The participants future depends heavily on knowing what to do against climate change and environmental pollution. The seas will become uninhabitable for the animals that keep our planet in balance and absorb CO2, the micro plastic will be in every organism just because it infiltrates the cycle of organic matter. Mountains of trash are filling up the landscapes in Africa and let the organic waste foul and not decompose into the earth, while creating even more CO2. It will need all the creative solution finders to innovate something to survive this crisis - especially from young people, as it is their future in particular. The global politicians (are in the more experienced and settled fields and are) may be good at leading their countries, but lack the ability of adapting to the rapidly changing climate situation. It is on young people to get educated, to act on their future's behalf and to stand up for the things that matter to them. The aim of "PET- Performing Environmental Trash" was to raise awareness about the plastic pollution of our planet. The topics of recycling programmes in the participant’s areas, the value of things and generally reducing plastic waste was worked on. We wanted the participants to get educated about the main problems and to develop a solution-oriented mindset. By working on the topic in a drama focused way, the participants were ensured to gather new information and insights through non-formal learning. Concerning the key priorities of the youth exchanges in 2020, cultural diversity was ensured by bringing together the different mindsets and habits of youngsters from different countries by operating the arts of theatre. This ensured a diverse solution oriented workflow between the participants. By working in groups and in group dynamics, intercultural dialogues were able to happen, and by working on a performance together, the sense of commonality were strengthened. Another benefit of creating a play in a group, where everybody is encouraged to bring in their own ideas, the sense of venture and entrepreneurship is empowered. By asking a lot of questions about the environmental pollution, the young people were heartened to think critically about what happens in their environment. Youth theatre was the method we chose for this project to work upon this important topic. The reason for this is, because it is a very innovative and still new way of non-formal learning that is highly effective as it impacts on five of the eight Lisbon Key Competences for lifelong learning. This was researched and evaluated in the DICE (“Drama Improves Lisbon Key Competences in Education”) study from 2008-2010 which was funded by the European Union (http://www.dramanetwork.eu). Instead of thinking logically, children and young people get to know and improve their creative, communicative and performing potentials. It is a shared experience among those involved where they suspend disbelief and imagine and behave as if they were other than themselves in some other place at another time. Likewise, there is no emphasis on being centre stage or standing out in a performance, rather the importance lies on the journey of how to get there. Youth Theatre happens every time a young person starts to act with the guidance of a professional youth theatre facilitator. Therefore, it was a framed activity where role-taking allows the participant to think and behave as if they were in another context and to respond as if they were involved in a different set of social, historical and interpersonal situations. Imagination guides the participant through an exploration of what the world can be; for yourself and for others. Learning happens the whole time, not through teacher-centred teaching, but through a playful way of experiencing content. The young people who take part in a youth theatre project acquired the competence to imagine a society worth living in and living with a better sense of where we are going with deep convictions about what kind of people we want to be. Therefore, they became a very important part for the future of the European Union.