Climate: local - global
During a special school trip students aged about 14 -15 were given the opportunity to explore organizations and community departments, associations and religious actors who take a variety of actions against climate change in the students own living environment.

The student handbook entitled "Klima: lokal - global" can be downloaded as a PDF. A 2nd Aachen climate course will take place in May 2011.

In cooperation with the One World Forum Aachen e.V. KreaScientia coordinated the first climate course in Aachen with the theme "Climate: local - global". During a sunny morning students were given the opportunity to explore action on climate change in their own living environment.

Young people obtain their knowledge mostly from schoolbooks and media like the Internet or television, but in this life phase, it is essential to have contact to the real world. 150 students aged about 14 -15 years of Couven Gymnasium, the Hauptschule Aretzstraße in Aachen and the Cusanus-Gymnasium of Erkelenz took part on the 1st Aachen climate course "Climate: local - global" on November 10th 2009. In small groups they visited about ten organizations and had come in conversation with the experts on climate and climate change. They learned how they can contribute directly or indirectly: for example to buy strawberries only in spring, to eat less meat or not to leave appliances on standby. The students found out, that they can also encourage their school environmental management to save energy. Or, encourage the family to use solar energy. The student handbook entitled "Klima: lokal - global" completes the climate course 2009 and is available for download.

The course ended with an address by Marcel Philip, the Lord Mayor of Aachen, who was enthusiastically greeted by the students. "We all want and can achieve the goal only by working together and an action such as this shows the many ways to act" said Marcel Philip. The 150 participants were overwhelmed because of the many impressions but also very happy having joined the action day. In recognition and to motivat for following commitment, a certificate has been issued to the students.

The following organizations welcomed the pupils:

  • Aachener Weltladen
  • Greenpeace
  • H2works
  • Europe Direct Information Office Aachen in cooperation with the European Science Parlament:
  • Evangelischer Kirchenkreis Aachen
  • Department of Environment of the City of Aachen in cooperation with the Geographischen Institut at the RWTH Aachen
  • Katholische Junge Gemeinde
  • Kindermissionswerk „Die Sternsinger“
  • Lebherz & Partner
  • MISEREOR
  • Verbraucherzentrale NRW