Building nesting aids, saving water or repairing defective electrical appliances instead of throwing them away - there are many ways to get actively involved in environmental and climate protection. The Westenergie Climate Protection Award has been promoting civic commitment to sustainability for 30 years. Every year, the infrastructure and energy service provider awards prizes to outstanding projects together with its partner municipalities. First place in Kevelaer goes to St. Hubertus Catholic Primary School for its Hubertus protects the climate project and is supported with prize money of EUR 1,250. "Our award-winning projects impressively demonstrate that climate protection starts right on our doorstep. We need role models that we can follow," said Mayor Dr. Dominik Pichler of Kevelaer.
Under the guiding principle that children are the leaders of tomorrow, the elementary school focuses on co-determination, awareness-raising and independent action. In democratic committees such as the class council and the class representatives' council, the pupils regularly initiate environmental projects themselves and implement them collectively.
The wide range of activities include waste collection initiatives on the school grounds, the development of a talking garbage can as part of an environmental project and the Spospito movement passport program, which motivates children to walk, scoot or cycle to school as often as possible for six weeks. The topic of sustainability is also at the heart of the lessons: the fourth-graders dealt intensively with climate protection and renewable energies, designed their own information posters and finally visited a wind farm, on foot of course.
"Our children show us time and again that climate protection is not a compulsory task, but a matter of the heart. They take responsibility and make it clear that every contribution counts, no matter how small it seems," said Anke Batke, project manager.
The World House Wetten conference and guest house was awarded second place in the Westenergie Climate Protection Prize for its comprehensive commitment to sustainability and received prize money of 750 euros. On the approximately 23,000 m² site with woodland, meadow orchards and vegetable gardens, the house creates diverse habitats for wild bees, storks and numerous other species. Through measures such as the maintenance of wildflower paths, the use of sheep for grazing and the creation of a sandarium, the World House Wetten makes an important contribution to the preservation of biodiversity and allows guests and the entire community to experience nature.
The reparierBar Kevelaer was awarded third place in the Westenergie Climate Protection Prize for its commitment to sustainability and received prize money of 500 euros. In the non-profit association, volunteers regularly repair defective everyday items and small electrical appliances in order to avoid waste and conserve resources. The well-attended meetings with up to 60 participants focus on helping people to help themselves. To simplify the organization and save paper at the same time, the association has introduced a digital registration system that makes accepting repairs more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Local solutions for the local community
The Westenergie Climate Protection Award offers a platform for all those who have put their visions into practice. For the infrastructure service provider, creative approaches are now more important than ever. "The global climate crisis also needs local solutions. It is often the citizens who drive forward pioneering ideas," said Dirk Krämer, Municipal Manager at Westenergie.
For 30 years, Westenergie and its partner municipalities in the supply area of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate have been making exemplary actions from the local and regional environment visible to the public with the Climate Protection Award. The award encourages imitation and encourages people to take action themselves. In total, over 9,000 projects have received the award. A jury made up of representatives from the local authority and Westenergie decides on the winners in advance. A prerequisite is that every project submitted must benefit all citizens of a municipality.
Energy. For committed people.
Westenergie is committed to social projects, sport, climate protection, culture and education in its partner municipalities. With initiatives such as the Westenergie Climate Protection Award, the company is committed to local people and supports local climate and environmental protection activities by citizens, associations, institutions and companies for the benefit of the public and for the good of the climate. The aim is to act more sustainably together and shape the future - from Osnabrück to Trier, from Wesel to Arnsberg. With confidence and determination. Impressions can also be found on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Source: Westenergie