Sustainable Habits and Reflections from the Training Course
By Francesca Marino
1. What’s one sustainable habit you’ve adopted or plan to adopt as a result of this training course?
After exchanging ideas with the other participants, I realized that sometimes it’s the smallest steps that can make a real difference. Among the most practical suggestions I plan to adopt are:
– Taking shorter showers using the “song method” – limiting myself to the length of two songs, which usually means 5–7 minutes.
– Collecting the water that usually goes to waste while waiting for the shower to warm up, and reusing it for watering plants, filling the coffee machine, or other daily tasks.
– Being more conscious when it comes to consumerism – avoiding unnecessary souvenirs, gadgets, or customized items for parties and events that only create more waste.
2. Can you describe a moment or activity during the training that shifted the way you think about environmental sustainability?
It wasn’t a complete shift, since I was already aware of the impact of travelling, but one powerful moment was when we calculated the CO2 emissions of our yearly flights. Seeing the numbers clearly made me reflect more deeply on how much my travel choices contribute to pollution. Although I try to prioritize buses and trains over planes, I often end up flying for work or holidays – and the environmental footprint is huge. Another strong insight came when we discussed the role of bee farms compared to the extinction of wild bees, and how the balance of ecosystems depends on much more than just the presence of bees in general.
3. How do you plan to integrate green thinking into your work with young people or your community?
For me, the first step is awareness – and helping young people truly understand the consequences of their daily choices. Many think they already know about sustainability, but they don’t always realize the real extent of their impact. I plan to:
– Organize interactive games such as memory or matching cards to connect facts and images related to sustainability.
– Teach children and teenagers how to recycle in practical terms – for example, which snack wrapper goes into which bin, or what to do with old kitchen utensils.
– Use educational cartoons and movies to present the topic in a fun and engaging way.
– Open discussions with teens about fast fashion and overconsumption, which are particularly relevant to their daily lives.
– Host a sustainability-themed event in my library in Italy once I return in September, involving the local community in hands-on learning.
4. What digital or educational tools from the course do you see yourself using most, and why?
One of the most inspiring tools introduced during the training was Actionbound, an app for creating interactive games and treasure hunts. It’s a fantastic way to engage young people while teaching them about sustainability. Another tool I plan to use is an online footprint calculator, which helps young adults and teens reflect on their lifestyle choices by making their environmental impact more visible.
5. If you could describe the training experience in one sentence, what would it be?
This training was a meaningful opportunity to connect with like-minded people, exchange practical tips for living a greener life, and at the same time acknowledge our own limits and bad habits – not to feel guilty, but to face them honestly and start changing them.
