The Zero-Waste Project aimed to foster environmental awareness, inclusion, and skill development among students—especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds—through hands-on, cross-cultural collaboration. Key goals included promoting zero-waste principles (reduce, reuse, recycle, upcycle), encouraging respect for nature, and linking sustainability to cultural identity. Students were meant to gain practical and soft skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, time management, and lifelong learning abilities. Language and communication to be strengthened through English use and creative expression across cultures. Digital literacy was another priority, with students using ICT tools for collaboration, content creation, and environmental messaging. The project also aimed to promote civic engagement, helping students become active, empathetic European citizens. Teachers would benefit from professional development through exchanging best practices, interdisciplinary learning, and inclusive education strategies. Finally, the project aimed to produce concrete, transferable outcomes—videos, presentations, art—and help partner schools build long-term European cooperation.
Glemmen Upper Secondary School applied to coordinate the Erasmus+ "Zero-Waste Project" to address urgent global environmental challenges and local educational needs. The growing issue of waste and poor recycling habits requires action, and we saw education as a powerful tool for change. By engaging students in hands-on, international activities around sustainability and upcycling, the project empowers them to become active participants, not passive learners. All partner schools—located in Norway, Belgium, Italy, and Turkey—serve students facing social, economic, or educational disadvantages. Many struggle with motivation, mental health, or lack access to international experiences. The project offers inclusive opportunities for these students to connect with peers across borders, gain practical skills, and build confidence. For teachers, the project supports professional development and the exchange of different student-centered methods. The focus on zero waste is both accessible and relevant, encouraging critical thinking about consumption, responsibility, and cultural attitudes toward waste. This initiative also strengthens each school’s capacity to integrate sustainability into everyday learning.