Caravan on tour: schoolchildren lead the way in environmental conservation

In Tunisia, an increasing number of young people are taking an interest in energy conservation, waste disposal and climate protection as a result of the campaign 'Environmental Caravan – I'm Joining In!'. The project will be presented during the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development in Bonn.
 
A colourful bus with solar cells on the roof has been travelling all over Tunisia for the past year, accompanied by the media. Over a period of three years, the bus will visit a new place and a new school each week, teaching young people about environmental protection in a playful way. The 'enviromobile' is a cinema, classroom and exhibition hall all rolled into one.

On the 20 computer work stations within the bus, students can address environmental issues interactively. Trained group leaders illustrate the challenges facing Tunisia: how water, energy and soil are being wasted and hence the desert is spreading, water is becoming scarce and biodiversity is shrinking. Another major problem for the environment and human health is waste, which most Tunisians dispose of at random. The environment bus spreads knowledge, raises awareness and provides the initial impetus for change.
 
When the caravan moves on, local non-governmental organisations support environmental projects in the schools. In one of over 100 school projects now taking place, students and teachers have reduced water consumption by repairing broken pipes and dripping water taps and using rainwater to water green areas. Other schools are reducing energy consumption, separating waste for recycling and planting local, long-neglected varieties of figs to help sustain the region's biodiversity.
 
The environmental caravan has now visited more than 100 schools with 12,000 students. It is part of the Tunisian-German environmental programme promoted by GTZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

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