Full of new ideas and inspiration, I returned from an Erasmus+ teacher training in the vibrant metropolis of Lisbon! Under the motto "Small Actions with Big Impacts," participants from Poland, Portugal, Germany, and Estonia immersed themselves in innovative approaches to environmental education during the week of March 17-21, 2025.

On the very first day, we were warmly welcomed to the Cultivating Futures office and, in a relaxed atmosphere, learned about the goals and schedule for the upcoming week. A special focus was placed on the concept of the "9 R's": Rethink, Respect, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot, Reinform, Revolutionize. This practical method will now serve us as a valuable tool for teaching environmental topics in a more vivid and action-oriented way.

After an introduction to the most pressing environmental problems and their statistical background, we exchanged ideas and best practices in environmental education. The practical part on "Rethink and Refuse" was particularly inspiring. Here, we discovered creative and sustainable alternatives for everyday products.

The afternoon of the first day was all about "spreading seeds of change." In small groups, we explored Lisbon and considered how we can make a positive contribution to the environment through small but effective actions. Whether it was consciously avoiding single-use plastic at lunch or using public transportation – every little action counted!

The following days were also filled with valuable insights and new perspectives. We delved deeply into the difference between a linear and circular/green economy and traced the life cycle of various products. We discovered some artistic approaches to this that seemed familiar to me from Tallinn.

In addition to the content-related work, we took the opportunity to explore Lisbon's cultural diversity. A visit to the educational garden, where students have the opportunity to interact with plants and animals and attend various workshops, and the chance to participate in a tourists "clean-up" campaign were great ideas that can also be profitably applied in a school context. To round off the week, we visited a school that operates according to the "zero waste concept." As the name suggests, the goal of this school is to completely eliminate waste. Even if this doesn't quite work in practice, the goal is commendable and worth striving for.

I am convinced that this Erasmus+ training will have a lasting impact on my work. I will enthusiastically integrate the insights gained and the newly developed teaching ideas into everyday school life, thus raising our students' awareness of environmental issues even further and training them to become the  "changemakers" of tomorrow.

Teacher Fabian Mohrhardt