Netherlands

Netherlands

Groene Voetstappen 2025

Stepping into Sustainability, One Footprint at a Time

In 2025, the Groene Voetstappen (Green Footprints) campaign once again encouraged children across the Netherlands to walk, cycle, or scooter their way to school  and to a more sustainable future. This year marked the second edition of the Groene Voetstappenweek, held in September, with enthusiastic participation from 18 primary schools, representing 54 classes and 1,458 pupils.

Together, these young climate champions collected a total of 8,772 Green Footsteps during the action week , a strong start to this year’s campaign.

Learning on the Move, A Classroom Without Walls

Throughout the week, children not only changed their travel habits but also engaged in important conversations about mobility, traffic safety, and sustainability.

Teachers guided pupils in exploring questions such as:

How do you get to school, and what’s the safest route?

Which transport choices are more sustainable  and why?

What can you do beyond mobility to help the planet?

These classroom discussions went far beyond just walking or cycling. Inspired by the campaign, many students also looked at broader lifestyle changes from eating more sustainably, to reducing waste, saving energy, and even exploring green spaces in their own neighborhoods.

From Green to Golden Footsteps:

In addition to collecting Groene Voetstappen, pupils can also earn Gouden Voetstappen (Golden Footsteps) by taking further sustainable actions such as:

Choosing vegetarian or vegan meals

Showering less and using less water

Wearing second-hand clothes

Collecting and recycling waste

Creating or caring for green schoolyards

Using public transport or reducing energy use at home

These golden steps not only deepen students' understanding of sustainability but also extend the campaign’s impact well beyond the classroom.

Community Engagement and National Reach:

Since its launch in 2003, the Groene Voetstappen campaign in the Netherlands has been organized by Klimaatverbond Nederland, with support in recent years from GDO (Gemeenten voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling).

The project continues to be a key part of the Europe-wide Green Footprints campaign, inspiring thousands of children to take part in building a cleaner, greener future one step at a time.

Every Footstep Counts:

With their enthusiasm and commitment, Dutch pupils have once again proven that small, everyday actions when taken together can have a big impact. Whether walking to school, skipping a car ride, or simply rethinking habits at home, they’re building not only green footprints, but also a more conscious generation of citizens.

Thanks to all the participating schools, teachers, parents, and children in the Netherlands for another year of climate action!