The little ones protect their environment. This is the name of a project developed since September 2012 and presented at the municipal nursery “The Blue Tree.” It aims to introduce children in Niçoise nurseries to ecological habits. Ultimately, the goal is to convey an “eco-citizen” message to parents and early childhood staff.
Concretely, for the past month and a half, workshops have been offered to children to educate them on the principles of sustainable development. The project is divided into three parts. The first involves having the children garden around a vegetable patch. Visibly delighted, some little ones even used the hose for demonstration purposes.
An approach aimed at bringing the child closer to their natural environment. Subsequently, the budding ecologists learn the principles of composting and waste sorting. Through fun games, the little ones learn to recognize different types of waste and appropriate bins for their disposal. This long-term educational work is made possible by a willing and enthusiastic supervising staff. It should be mentioned that they too have been trained in this ecological approach. An eco-gesture guide, developed by the deputy directorate of early childhood and approved by the directorate of environment and green spaces, has been distributed to all municipal teams in the city.
In October, all staff will receive training on sustainable development. It’s a way to engage Niçoise residents in energy conservation. Françoise Monier, deputy for early childhood, prefers to talk about a “team effort for the planet’s future.” With this initiative, the municipality aims to focus on the future and the next generation. An ambitious gamble with many questions. How to raise awareness among such young children while ensuring effective follow-up for the future? It is difficult to answer this question. Nevertheless, sustainable development has become ingrained in our minds, that’s a certainty.
Such innovative actions in form can only offer a new perspective on ecological challenges. The new generation now holds the keys to preserving the blue planet.
