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The Eden Project is inspiring millions of us to change our relationship with the environment

If there’s one seed the Eden Project aims to plant in the minds of the one million visitors who come to the world-famous eco-attraction every year, it’s that we should live as a part of nature, not apart from it.

Chief executive Tim Smit says, “We don’t have Keep off the Grass signs – we say, ‘Come on, come through this path, it’s about exploring.’”

It’s all part of the project’s aim to educate its visitors about their connections to the world around them – and it works.

Eden is an education project or it is nothing – even if education is not what the visitors think they’re getting. “Visitors don’t pay for education, visitors pay for a great day out – but what we hope they take away is inspiration,” says managing director Gaynor Coley.

“Our revenue from the paying visitor, our education programmes, our website, the music sessions we host, all goes to support our core purpose – education.”

“Visitors don’t pay for education, visitors pay for a great day out – but what we hope they take away is inspiration”

There’s no question about Eden’s commitment to its core purpose, since organised visits in 2008/9 involved:

• over 47,000 school or college pupils
• 21,852 students in further and higher education
• 5,445 visitors from formal tertiary education centres.

did you know?

• 75% of waste generated on site is recycled
• The remaining waste is offset by using equivalent recycled material
• Eden is developing the UK’s first geothermal energy plant