Winners of the Erlangen Environmental Award

Environmental Award 2024

1st place: Marie-Therese-Gymnasium: CompactGreens project "Vertical Farming and Urban Gardening"

As part of a P-seminar at Marie Therese High School, students developedan innovative vertical farming system for indoor use to facilitate access to fresh vegetables in urban areas. They addressed the problem of long supply chains and high CO2 emissions. The result is an automated, vertically mounted pot-growing system that takes all plant needs into account and is easy to operate without requiring specialist knowledge. Technically, the system is based on hydroponic nutrient distribution, a closed water circuit and LEDs for optimal lighting. With a carbon footprint of only 200 g per lettuce, which is significantly lower than traditional values, it offers a cost-efficient and sustainable cultivation method. The pupilsregularly provide information via social media and show great interest in marketing their system for private households.

1st place: Tennenlohe elementary school: Polar bear project "The polar bears are on the loose!"

The polar bear project "The polar bears are on the loose!" at Tennenlohe elementary school focused on the polar bear, which is threatened by climate change. In a project-based work, 110 children from the first and second grades dealt intensively with the topic. The pupils researched, experimented and designed posters, which were presented in a large exhibition. The children developed sensible suggestions to help from a distance through environmentally conscious behavior. A hands-on activity motivated the pupils to carry out small environmentally friendly actions, which they documented with a piece of ice on a poster. At the end of the project, the results were presented in a school forum and on the school radio station. The jury praised the pupils for not only acquiring knowledge about polar bears, but also for raising awareness of climate change. They recognized how their behavior affects the polar bear's habitat and developed strategies for sustainable living that they could integrate into their everyday lives.

1st place: Emmy-Noether-Gymnasium: Establishment of an environmental council to implement environmental projects

Emmy-Noether-Gymnasium was recognized as an "Environmental School in Europe / International Sustainability School", which provided an impetus to further develop all areas of school life with regard to sustainability and environmental protection.The Emmy Environmental Council was founded in 2024 to strengthenthe students' responsibilityfor organizing environmental projects. This consists of two elected environmental spokespersonsper class, who actively contribute ideas and suggestions. Environmental ideas were democratically voted on in advance and the environmental councillors were divided into various categories, including "Sustainability Working Group", "School Living Space", "Waste and Recycling", "Social and Food" and "Clothes Circle". Several information channels were set up to inform members about environmental activities. The jury praised the environmental council as a relevant institution that promotes democratic processes in the school and involves all pupils in environmental activities. This intensifies awareness of ecological issues, promotes appreciation of nature and creativity in the implementation of projects. The Environmental Council enables a comprehensive discussion of complex environmental issues and strengthens the shared responsibility for the sustainable development of the school.

2nd place: foodsharing Erlangen-Forchheim: Environmental education through foodsharing Erlangen-Forchheim

Foodsharing aims to combat food waste by collecting unsaleable food from cooperating businesses and educating the public. Activities include workshops at schools and organizations in Erlangen-Forchheim, monthly foodsharing dinners with rescued food at the Anständig Essen reading café and information stands at community events to raise awareness. The organization takes place via the foodsharing.de platform, which is managed on a voluntary basis. Around 200 food savers are active in the region, 20% of whom are under the age of 25. Everyone involved works voluntarily and free of charge, which also applies to workshops and events. The jury praised the information work on food waste and its global impact as well as the strategies for resource-saving use of food. The educational work in schools deserves special mention: The workshops are designed to be age-appropriate and are oftenledby educators.Explanatory films and playful elements are used to convey the issues, and preparing healthy buffets from rescued food promotes the self-efficacy of the pupils, who enthusiastically take their newly acquired knowledge back to their families.

2nd place: Nora Lindenberg and Johanna Harkort: Solarcycling

Pupils Nora Lindenberg and Johanna Harkort launched the "Solarcycling" project to reuse old solar modules instead of disposing of them. The idea came about when they noticed that unused solar modules were being stored at their school and other institutions. They installed a balcony power plant with old modules on a garage roof and explained the benefits of solar recycling in YouTube videos. They also provide insights and tips for implementation on Instagram. The jury praised the project for promoting the reuse of solar modules, also with the support of the Sonnenenergie Erlangen association.

3rd place: Forest kindergarten "Die Pfifferlinge e.V.": "How children can experience sustainability in the forest kindergarten" - sustainability projects in the forest kindergarten

The forest kindergarten "Die Pfifferlinge" was awarded the environmental prize for its numerous sustainable measures, which are firmly integrated into the educational concept. The children collect rainwater for irrigation and cleaning, which conserves water resources and saves costs. Plastic toys are deliberately avoided; instead, toys are made from natural materials such as wood and stones. The children also learn the basics of self-sufficiency and where food comes from by growing vegetables and herbs. Organic waste is composted and the resulting humus is used in the garden. Through daily activities and themed weeks, they are made aware of recycling, waste avoidance and the cycle of nature. The menu is based on regional and seasonal products, which supports local agriculture and reduces CO2 emissions. In addition, the children promote biodiversity by planting flower meadows and making insect hotels and nesting boxes. The jury praised the holistic approach of the concept, which teaches the children a responsible approach to nature and actively contributes to environmental protection.

3rd place: Werner-von-Siemens-Realschule: "Your deposit does good" project

The pupilsin class 7a of the Werner-von-Siemens secondary school noticed that returnable bottles and cans often ended up in the garbage. Together with their teachers, they developed the "Your deposit does good" project. To this end, they set up donated barrels on the school grounds into which returnable bottles can be thrown in order to conserve resources. To promote the project, they designed information posters and motivated the school community to help. At the end of the school year, the deposit was handed in and the proceeds were donated to a charitable organization in a grassroots democratic process, which all pupils voted ononline. The jury praised the class's ecological awareness and their commitment to a good cause. The fact that the project is designed for the long term and has generated a great deal of motivation in the class was particularly praised.

