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COMENIUS conference Berlin April 2008

img_1119Flower Miles, Food Miles, Ethic Fashion, Household Energy Consumption, Energy Consumption of School Equipment - our students from Oslo and Berlin at the COMENIUS meeting on April 3rd and 4th studied really intensely and successfully as the following results show. Don't worry, we also had a fun part with bowling, sightseeing, eating Döner and searching for the largest living-room to meet in the evening.


Pictures from our meeting in Berlin:

berlincurry   berlingruppe berlinholoc 

 Eating real Berlin Curry sausage


 At the Holocaust Memorial

 berlinhuete  berlintomasa  

 Redesign clothes again?

 Eating out the last evening




What are Foodmiles?

Foodmiles is the term used to describe the distance that food is transported by airplane. The food is harvested in different countries, all over the world. It is grown in the best conditions, where the climate fits and the food can develop easily. Mostly, the food comes from Africa, Asia, and southern parts of Europe. After the food has been harvested it is imported by airplane into the rich countries. The food is then sold here at higher prices to wealthy consumers.

Facts about Foodmiles!

- The food transportation for the UK alone is responsible for about 19 million tonns of CO2 emission each year.

- Food transported by air has the highest CO2 emissions per mile.

-  Imported carrots from South Africa to the UK, have to travel 6,000 miles and  release 5,5 Kg C02 per kg into the air.

How can we help?

- Start eating local products
- Charge more money for imported food
- Import food from closer places.
- Food that is storable for a long period of time can be shipped.

So people, help the environment - eat local food.

                                                                                  by Natalia Hartmann


 img_1120.jpg  img_1121.jpg img_1119.jpg

Flower miles

Many people in poor countries have been forced to give their properties to the farmers, because their country is poor and they do not have enough money to buy food.

There are mostly female workers on the flower farms, but there are also some men. 90 % of the women have been raped by their supervisors. They only earn $2 a day, which is not acceptable. They do not get paid for overtime, and the parents make children work with them. They also use chemicals to keep the plants “fresh“ and without pests. The chemicals are poisonous to the ground and also to the people because they are so easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin. This is one of the reasons why it is so dangerous to work in this surrounding. Even though the adults can also become sick, the kids are more vulnerable. They get health and neurological problems.

Most of the flower farms are owned by other countries, like the US and the UK.

However, there are some farms that are owned by powerful people in the land where the flowers are grown. In 2000 43 % of the cut flowers were grown in sub-saharan Africa, and the value of these flowers was over € 250 million. The problem about transporting the flowers is that they are taken by plane, which causes a lot of damage to the environment. And the question is:

How much more can the earth take?“


Say it without flowers


Household Energy Consumption


This mind map is about the high energy consumption in our households. It shows us how demanding we are to feel comfortable. But our high energy consumption is destroying our environment, changing the climate and reducing our fossil resources. Without knowing we consume a lot of energy with our “Passive usage”.

Written by Maren Elise and Felix v. D.

















Energy at home

How you can save energy

 Turning lights and machines off when not being used and in the night. The same in the schools.


- Where possible, use compact fluorescent lights. Those produce the same amount of light by using 1/4 of the electricity. They last for years without burning out.

- Turn off the TV when no one is watching it. The same goes for computers and radios and don’t put them on the “Standby Modus”!

- When no one is home, set the thermostat down.

- Start a compost pile.


For more see our sources:







What you can do

Reduction in kg CO2 per year

Change three regular 60 watts light bulbs, which are turned on four hours a day, with energy saving bulbs.


Turn TV, stereo and DVD, do not let it stay in stand by.


Wash clothes tree times a week on 40 degrees instead of 60 degrees.


Dry your clothes outside three times a week instead of using a tumble drier.


If you have a house on 120 m² turn the floor heating down from 24 degrees to 20 degrees.

(not using any other heating)


Take showers at max 5 minutes instead of 10.


Source: http://www.nordjysk-elhandel.dk/klimaansvar/hvad_kan_du_g%C3%B8re.aspx


Written by: Stephanie, Felix and Inger-Emma 



Ethic fashion


As a part of the Comenius project students from Norway, Spain and Germany had made redesigned clothes. Some of the students from Norway had made a catwalk in the cantina and everyone was there to watch and vote for their favourite.


 Even though only ten students came to visit all the Norwegian students who wanted to could participate in making redesigned clothes. The 10th grade students in Norway have been very busy making the clothes and even stayed after school to finish them for the catwalk show. The redesigned clothes have been made out of old sweaters, t-shirts, dresses and trousers. Hanne-Ruth Eikill was the Norwegians teacher. She recommended the website http://www.etiskforbruk.no/ (it is Norwegian) as a useful inspiration source. Under the link “klær” (clothes) you get information about Norwegian designers who care about the production and that the clothes will not harm the environment.


An important designer is Veronica Glitsch. She has shown her collection on Oslo Fashion Week and her clothes has been described as urban and funny. Veronica Glitsch is behind the brand Rethink. Rethink comes with a new collection once a year. Half of it is made by ecological fabrics and coloured with ”Livos”. These clothes can be put in the compost without leaving any environment toxics. The other half is made by used clothes, clothes that would have been thrown away if she hadn’t made new clothes of them. At the time Rethink unika-collections is sewed in Norway.


Translated from "form" magazine 2-2008 (www.kunstogdesign.no) by Inger-Emma 


Which field of private energy consumption is the largest?

Transportation is the biggest private consumption in all western countries as well as heating which is on a similar level.

Transportation is important for people, because they need to get to work, to school, to football training and so on. Privately owned cars are making about 80% of the transportation consumption, while boats and ships are only making 0, 1% of the transport consumption.

On the other hand we have heating. Electric power, steam and hot water are responsible for 62% of the heating consumption. In household’s clothes is 18% of the consumption and 56% of the consumption Musical instruments, games, toys.

Cumulated energy, or indirect energy, is the energy that is needed to produce things.

The direct energy which is needed when people use the things.


Written by Magnus and Sarah








































  Energy consumption of school equipment       April 4th, 2008
pos. item  4:oo p.m   9:00am   12h cons. kW/h  Euros for 12h
1 Riso HC 5500 (small printer)      10,500         14,150          2,655                0,29 €
2 Canon(copymacihne)       0,580          3,700          2,269                0,25 €
3 DVD player 119       0,128          0,426          0,217                0,02 €
4 DVD 012(video recorder)           -             0,370          0,269                0,03 €
5 Riso large printer       0,390          2,400          1,462                0,16 €
6 Riso large scanner       0,030          0,260          0,167                0,02 €
7 Telephone       0,020          0,197          0,129                0,01 €
8 Fax           -             0,140          0,102                0,01 €
9 Computer standby +         0,274          0,412          0,097                0,01 €
10 Computer standby       0,028          0,123          0,067                0,01 €





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