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TOOLS

Here you will find a list of tools that we, as eco-trainers, have identified as valuable for enhancing our own knowledge and skills, and serving as resources for our participants. This list is continuously evolving as we discover and evaluate more tools, and we are happy to share these discoveries with you.

Level 1

Starting level! Here, you’ll find a variety of tools designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of this eco-competence. We recommend these resources if you’re new to the concept or if you want to revisit and refresh your understanding of the basics. This is also a great place to begin if you plan to incorporate these tools into your learning process design for your participants or students.

Level 2

Intermediate level! If you’re already acquainted with the basics of this eco-competence, you’ll find a collection of tools here to help you continue your discovery. Choose your preferred type of tool to deepen your understanding and enhance the skills of both yourself and those you work with. Feel free to share any of these tools and inspire others for further exploration.

Level 3

Advanced level – If you’re already well-versed in a specific eco-competence and are eager to explore it further, you’ll find valuable tools here to enhance your expertise. We encourage you to remain open to revisiting other levels, as sometimes refreshing your knowledge of the basics can provide new insights and add significant value.

Type of Resource
Level
Eco-competences

* These competences are part of the EU GreenComp framework.

Clear Filters

Books

Level 1

Eco-Trainer guide by various authors

A Guide to be(com)ing an Eco-Trainer. Developed by participants in the ET4ET (Environmental Training for Eco-Trainers), organised by Youth and Environment Europe in 2015.

Language of source: English

Coming back to life: The Updated Guide to The Work That Reconnects by Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown

This guide introduces The Work That Reconnects, a framework of practices to foster gratitude, process eco-anxiety, and inspire action. Educators can use its group exercises to help learners reflect, share emotions, and find resilience. Ideal for workshops or classrooms, it offers practical steps to move from despair to empowerment, nurturing hope and community.

Language of source: English

With Nature in Mind by Andy McGeeney

McGeeney highlights how time in nature supports wellbeing and learning. The book offers practical outdoor activities like mindful walks, nature journaling, and sensory exploration. Educators and youth workers can use these to deepen ecological connection, reduce stress, and foster group cohesion. Simple, low-cost, and adaptable, these practices make the natural world a partner in education and care.

Language of source: English

Level 2

Ecology, Community and Lifestyle: Outline of an Ecosophy by Arne Naess

Næss presents “ecosophy”—living wisely within ecological limits. While philosophical, it sparks valuable discussions about values, consumption, and sustainability. Educators can use excerpts to inspire debate, reflection, or eco-manifestos. Trainers and youth workers may guide participants to explore personal “ecosophies” and lifestyle choices, encouraging a worldview shift toward simplicity, care, and responsibility for the earth.

Language of source: English

Coming back to life: The Updated Guide to The Work That Reconnects by Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown

This guide introduces The Work That Reconnects, a framework of practices to foster gratitude, process eco-anxiety, and inspire action. Educators can use its group exercises to help learners reflect, share emotions, and find resilience. Ideal for workshops or classrooms, it offers practical steps to move from despair to empowerment, nurturing hope and community.

Language of source: English

The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision by Fritjof Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi

This book introduces systems thinking as a way to see life as interconnected. It bridges science, ecology, and society, offering educators tools to move beyond linear thinking. Teachers can adapt diagrams and activities to map feedback loops or local issues. Trainers and youth workers can help groups discover patterns and solutions, fostering holistic, creative problem-solving skills.

Language of source: English

Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone

Active Hope presents a four-stage path—gratitude, honoring pain, seeing with new eyes, and going forth—to help readers face global crises with resilience, purpose, and practical action. It's a guide for transforming despair into engaged, life-affirming activism.

Language of source: English

Climate — A New Story by Charles Eisenstein

Charles Eisenstein reframes climate change, shifting from fossil‑fuel reduction to a “living‑systems” perspective. He argues environmental harm stems from a deeper “Story of Separation,” and calls for a new “Story of Interbeing” rooted in love, empathy, local action, and healing both people and ecosystems. Recommendation - It invites a shift in how we relate to the planet, introducing a non-materialistic perspective focused on healing and transformation.

Language of source: English

With Nature in Mind by Andy McGeeney

McGeeney highlights how time in nature supports wellbeing and learning. The book offers practical outdoor activities like mindful walks, nature journaling, and sensory exploration. Educators and youth workers can use these to deepen ecological connection, reduce stress, and foster group cohesion. Simple, low-cost, and adaptable, these practices make the natural world a partner in education and care.

Language of source: English

Level 3

Thinking in systems by Donnella Meadows

Meadows’ classic makes systems thinking accessible with clear concepts and real examples. Educators can use it to build critical problem-solving skills—mapping everyday systems, tracing feedback loops, or exploring leverage points. Trainers and youth workers can guide participants in applying these ideas to local issues, empowering them to see patterns and identify where small changes can spark big impacts.