3rd place: Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium: Cookbook for food leftovers

The Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium and its partner school Botikazar in Bilbao carried out a joint sustainability project and created a cookbook with recipes for using up leftovers. During a student exchange, the students discussed with their partners and families how they use leftovers and developed recipes in mixed teams to reuse food. The cookbook was written in four languages (Basque, English, German and Spanish). In Erlangen, the young people deepened their knowledge of food waste through films, discussions and a quiz. Among other things, they discussed containers, the "too-good-to-go" app and food sharing. With the help of rescued food, they prepared nine dishes for 42 people in teams, documented the cooking process and designed the cookbook. The Basque pupils received the finished cookbook as a farewell gift. The jury praised the fact that the pupilsrecognized that food is often still usable after the best-before date and that leftover food can easily be reused. A particularly positive mention was made of the fact that some pupilshave since made a conscious effort to look for reduced food in the supermarket.

3rd place: Franco-German Institute: "Discovering nature and the French language" project

In 2021, the Franco-German Institute developed two wooden books for kindergarten children, one about the water cycle and one about apples. Workshops lasting 1.5 hours were developed to teach the topics to groups of children. Kindergartens could choose between "From the core to the apple" and "The water cycle". The workshops combined nature exploration with French language. First, the story in the wooden book was read aloud in German and later, after the introduction of a few French words, in French. The children also learned a French rhyme with gestures. After the book activities, the French FÖJ students carried out themed experiments. For the apple theme, the children discovered different apple varieties with all their senses and planted apple seeds to observe plant growth. They also investigated how apples rot in different materials. For the water topic, the children learned about the three states of water and experimented with water to water plants and make their own containers. The jury praised the fact that the children were taught the importance of environmental protection in a playful way.

ERlangen 2023 Environmental Award for nine projects

1st place: Rap video for the song "Climate Heroes" by Pestalozzi School Erlangen

Class 3a worked intensively on environmental protection and sustainability during the 2020/21 school year. In the 2021/22 school year, class 4a continued the topic of "environment/sustainability/climate" and decided to put their existing knowledge into a song. Together with the music teacher, they chose rap as a form of musical expression and integrated climate facts into the lyrics. The challenge was that 93% of the pupils do not speak German at home. However, this fact offered the opportunity to perform a verse in different languages. With the support of the youth social worker, the pupils recorded the rap in a professional recording studio and created a video to spread the message of the "climate heroes". The project was released on November 11, 2022 and aims to promote environmental awareness in a diverse group of students.

Watch the videohere.

2nd place: Project "Stecker-SolAEr - advice on plug-in solar devices" by the Stecker-SolAEr initiative

SolAEr wants to drive forward the energy transition. In the Erlangen area, they provide free and voluntary advice to citizens on the use of plug-in solar devices to show them how they can actively participate in the energy transition themselves and also save electricity costs. Free advice is offered on the legal, technical, economic and ecological aspects of plug-in solar devices, either in person or over the phone. In addition, collective orders for plug-in solar devices and the necessary components are also planned for the future.

2nd place: Video and the "ASGS on the move" project week at Adalbert-Stifter-Grundschule Erlangen

ASGS has set out to firmly anchor the implementation of the ESD goals (education for sustainable development with a focus on the 17 SDGs) in the classroom. With the help of the new learning format "FREIDAY", a learning culture of developing potential is being practiced at the school. During their ESD project week, each class prepared one of the SDGs and presented it to the other pupils. Some pupils made a film of this week together with a teacher. The selected goals, which all classes subsequently continued to work on in FREIDAY, are Life under water (Goal 14), No poverty (Goal 1), Sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11), Life on land (Goal 15), Climate action (Goal 13).

2nd place: Video and learning format "Frei Day" with the play "Protestzug der Tiere" and the project "Die Seniorenhelfer" from Dechsendorf elementary school

Dechsendorf Primary School submitted three projects for the environmental prize, which were awarded together as sub-projects of the Frei Day.

1. since 2022, Dechsendorf Primary School has been working intensively on the topic of ESD and the SDGs. The elementary school is one of the so-called "Schools on the move". A "FreiDay" takes place every Tuesday. This school year, 18 projects were carried out. 4 examples were presented in the submitted film.

2 A group of 16 children decided on a theater project to stand up for the environment. The children devised, rehearsed and even performed an environmental play within 7 weeks. The premiere took place on 02.05.2023.

3. during the Free Day, a few pupils* approached the topic of "health and well-being" and "no poverty" in consecutive groups. The idea was to do something for senior citizens in the city or district, as the social and emotional poverty that accompanies old age for some people is often overlooked or neglected.

2nd place: "Rucksack School" at the Michael Poeschke elementary school in Erlangen

In the backpack school, the children in class 1b regularly spent school days in nature. They actively discovered their natural environment, experienced the seasons, developed questions, found answers and learned about the value of their natural surroundings. The Rucksack School project started in September 2022. In March 2023, the class teacher found two volunteers through the community foundation to accompany the class during the outdoor school days. Projects such as a sloe harvest have already been carried out, apples have already been processed and even a forest sofa has been built.

3rd place: "Fighting excess" project with the online exchange 'FWE-Kleinanzeigen', used cell phone collection and clothes swap campaign of the Freie Waldorfschule Erlangen

Cheap prices turn fashion into a disposable item. The pupils in the sustainability group thought about what could be done about this. This gave rise to the idea of a clothes swap. In autumn and June, they organized an exchange campaign that was used by many pupils from the upper and middle school. In the course of this, it became apparent how many things are left lying around the school day after day, some of which disappear forever into the lost property room. The sustainability group organized the older lost property to be offered for sale at the school flea market and other events in return for a small donation. The idea of setting up an internal online exchange on the school moodle page - FWE classified ads - was then born for the leftover items.

