From School Garden to Global Responsibility: Student-Led Projects on Human Impact and Earth’s Resources

Addressing contemporary environmental challenges requires education that connects local actions with global processes. At II Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Wojciecha Kilara in Zabrze, Poland, students engage in a set of interdisciplinary, student-led projects that directly reflect the GIFT 2026 theme: Natural Hazards, Human Impact and Earth’s Resources: Shaping Life and Earth. These initiatives combine outdoor education, citizen science, and community engagement to build environmental responsibility and scientific literacy.

The core of these activities is Ekosfera Dwójki, a school garden created and developed collaboratively by students, teachers, and the school community. Rather than serving only as a teaching space, the garden represents a long-term transformation of degraded school grounds into a living laboratory. Students design and implement Nature-Based Solutions, including rainwater harvesting systems, drip irrigation, composting, and planting native species to enhance biodiversity. Through hands-on work, they explore soil quality, water retention, plant adaptation, and ecosystem interactions, gaining practical insight into sustainable resource management and human impact on local environments.

Complementing this local focus is participation in BlueLightS – „Our Gardens, Your Oceans – Connecting Local Biodiversity with Global Water Awareness”, a Horizon Europe project funded with €2000. BlueLightS promotes Ocean and Water Literacy and links local school-based action to global water systems and the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”. Within this framework, students implement water retention solutions and drip irrigation in Ekosfera Dwójki, conduct citizen science observations including soil moisture monitoring, share data with partner schools via eTwinning, run educational workshops, and lead awareness campaigns for World Water Day, Biodiversity Day, and Earth Day. These activities help students understand the impact of local actions on global water resources and develop responsible environmental behavior.

A third pillar addresses Earth’s resources and human consumption through a comprehensive waste segregation and recycling programme. Students are implementing an educational project entitled “Waste Segregation and Recycling – Conscious Choices for a Better Future” investigating material cycles, urban mining, electronic waste, and battery recycling, linking resource extraction to environmental degradation. They design and lead information campaigns, create educational materials, and organize school-wide activities to promote responsible waste management. These actions highlight the role of informed human behavior in reducing pressure on natural resources.

Together, these projects foster critical thinking, collaboration, leadership, and environmental awareness. By integrating science education with real-world action and community involvement, students move beyond theoretical knowledge to active participation in shaping sustainable environments. The poster presents practical examples of how school-based projects can meaningfully address human impact and Earth’s resources while empowering young people to become responsible global citizens.