At the seventh edition of the Environmental Knowledge Days for Kids, 700 students in grades 5 to 7 once again had the opportunity to get a taste of university life. This year, the event took place on the campus of the Wiener Neustadt University of Applied Sciences. The Ecosocial Forum was on hand with the workshop "Sustainability – What is it? And what does it have to do with me?"

Sustainability – what is it? And what does it have to do with me?
In the workshop organized by the Ecosocial Forum Austria & Europe, we explored together what sustainable action means and why it is often difficult to implement the right things – despite better knowledge. The goal was to raise awareness of how today's decisions influence the quality of life of future generations.

The concept of "sustainability" was examined at the beginning. Sustainable action means using the earth's resources in such a way that future generations can also benefit from them. This requires the conscious use of raw materials, sustainable consumption, and the goal of leaving a world worth living in for future generations. It was emphasized that sustainability is an ongoing process – no one acts perfectly, but everyone can learn and adapt their behavior.

Another important point was the presentation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations' sustainable development goals. These 17 goals promote social justice, environmental protection, and economic sustainability to enable a better future for all.

Through these practical examples, participants were able to develop an awareness of how sustainability can be concretely integrated into everyday life. Clothing consumption was demonstrated by demonstrating that many items of clothing are rarely worn. One approach to the solution is the conscious use of clothing, for example, through clothing swap meets or clothing swap parties, to conserve resources. Regarding food waste, especially bread, the importance of proper storage was emphasized. Tips such as storing bread in clay or wooden bread boxes and freezing in cloth bags can help prevent waste.