3rd place: "Edible City_School 2.0" project from the Montessori School in Erlangen

Inspired by the city's "Edible City" project, the students of the three 7th/8th grades decided in fall 2021 to transform the schoolyard and the grounds around the school building into an "Edible School". Berry bushes and fruit trees were replanted and new beds were created. To improve the microclimate and provide shade for the schoolyard, the construction of a 9-metre-long pergola was initiated with the help of the Erlangen climate budget. In May 2023, the school planted this with vines and kiwi plants. In 2022, a second "Edible City" bed in Nördliche Stadtmauerstraße was also planted with mixed berry bushes, herbs and vegetables. Another project was the creation of a flowering meadow for honey bees and insects in the water conservation area. The school also planted fruit trees there and created a flower spiral with perennials.

3rd place: Actionbound "Environmental superheroes" from the Heinrich Kirchner School in Erlangen

In July 2022, the pupils of class 3a were trained as "environmental superheroes" as part of sustainability education. The children didn't just want to keep their newly acquired knowledge and insights to themselves, they wanted to pass them on in their local community. This gave rise to the idea of capturing the various aspects in an Actionbound - a virtual & physical scavenger hunt - and linking it to the various locations and opportunities in Büchenbach.

3rd place: Rod puppet film "No fear of Stefan" from Tennenlohe elementary school

In the fall, they are omnipresent at Tennenlohe elementary school - the stink bugs. Rumors quickly spread around the school last fall that the stink bugs were dangerous, sprayed poison and bit children. These tall tales had to be dispelled. As part of the educational work, a video was made in ethics lessons, which was shown to all children at the GST in the pupils' forum and used as an opportunity for discussion to dispel prejudices and foster an understanding of animals that are not necessarily cute at first glance.

ERlangen 2022 Environmental Award for nine projects

Three first places went to:

1st place: Müfaff: Müfaff for insects

Under the motto "Insects need a home", insect hotels were made together with children and their companions on an activity day at the Mütter- und Familientreff. Under the slogan "Insects are thirsty too", it was shown how to easily build insect drinking troughs from natural materials. "Insects are hungry too" meant sowing a flower-rich insect buffet. Collected snail shells were presented to visitors and explained what they have to do with mason bees. The campaign is a contribution to recognizing the importance of insects and raising awareness of insect mortality.

1st place: Pauline Klebert: Cheeky fruit card game

The trump quartet for primary school children in a child-friendly design is dedicated to sustainable shopping for fruit and vegetables in the supermarket. It has 16 quartets, each with a fruit as the main protagonist. The categories of cultivation, packaging and transportation cover the most important aspects of the topic. In addition to the playing cards, a booklet has also been designed. This contains tips for more sustainable shopping (in the city and region) and a world map with the different transportation categories.

1st place: Jakob Rößner/Johanna Wiglinghoff: Teilerei

As a non-profit project, Teilerei is a store for surplus food and a place for exchange. The team collects food every day that would otherwise be destroyed, currently 1000 to 1500 kg per week. To this end, they cooperate with food companies from the retail and production sectors. In the meantime, the remaining food is brought in from nearby nurseries and restaurants. There are no fixed prices; customers determine the donation themselves. The principle of solidarity gives everyone access to food and a healthy diet. By distributing food, awareness is raised for products that are past their best-before date and resources such as soil, water, labor, transport, etc. are saved from being wasted.

Two second places went to:

2nd place: GS Tennenlohe: Plant and vegetable market + film on waste pollution

Together with their (grand)parents, the children in the mixed-grade entry classes grew plants at home. These were sold at the first vegetable and plant market in the schoolyard. Parents, local residents, acquaintances and preschool parents from the district were also invited. The market and the work with plants teach children where food comes from, how vegetables and fruit are grown and when, how and where these species grow. The children not only gain an insight into the technology of plant propagation, but also learn to take responsibility for their offspring. Through planting and sowing, tending, harvesting, preparing and tasting, valuable and above all practical experiences are gained with all the senses. In addition, a greater appreciation of food can be conveyed and children can be introduced to a balanced diet.

The media working group made a film about waste pollution, which was shown to all 200 pupils and the school's teaching staff in the school cinema. The film raises the children's awareness of the topic in a positive way so that they can pay even closer attention to avoiding waste in the forest in future.

2nd place: ASG: Sustainability Day (incl. sustainable nutrition board game) + school shop

The P-seminar "Critical Consumption" organized a sustainability day at ASG, on which the whole school dealt with a wide range of ecological topics. There was also cooperation with external partners. The bazaars were equipped with donations from the pupils, and many materials were also collected in advance. The offers included: waste collection, food sharing, plastic waste, supply chains, nutrition, upcycling, vegan recipes, sustainable body care, fast fashion, SDGs, solar energy, clothing bazaar, assorted book flea market, browsing, from tin cans to irrigation systems, discussion round on food at ASG, foil workshop, climate suitcase, school store.

As part of the Sustainability Day, the board game "Dinner for Future" - newly developed by the environmental working group - was played, allowing pupils to expand their knowledge of sustainable nutrition. It includes questions on the topics of CO2 consumption, food storage, seasonality/regionality and plant-based foods.

The P-Seminar school store is a step towards sustainable school supplies so that sustainable school materials have a permanent place in the school bag and are easily accessible to all pupils throughout the school year. The pupils have founded a school company for this purpose. Individual packages of school supplies were sold directly in the building. This reduces travel distances and packaging waste and improves the ASG's ecological fingerprint. The school store also manages to avoid unnecessarily long supply chains through regional production, thereby saving CO2 and supporting local companies.

Four third places went to:

3rd place: Sophia Marte/Julian Rösner: Climate-friendly neighborhood kitchen

The climate-friendly cooking evenings take place every 3rd Tuesday of the month in the Anständig essen reading café. The dishes cooked in the climate-friendly neighborhood kitchen usually save 50 to 80 % of greenhouse gas emissions per portion. The project includes the handling of appointments, recipes, shopping, etc. At the cooking evenings, there are tips and recipes that can be used to implement a climate-friendly, healthy and tasty diet in everyday life.

