The “WWF Sicilia Nord Orientale Giarre” is willing to participate to the EWWR 2018 with an action named “Eco-LogicaMente”. The title is a pun, but a serious one. It is, as a matter of fact, composed by the words “ecologica” (ecologic), and therefore its abbreviation “eco”, the word “logica” (logic), and the word “mente” (mind). Moreover, “ecologicamente” means “ecologically”. By this name we want to invite people to develop an “ecological mind”, that is to think and act in daily life according to an “eco-logic”, a way of thinking wich is respecful of our Earth, to live therefore in an “ecologically” way.

The action will involve the pupils of three different classes (kindergarten, primary school, secondary school) – and thir parents – of the school “II Istituto Comprensivo San Giovanni Bosco” in Giarre, CT, Italy. The action will be implemented with the cooperation of the WWF volunteers, the teachers, and the “enviroment ambassador”, a figure which mediate between schools and other institutions in all those activites which are related to environmental issues.

The action will be organized as follows:
– kindergarten pupils and their parents will participate to a workshop of eco-friendly soap bubbles, introduced by a brief introduction to the topic of hazardous waste focusing on the fact that they are dangerous to plants and animals, to which children usually are very sensitive. Realizing eco-friendly bubbles with Marseille soap at home will be a playful way to reduce, even if in small quantities, not only the hazardous waste contained in the commonly sold bubble soap, but also the plastics waste of the empty container. It is a small contribute which however can shape the children minds, teaching them since early age to take care of our planet.
– Elementary pupils will be engaged in a self study and reasearch activity based on the “flipped classroom” method. The WWF volunteers will meet the pupils for a preliminary briefing, in which the theme of hazardous waste will be introduced in a group brainstorming, and a database of useful material will be left at their disposal as a starting point for their research on the topic. Particularly they will have to focus on three kind of hazardous waste containing products: batteries, correction fluid, and sunscreens. Working in groups, whith the cooperation of their families, and under the guidance of the teacher, they will find out what exactly are hazardous waste, for what and who they are dangerous, how to recognize them reading products labels. They will then produce posters, video, slides or experiments in order to show the results of their reasearch, with the promise to convert their habits into green ones. The WWF volunteer will meet the pupils for a second time in order to monitor the work they are doing, offer them the possibility of evaluate themselves and solve possible doubts.
– Secondary school pupils will also work with the “flipped classroom” method, but their reaserch will be clearly deeper and wider as that of the primary school. The modality is the same as above: first meeting, database at their disposal (slides, newspaper articles, videos, tutorial for self-made cosmetics or cleaning products etc), group work and second evaluation meeting. Also in this case the final product can be a poster, a video, or whatever will show their results and they will engage themselves in concrete actions to prevent hazardous waste.

These activieties will take place during the month of November. Two final events will take place on the 25th of November, in a location offered by the municipality:
– an homemade eco-friendly cleaning and cosmetics workshop for the parents of the pupils involved in the project;
– the “Eco-LogicaMente show”, the final exibition of all the material produced by the pupils (videos, slides, posters etc) which will be open to all the community. Each group of students will have its dedicated corner where it will show its research to the visitors: students will be leading in this way their own awareness raising campaing. Kindergarten pupils will also take part to this event with their eco-friendly bubbles.