as part of the implementation of the ERASMUS+ project at the Nicolás Salmeron y Alonso Institute of Secondary Education in Almería (Spain). A total of 119 students, aged between 15 and 17 years, participated in the study, corresponding to four classes of fourth year of secondary education. During the first workshop, the purposes of the European research project TheGreeFa (Thermochemical Fluids in Greenhouse Farming) were explained to the students as example of the use of technological innovations in sustainable production of food. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101000801. TheGreeFa project proposes solutions for greenhouse farming recovering the latent heat of the humid air, that otherwise is not used, and pure water from the humidity of air. Using thermochemical conversion principles based on the use of salt solutions we can reduce the greenhouse consumption of energy and water. As part of this first workshop, the principles of the 3Rs (reducing, reusing and recycling) were discussed with all the students. Data were collected through a questionnaire using the game-based learning platform Kahoot about the following topics: their environment, technological innovations and R&D, energetic resources, environmental education and professions, habits to reduce CO2 emissions and respect the environment and the 3Rs. The results showed that the students have a good understanding of the 3R´s. However, the responses obtained highlight that they tend more to recycle than to reuse or reduce in this order. It is evident from the students' statements that their personal interest in reducing emissions is directly related to the level of information available to them on this subject. For the same reason, they specify that they are interested in deepening their knowledge in biology, geology, or engineering as subjects related to the sustainability. In a second workshop, the students were invited to recycle and reuse objects from their daily life that themselves brought from home. The experience of this creative workshop on recycling objects showed that they do not always have the technical skills to know how to reuse the objects (made of plastic, fabric or equipped with a simple mechanism) that they brought from home. They are interested in being instructed in practical classes. They would like to collaborate in other future practical activities that can be organized by the teaching team. . This interest of the students about environment is an opportunity to include practical recycling activities in subjects related to the sustainability such as physics, biology, geology or technology.

Keywords:

Environmental sustainability, secondary student, awareness workshop, reducing, reusing and recycling.