Carrefour Romania and the InspirAction Association continue the “Small Gestures for Big Practices” educational program. The main objective of the initiative is to promote circular economy education, while encouraging recycling and the integration of sustainable principles into daily activities.
Currently, 18 educational units from 10 counties are participating in the second stage of the “Small Gestures for Big Practices” project. The project includes educational sessions on recycling for students, supported by volunteer teachers, as well as a competition to recycle plastic, metal and glass containers, marked with the “Packaging with guarantee” logo. Students, teachers and members of the local community can recycle these containers at the machines in Carrefour hypermarkets, and the recycled quantities can be turned into donations for the participating schools, through the Carrefour Romania mobile application. Users can also donate their Act for Good points.
Over 700,000 Act for Good points have already been donated to support participating educational institutions and there are less than 2 weeks until the first 7 winning institutions are announced. The rest of the institutions will remain in the race until the end of September 2024, when another 7 participating educational institutions will be rewarded with the installation of high-performance photovoltaic panels, which allow the savings to be redistributed to other educational programs for students.
“We are proud of the involvement of schools and local communities in the implementation of the ‘Small Gestures for Big Practices’ project. Each donation among the already over 700,000 is an important step towards a better future for our children and a cleaner and more responsible environment. Through our joint efforts, we contribute to educating the younger generation in the spirit of the circular economy and sustainability. Together, we can turn small gestures into big changes,” declared Alina Gamauf, Member of the Executive Committee, Carrefour Romania.
“Sustainability is not just a concept, but a shared responsibility. Through the “Small gestures for big practices” project, we want to inspire and educate communities to adopt sustainable practices, demonstrating that every gesture counts in protecting the environment,” said Simona Paraschiv, president of the InspirAction Association.
The pilot project, launched in December 2023 and carried out by Carrefour Romania and the InspirAction Association in the first months of 2024, involved approximately 1,200 students and teachers from 6 educational institutions. Thanks to their commitment, these institutions managed to recycle more than 60,000 PET containers, bottles and aluminium cans. In recognition of their efforts, all participating school units were equipped with high-performance photovoltaic panels. Installed solar systems will reduce carbon emissions and help significantly lower schools’ electricity bills. The savings thus generated will be invested in new initiatives and educational activities for students, with a special emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection.