In addition, experts are always invited to various cooking evenings, or there are short keynote speeches by participants.

3rd place: Waldorf School: Car-free days

The car-free days were organized by the sustainability circle and the student sustainability group. All pupils and teachers took part in the campaign. The aim was to find out the CO2 footprint of the school routes and to make the pupils aware of the importance of traveling to school. A total of 780 kg of CO2 was saved. The group developed a questionnaire to find out how pupils normally travel to school; the evaluation was carried out with the support of the cooperation partner CO2ero. Finally, a letter was written to the surrounding municipalities. In it, the pupils spoke out in favor of retaining the €365 ticket and for equality with pupils from state schools with regard to public transport subsidies.

3rd place: Heinrich-Kirchner-GS: Bee project

During a themed week on bees, 4th graders researched, gathered knowledge, researched, created posters, rolled wax candles, made an insect hotel and also visited a beekeeper with her five bee colonies. The children were intensively on the trail of bees and their way of life. The result was a diverse exhibition and the podcast "Alles Biene" with 10 episodes. In addition, some insect hotels for the school garden and the idea of school bees were created. By observing and experiencing, the children's understanding of the complex relationships between plants, animals and the way humans interact with our cultural landscape was promoted.

3rd place: Werner-von-Siemens-RS: From apples to apple sauce

The gardening club carried out the project "From apple to apple sauce". The entire process, from caring for the trees to harvesting the fruit, processing the seasonal apples and producing and preserving the applesauce, was carried out by the pupils themselves. They were able to follow a single foodstuff from its creation to the finished product. Later, the applesauce was tasted together and a jar was taken home as a gift for the families. In winter, the children pruned their own apple trees in the school garden. The results were presented in the school showcase. The project was able to re-establish the connection to food and the work that goes into it.

ERlangen 2021 environmental prize for six projects

Four first places were awarded:

1st place went to the environmental podcast "WALD im OHR" from Tennenlohe elementary school. The podcast reveals the secrets of the forest, allows listeners to immerse themselves in the world of sounds between moss and trees and provides information about the special features of animal and plant diversity. The three-minute audio contributions can be heard on the AnTennenlohe school radio station, among others. The topics and design are determined by the pupils themselves. The podcast received the award for informing listeners about forest topics, imparting knowledge about forest animals and plants, raising awareness of the environment, creating acoustic forest experiences and stimulating the mind, motivating listeners to discover and explore the forest habitat and encouraging an appreciative approach to nature.

Another 1st place went to the "Vegetable Field" environmental project at the Emmy Noether Grammar School in Bruck. Since the 2020/21 school year, the 5th grade all-day class in particular has been growing organic vegetables on the new school field to learn about nature, vegetable growing, healthy eating and the careful use of resources. The pupils have planted vegetable plants, sown seeds, planted onions and planted potatoes on the 50 m2 school vegetable patch. The project is rounded off by regular maintenance during leisure lessons, plant knowledge, mulching, harvesting and volunteer work by families. The vegetable patch was awarded the prize for its holistic approach and the involvement of the pupils in all stages of the project. It honors the learning success that everyone can do something and that it is worth taking on effort and making commitments to achieve a common goal. The field is continued in the tied all-day program.

The "Sustainability Challenge" of the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium in Alterlangen climbs another 1st place. Ten 5th and 6th grade students from the environmental club developed the concept during the lockdown, planned the competition in video conferences and ran it throughout the school for three weeks. The aim was to make the school family more aware of the issues of sustainability and environmental protection. There was a small task for each day, which was documented in photos and published. The jury was pleased with the wide range of sustainability tasks and the popularity of the competition in the lower school, but also among students in higher grades and teachers. They welcome the fact that participation has shown that environmental protection is not only important, but can also be fun. The sustainability challenge is to be repeated in the future.

The last 1st place was awarded to the "Tipping collection" campaign organized by the Franco-German Institute in Erlangen. The campaign was carried out by a French volunteer in Erlangen and an intern and was accompanied by public relations work. Starting from three locations, 17 participants (not all of whom came from Erlangen) spent around 2.5 hours collecting cigarette butts in 1.5-liter containers up to the town hall square to be recycled later and used to make street furniture. The environmental award emphasizes the explosive nature of the topic and praises the fact that the collection campaign draws attention to the pollution of water and soil by toxic substances from cigarettes, raises awareness among citizens and thus contributes to environmental protection. The simultaneous implementation with the two twin cities of Rennes and Vladimir under the motto of environment and multiculturalism is also particularly appreciated. A total of 11,000 butts were collected and 5,500,000 liters of water were saved from pollution.

Two second places were awarded:

One 2nd place went to the "Ecological School Garden" project at Friedrich-Rückert-Grundschule on Ohmplatz. Organic vegetables are planted, animals, plants and other environmental aspects are discovered, works of art are created and ecological gardening is discussed, mainly by an all-day class. The care is carried out independently in teamwork with great learning success; the children do everything themselves and by hand. The award highlights the sensitization for sustainable vegetable cultivation, especially with regard to soil and water resources, as well as the problem of food waste and products that travel a long way. The fact that enjoyment of healthy eating is awakened and social skills are strengthened through joint work, all senses are addressed and interest and enjoyment of nature are awakened, as well as the opportunity to be able and want to actively shape one's own environment. The linking of the project with the SDGs and the work with didactic (digital) materials and further training for teachers is particularly appealing. The school garden is also open to all children at the school in the afternoons and is to be more closely integrated into the neighborhood in the future.

The other 2nd place was awarded for the design of a "flowering island in the playground" at the insect-friendly Michael Poeschke elementary school in the Röthelheim/Sebaldus district. In the heavily sealed schoolyard, a former tree slice was transformed into a green oasis for insects. The children from the gardening club planted the 9 m2 area with the first flowering, insect-friendly shrubs and perennials in the fall of 2020. The medlar from a 3rd grade class was given its place on the old tree slice. As part of the gardening club, flower bulbs were planted in the fall and wildflower seeds in the spring. Teachers donated some drought-resistant perennials, parents set up an insect hotel on the flowering island and created a small sandy area underneath. The jury praised the fact that nature is allowed to grow on the island in all its diversity and that the children can observe the insects during the breaks. Further flowering islands with berry bushes are planned.

