On 28 September 2026, E.VA – Educazione Creativa organised the Italian National GreenHack Youth Hackathon in Lucera, Puglia, as part of the Erasmus+ project Green Skills, Green Solutions: Youth Hackathons.
The event brought together 25 participants, including 18 young people, five mentors and two experts, to explore innovative solutions in Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture, with a particular focus on water conservation and soil protection.
From Environmental Challenges to Practical Solutions
Working in five teams, participants identified local environmental challenges and developed practical, community-oriented solutions. Supported by mentors and experts, they transformed their ideas into five green project concepts:
Water More Precious Than Gold – A digital awareness platform promoting water conservation through educational videos and community challenges.
AQUA LOOP – A smart irrigation system combining rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse and soil moisture sensors.
Grey Knights – A compact water filtration and collection system supporting sustainable irrigation.
Soil Guardians – A community initiative restoring urban soil health through composting, mulching and biodiversity-friendly planting.
AquaCrop Circle – A circular cultivation system integrating water reuse, greenhouse production and fish farming.
Learning, Collaboration and Green Skills
The hackathon combined teamwork, creative problem-solving and practical mentoring. Participants explored how environmental challenges can become opportunities for innovation and social entrepreneurship.
Pre- and post-event assessments involving all 18 young participants demonstrated improvements in environmental knowledge, green skills, teamwork, creative thinking and motivation to take action.
Rather than focusing on competition, the event emphasised collaboration, learning and the practical potential of every project idea.
Empowering the Next Generation
The Italian GreenHack Youth Hackathon demonstrated that young people can play an active role in developing sustainable solutions for their communities.
Through initiatives like GreenHack Youth, E.VA continues to support youth empowerment, environmental education and the development of practical green skills.
Small ideas can inspire meaningful change – especially when young people have the opportunity to turn them into action.
GreenHack Youth (2025-1-ES02-KA210-YOU-000359281) is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
