The "Young people save the planet" project was inaugurated
At the Academic Secondary Comprehensive School of the Silesian University of Technology in Rybnik, in cooperation with the Department of Applied Geology of the Silesian University of Technology, the "Young people save the planet" project was launched as part of the Erasmus+ program, which was inaugurated with a Youth Scientific Conference.
- During the conference, discussions included, among others, newly defined threats, such as microplastics, whose impact on the environment is only just being recognized - says dr Eng. Jacek Nowak from the Department of Applied Geology - The possibilities of civilization development in the context of the increasing consumption of renewable and non-renewable resources were also considered. Behind-the-scenes discussions allowed for a confrontation of the visions of young people and experienced scientists. The participants unanimously emphasized that such an intergenerational exchange of ideas is very valuable for both parties.
The project is scheduled to last until March 2025, when it will end with a summary conference. First and second grade pupils, selected through recruitment due to great interest, take part in it.
- The Erasmus+ "Young people save the planet" program aims, among other things, to raise the ecological awareness of young people and to provide them with knowledge and competences related to individual ways of impacting the environment. -explains dr hab. Eng. Magdalena Kokowska-Pawłowska, prof. SUT - Youth who will acquire the skills and habits of leading a more ecological lifestyle, also through rational consumer decisions, will become a carrier of this information. The idea is to distribute good practices by program participants to their peer and family circles. This will allow for increasing the scope of the Program's impact.
- In the near future, as part of "Young people save the planet", an ecological project "Recycling and what's next" will be implemented, which will include surveys among Rybnik residents, a lecture for pupils, a competition, as well as trips to specialized plants, such as a sewage treatment plant. The pupils will be assisted in implementing the above activities by Halina Glenc-Pyka, M.A., chemistry teacher, says Katarzyna Kunat, M.A., project coordinator.
Numerous promotional activities have also been planned, including at least two trips abroad by pupils and the arrival of experts from partner schools. Participants will also take part in, among others: in the ecological picnic "Waste - let's segregate, react, let's take care", bicycle trips under the slogan "Tracers of illegal dumping sites", the "Youth Save the Planet" run, online meetings with friendly young people from various European countries, as well as numerous debates and workshops .
- Pupils will go to Finland and Macedonia or Spain - says Katarzyna Kunat, M.A. - As part of the trips, they will participate in school activities together with their peers from the secondary school in Pori, Finland. Moreover, during mobility outside the education system, participants will learn about the latest waste management solutions in Finland and participate in Mindfulness workshops. They will also carry out research on the level of water pollution in order to conduct a comparative analysis between Poland and other countries. Teachers will participate in job shadowing in Finland and Madeira in Portugal and will hold talks on the development of our institutions. In addition, three teachers will go on training courses to Croatia.
