Camp Overview
The Sustainability Spring Camp is a program aimed at helping youth understand what it means to be sustainable through fun, interactive and educational activities following various themes such as: agriculture, food, energy, and water.
The camp will be 5 days long, each based around a theme with a duration of 4.5 hours daily from 10 am to 2:30 pm.
- Date: 4 April 2021 - 8 April 2021
- Time: 10 am - 2:30 pm
- Location: Emirates Soil Museum, ICBA
- Ages: 8 - 16 years old
- Participants: groups of 6 - 10 maximum
Goals
- Develop an understanding of sustainability concepts.
- Instill respect for our natural environment.
- Raise awareness about daily actions that can contribute positively towards the environment.
- Encourage youth to engage with their families and circles in daily sustainable actions.
Program
Day 1 - Intro to Agriculture
Activity 1: Composting
Participants will engage in discussions about composting to know how to segregate waste and what can be composted and what can’t. They will create compost layers and fabricate the right bins to collect their food waste in while understanding the recycling process and organic food production.
Activity 2: Artistic Planting
Participants will understand how to plant in a more water responsible manner by creating various planting layers.
Activity 3: Tree Planting & Introduction to ICBA
Participants will be introduced to ICBA and learn more about agriculture in the UAE. The tree planted will also enrich and protect the soil as well as offset (your) carbon emissions!
- Introduction to ICBA
- Tour of the Emirates Soil Museum & ICBA experimental farm
- Tree planting of 1 UAE native tree per pair
Day 2 - Natural Resources
Activity 1: Solar Energy & Oven Fabrication
Participants will fabricate a solar oven in order to cook and view its effectiveness as well as environmental impact. Participants will realize the possibility of using renewable energy sources. They will see a link between their personal use of electricity and how it’s produced.
Activity 2: Soil characteristics and how they attain them
Students build an understanding of soil properties and how to best manage different soils. They also learn about the factors behind these properties and the plants that prefer them.
- Identify the properties of your soil through a series of experiments and record your data
- Design your farm and plant selection according to your findings
- Present your farm designs to the group
Day 3 - Upcycling and Nexus Thinking
Activity 1: Upcycling Bird Feeder
Participants will learn the concept of upcycling and the importance of the 3 Rs (Reuse, Reduce and Recycle) by teaching them how we can turn boxes that we don’t use into bird feeders.
Activity 2: Upcycling Fashion
Participants will learn how to upcycle fashion items they own into a new product.
Activity 3: Water, Energy, Food Nexus Game Part 1
The Nexus Game, developed by the Center for Systems Solutions, gives participants a unique opportunity to get an insight into challenges of water management for energy and food production, at the same time sustaining environmental flows. The aim of the game is thus to provide an opportunity for practicing how different water management policies can lead to sustainable development of society in harmony with nature.
- Introduction about the WEF Nexus
- Introduction about Social Simulation
- Play the Nexus Game
Day 4 - Upcycling and Nexus Thinking Part 2
Activity 1: Upcycling a Foosball Game
Participants will learn how to assemble their own mini foosball using engineering design and up-cycling techniques.
Activity 2: Seed Saving and Seed Bombs
Participants will learn how to save seeds at home and create fun seed bombs to plant anywhere.
Activity 3: Water, Energy, Food Nexus Game Part 2
The Nexus Game, developed by the Center for Systems Solutions, gives participants a unique opportunity to get an insight into challenges of water management for energy and food production, at the same time sustaining environmental flows. The aim of the game is thus to provide an opportunity for practicing how different water management policies can lead to sustainable development of society in harmony with nature.
- Play the Nexus Game
- Debrief
Day 5 - Sustainable Agriculture
Activity 1: Permaculture and Vertical Gardening
Participants will be introduced to permaculture and biodiversity. They will create layers to grow plants vertically in a water efficient manner to produce green walls and understand the different environmental agriculture techniques.
Activity 2: Halophytic Kitchen Lab
This program aims to raise public awareness on healthy cooking, healthy nutrition and benefits of halophytic plants cultivated in a desert environment. The activity is run under the EXPO LIVE program entitled: “From Desert Farm to Fork: Value chain development for innovative halophyte-based food products”.
- Food security and nutrition presentation
- Cook your own meal using halophytic plants with Chef Bilal Hassan!
Precautionary Measures
Before your visit, please check the precautionary measures taken to ensure your safety here.
Additional Details
- Booking closes 48 hours prior to camp start date.
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Lunch is only provided on DAY 5. For the rest of the program, participants are encouraged to bring their own lunchbox. Vending machine is available for snacks.
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Price: 550 AED per participant for the 5 days.
Partners