ERlangen 2020 environmental prize for seven projects

Three main prizes were awarded:

1st place went to the Department of Ecology and Sustainability together with the Climate Protection Working Group of the FAU Student Council with its climate protection and sustainability concept. Alongside the city of Erlangen, the university is the second major public player that can make a significant contribution to a climate-neutral city and has not yet had an official climate protection concept. One was presented to the university management in November 2019. More than 25 students and doctoral candidates contributed to the concept. The twenty-page concept paper aims to achieve climate neutrality at FAU by 2028 and proposes a remarkable range of activities at the levels of university management & administration, teaching & research, infrastructure, management, mobility and events. It has initiated a sustained discussion and many proposals are now being implemented with remarkable speed (e.g. Green Office, Climate Fund, Teaching, Urban Gardens, Schlossgartenfest). The lecture series "FAU against CO2: The contribution of science to climate protection", which was organized, coordinated and moderated by the ÖkoRef, was also honored.

Second place goes to the Smart City Greens team for the Intelligent Tree Irrigation project. Climatic changes are affecting urban greenery, watering is a burden on the municipality and heterogeneous site conditions make it difficult to keep track of the need for irrigation. Since October 2019, four students from different departments of the Faculty of Engineering have been developing a new type of sensor that measures soil moisture. By using modern technologies, the operation of the sensor is so energy-efficient and cost-effective that it can be used to generously equip urban trees. After precisely determining the individual need for watering, an intelligent routing algorithm calculates the fastest watering routes. A cloud platform is being developed for city employees to navigate to the trees using mobile devices. This saves time and water and ensures that all trees are watered on time. In May, three sensors were put into operation at selected locations in collaboration with the City Greenery Department.

Third place was awarded to two pupils from the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium, who wanted to help shape the future themselves with their project for a school solar system. With the support of pupils and teachers, a solar system financed by pupils was installed on the roof of the ASG school, increasing the school's solar production by a further 14%. With the help of the 'Sonnenenergie Erlangen e.V.' association, among others, the system was installed on the school roof during the 2019 fall break and inaugurated in December. The initiative encouraged the students to take small steps to have a positive impact in the city. The aim was to arouse even more interest in student solar projects and thus encourage similar projects to be set up at other schools in Erlangen.

Four future prizes went to:

The "TechFak Garten" on Roter Platz at the university's south campus is an urban garden created by an initiative of FAU students and doctoral candidates* founded in 2017. Various vegetables, berries and herbs are grown in the raised bed. In order to be as sustainable and resource-saving as possible, existing infrastructure is used and upgraded. Preference is given to using leftovers and waste as building materials. Insects are increasingly to be found again since insect-friendly flower species have been offered. An insect hotel takes this into account. All students can participate and the use is communal. They learn the basics of gardening and can improve their manual skills. The plants are labeled and the seeds are organic. Among other things, old varieties are grown that are not known from the supermarket. In principle, everyone is allowed to harvest as long as they leave something for the next person. The members of the initiative prepare meals together from the harvest. In good weather, guided tours of the garden are offered. The project helps to establish a connection to the food we consume every day. It shows how beautiful and hard-working a vegetable garden is, which is easy to forget in front of the full supermarket shelves.

The "Miniclub-kids for future" project at the Miniclub crèche sees children as future shapers of sustainable development. A sustainable way of life is exemplified and practised on a daily basis. It encompasses several areas of activity: Food is selected according to the categories regional, seasonal and organic. At every meal, aspects of the origin of the food, the cultivation methods and the preparation method are discussed. The topic of nutrition is illustrated by growing our own vegetables. In the area of waste management, the topics of reusable packaging, paperless communication in parent chats, waste separation and avoidance and plastic avoidance play a role. In the garden, there are natural play areas, such as a sandpit made from old tree trunks, a tunnel made from willows and a slide and climbing hill. An insect hotel also offers opportunities for observation and learning.

Bildungsort Natur creates environmentally relevant learning spaces at the Erlangen Business School. Since the 2019/20 school year, this project has been developing interdisciplinary learning spaces in the form of a school garden, the Garden of World Religions, a flower meadow and the renaturation earth wall as well as the outdoor classroom. Practical experiences should enable pupils to think about their role in nature, reflect on their own relationship with the environment, recognize the effects of their actions and develop a more responsible approach to nature. All plants are provided with signs that link to a website with a QR code that describes the plant in more detail. In addition to small puzzles and tasks, there is a "kahoot" at the end. The products can be harvested throughout the day and used for direct consumption or offered at the school festival. The homepage Garten-der-Weltreligionen.de is already online, and participants in a new qualification subject are to expand it. An online competition on making insect hotels was held as a homeschooling task.

Since April 2020, the "Ackergarten" project initiated by Klaus Schaufler and Doris Gehringer has enabled Erlangen residents, students and families with children to engage with nature in an appreciative way through direct contact with agricultural experts. They expand their knowledge of ecological relationships by renting a plot of land ready for planting and cultivating it organically with vegetables, herbs and flowers. Their own ideas for the design of the plots are complemented by the production of healthy food. In addition, the exchange with experts and other gardeners creates a sense of community. The benefits of the field garden range from supporting a healthy lifestyle, positive social impact and learning opportunities to general environmental aspects and increased appreciation.

ERlangen Environmental Award 2019 for seven projects

In 2019, the main prize winners are the Michael Poeschke School, the Albert Schweitzer Grammar School and the Franconian International School.

