The programme is offered in following three themes where schools could select any one or two or all three themes for taking up the activity.
Sustainability and Water
Clean and reliably available fresh water is fundamental for human life, the economy and the ecosystem. Only 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh water, which must meet the needs and demands of 7.8 billion people, a population which is increasing further. The demands are varied, ranging from agriculture and domestic use to energy generation and industry. Access to clean and safe water for drinking and sanitation purposes is still a problem for large segments of the global population.
Water management today is also faced with new challenges brought about by climate change. Increasing changes in rainfall patterns, frequent floods and droughts across the globe have led to various problems such as environmental degradation, water scarcity, migration and violence within and between countries. Water being important resource for survival of humans, it is critical to ensure its sustainability.
Sustainability and Biodiversity The Earth is called a living planet because of its biodiversity. Just as water, biodiversity too is an important resource for sustaining life. The intricate, complex and dynamic relationships between living organisms and the planet create and alter ecosystems. These relationships, referred to as the web of life, are not easily discernible unless one looks closer. Myriads of organisms, a greater number of them invisible or hardly noticed, are, by their way of life, service providers on this planet. Their presence is necessary to maintain the health of ecosystems and diversity of life. Sustainability therefore is closely linked to Biodiversity.
Sustainability and Waste We consume natural resources and produce waste every day of our lives. Every year we consume 1.7 times the amount of natural resources that the Earth is capable of replacing, and we dispose of 99% of these products in 6 months or less, leading to enormous amounts of waste. We see waste on our roads, in our fields and water bodies everyday but the problem is even bigger than we know. Waste has become a part of our lives – it’s everywhere, on our streets, in fields, in our forests, rivers and seas but it seems like we no longer notice it. Everywhere we go, human waste follows – have we become so used to this that we’ve stopped seeing it as a problem? We are desperately in need of effective resource and waste management and reduction techniques. Many innovative people and organizations have come up with ideas and solutions in response to this need. Just like them, you can work as an individual or as a community to address the issues posed by this global crisis. Remember to never doubt that you can make a difference. Through the course of this program, students will be exposed to a lot of information about waste, its impacts and potential solutions.