Language of source: English

The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision by Fritjof Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi

This book introduces systems thinking as a way to see life as interconnected. It bridges science, ecology, and society, offering educators tools to move beyond linear thinking. Teachers can adapt diagrams and activities to map feedback loops or local issues. Trainers and youth workers can help groups discover patterns and solutions, fostering holistic, creative problem-solving skills.

Language of source: English

Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone

Active Hope presents a four-stage path—gratitude, honoring pain, seeing with new eyes, and going forth—to help readers face global crises with resilience, purpose, and practical action. It's a guide for transforming despair into engaged, life-affirming activism.

Language of source: English

Climate — A New Story by Charles Eisenstein

Charles Eisenstein reframes climate change, shifting from fossil‑fuel reduction to a “living‑systems” perspective. He argues environmental harm stems from a deeper “Story of Separation,” and calls for a new “Story of Interbeing” rooted in love, empathy, local action, and healing both people and ecosystems. Recommendation - It invites a shift in how we relate to the planet, introducing a non-materialistic perspective focused on healing and transformation.

Language of source: English

Videos

Level 1

Greenwashing: a Fiji water story

Greenwashing: a Fiji water story, by Our changing climate

This environmental video essay, takes a quick look at greenwashing using Fiji Water's marketing campaign as a case study. It explores why green products are not necessarily as eco-friendly as their packaging suggests.

Language of source: English

Understanding eco-emotions – Conversation with Panu Pihkala and Juni Sinkkonen

How are the triple planetary crisis and our mental health connected? Why is eco-emotions research on the rise? Where does our environmental anxiety come from? Join an online conversation with the author of Climate Emotions Wheel and a leading expert on interdisciplinary eco-anxiety research Panu Pihkala and the psychologist Juni Sinkkonen.

Language of source: English

The Story of Stuff by The Story of Stuff Project

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Language of source: English

The Story of Change by The Story of Stuff Project

Can shopping save the world? The Story of Change urges viewers to put down their credit cards and start exercising their citizen muscles to build a more sustainable, just, and fulfilling world.

Our recommendation: Useful for encouraging people to get together for a common cause.

Language of source: English

A simpler way: crisis as an opportunity by Happen Films

This documentary shows how crises can inspire simpler, more meaningful lifestyles. Educators can use it to spark discussions on resilience, sustainability, and creative living. Trainers and youth workers can design visioning activities or lifestyle experiments—like reducing waste for a week—to explore alternatives together. Its hopeful message reframes crisis as a chance to rediscover community, purpose, and possibility.

Language of source: English

Dare to Be Wild

"Dare to Be Wild" is a romantic drama inspired by the true story of landscape designer Mary Reynolds, who defies the odds to bring nature’s wild beauty to the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. The film celebrates creativity, perseverance, and the healing power of nature.
We recommend it — truly inspiring for showcasing how wild nature can be embraced and integrated even within urban environments.

Language of source: English

Tomorrow by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent

Tomorrow showcases real solutions worldwide, from renewable energy to local farming. For educators, it provides diverse case studies across disciplines. Trainers and youth workers can use it to inspire project-based learning, analyzing solutions and imagining local adaptations. With its hopeful tone, the film helps learners move from despair to action, showing that change is already happening.

Language of source: French

Level 2

Unlocking a paradigm shift cover

Unlocking a paradigm shift: the non-linear view and deep simplicity of the self-organising universe, by Mansoor Vakili and Christopher Weir

An educational short explaining humanity’s move from nonlinear to linear thought and shows how retraining the brain for nonlinear thinking can help us realign with the natural, self-organizing flow of the universe. It inspires a return to holistic, systems-based thinking.

Language of source: English

The cost of growth cover

The Cost of Growth – by Anuna De Wever and Lena Hartog

The Cost of Growth connects local struggles against extractivism in Serbia, Italy and Sapmi with broader debates on justice, democracy, and war. It shows how people across Europe are not only resisting false solutions, but also building alternatives - from grassroots organizing to new forms of cooperation and solidarity.

Language of source: English

The Story of Stuff by The Story of Stuff Project

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Language of source: English

The Story of Change by The Story of Stuff Project

Can shopping save the world? The Story of Change urges viewers to put down their credit cards and start exercising their citizen muscles to build a more sustainable, just, and fulfilling world.

Our recommendation: Useful for encouraging people to get together for a common cause.

Language of source: English

A simpler way: crisis as an opportunity by Happen Films

This documentary shows how crises can inspire simpler, more meaningful lifestyles. Educators can use it to spark discussions on resilience, sustainability, and creative living. Trainers and youth workers can design visioning activities or lifestyle experiments—like reducing waste for a week—to explore alternatives together. Its hopeful message reframes crisis as a chance to rediscover community, purpose, and possibility.