The Michael Poeschke School has created a forest and nature garden. The schoolyard area, which was previously sealed in the style of the 1970s, was completely transformed by the school and its HoList after-school care center with the support of the Arche farm and the BayWa Foundation. Initially, four raised beds, a potato patch and a berry hedge were planted. Three gardening groups are gradually setting up the school garden and will focus on growing a variety of crops, with parents also being involved. Other parts of the project include an olfactory garden in the form of a dry stone wall snail planted with herbs, school chickens, an insect hotel and several piles of dead wood. All of this is also integrated into lessons in the form of a "green classroom".

The Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium helps both stressed parents and the environment with the HEFTig project seminar. All fifth-graders are offered a starter pack at the beginning of the school year, which contains all the exercise books, ring binders, loose-leaf binders and envelopes they need to start school. The items are purchased sustainably, using only recycled paper and sourced from the region as far as possible.

The Franconian International School's original art project "radically minimal" has an impact both inside and out. It is dedicated to the topics of post-growth society, sustainability and recycling. The project aims to raise awareness of the consequences of our lifestyle and the impossibility of continuing it in the long term. "Time travelers" as warning signs were positioned in public spaces, together with a QR code that led to a website designed by the students. Slogans were designed that critically addressed our consumer behavior and the resulting environmental problems, which were then shown at night in downtown Erlangen with the help of a mobile video projector. Finally, a mobile presentation room was set up for upcycling objects that the pupils had made from disposable materials.

Four other projects received awards:

Werner-von-Siemens-Realschule created a direct approach to experiencing nature with its explorer trail around the Brucker Seela. Explanatory videos, experiments, information boards, experimental documents and a quiz can convey interest and knowledge to visitors in the form of a tour.

With its sustainability project week, the An der Brucker Lache elementary school showed that every single person can make a meaningful contribution to environmental protection. Activities included painting cloth bags, practical upcycling (musical instruments, purses and bowls), making ecological care products, planting a species-rich school garden, making insect hotels from tin cans, creating paper, making seed bombs and raising awareness of the protection of bees and bats.

The business school in Röthelheimpark created its own "Future" subject.
External facilitators come into the classroom and educate the children and young people on topics such as plastic waste, ocean littering, air pollution, phasing out lignite, raw materials for cell phones, virtual water and the "ecological footprint".

The Asgard tribe of the German Scout Association is growing young native trees in its "tree nursery" and then replanting them. In the fall in particular, many acorns are collected on the Burgberg grounds, which are then cultivated in pots and ultimately make their contribution to the "green city" and climate protection in the most site-specific way possible.

ERlangen Environmental Award 2018 for three projects

Mobility is one of the areas in which we still have a lot to change from an environmental perspective. Especially in urban areas, the quality of life benefits considerably. Class 3c of Friedrich-Rückert-Schule (1st prize) took up this topic and examined it in an exemplary manner - starting with the "ecological footprint" and the question of what sustainable action means in everyday life. Environmentally friendly means of transport - bicycles and buses - were examined in a practical way, including reading bus timetables. The results of the project were recorded in leaflets and presented at an information stand at the summer festival.

Eichendorff Middle School (2nd prize) was among the winners for the third time. It is redesigning its outdoor facilities step by step, with great effort and as part of an educational concept in which a broad line is recognizable. After the school apiary and the "edible school", the redesign of a sealed inner courtyard into a natural "bee yard" has now been recognized.

The Asgard tribe of the Scout Association (3rd prize) makes many things themselves - from their own log cabin to a tree house, tables and garden furniture. The most important material here is wood, and the scouts have found a way to process trees from Erlangen locally. Using a mobile sawmill from the local area, beams, planks and boards are sawn from the trunks. Wood is a sustainable raw material that is far too good to burn or use to make paper. The use of regional wood is of course particularly environmentally friendly.

The Waldorf School's bee club introduced two bee colonies in 2017. The pupils learn a lot about the biology and careful husbandry of bees, as well as about their pollination services and their paramount importance for all flowering plants. They also learn about the food supply for bees and the diversity of flowering plants. This is specifically promoted through planting campaigns, which are to be further expanded in the future. The bee club also works through guided tours and lectures.

The P-Seminar "Ecological Garden" at the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium has designed the inner courtyard of its school according to ecological principles, placing great emphasis on the "right" plants (i.e. those appropriate to the location). The project also includes an insect hotel, in-house composting of garden waste and the creation of a zone with nutrient-poor soil to give space to plants that have long been displaced elsewhere. The rapid decline of species in Central Europe is mainly due to conventional agriculture. This is why cities today, especially so-called garden city areas, are among the most species-rich habitats of all, and the creation of further near-natural areas in the city is desirable. The project is being honored with prize money of €1000.

In the "Edible School" project at Eichendorff Middle School, 30 pupils from the all-day classes worked together with employees from Omicron and Arche Bauernhof Erlangen to transform parts of the school grounds into an "edible school". Prickly, sometimes exotic plants were replaced by native fruit trees and berry bushes. The flowers provide food for the school bees and the fruit for the schoolchildren. The pupils are introduced to the sustainable care of the plants in the form of working groups and take responsibility for them. In the course of the project, beehives, pallet furniture, a new garden shed, two mobile chicken coops and three large pieces of play equipment were also created.
The jury particularly liked the exemplary nature of this project and its integration into the overall concept of the all-day school, which also includes beekeeping and the school garden and will be further developed and expanded in the future. The project is being honored with prize money of €1500.

Class 9d of the Marie Therese Grammar School built two weatherproof models for the "Energy-saving house" project: A classic detached house in the style of the 1970s and a modern house with a monopitch roof, full thermal insulation and a photovoltaic system. Incandescent lamps and LEDs are used as energy consumers. The houses have the same floor area and the same enclosed space. The houses were placed on the roof terrace of the school building. The temperature, voltage and amperage are measured to reveal the effect of the insulation and the energy consumption. The measurements began in June and will certainly be particularly interesting during the winter months.
The jury was impressed by the Marie Therese High School's "energy-saving house" because it exemplifies an important topic and thus represents a considerable gain in knowledge for both the participants and the school as a whole. It was therefore awarded prize money of €1500.

