Blog Post

Environmental Europe

by Daniel Prados 19 Jun, 2020
Last March, most of the school activity was stopped by the COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, we haven't been able to carry out such interesting activities as the ecological cosmetics workshop, the orchard-garden, the calculation of the school's ecological footprint and the photo exhibition.

However, a group of 29 students from several ESO groups of IES Sabinar have participated with the Andalusian Schools for the Climate programme in the elaboration of murals with the motto: Un futuro más verde... por crear (that is, "A greener future... to be created”) for June 5, World Environment Day.
by Daniel Prados 16 Mar, 2020

Given the current situation concerning the COVID-19 health crisis that is hitting several European countries, among them those of which the partner schools of this project are representative, and the uncertainty associated to it for the forthcoming months, we feel prompted to inform our colleagues from our partner schools:

  • Istituto Comprensivo Mazzarino (Italy)
  • Scoala Gimnaziala Mihai Eminescu, Rosiorii de Vede (Romania)
  • Jüri Gümnaasium (Estonia)
  • Liemers College, Zevenaar (Netherlands)
  • RSG ‘t Rijks, Bergen op Zoom (Netherlands)

that the exchange week at IES Sabinar, Roquetas de Mar (Spain) scheduled for 3 to 9 May 2020 is CANCELLED.

We will receive instructions by our National Agency in due time and expect to be able to carry out the planned activity in the first term of the next school year, provided that we are allowed to extend the project’s end date.

by María del Mar Alemán 13 Mar, 2020
The Day of the Wetlands was, in fact, the first of a set of trips to the Ribera de la Algaida that we arranged for this second term:
  • On February 19, we carried out the first Coastal Inspection Day with all the teachers and student groups that signed up for the programme.
  • Another trip was organised on March 2 for the younger student groups of 1º ESO E and 1º ESO F.
  • The following day - March 3 - yet another Coastal Inspection was carried out in ​​the Punta Entinas-Sabinar Natural Area with almost all Adult Education student groups and teachers.
    by María del Mar Alemán 13 Mar, 2020

    On the Day of the Wetlands, February 2, some teachers and students went on a trip through the Ribera de la Algaida with Spanish NGO Ecologistas en Acción. We made taray stakes and planted tarays and sea ​​parsley to restore an area near the Mirador de la Posidonia.

    But this second term we carried out other activities that are relevant to our project:

    • We signed up for the “Give life to your batteries” campaign by Ecopilas, to set up a collection point for batteries at the school. We also distributed mini-containers to teachers.
    • We started a school vegetable garden near the gym. We cleaned and marked the ground with students from 1º ESO F.
    • In March we got the electricity bills from the school secretary and began the study of the school's energy consumption in the face of a reduction plan for the coming years.
      by Kristi Vimberg 15 Nov, 2019

      On Friday 8 November 2019, at Kalevi Spordihall in Tallinn, the Estonian Eco-School student group took part in the international Clean World Day conference, organised in collaboration with the Let’s Do It Foundation, who have mobilised 36 million positive-minded, action-orientated people in 169 countries. 

      On this day, our students had an opportunity to learn:

      • How to become sustainable with the practical steps and tools and have impact on the quality of your life.
      • Come and learn how to implement programmes based on the Clean Up Day experience.
      • Discover the possibility of sustainable business and empower yourself to impact the policy-making as an active citizen.
      For more information about the contents of the programme, click on this link: https://jciwc2019.com/clean-world-day/  

      by Lucia Costachescu 19 Oct, 2019

      Only two weeks after the last teachers meeting in Estonia, the fourth student exchange and conference was wonderfully hosted by Mihai Eminescu Secondary School in Rosiorii de Vede, Romania, during the second week of October.

      All partner school teams arrived between Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October. The first meeting was on Monday morning at Hotel Edma, in Alexandria, where they all took a bus to school and attended the official opening of the project meeting. After lunch, they visited a photovoltaic power plant, then they enjoyed some free time to visit the town. The teachers had a welcome dinner at a local restaurant while the students were having dinner with their host families.

      On Tuesday morning the student conference took place at the school, where all the teams presented the results of their survey on urban transport. The local students also presented their project material about deforestation in Romania, an environmental problem in our country. In the afternoon, the teachers held a working session to discuss the stages in the project so far and the next student meeting in Spain. The students attended some workshops on environmental issues.

      The next day everybody had to wake up early and leave for Brasov, quite a long journey that took approximately five hours. After visiting the city, we all took a bus to Moeciu, where we had dinner and stayed at Nicoleta Guesthouse. On Thursday 10 we departed for Rasnov Fortress after breakfast and visited Dino Park. In the afternoon the students enjoyed some leisure and sport activities in the pension park. In the meantime, the teachers met again for coordination work. The next morning we visited Bran Castle and drove back to Rosiorii de Vede in the afternoon, right in time for the farewell dinner party with teachers, students and parents.