Language of source: English

Dare to Be Wild

"Dare to Be Wild" is a romantic drama inspired by the true story of landscape designer Mary Reynolds, who defies the odds to bring nature’s wild beauty to the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. The film celebrates creativity, perseverance, and the healing power of nature.
We recommend it — truly inspiring for showcasing how wild nature can be embraced and integrated even within urban environments.

Language of source: English

A quest for meaning by Nathanaël Coste and Marc de la Ménardière

Original title: En Quête de Sens

This film follows two friends exploring life’s deeper questions with activists and thinkers worldwide. It’s ideal for values-based education, encouraging reflection on purpose, identity, and responsibility. Educators can use excerpts for journaling, storytelling, or group dialogue. Youth workers will find it powerful for helping young people share their own journeys and dreams, fostering resilience and inner transformation.

Our recommendation: for educators who want to help learners transcend individualism and the apparent simplicity of human existence.

Language of source: French

Tomorrow by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent

Tomorrow showcases real solutions worldwide, from renewable energy to local farming. For educators, it provides diverse case studies across disciplines. Trainers and youth workers can use it to inspire project-based learning, analyzing solutions and imagining local adaptations. With its hopeful tone, the film helps learners move from despair to action, showing that change is already happening.

Language of source: French

Level 3

A quest for meaning by Nathanaël Coste and Marc de la Ménardière

Original title: En Quête de Sens

This film follows two friends exploring life’s deeper questions with activists and thinkers worldwide. It’s ideal for values-based education, encouraging reflection on purpose, identity, and responsibility. Educators can use excerpts for journaling, storytelling, or group dialogue. Youth workers will find it powerful for helping young people share their own journeys and dreams, fostering resilience and inner transformation.

Our recommendation: for educators who want to help learners transcend individualism and the apparent simplicity of human existence.

Language of source: French

Online resources

Level 1

Yuka app icon

Yuka – Food & Cosmetic Scanner

Yuka is a mobile phone app that scans food, beauty & personal care products to decipher their ingredients and evaluate their impact on your health. In a world of incomprehensible labels, Yuka provides clarity in one quick scan so you can make clear-sighted purchases. Yuka uses a simple color code to inform you of the product's impact on your health: excellent, good, mediocre, or poor. You can access a detailed info page for each product, to help you understand its grade.

Language of source: English

Eco-anxiety and hope blog cover

10 recommendations for people with ecoanxiety, by Panu Pihkala

Article published in the blog of Panu Pihkala, environmental researcher and writer, leading specialist in the field of eco-emotions. Our recommendation: it can be used as a base to design a training session or workshop on dealing with eco-emotions.

Language of source: English

Footprint calculator by The Global Footprint Network

The Global Footprint Network’s Ecological Footprint Calculator at footprintcalculator.org estimates how many planets Earth would need if everyone lived like you. It breaks down your impact by food, shelter, travel, goods, services—and shows your personal Earth Overshoot Day.

Our recommendation: Ideal for environmental educators and learners, it enhances ecoliteracy by revealing consumption‑impact links and inspiring behavior change.

Language of source: English

Level 2

Explore degrowth website

The Explore Degrowth platform, by JP Arellano

Website providing accessible knowledge on degrowth, tools to communicate degrowth, and inspiration to imagine a good life with less.

Language of source: English

Level 3

Growth versus ecology on a finite planet

The contradiction of the sustainable development goals: Growth versus ecology on a finite planet

Research article examining the contradiction within the SDGs between promoting “harmony with nature” and pursuing 3% annual economic growth. Using data on resource use and CO₂ emissions, it finds that continued global growth makes sustainability targets unattainable and proposes equity-based, post-growth alternatives.

Language of source: English

Beyond Systems Thinking cover

Designing resilient regenerative systems: beyond systems thinking

A free online course to advance your applied knowledge on systems thinking. We need cultural and mental transformation to deal with the current global polycrisis. This learning journey is a fluid, intervention-driven, synergistic process addressing complex challenges with a regional focus. It entails a critical look at systems thinking, tools to navigate complexity, basics of social network analysis, resilience assessment, circularities, and systemic innovation.

Language of source: English

Capra course cover

The Systems View of Life – Capra Course, by Fritjof Capra

A paid online course on systems thinking. In The Systems View of Life – Capra Course, you are invited to shift your worldview—from seeing the world as a machine to perceiving it as a dynamic, interconnected web. The course weaves together biology, cognition, society, and ecology into a coherent, relational understanding of life. Through twelve lectures, guided readings, and interactive forums, you’ll gain the conceptual tools to understand today’s complex challenges (climate change, inequality, health, governance) as systemic in nature—and to discern holistic solutions. Participants also join a global alumni network to deepen their inquiry long after the course ends.

Language of source: English

The Ecoliteracy Hub

The Ecoliteracy Hub is a non-profit initiative dedicated to promoting ecoliteracy, providing educational and networking opportunities to foster eco-competence development in various formal and non-formal educational settings.

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