What can be done across the EU to protect the environment?

Guys! Just keep the pressure on the renewable energy sources. This is the future of Europe, I believe. More and more money should go on that.

The European Union should create the energy union with solar electricity from the South an Wind energy from the north!

-Say NO to CETA, TTIP and similar treaties until the environment is properly protected (with specific regulations and without ISDS/ICS as those instruments allow companies to block democratic regulations that can be environmental regulations).- Put more/new taxes on products that pollute a lot. This will, first of all, reduce the number of products of that kind that are sold and, second, allow to subsidise "green" products. - Encourage recicling

Every pre-school, school, highschool and university should spend 1 week in total autonomy (have to choose the spot to sleep, make food, look for water, organise in team...) in nature to start the school year. Learning in nature is the best way to know about its fragility and realise the crazy consumption world we live in. Of course this should be accompanied by professionnal of the field and facilitators to help to group process (it is also a way to learn about oneself and others)

I suggest extending the EU warranty period. The current 2-year period seems very short given the technology progress achieved in recent decades. In my opinion, a gradual introduction could be to put in place to achieve a 5-year EU warranty period no much later than 2020. With this policy, the issues of planned obsolescence and electric waste could be tackled, while at the same time, supplying consumers with more reliable products.

1.European Union should impose mandatory quotas of planting trees for each country depending on the level of pollution and must stop desforestation!2.The European Union should oblige all member states to recycle and sort waste!This could be possible if it would organize programs to educate the population about recycling and waste sorting!3.The European Union should impose drastic laws on industrial pollution!4.The European Union should oblige Member States to stop using hazardous substances in farming! (No GMO)5.The European Union should oblige Member States to stop the marketing of synthetic detergents and promote them on the green!

As EU shown that it can donate food and other supplies to those in need, i propose a new initiative. For every willing EU citizen, a seed-bomb (a ball of compost bearing some tree seeds, even one could be enough) should be made available at the town/city hall (or nearest school or public institution), encouraging the citizen to grow the tree at home and then plant it outdoors, as a means for helping the environment. This would not only educate people, but bring them together and make them more compassionate about nature, bring families and communities together!

One of the most urgent ethical, and environmental issue in my opinion is the issue of the factory farming of animals. Besides being generally unhealthy, animal products are inherently wasteful to produce, and the industry creates large amounts of waste and pollution (e.g. methane), thus being a major factor in climate change and the upcoming great extinction of several species. We feed plant products (grains, soy, etc) in large quantities, to animals, who suffer, and die painfully, while we could very well feed ourselves from plant products, adequately, according to the American Dietetic Association. Vegans and vegetarians have significantly smaller ecological footprints. It is my opinion, that with sustainability, and ethical imperatives in mind, the European Union should launch a wide-spread information campaign, about the environmental, and health benefits of reducing animal products in one's diet. Dietary guidelines should emphasize this important issue, and the adequacy of vegan diets. The European Union should also seek other ways to reduce the production of animal products (taxes, strict regulations, etc.).

I think that the first step it has to be teaching people why the natural environment is important for all of us. Second, we have to invest in regenerable resorces and renonce to the ones that are poluating. We have to plant new forest and extend the ones that exist in every territorial administrative region, according to the number of people and the polution rate and put them under the law protection. Planting trees in the vacant spaces and along the roads will help. The citizens have to become more involved in this kind of actions.

Corporate Environmental Responsibility. As part of its legislative prerogatives, the EU could compel multi-national and national firms who operate within the European market to comply with stricter environmental standards. One instance could be that of imposing to disclose the carbon/energy/toxic footprints of sold products and let them be classified according to a digital semaphore to tell whether they have a negative (red light), medium to minimum (orange and yellow lights), or neutral (green light) impact on the environment. This would allow the market to be more transparent and empower consumers to make more responsible market choices.