© Ozeankind e.V.
OZEANKIND E.V. – Environmental education starts at home
Why children are the real changemakers
Kids often grasp what really matters faster than adults: our future. Environmental education shouldn’t be a luxury – it’s a basic need. And it doesn’t start at school, it starts at home. We show how real change begins with the youngest – and grows from there.
The climate crisis isn’t a problem of the future. It’s happening now. And it affects one generation more than any other: our children.
The good news? These children are also the ones who can make the biggest difference – if we involve them early enough.
Early education is the key
When people talk about education for sustainable development, they often think of textbooks or climate policy debates in high school. But that’s not enough.
Sustainable thinking and behavior begin much earlier – in kindergarten.
Even three-year-olds ask questions: Why is there trash here? Why is the sea full of plastic? Why did the fish die? These aren’t naïve questions – they’re the first steps toward understanding responsibility.
And that’s exactly where we begin.
© Ozeankind e.V.
Our methods: hands-on environmental education
At Ozeankind e.V., we don’t believe in dry lectures or PowerPoint slides. We believe in experience. In getting hands dirty. In questions that spark thinking – not tuning out.
Our interactive education program, “Plastikrebell” (Plastic Rebel), brings environmental awareness directly into classrooms and kindergartens.
We talk to children on eye level. We don’t just explain what’s going wrong, but especially what everyone can do better.
Very concretely:
• Trash collection campaigns on school grounds or playgrounds
• Hands-on experiments on waste sorting and recycling
• Stories, role play and craft ideas with real-life relevance
• Group discussions with direct consequences: How can we make our school more plastic-free?
Our rule of thumb: If you’ve collected plastic with your own hands, you’ll never look at trash the same way again.
© Ozeankind e.V.
“That’s why it’s clear: Parents and teachers play a central role.”
OZEANKIND e.V.
Parents & teachers: it doesn't work without them
Environmental education doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s no use if a child is inspired during a workshop – and everything at home stays the same.
That’s why it’s clear: Parents and teachers play a central role.
They’re the ones who shape children every day. They model values and set the tone. If we’re serious about long-term change, they need to be part of the solution.
At Ozeankind e.V., we don’t currently offer fixed programs for parents or teachers – but we know how critical their influence is. That’s why our education projects always reflect the broader context of home and school life.
Our call to action:
• Teachers who embrace education for sustainable development.
• Parents who live out sustainability – at the store, at the dinner table, in everyday routines.
Because sustainability isn’t theory. It’s lived reality.
Education Builds Agency
What happens when kids learn early on that they can make a difference?
Simple: They start to take responsibility.
Kids who’ve participated in a cleanup don’t throw trash on the ground.
Kids who know where their school notebooks come from treat resources differently.
Kids who realize that their voices matter start asking questions – and demanding answers.
That’s where real change begins.
© Ozeankind e.V.
© Ozeankind e.V.
Our vision: education that sticks
Ozeankind e.V. isn’t just another NGO. We are a movement that believes children can change the world.
And we see every day what happens when they’re given the chance.
Our mission: Don’t just inform kids – activate them.
Because the real changemakers don’t wear suits or sit in parliament.
They play in schoolyards, draw in notebooks – and ask exactly the right questions
Get involved
Are you a teacher, educator, or parent who wants to bring environmental education to life?
Get in touch – we’re here to support you.
More info: www.ozeankind.de
Instagram: @ozeankind_ev
LinkedIn: Ozeankind e.V.
© Ozeankind e.V.
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