Abstract:

Europe is building a ‘different world’ for the future generations, promoting a more sustainable consumption, production and life style, through the Green Deal policies and the initiatives supporting bioeconomy, in particular the 2018 updated Bioeconomy Strategy.

Despite these efforts, the large public is often unaware of the bioeconomy-related terminologies, the bio-based applications in every-day’s life and the technologies behind the innovations produced by the bio-based research and industry.

Strengthening the knowledge and sensitivity of future generations to environmental issues, sustainability and circularity through information and education programmes targeting younger generation can contribute to raising future citizens, decision-makers and workforce, informed and interested in bioeconomy.
To tackle these challenges, the book "What's bioeconomy" was developed in the frame of the European funded project BIOVOICES (HORIZON 2020 - https://www.biovoices.eu/book/concept/) and it is the first book ever written for kids on the sustainable and circular bioeconomy.

It is targeted to young people at pre-school and primary school in order to increase awareness of the environmental, social and economic benefits of the bioeconomy and its sectors, in particular bio-based sectors.

This book promotes scientific sound contents in an easy and comprehensive way and has been validated by a Scientific Committee involving 33 high level experts covering all the bioeconomy sectors, from academia and industry, representing several European countries.

The book for kids illustrates a story of a family (mum, dad, grandmother and four sibling) living in the world of the sustainable and circular bioeconomy, a world where everyone has a sustainable way of life, knows that waste is a treasure, where something new can come out from what is usually wasted. Ben and Bea, the older brother and sister of the family , welcome the young readers in their world.

The book is formed by eight scenes:
I. Five every day scenarios:
• House
• School
• Countryside
• Seaside
• City - Park - Supermarket
II. Two transversal pages, to better understand some key elements of bioeconomy:
• Bioeconomy world
• Glossary
III. One gaming page, to consolidate the knowledge gathered by playing.

Each scene has an average of 10 flaps containing information about Bioeconomy bio-based products and horizontal aspects (e.g. meaning of sustainability, circularity, climate change).

The book has been translated in 11 languages (Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Dutch, German, Romanian, Slovak, Estonian, Hungarian, French) and printed in 15.000 copies that has been already distributed in selected schools, bookshops, museums for children and institutional contexts around Europe. It is also available also online: https:/bb4k.fvaweb.eu

The authors of the book are Chiara Pocaterra (APRE) and Susanna Albertini (FVA) and the illustrator is Alistar Illustration http://www.alistar.us/

The book for kids is part of a training toolkit developed in the frame of the European funded project TRANSITION2BIO (HORIZON 2020 - https://www.transition2bio.eu/) for teachers of the primary school to support them in teaching bioeconomy. The toolkit contains several materials that will enrich the knowledge of teachers on innovative teaching methods to implement bioeconomy in schools including application of hands-on experiments for students.

Keywords:

Bioeconomy, education.