Sustainability Hub

1.5 Sustainability Hub

Solare Zukunft is already a representative for these principles and is part of the educational program of the ESD (german version: BNE: Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung). By fostering not only education but also awareness of the environment and sustainable energy management, Solare Zukunft addresses several of the SDGs within their projects at the same time. Through the concept of Solare Zukunft especially goals number 4 (Quality education), number 13 (climate action), and number 17 (partnerships for the goals) are addressed and focused as guidelines for the organization. (United Nations, 2015) Since 1994 the NGO is supporting sustainable education and the SDGs and is developing different methods of education for different target groups. (Solare Zukunft, 2022) Making an actual place out of the ideas and principles would make the ideas of Solare Zukunft more known and more people could profit from the offers provided by the e.V. People would get easier access to education and space for developing their ideas, which is in direct relation with the principles for education. Especially the UNESCO principles declaring “Development of autonomy of children and young people in order to prepare them to be free and responsible citizens in democratic processes of decision-making” and “Active involvement of all children and young people, enabling them to work as powerful agents of healthy change in their own life, in schools, in families and in local communities” could be fostered by a place like this. (“The UNESCO Chair Global Health and Education,” 2022) By giving children the space to develop their ideas outside of their home and school can be a great opportunity. Having a place where energy from different people can be packed and focused can lead to great ideas and will be easier and faster way to act within the energy and climate crisis. A Sustainability Hub could be a creative place to bring people together which are interested in the offers Solare Zukunft provides regarding solar energy as well as other topics related to climate change and a sustainable way of life. By cooperating with other local NGOs, synergy could be brought to life to make the concept a broader one with more interlinkages to combine different interests and knowledge. For example, an outdoor space could provide room for sustainable gardening and food processing. Also, this Hub could give a place to people who do not have one to develop their ideas. Having a house with a place for workshops, exhibitions, ideas, and everything would get people focusing on the challenges addressed by the SDGs and Solare Zukunft together. It would give room for people who want to contribute or gain knowledge. Sustainability is a topic that is addressed more and more in communities and in politics. Since climate change is accelerating and causing more and more problems the awareness of related topics is growing. In the future, significant changes and adaptations will be necessary. Sustainability hubs or similar projects can be a mechanism to educate the broader public and encourage sustainability in a meaningful and transformative way. (Millock, 2019) With the energy crisis people in Europe are facing right now, an accessible place to get information about this large and up-to-date topic and about possible ways to handle it would be a good opportunity for Solare Zukunft and the citizens of Freiburg. All the ongoing projects the NGO already proposes could be developed and expanded largely if they could be linked directly to a real place. Not only to mark a symbol for representation of the vision and mindset of Solare Zukunft but also to create a place where the energy to develop new skills and distribute knowledge – always while having in mind the greater purpose and goals – would be a huge step for the association. Having a building to demonstrate sustainable energy management, the installation of solar panels, solar kitchens, healthy food proceeding and all the topics addressed by Solare Zukunft and possible other collaborators could serve as a model for the community of Freiburg and therefore contribute to the community feeling and the strengthening of collaboration of different stakeholders. Through the Hub, a broader public could be addressed by the topics and ideas of sustainable energy management and climate change and in general the SDGs. The offers provided by Solare Zukunft could have a wider impact and could address a lot more people in the city of Freiburg, which could profit from the concept.