Environmental education in green libraries

the experience of the extension project "Gelateca: For a Better World" as a tool for socio-environmental transformation

Abstract

The article explores the potential of libraries as agents of socio-environmental transformation, highlighting the concept of "Green Libraries" and their role in promoting environmental education. Focused on the experience of the extension project "Gelateca: For a Better World", carried out at the IFPE Campus Cabo de Santo Agostinho, the study reveals how libraries can integrate sustainable practices into their traditional functions, contributing to the ecological awareness of communities. The Gelateca project, which reuses discarded refrigerators as public libraries, promotes reading and sustainability, encouraging conscious consumption and reuse of resources. In conclusion, the extension project proved to be effective in combining the promotion of reading with environmental education, especially among children, who became more easily involved in the habit of reading. The use of refrigerators as libraries reinforced the importance of reusing materials, highlighting the positive impact of sustainable practices on communities. Furthermore, the project highlights the relevance of partnerships to expand the reach of socio-environmental actions. Finally, he suggests that initiatives like Gelateca can be replicated in other public spaces, contributing to the formation of a more conscious and sustainable society.