Well-Being Excursion: Exploring Biodiversity & Sustainability in Cologne

Course description

It is not a secret that biodiversity and healthy soil are crucial to our planet’s and our own well-being. At the same time, more and more areas are reshaped – be it for large scale farmery or for private gardens that are paved rather than planted to facilitate maintenance. As small steps are easier to achieve than big ones, we will focus on those small-scale steps that we may have direct influence on. But how does diverse (water saving) gardening work? How is biodiversity enhanced by smart gardening? What do cities do to support city climate and biodiversity? 

Additionally, our own (sustainable) behaviour has impact on the environment. What can we do to avoid waste or save good food from being thrown into the garbage? How did people manage decades ago, before materials like plastic came up? Which plants from right before our doors did they use for healing or to eat, that we may have forgotten about?

We will visit the Modular Garden Model of the Institute of Biology Education at the University of Cologne, explore the city, meet people from sustainable lifestyle initiatives and visit the LVR Freilichtmuseum Lindlar Open Air Museum to get a historical perspective.

This excursion aims to bring EUniWell students from all alliance universities together for networking in a relaxed format.