This year’s awareness-raising project Mission: Green Steps, which promotes green transport and sustainable travel patterns, came to a close with an award ceremony held at BTC SiTi Teater. 1,300 children, secondary school students and university students took part in various project activities this year alone, with a total of more than 15,000 of them taking part over the eight years the project has been underway. Supported by mentors, they produced a variety of artworks, sculptures, models, posters, presentations, literary works and videos, as well as organised thematic days, workshops, lectures (given by experts) and increasingly involved their parents and the local community in the project activities. This year’s artworks will be on display until 7 July 2024, on the underground floor of Shopping Arena A in BTC City Ljubljana.

Choosing our means of transport, we have an immediate impact on our environment, health and quality of life – this is the main message of the educational awareness-raising project first organised eight years ago by the Eco-Schools programme and the BTC Company. The project invites children, secondary school students and university students to explore different modes of mobility, suggest ways to move on to more sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport, and try to change their own travel habits during the school year and holidays.

As Mag. Gregor Cerar, the national Eco-Schools coordinator for Slovenia, noted: “For the younger age groups, the emphasis falls on exploring their local environment: how to get around in their home town, how to get to their kindergarten or school, finding out whether they have a footpath or cycle path at their disposal, or any type of public transport they can take. In addition to using public transport, older age groups are encouraged to seek the most sustainable solutions that fit their individual needs. Those who have been taking part in the project for several years already are looking into the carbon footprint of transportation and alternative modes of mobility, such as carpooling, car rental, ridesharing, etc. Increasingly, they get their parents involved in project activities as well. And this is indeed our goal in the long run: for green transport to become a part of everyday life.”

“Travel and transport are part of the modern way of life, but they’re also some of the biggest environmental pollutants. That’s why addressing green transport challenges and seeking and implementing alternatives is so incredibly important. The project enables young people to be both critical and creative, primarily focused on finding solutions. In this way, we do believe it helps tip the scales in favour of a more sustainable lifestyle, which we support and act on in the BTC Company,” stressed Miha Mermal, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer at the BTC Company.

Each year, a competition is held as part of the project to reward the most creative, comprehensive and imaginative project activities and products on sustainable mobility and related fields.

The winners of Mission: Green Steps 2023/2024 by category:

KINDERGARTENS:

1. Vrtec Beltinci – unit Sonček
2. Vrtec Kidričevo, Vrtec Anice Černejeve, Otroški vrtec Metlika
3. Vrtec pri OŠ Sveti Tomaž, Vrtec Slovenska Bistrica – unit Makole

First triad – primary schools:

1. OŠ Livada Ljubljana
2. OŠ II Murska Sobota
3. OŠ Draga Kobala Maribor – unit POŠ Brezje, OŠ Oskarja Kovačiča

Second and third triad – primary schools:

1. OŠ Notranjski odred Cerknica
2. OŠ Dravlje
3. OŠ Vransko-Tabor, OŠ Antona Žnideršiča Ilirska Bistrica

Special schools:

1. OŠ Jela Janežiča
2. CUDV Radovljica
3. OŠ Glazija Celje

Secondary schools and faculties:

1. Secondary School Kočevje
2. Faculty of Education Ljubljana
3. Secondary School Litija

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