Model on the topic of renewable energy. Municipal utilities. Hydropower is a mainstay of renewable energy use. It has been proving its worth for a century and is virtually independent of fluctuations. In Erlangen, it supplies 2500 households. An exhibition area on the subject of renewable energy will be set up at the Werker hydroelectric power station, which will feature a model of the turbines installed there. This 1:8 scale model will be made by the trainees of Erlangen's public utility company themselves. What the jury liked about this project was that, with the environmentally friendly use of hydropower, it brings a topic of the future to the fore that is normally less intensively perceived in Erlangen. In addition, an exhibition space has been created that vividly presents the topic of renewable energy on site. Erlanger Stadtwerke is waiving prize money for this exemplary project.

Five winners received an award in 2016

Stitch up" project

The motto of this year's Girls' Action Day in April was "Environment and Sustainability", and this gave rise to the idea of developing a (initially two-year) project from a sewing workshop. It is called "Stitch up" and offers young people the opportunity to make new things from discarded items of clothing and fabric remnants, with no limits to their imagination. In addition to clothing, the aim is to create bags, cushions and whatever else the creative youngsters have in mind. The "Black Box" youth center - together with the youth social work on the Anger - is focusing on an area whose global interdependencies are increasingly being discussed, but which is still largely unreflected upon in everyday consumer behavior. Clothing is (also) an environmental issue. The "Stitch up" project was awarded prize money of €500.

Hortus Fridericianus

When learning itself leads to visible results, the educational mission is perfectly fulfilled. The pupils of the "Hortus Fridericianus" project seminar demonstrate this in an exemplary manner. They planned and realized a well thought-out school garden that

• is intended to be both an oasis of peace for the pupils and a retreat for various living creatures,
• is intended to be a small link to the Franconian sand axis,
• be used for lessons and
• can also be used for growing food.

The "Hortus Fridericianus" project seminar will be honored with prize money of €500.

Neighborhood garden Bruck

An "urban gardening" project was created on a previously little-used green space at Kulturpunkt Bruck. Around 15 active people are shaping the area in the spirit of community activity and responsibility, involving neighbors and refugees and seeing themselves as part of a larger social and ecological network. Fruit and vegetables are grown organically. In addition to continuous gardening, there are joint activities and social events. Not least because of the diversity of its activities and its long-term future prospects, the Bruck neighborhood garden has been awarded €500 in prize money.

School beekeeping at the Eichendorff School

Beekeeping is impressive because pupils learn about the life and importance of honey bees and also learn a lot about insects and plants and about ecological relationships. Learning by doing is more intensive and vivid than in the classroom. The practical work not only promotes sensitivity towards the natural environment, but also provides the opportunity to take responsibility and experience affirmation. Follow-up projects at many schools in the city are desirable. The project is awarded prize money of € 1500.

"Green playground" at the Brucker Lache elementary school

The elementary school at Brucker Lache and its outdoor facilities bear witness to a time when functionality was the order of the day and nature was seen as a nuisance. Following preliminary work by the school gardening group, the "Our green playground" project has now started here and fundamentally changed the ambience; it has created

• an insect hotel built from natural materials: It is intended to provide shelter for insects as well as an object of interest for the schoolchildren.
• Seating made on site from natural logs and boards,
• a meeting place under a willow tent,
• a smelling fountain containing herbs and spices and
• a mobile chicken coop designed to teach children how to handle live animals and take responsibility.

The diversity of the project and the exemplary commitment are recognized with prize money of €2000.

Five award winners 2015

Erlangen Intercultural Garden

The intercultural garden is dedicated to the integration of citizens with foreign roots. Gardening is carried out according to ecological criteria. The environmental prize was awarded in particular for the collaboration with the Mönau School, which resulted in the realization of four projects:

• the creation of a Japanese garden,
• a photo workshop on the subject of "cultivated plants",
• the weaving of a garden object with natural materials and
• the creation of a metal sculpture of a tree with fruit.

The intercultural garden also offers a variety of different habitats on a small scale, e.g. there is a hedge as a shelter and food source for small creatures as well as a near-natural pond. The intercultural garden was awarded prize money of €500.

Forest kindergarten "Mooswichtel"

The concept of forest kindergartens encompasses something that has become alien to many children today: experiencing nature as a natural part of everyday life. As you can only appreciate what you know, the importance of early childhood contact with the natural environment cannot be overestimated. The "Mooswichtel" have applied with a multi-faceted project that combines observation and experience of nature. It includes an "earthworm farm", wildlife studies, insect identification, landing nets in the water and the production of tea, syrup and other foodstuffs from self-collected material. The jury also awarded a prize of €500 for the basic concept of the forest kindergarten.

"Food sharing and food rescue in Erlangen" project

The initiative addresses our food waste, which costs resources and places an unnecessary burden on the environment. Its extent is simply unjustifiable: In Germany, around 83 kg of food is thrown away per person per year. The initiative aims to raise public awareness of the problem. Consumers and retailers are advised on how to avoid food waste, a regular "food sharing dinner" is held and a "fair divider" has been set up at Kulturpunkt Bruck to promote direct exchange. The most important aspect from the jury's point of view is the fact that the problem is being made a public issue and that responsible people are changing their behavior as a result. The initiative was therefore awarded €1000 in prize money.

Gardening club at Hermann-Hedenus Middle School

In their gardening project "Ab durch die Hecke", the pupils from classes 5a and 7a have improved a previously unsightly area of the school grounds through hard work, and the resulting new school garden is not only used for ornamental purposes but also for harvesting and, thanks to its diversity, is a habitat for many insect species, as well as for birds and small mammals.

What the jury liked about this project was that it is concrete and practical and so exemplary that similar follow-up projects are to be wished for at many schools in the city. This project was awarded prize money of €1000.

