This year more than 11.000 pupils from 27 primary schools in the Netherlands participated in the Groene Voetstappen (Green Footprints) week. During this week, the kids walk, cycle or go by scooter to school (instead of going by car) to earn Groene Voetstappen on the scoreboard.
In addition, they can earn so called Gouden Voetstappen by taking other sustainable actions, such as collecting waste, showering less or eating vegetarian food.
In total, the participating pupils have earned 165,690 Groene Voetstappen /Green Footprints during their action week 16.-20. September - which is already more than double compared to last year's results - and will continue so from 11.-15. November!
Thanks a lot to all participants |
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For the first time the schools could choose two different weeks to participate in the Green Footprints Campaign: EMW in September or Dutch Climate Week in November.
For quite a number of schools, the European Mobility Week in September provided just the right opportunity to collect Green Footprints and to address the topics mobility, road safety and the environment to pupils. Especially as nearly all schools and municipalities have ‘the route to and from school’ on the agenda at the start of the new school year.
So they deeply discussed the following questions: How do you get to school? Which route do you take? What are dangerous spots on your route? What do you need for better saftyness?
In addition, and thanks to the Green Footsteps project, teachers are now also asking: What means of transport do you use? How sustainable are they and how can you use them more often as well as safe? What else can you do to live more sustainably?
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 How did you come to school? 1: Bicycle, 2: Walking, 3: Skooter 4: Skateboard, 5: Rollerblades |
The Dutch National Climate Week in November is the second period schools could choose to participate in the Groene Voetstappen project. And the great feedback so far shows that the students are very much interested in thinking the campaign even broader.
Apart from sustainable mobility, classroom discussions are then also about:
- sustainable (vegetarian or vegan) food
- showering less often and shorter
- second-hand clothes
- collecting and recycling waste
- green schoolyards
- sustainable habits at home
- energy consumption and energy production
- public transport
Pupils were so enthusiastic about earning Green or Golden Footsteps during the first week, that they asked their parents and teachers to continue the action afterwards.
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A school in Nijmegen even got visited by the local alderman for welfare, health, inclusion, climate adaptation, urban greening and mobility.
With her they talked about sustainability and offered her their Green Footprints.
During the discussion, it became clear once again how much the project contributes to raising awareness among children and their families on sustainable transport and lifestyles.
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 Local councillor visits a primary school participating in Green Footsteps week. September ‘24. ©Catherine Schuurman |
The Groene Voetstappen are organised and implemented as part of the Europe-wide Green Footprints Campaign in the Netherlands since 2003 by the Klimaatverbond. For some years now, they have received active support from the GDO (Gemeenten voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling), and currently also from the 'Museum de Bastei' in Nijmegen.