Global Action Plan
Encyclopedia
Global Action Plan is an NGO
that specialises in sustainable behaviour change, and in particular in ESD
. There are programs for schools and youth, households and communities, and workplaces. The ethos is that small changes to the choices we make every day make a big difference when widely adopted.
* Belgium
* Finland
* Hungary
* Iceland
* India
* Ireland
* Kenya
* Korea
* Latvia
* Nepal
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Russia
* Spain
* Sweden
* USA
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vietnam
Since then new programmes have come online working with businesses and schools. More organizations have now jointed the Global Action Plan network worldwide to take up the challenge, with several countries adopting the UK programmes due to their proven high levels of success.
Environment Champions: trains staff in corporations to run internal campaigns to change behaviour to reduce environmental impacts, for which they won an Ashden Award in 2008.
EcoTeams: trains groups of householders to monitor their resource use and reduce over time
Action at School: works with teachers and pupils to green their schools.
•Practical and positive - it can be hard for people to tackle overwhelming environmental issues like climate change so we break them down into small steps that everyone can take, like unplugging mobile phone chargers when they're not being used.
•Measurable - we help people to see the difference they are making by measuring the resources saved as a result of their actions and those of their community. For example, just 63 households in our Nottingham EcoTeams programme have collectively saved a massive 7 tonnes from ending up on the rubbish mountain.
•Interactive - changing habits alone is difficult. Watch a team of businessmen build a teetering tower of paper in their corporate lobby, and you'll see what's different about Global Action Plan. By supporting groups of people working together, we make taking action easier, more creative and much more fun.
•Inclusive - everyone gets switched on by different things. Working with all kinds of individuals and organisations has enabled us to come up with a range of imaginative ways to communicate. Try riding our Energy Bike for a totally different way of making the connection between energy use and climate change.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
that specialises in sustainable behaviour change, and in particular in ESD
Education for Sustainable Development
Sustainability education , Education for Sustainability , and Education for Sustainable Development are interchangeable terms describing the practice of teaching for sustainability. ESD is the term most used internationally level and by the United Nations...
. There are programs for schools and youth, households and communities, and workplaces. The ethos is that small changes to the choices we make every day make a big difference when widely adopted.
History
In 1989 Global Action Plan was established in the United States and the Netherlands on the initiative of David Gershon and Bessie Schadee. The first design for a 'household EcoTeam program' was presented at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The program was conceived to involve everyday people in creating solutions to environmental problems.Structure
The Global Action Plan idea and methods spread to a number of countries. Global Action Plan is now an international network with national and regional member organizations around the world. The member organizations are autonomous.Members
* Belarus* Belgium
* Finland
* Hungary
* Iceland
* India
* Ireland
* Kenya
* Korea
* Latvia
* Nepal
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Russia
* Spain
* Sweden
* USA
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vietnam
Methods and tools
Ever since its inception, Global Action Plan has worked in 'action research' mode to learn from experience, exploring what enables actual behaviour change. Numerous research reports attest to the effectiveness of the methods and programs.Global Action Plan UK
Global Action Plan was launched in its current form in the UK by Director, Trewin Restorick. The first UK programme engaged 30,000 households and was supported by thousands of volunteers, who participated and received action packs that offered practical tips on ways to use energy efficiently, reduce waste, cut water use in their homes and to shop ethically.Since then new programmes have come online working with businesses and schools. More organizations have now jointed the Global Action Plan network worldwide to take up the challenge, with several countries adopting the UK programmes due to their proven high levels of success.
Environment Champions: trains staff in corporations to run internal campaigns to change behaviour to reduce environmental impacts, for which they won an Ashden Award in 2008.
EcoTeams: trains groups of householders to monitor their resource use and reduce over time
Action at School: works with teachers and pupils to green their schools.
Global Action Plan UK's approach
On Global Action Plan's website they express their approach as being:•Practical and positive - it can be hard for people to tackle overwhelming environmental issues like climate change so we break them down into small steps that everyone can take, like unplugging mobile phone chargers when they're not being used.
•Measurable - we help people to see the difference they are making by measuring the resources saved as a result of their actions and those of their community. For example, just 63 households in our Nottingham EcoTeams programme have collectively saved a massive 7 tonnes from ending up on the rubbish mountain.
•Interactive - changing habits alone is difficult. Watch a team of businessmen build a teetering tower of paper in their corporate lobby, and you'll see what's different about Global Action Plan. By supporting groups of people working together, we make taking action easier, more creative and much more fun.
•Inclusive - everyone gets switched on by different things. Working with all kinds of individuals and organisations has enabled us to come up with a range of imaginative ways to communicate. Try riding our Energy Bike for a totally different way of making the connection between energy use and climate change.