"Stadtgarten Altstadtmarktpassage Erlangen" project

The "Erlangen in Transition" initiative questions our current economic activities. The focus is on doing away with the use of fossil fuels and increasing the regional exchange of goods. The urban gardening project in the Altstadtmarktpassage is part of this approach, which aims to enhance the public space: from now on, tomatoes, zucchinis, pumpkins, peppers, nasturtiums and lemon balm will set the tone. This type of urban garden is not a separate area, but is accessible to everyone. Everyone can harvest, everyone can join in. This exemplary commitment was awarded prize money of €2000.

Five prize winners in 2014:

The "biological-chemical internship" course at Christian-Ernst-Gymnasium

The students worked professionally and over the long term on an important issue of urban ecology. Especially in densely built-up inner-city areas, the question of nesting sites is fundamental for many bird species, and the installation of such nesting boxes on the school grounds was exemplary. The project was recognized by the jury with an award and prize money of €500.

The forest kindergarten "Die Pfifferlinge"

The concept of forest kindergartens encompasses something that has become scarce nowadays: Experiencing nature as a natural part of everyday life. As you can only appreciate what you know, the importance of early childhood contact with the natural environment cannot be overestimated. The Waldkindergarten entered the competition with a multi-stage project on the subject of "potatoes". The jury awarded a prize of €500 not only for this project, but also for the forest kindergarten concept itself.

The "Erlangen Schools go fair" project from Emil-von-Behring-Gymnasium

Conscious, fair and ecological consumption is part of sustainable behavior. So far, this topic has rarely been addressed in a school context. The project is taking clear steps towards becoming a "Fairtrade school" with a series of campaigns. Sustainably manufactured products are on offer and fair school clothing is being procured as a first step. What the jury liked about this project is that it involves concrete and practical actions and is so exemplary that many schools in the city will hopefully follow suit immediately. The jury awarded this project €1000 in prize money.

The "Sand habitats nature trail" project seminar at the Fridericianum grammar school

The project seminar focuses on one of the main areas of nature experience in Erlangen. The pupils researched the geological and biological foundations of the local sand surfaces. The jury was very impressed by how well-founded and independently the topic was dealt with and that it was also expressed in public in the form of a small nature trail in the Schwabach valley. The seminar was also awarded prize money of €1000.

The "Repair Café" Erlangen

One of the downsides of our consumption is the throwaway mentality. Many everyday objects are thrown away, even though this makes no sense: the resources contained in the product should encourage us to repair it. In order to propagate this and put it into practice, the "Repair Cafe" initiative has been formed. This is innovative, expandable and exemplary. This exemplary commitment was honored with prize money of €2000.

The 2012 prize winner is the EStW training workshop - The "Clock" on the state of the energy transition in Erlangen.

The training workshop of "Erlanger Stadtwerke AG" produced a steel wall panel that uses a colorful LED display to illustrate the proportion and type of renewable energy generation used in Erlangen. The board, which will be installed in the town hall, will highlight the achievements and goals. In future, it will be a kind of clock showing the status of the energy transition in Erlangen.

What the jury liked about this project was that it demonstrates the extent to which the city of Erlangen generates energy in an environmentally friendly way, both in an affirmative and a cautionary manner.

The 2011 prize was awarded to ErlangenTreeView - exploring city trees

Would you like to find out more about Erlangen's city trees? The Erlangen Youth Farm and pupils from the Montessori School have launched the ErlangenTreeView project. Here you can get ideas and information. We invite you to tree excursions and a tree rally. There are currently 24 tree locations with 17 different tree species recorded. Do you have a special "tree suggestion" for the extension of the TreeView version? info@jugendfarm-er.de

The 2010 award winner was the fashion label "Kolibri". Used clothing - brand new

The Kolibri fashion label with its two initiators Claudia Schnupp and Carolin Hofer addresses the way we deal with textiles. Their production methods are often at odds with ecological and social standards; recycling clothing counteracts this and raises awareness of global developments. Used clothing is re-sewn and screen-printed, making each item of clothing unique. What impressed the jury most about "Kolibri" was the fact that it focuses on an aspect of environmentally friendly business that is still largely ignored. In addition, it is a project that is developed and implemented completely independently by the pupils.

The 2010 award winner is the Erlangen State Vocational School - students as teachers

The State Vocational School in Erlangen has broken new ground with its "Environmental Weeks". By redesigning this project, pupils become knowledge mediators. On the topics

• Ecological waste management,
• mobile radio,
• water and soil,
• air,
• climate and energy,
• nature conservation and
• noise

After a technical introductory presentation by the Environmental Agency, teaching materials were developed by one class at a time; the knowledge gained was then passed on to other classes at the vocational school - through exhibitions, presentations and lessons. The jury found the "Environment Weeks" project particularly noteworthy for the change of perspective: pupils act as teachers and thus contribute a high level of commitment and acquired knowledge, and the attention and broad impact within the school is enormous.

In 2009, the prize went to the Youth-Environment-Future-Erlangen working group. "Inaction is not a solution" - action is needed.

The application of the "Arbeitskreis Jugend - Umwelt - Zukunft - Erlangen" is impressive due to its thematic breadth and diversity. The jury was particularly impressed by the fact that concrete action challenges attitudes and consumer habits and ultimately protects the climate, air, water and soil by conserving resources. The projects include:

• "Inaction is no solution either": exhibition on environmental attitudes and environmental sensitivity;
• "Umsonst-Laden": permanent give-away and exchange opportunity;
• "Made by me": regular workshops on the production of clothing
• "Species-appropriate animal husbandry": documentation on species-appropriate and conventional animal husbandry, campaign with own chickens in the city center
• "Environmental summer camp": camp with workshops on solar stoves, wind turbines, energy saving, healthy eating, ecological building materials, bicycles and trailers; "You can do without a Sunday roast": Exhibition and street theater on meat consumption from an ecological, ethical and health perspective;
• "Our velvety clothes and their rocky road": exhibition on the production of textiles;
• "Views, responsibility and activism in environmental protection": workshop on ethics and motivation;
• Book exhibition on environmental protection