Portuguese EDP-VET Awareness Campaign
Invisible Electronic Waste
From Hackathon ideas to real awareness actions
As part of the EDP-VET project, the Portuguese team transformed the ideas and solutions developed during the International Hackathon into a national awareness campaign focused on Invisible Electronic Waste.
Through posters, brochures, presentations and short awareness videos, the campaign encourages VET students and educational communities to rethink the way they use, repair, reuse and dispose of digital equipment.
From Hackathon to Awareness Campaign
From Hackathon to Awareness Campaign
The Portuguese awareness campaign was developed as a direct follow-up to the EDP-VET International Hackathon.
Students explored the environmental impact of digital technologies and identified electronic waste as an everyday but frequently overlooked problem. Small electronic items such as cables, chargers, old mobile phones, keyboards and electronic components are often forgotten in drawers, classrooms and workplaces, although they contain valuable materials and potentially harmful substances.
Based on this challenge, the Portuguese campaign adopted the message:
“Transform the invisible into action!”
The campaign promotes four simple principles: Repair, Reuse, Recycle and Reduce unnecessary purchases.
Invisible Electronic Waste: What Are We Talking About?
Invisible electronic waste includes small devices and electronic components that are no longer actively used but remain stored in homes, schools and workplaces.
Typical examples include:
Cables · Chargers · Old Mobile Phones · Keyboards · Electronic Components
Although small, these objects can have a significant environmental impact when they are not repaired, reused or correctly recycled.
What Can We Do?
🛠 Repair
♻ Reuse
Repair before replacing
Extending the lifetime of digital devices reduces waste and avoids unnecessary resource consumption.
Give equipment and components a second life
Reuse functional devices and recover components that can support new educational or technical projects.
🔄 Recycle
🛒 Reduce
Use appropriate collection points
Electronic equipment that can no longer be repaired should be delivered to authorised e-waste collection systems.
Avoid unnecessary purchases
Before replacing a device, consider whether it can still be repaired, upgraded or reused.
Campaign Materials
Campaign Materials Developed in Portugal
To reach different audiences and communication contexts, the Portuguese team developed a set of complementary awareness materials.
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Different poster concepts were developed to communicate the same core message through different visual approaches.
Student Awareness Brochure
A three-fold brochure was created to provide students with a simple and practical guide to invisible electronic waste.
It explains the problem, highlights its environmental consequences and presents actions that can easily be adopted in schools and everyday life.
Repair · Reuse · Recycle
Supporting Educational Materials
The campaign was supported by educational presentations that allow teachers and students to explore the issue in greater depth and use the campaign materials in classroom or training activities.
PowerPoint 1 – EDP-VET Awareness Campaign Presentation
PowerPoint 2 – Invisible Electronic Waste – Student Guide
Watch the Campaign
Video 1 – Invisible Electronic Waste – Awareness Video
A one-minute awareness video introducing the hidden impact of forgotten electronic devices.
Video 2 -Invisible Electronic Waste – Electronic Version
A dynamic version of the campaign designed for digital dissemination and social media.
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