“Kornati – it’s important to know about the sea 9” – the first Eco Patrol workshop was held.

On Saturday, February 8, 2025, the first Eco-Patrol workshop was held at the premises of the Vodice Primary School as part of the project ‘Kornati – It’s Important to Know About the Sea 9’. The goal of this project and the educational extracurricular activities is to raise awareness about the importance of nature and environmental conservation, as well as to promote a positive attitude toward sustainable development. The first workshop was attended by 15 students from Vodice Primary School, who demonstrated their creativity, knowledge, and skills through various tasks.

The first activity, called ‘Friendship Ball’, was designed to encourage mutual acquaintance and cooperation among participants. The rules of the game are simple: when someone catches the ball, they introduce themselves and pass it to someone who hasn’t yet had it. The goal was for the ball to visit all participants without repetition or elimination, ultimately returning to the facilitator. This game showed how unity is crucial for the success of any activity, teaching the children the importance of teamwork.

In the second activity, ‘Day of Ecological Debt’, the students learned about this concept and analyzed its significance through discussion and examples. They debated hypothetical situations, such as spending today’s resources at the expense of future generations. Afterward, they lined up according to their birthdates without verbal communication, which further developed their ability to cooperate. Through this activity, the students realized how every year we consume more resources than the planet can replenish, thus leaving a debt for future generations.

The third activity, ‘My Ecological Footprint’, allowed the students to calculate their own ecological footprint using a digital application. They assessed how many planets would be needed if everyone lived like them, and analyzed their consumption in five categories: food, housing, transportation, goods, and services. The results surprised them, motivating them to adjust their answers multiple times to find ways to reduce their ecological footprint. This taught them how everyday decisions impact the environment.

The fourth activity, ‘Wheel of Consequences’, focused on exploring the impact of tourism on the ecological system of their community. Through discussion, they linked events and their consequences, for example, how sea pollution can lead to a reduction in fish stock, leaving fishermen without work and making local fish supply scarce. This exercise encouraged students to think critically and raised awareness about the long-term consequences of human activities on the environment and local economy.

The fifth activity, ‘Round Table’, prompted participants to come up with rules to reduce their own ecological footprint. Some of the suggestions included using fabric bags instead of plastic ones, taking shorter showers, participating in nature cleaning initiatives, using public transportation, walking to school instead of driving, and reducing screen time to spend more time in nature. This discussion helped the students develop their ability to argue and evaluate ideas based on their importance and effectiveness.

The sixth activity, ‘Time Capsule’, allowed the students to write a letter to themselves in the future, 30 years ahead. In their letters, they described what shocked them the most and what motivated them to change their habits in order to reduce their ecological footprint. The letters were then placed in a glass bottle, which was stored in the school cabinet. This symbolic activity reminded them of the importance of long-term thinking about sustainability and encouraged responsible behavior toward nature.

At the end of the workshop, the students evaluated all the activities and expressed great satisfaction with their participation.

The project is led by the Argonauta Association for Nature and Environment Protection and the Promotion of Sustainable Development, with partners including the Municipality of Murter-Kornati; Vodice Primary School; Spužvica Kindergarten, Tisno; Šubićevac Center for Education and Rehabilitation, Šibenik; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb; Kamenčići Association, Šibenik; Kornati National Park Public Institution; Latice Association for the Support of People with Intellectual Disabilities; Juraj Bonači Center for Education and Rehabilitation, Split. The project is co-financed by the Ministry of Science, Education, and Youth.

Stay tuned – we will soon bring you news from the next workshop and the continuation of our Eco-journey!