70 trees planted in Erfurt: successful children’s day of action for the environment

On 1 April the international Plant-for-the-Planet environmental initiative and QUNDIS held a day of action on behalf of the environment. Fifty children between the ages of 9 and 12 years assembled at the head office of the metering equipment producer in Erfurt. There they received information about climate change and training in presentation skills before planting 70 trees and planning new environmental conservation projects together.

Thuringia’s Minister for the Environment Anja Siegesmund also participated in the event, and provided the children with active support in their tree-planting efforts. “An initiative like this is exactly what is necessary in order to get the younger generation interested in the subjects of climate change and environmental protection. And every single tree and every helping hand counts“, stated Anja Siegesmund.

It was a very busy morning at QUNDIS, with 50 children and their parents looking forward to the Children’s Academy held under the slogan “Stop talking – start planting“. After the participants had been welcomed they listened attentively to presentations given by Tamara and Janick – both are Plant-for-the-Planet ambassadors for climate justice. The children received interesting information about climate change as well as on protecting the environment, after which they divided into groups and – in an entertaining fashion – learned all about the most important aspects of climate justice.

The participants then received training in presentations and developed their first shared environmental conservation projects. In the afternoon they set off for a tree-planting expedition in a nature reserve close to Erfurt-Linderbach. Here, together with Thurigia’s Minister for the Environment Anja Siegesmund and QUNDIS CEO Christian Kleinjung, they planted 70 trees aimed at protecting the climate, including wild cherry, sycamore and maple. “For QUNDIS sustainability and environmental conservation are two important subjects. For us it’s important to make sure that young people are aware of our responsibility towards the environment. The central problems are the climate and energy efficiency, and our products and Plant-for-the-Planet are both working towards the same objectives here. This is why our cooperation is a good match”, explained Christian Kleinjung.

At the end of the Children’s Academy all the participants were appointed ambassadors for climate justice and received a certificate. In addition the young participants were provided with exciting information material, T-shirts, and books on the subject of climate conservation, so that they will be able to get their friends and fellow pupils interested in the idea, too. The next Children’s Academy organised by Plant-for-the-Planet and QUNDIS will be held in 2018.