EcoGestos - Easy Creation and Execution
An EcoGesture is a concrete, voluntary and daily action that contributes to reducing our environmental impact, especially our carbon footprint, resource consumption and waste generation.
It is a simple but powerful way to act against climate change from the individual or collective level, without the need for large investments or complex technology.
Learn how to Create and Run them easily
Key features of an EcoGesto
- Concrete and visible action: It is not an idea or an intention, but a real action that can be seen, measured or repeated. For example: turning off appliances on stand-by or bringing a reusable mug to work.
- Simplicity and everyday life: It is easily integrated into our daily lives. It is a small change of behavior that does not require great efforts.
- Voluntariness and awareness: It is done on a voluntary basis, with awareness of the impact it has on the environment. It is born out of personal or collective commitment to the planet.
- Positive environmental impact: Although small, its environmental effect is positive. If many people repeat it, the impact is multiplied.
- Educational and replicable: It can be easily shared, inspire others and become an educational tool to foster an environmental culture.
Difference between Gesture, Habit and Climate Action
- Gesture: This is a one-time action. For example, today you decide to reuse a bag.
- Habit: It is a gesture that you repeat constantly until it becomes part of your daily life. For example, you always take a reusable bag to the supermarket.
- Climate action: It is a step further. It is a set of gestures and habits aimed at generating a structural or collective change, such as participating in a campaign, a reforestation project, or presenting a proposal for environmental improvement in your school or company.
An eco-gesture can become a habit, and sustained habits can lead to real climate actions with social impact.
Real examples of EcoGestures without further easy-to-understand data
- Turn off the light when you don't need it.
- Buy products in bulk to avoid packaging.
- Use public transportation or bicycles.
- Reuse jars, clothes, books or devices.
- Separate and recycle waste correctly.
- Choose a short shower instead of a long bath.
In a nutshell
An EcoGesture is a simple, conscious and positive action for the planet. Learning to differentiate them from simple habits and connecting each gesture to a broader climate action is the first step to being part of the solution to climate change.
Want to go from intention to climate action in a matter of days?
Want to go from intention to climate action in a matter of days? This express course guides you, step-by-step, to devise, implement and measure your own EcoGestures - simple actions with big impact - inside and outside the Carbon Footprint Partnership community.
Throughout gamified micro-modules ( <5 min videos, infographics, do-it-now challenges), you will discover how to identify CO₂ and plastics savings opportunities, document evidence and share results that inspire others.
General Objective
Empower you to be able to:
- Design an EcoGesture aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 11, 12 and 13).
- Agile execution: apply the EcoGesture for one week with daily follow-up.
- Measuring and evidencing Scope 1 + 2 + 3 emission reductions on a small scale (home, work or community).
- Communicate results in an attractive way (storytelling template + digital badge + social multiplier).
Activities and exercises
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24 h Flash Challenge: identify 1 EcoGesto that you can start today (forums + survey).
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Impact Diary: upload in the "My EcoGestures" database your evidence (photo, consumption before/after, kg CO₂ calculated).
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Reflection rubric: evaluate your EcoGesto in terms of feasibility, scalability and storytelling.
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90 s pitch: record a reel for networks explaining your result (H5P activity + peer review).
Each task adds XP to the Level Up XP block and unlocks themed badges (Ninja Energy, Zero Plastic, etc.) ( in preparation).
Practical application
Upon completion of the course you will be able to:
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Publish your EcoGesto in the official Catalog with CC-BY license (In preparation).
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Lead mini-workshops in your neighborhood, company or educational center.
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Contribute to the Ecorrecorrido "50 kg CO₂ in 50 days" as author and mentor.
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Obtain the Custom PDF Certificate + Open Badges that accredits your climate action.
Impact in 4 steps - Simplified calculation of kg CO₂ or avoided elements.
Step 1: Define what you are avoiding
Clearly identify what pollutant you are avoiding or reducing with your gesture:
- A plastic bag?
- A car trip?
- A single-use bottle?
- A meal with products from far away?
Example: "Every day I carry my own reusable bottle, so I avoid 1 plastic bottle."
Step 2: Find an approximate equivalence datum
Consult reliable sources or educational guides that indicate how many kg of CO₂ or how much impact each unit avoided has. Here are some examples:
- 1 plastic bottle (500 ml) = approx. 0,082 kg CO₂
- 1 km by car on gasoline = approx. 0,18 kg CO₂
- 1 beef meal = approx. 5-7 kg CO₂
- 1 plastic bag = approx. 0.05 kg CO₂
You can use public tables such as those of theGlobal Footprint Network, CarbonFootprint.com, or citizen carbon footprint calculators. Also the Exiobase tables available in the course.
Step 3: Multiply by the frequency of your gesture.
Think about how many times you make that gesture in a week, month or year.
Then multiply the impact by the frequency.
Example: 0.082 kg CO₂ (per bottle) x 5bottles/week x 52 weeks = 21.32 kg CO₂ avoided per year.
Step 4: Write your result in a motivating way
Transform that number into a clear and inspiring sentence. You can use analogies to make it easier to understand.
- "With this EcoGesto, I avoid more than 20 kg of CO₂ per year: the same as planting a sapling!"
- "Replacing plastic bottles with a reusable one saves more than 250 bottles a year."
