On 25 August 2025, 15 participants gathered at Lungomare Poetto, Cagliari, for the Recycling Relay Race workshop, an active, outdoor learning activity combining physical education, fun, and environmental education.
Objectives:
- Familiarize participants with the concepts of reducing, reusing, and recycling from a young age.
- Combine physical education and fun with environmental and outdoor education.
- Understand concepts and differences behind recycling various materials.
- Develop attitudes leading to creativity and sustainability.
Desired Outcomes:
- Participants would understand the importance of correct recycling, as well as how reducing waste and reusing potentially useful materials benefit the environment and remain practical.
- Provide a fun environment where participants could learn without getting bored, question their habits, reflect on their impact, and learn proper recycling techniques along with the reasons behind them.
- Deliver the content in an engaging format that is useful and effective for physical education.
Description and Implementation:
The project was briefly introduced to give participants an overview of its existence, structure, and the opportunities available through the Erasmus program. This was followed by a discussion on recycling habits, why recycling is important, and a short quiz to assess prior knowledge. Participants were then given image-labeled cards and color-coded baskets matching local city bins. Divided into groups, they participated in a relay race involving an obstacle course where they had to deposit cards into the correct basket, return, and tag the next teammate. After completion, scores were checked, reasons for bin choices were discussed, local recycling differences and difficulties were explored, and proper guides were provided. The workshop concluded with a short evaluation.
Feedback:
- Participants expressed enthusiasm for the activity, having fun while learning practical knowledge they could apply and pass on to their families, while also clearing up their own doubts.
Results and Outcomes – Trainers/Facilitators:
The trainers realized that younger generations sometimes know more than adults about common topics like environmental sustainability. They also noted that while the beach is a beautiful workshop environment, external challenges like distractions and heat must be carefully managed. There were no particularly unexpected results, aside from a few interesting questions that were answered collectively. The outcomes fully matched expectations.
Conclusion and Recommendations:
To benefit the wider STELLA project and future activities, the following recommendations are suggested:
- Ensure fresh drinks are available to combat the heat, along with other helpful items such as fans.
- Verify the background of all participants beforehand to ensure an even match in terms of physical and cognitive abilities.