Go green strategy

In short

• We choose train, bus or shared cars over flights whenever we can.
• We pick accommodation that saves energy and water and serves local, seasonal food.
• No single-use plastics at our events: bring a refillable bottle and a reusable bag.
• Every project includes learning about the environment and a chance to act locally.
• We track our impact and update this strategy every year.

We believe every youth project should help people grow and include more people, and also protect the planet we share. This strategy explains how we build sustainability into everything we do: how we run the organisation, how we manage projects, how we travel and what we learn together.

We want to act responsibly, inspire others and keep improving, in line with the European Green Deal (the EU's plan to become climate-neutral by 2050) and the environmental priorities of Erasmus+.

Where we stay

We choose accommodation that:

• uses energy-efficient lighting, insulation and heating;
• is close to nature or within walking distance of the activity venue;
• saves water and recycles;
• serves healthy, local and, where possible, seasonal food;
• helps participants cut waste, reuse materials and avoid single-use plastics.

We assess venues on how sustainable they are, and we prefer places with a recognised eco-certification or a local environmental initiative.

How we travel

We reduce the impact of travel by:

• choosing train, bus or carpooling over flying whenever possible;
• encouraging participants and team members to choose low-carbon options;
• organising shared transfers between airports or stations and the venue;
• walking and cycling during activities;
• running sessions on carbon footprints and sharing tools to measure your travel emissions.

Learning about the environment

Sustainability starts with understanding. All our activities include non-formal learning (learning by doing, outside a classroom) on environmental topics such as:

• climate change and global citizenship;
• local nature and protecting ecosystems;
• waste and recycling;
• green entrepreneurship and sustainable lifestyles.

Through workshops, creative sessions, eco-games and local actions, we help you connect what you learn with your daily habits, so the change lasts.

Less waste, smarter consumption

We follow "reduce, reuse, recycle" in every phase of a project:

• we use less paper by working with digital tools and e-certificates;
• we do not allow single-use plastics at our events;
• we encourage refillable bottles, reusable dishes and cloth bags;
• we separate waste with clearly labelled recycling bins;
• we talk about food waste: take only what you will eat, compost organic waste where possible and donate leftover food locally.

We introduce these habits when you arrive, remind everyone with clear signs, and our team leads by example.

Saving energy and resources

We ask everyone to:

• switch off lights, heating and devices when no one is using them;
• not waste water (for example, take shorter showers);
• use daylight and natural ventilation whenever possible.

As an organisation, we also choose local suppliers to cut transport emissions, and we reuse and upcycle materials for workshops and decorations.

Working with partners

We work with organisations that share our environmental values. Our partnerships are based on:

• openness and shared sustainability standards;
• exchanging good practice on managing our environmental impact;
• joint actions that support local or international green initiatives;
• supporting community projects such as clean-ups, tree planting and awareness campaigns.

By working together across countries, we want the youth sector to play its part in the move to a sustainable world.

Checking our impact

Caring for the environment is ongoing work. To stay accountable we:

• regularly assess the environmental risks and impact of our activities;
• track how much energy, water and waste our projects use;
• ask participants what they think of our green measures;
• include environmental indicators in our project evaluations and reports;
• update this strategy every year with input from our partners and youth workers.

Green habits for you

We encourage everyone who takes part in an Elemdiar project to:

• bring a reusable bottle and cup;
• pack eco-friendly toiletries and reusable bags;
• choose digital materials over printed ones;
• consume mindfully and respect nature;
• leave every place cleaner than you found it.

For us, sustainability is not a rule to follow but a way of living we share.

Where we want to go

We want to be an example of environmental responsibility in the youth sector. By making green thinking part of how we work, we aim to:

• reduce our ecological footprint;
• inspire young people to care for the environment;
• support the goals of the European Climate Pact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Questions?

Write to us at [email protected].