According to the European Environment Agency, the overall recycling rate (i.e. the ratio of total waste generated – excluding major mineral waste – to the quantities managed through recycling) stood at 46% in 2020, with the highest recycling rate for packaging at 64%, followed by municipal waste at 49% and e-waste at 39%, all in 2021 across the EU. According to news from the World Economic Forum, the average person in the EU generates waste that weighs more than a camel. When we compare the data between 1995 and today, people generate 38kg more – i.e. a larger backpack of municipal waste. All in all, municipal waste is defined as anything collected by local authorities, and can be anything from old coats we no longer wear to furniture. With our growing piles of waste, raising awareness about proper management is essential, as we need to understand the ecological damage this growing burden creates and find solutions to lighten our environmental footprint. But all of this waste can be reused through DIY workshops. In rural areas, resources are scarce and promoting DIY experiences among young people promotes the advantage over harmful resources. With just a little imagination and maybe a coat of paint or some new hardware, an old cabinet, table or chair can be given new life as something fresh and unique. Upcycling is the act of taking something that is no longer used and giving it a second life and a new function. In doing so, the end product often becomes more practical, valuable and beautiful than it was previously. By increasing the recycling skills of young people, we will introduce the idea of recycling to the next generations. Throwing away the trash and buying a new one is the easiest part we have in our consumer culture. However, upcycling is the new way to reduce waste and develop new products that can be used in the future. During this project, we will work on the ground with participants to include the local community in the process and raise awareness about consumer culture and upcycling. The idea for the project stems from previous initiatives of our organization as well as the proven impact that DIY workshops can create on the waste landscape of local communities. Our main goal is to engage young people with the idea of transforming old materials to give them new uses. By implementing this project, we aim to raise awareness among young people about resource challenges in rural areas through the interaction of young people with the local community of Alcalá la Real, and at the same time increase their skills and attitudes towards recycling materials that are considered waste. The idea is that participants will collect trash from the local community house by house and the collected trash will be recycled with the help of our facilitators and the work of participants will be promoted in the main park, which is the most frequented place in the city. In addition to that, we will implement with participants a “DIY Day” with the participation of the local population in the common area to raise local awareness and contribute to the development of skills not only of young people but of the community in general, to reduce consumption. With the project we will cover four different topics: climate change, excessive consumption, recycling, rural development and creativity. As we cover these topics, we will use DIY as a tool to foster creativity and make people think outside the box to promote environmental awareness and waste management issues. The project will support the European Green Deal by emphasizing the 3Rs (Reuse, Reduce and Recycle). In addition to that, the developed materials will be donated to the local population so that the impact is tangible and continuous in the life of the local community, promoting their solidarity and commitment. The specific objectives of the project: -To strengthen the capacities of young people with DIY skills to promote reuse and recycling practices and environmental awareness in rural areas -To increase the green skills of young people by having them try recycling practices using unused materials considered litter in rural areas. -To raise awareness of the waste problem in European communities through DIY workshops and face-to-face activities -To qualify young people as craftsmen by increasing their DIY skills and using materials creatively to reduce waste in communities. -To create a tangible local impact in Alcalá la Real by raising awareness of waste management through face-to-face campaigns