Recommendation on Sustainable Living in Workcamps

Recommendation on Sustainable Living

in Workcamps

Workcamps are a specific opportunity to promote sustainable living and to raise the awareness of the volunteers on the social and environmental impacts of our way of life. The vision of SCI includes a world of sustainable development and respect for the environment is one of our main values. Consequently, branches are invited to promote the four following themes in each of their workcamps. In doing so, branches would support the implementation of at least one action related to each.

The same themes and actions will be used as a basis for the assessment of “Green Workcamps”. Green Workcamps are pilot projects implemented by some branches in 2010 which takes into consideration most of the actions proposed below.

a. Raise awareness of the volunteers/participants

• Provide information on the relation between workcamps and sustainable living in the workcamps programs (information provided to the volunteer before he/she applies to a workcamp)
• Insert information on sustainable living at the camp in the infosheet (ie. see German infosheets)
• Organize a non formal education activity in the workcamp (ie. workshop)
• Provide a space and opportunity for informal education activity (ie. watch a movie and organize a discussion around it)
• …

b. Increase involvement of all actors involved in the workcamp

• Dedicate a special session during the training of the coordinator (ie. On sustainable living in workcamps)
• Provide examples of toolkits to the coordinators (ie. KVT ecoguides, workshop scenarios on sustainable living)
• Engage in a discussion on the themes c. and d. with the local partner prior/during the camp
• Assess the sustainability of the workcamp at the evaluation stage (including a specific question in the evaluation form of volunteers, discuss this issue with the local partner)
• …

c. Reducing the negative impacts of our materials consumption

• Buy mainly local food/community produced food

• Reduce the consumption of meat (potentially propose vegetarian camp to the volunteers)
• As far as applicable, buy fair trade products
• Be aware of all electricity uses: provide clear explanation to the volunteers of the need to reduce (ie. try to change to low consume lightbulbs…)
• Reducing consumption of water (ie. while cleaning dishes; water savers in the taps, organize a “day of rainwater”)
• Use sustainable transport during the camp: bicycle, walking (ie. for shopping)
• …

d. Reduce, Re-use, Recycle wastes

• Separation of waste to facilitate recycling in its treatment (including organic “waste”)

• If recycling is locally impossible, use recyclable, organic one-use products: glasses and dishes.
• Avoid the use of disposable items (ie. hard plastic glasses and dishes)
• Prefer cloth bags to plastic bags when shopping
• …

In order to assess the implementation of these actions in the workcamps, as well as to raise the awareness of the camp coordinators on these themes, the branches/partners are invited to invite camp coordinators and volunteers during the camp to report on the implementation of these actions in the workcamps he/she took part (a reporting form is included as annexed to this recommendation).

The informal GAIA group will remain available for any support and input to the branches/partners in implementing these topics and actions during the workcamps.