Essingen Park School learning community starts the school year with a landscape clean-up

At the start of the 2024/25 school year, the newly founded ‘Geopark Schwäbische Alb’ learning community at Parkschule Essingen set a strong example for environmental protection. As part of World Cleanup Day, 12 pupils from Years 5 to 7 took part in a landscape clean-up along the Rems Adventure Trail together with their teachers. On 25 September, they eagerly collected rubbish and cleaned up the surrounding area along the almost three-kilometre stretch from Essingen to the Rems spring.

The campaign was part of the international ‘World Cleanup goes to school’ project, which is committed to environmentally orientated educational projects. The aim is to raise environmental awareness among young people and actively involve them in the fight against pollution. These initiatives fit in perfectly with the sustainability goals of the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb, which also supports the Parkschule Essingen as a partner school.

Despite great enthusiasm and commitment, it turned out that the summer's hikers and day trippers were pleasantly environmentally aware. Nevertheless, after more than three hours, three rubbish bags were filled with paper, plastic and packaging waste as well as numerous cigarette butts. Particularly unpleasant for the pupils, however, was the waste left behind by pets and careless parents who had carelessly disposed of nappies and other waste by the wayside.

The campaign shows how important it is to sensitise young people to environmental protection and encourage them to act in an environmentally conscious manner. The ‘Swabian Alb Geopark’ learning community is already planning further campaigns to further strengthen the connection with their home region and responsibility for nature.

Thank you for taking part!