      All partner school teams flew back home on Saturday 11, leaving wonderful memories of an unforgettable week.
      by Daniel Prados 04 Oct, 2019

      To organise the third and last project year, the partner school representatives met at Jüri Gümnaasium, Estonia, hosted by local coordinator Kristi Vimberg.  The first ones to arrive were Lucia Costachescu and Elvira Untesu, from Scoala Gimnaziala Mihai Eminescu, who arrived on Saturday 21. On Sunday the rest of the representatives arrived: Ana García and Daniel Prados from IES Sabinar (Spain), Gerry Matthijssen from RSG ‘t Rijks (Netherlands), Suzanne Sassen and Roberto Breeveld from Liemers College (Netherlands) and Rosalia Marotta from IC Mazzarino (Italy). 

      On Monday morning we all met at the hotel lobby, readyto visit Reet Aus Showroom - http://www.reetaus.com/en - a recycled clothes shop in Tallinn which saves 75% water and 88% energy in the making process. Then we took a bus to the school, where we had our first coordination meeting to evaluate the project so far and plan year 3. We had lunch there and attended some school activities. In the afternoon we visited a Viking Village, where we had dinner - https://www.viikingitekyla.ee/en/

      On Tuesday the guest teachers were picked up at the hotel by a bus that took us all to the Ida-Viru country. There we visited the Estonia Mining Museum in Kohtla-Järve - http://kaevandusmuuseum.ee/eng/ There we took a bus to Toila, where we had lunch and visited Toila park and Ontika limestone cliff:


      On the last day of the programme in Estonia we went on a truck safari, bog hiking, rafting and picnic in North-Körvemaa. We put an end to such an adventurous day with a farewell dinner party at Kivi-Paber-Käärid, back in Tallinn - http://kivipaber.ee/

      by Kristi Vimberg 01 Oct, 2019
      The younger students at Jüri Gümnaasium built the first insect hotel since summer 2019 in the school yard, with the help of parents and older Eco-Schools students.
      by Daniel Prados 31 May, 2019
      Our students will never forget the week they have spent in Bergen op Zoom. The student teams from Spain, Romania and Estonia arrived on Sunday 5; the Dutch team from Liemers College arrived on time on Monday morning, whereas the Italians came later in the evening.

      The opening was introduced by Lambert van de Wiel, the deputy head, at the school Theaterzaal. After a coffee break we went on a walking tour of the school premises. At 10.00 a.m. the student conference started with the first round of presentations by each school team, followed by a coffee break enlivened by a school music band. The second round of presentations focused on local food - the main topic of this student conference. Right after lunch we went on a walking tour around Bergen op Zoom and visited the town hall.

      On Tuesday, after coordinator Gerry Matthijssen's introduction to the programme at school, the Sicilian team presented their school and their slideshow on local food. Then we took a bus to Sabic, a plastic factory, where the participants had different tours and workshops in three groups. At 15.30 we all went back to school and the students enjoyed some free time together before being picked up.

      On Wednesday the students attended some lessons within the school TTO (i.e. bilingual) programme. After a short coffee break the Italian student team gave a presentation on rainwater collection. Then the Estonian team presented a slideshow on plastic research. After lunch they attended a lecture by NGO Plastic Soup Foundation. As everyday after school, the students had some free time to hang out in town.

      On Thursday we took a bus at school and went to visit Koppert Biological Systems in Berkel en Rodenrijs. We had lunch at Van der Valk Hotel in The Hague-Nootdorp. There the students attended three interesting lectures on several environment-related topics; then we spent an amusing afternoon doing several activities in The Hague.

      On Friday, the students attended more classes while the teachers were holding a project coordination meeting to organise next school year's activities. The participant students wrote a report to be evaluated by their teachers. After a final talk at school we all went for a walk along the Zoom. The students were free to go out with their packed lunch and had the time of their lives later in the evening at the dinner and farewell party at school with their teachers and host families. All partner teams left Bergen op Zoom on Saturday morning following their own schedules.

      Needless to say, every evening the accompanying teachers got together in town for dinner, enjoying our free time and building stronger bonds within the team.


      by Daniel Prados 30 May, 2019
      The Spanish team could not be luckier. On our way to the student exchange in Bergen op Zoom, we spent a day in Brussels and visited the heart of the European Union on 4 May 2019- the day the European institutions opened their doors to the public. Sheila, Claudia and Paula had this unique opportunity to step inside the European Parliament, discover how it works and its benefits for all European citizens.Their Erasmus experience started in the best possible way.
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