26 June 2015
https://youtu.be/-F8CD7CEmSw
This autumn, Eco Friends begins, a unique collaboration between Eskilstuna Municipality, Eskilstuna Energy and Environment, Municipal property and Parken Zoo. All pupils in years 2, 4 and 6 within the municipality are invited to inspiration days where the environment and climate are experienced in a close and different way. The basis for this collaboration is the climate and environmental problems we face. We need to start living more sustainably, otherwise we will not have a good planet to leave to the next generation.
The Inspiration Days begin with a visit to one of Eskilstuna Energi & Miljö's facilities, Lilla Nyby Recycling Centre, Ekeby Wastewater Treatment Plant, or the Combined Heat and Power Plant, depending on the theme being explored. Here, the children can experience and learn about how our daily activities at home affect our environment, both locally and globally, as well as see their own impact and what they can do to reduce it. Where does electricity and heat come from? Where does wastewater go, and what happens to all waste?
Next, the journey continues to Parken Zoo, where the students will be treated to a climate-adapted lunch. We have chosen to highlight the food a bit extra, as we know that food has a very significant individual impact on the environment. You can contribute to sustainable development simply by choosing the right food. Furthermore, the Swedish National Agency for Education and the Swedish Food Agency have produced a document on how educators can use school meals in their teaching, as well as how important food is for children's learning. We have implemented this document in our work and will link to it on the Eco Friends website.
At the zoo, we also encounter the animals. Zoos work to preserve biodiversity in several ways, including by keeping endangered species in European breeding programmes. Much work is also done on the very reason why the animals are endangered, namely us humans and our behaviour. The way humans live affects the environment incredibly much, and our behaviour is based on our values, which in turn stem from experiences, encounters and knowledge. Childhood experiences play a large role in how environmentally conscious you become as an adult, and respect and empathy are fundamental to all environmental work. Therefore, one of our goals is to reinforce the values in our citizens that are necessary for the behavioural changes required for us to live more sustainably. Creating a relationship with animals, having your own experiences, and learning to respect and empathise with them contributes to reducing the distance to animals and nature, which is increasing all the time today.
For more information on the concept and how to book, please visit Eco Friends.
https://youtu.be/-F8CD7CEmSw