|
Earth Day 2010: Voice of Youth
From advocating for animal rights to promoting paper recycling, today's youth are at the forefront of a powerful grassroots environmental movement. In honor of Earth Day, YouthActionNet® asked four young environmental pioneers - in Brazil, Lebanon, Spain, and the United States - to share their innovative solutions and reflections on what Earth Day means to them.
"[Earth Day] has even greater urgency this year following the failed Copenhagen summit where our 'Earth Leaders' failed to agree on steps to ensure the planet's survival," writes Pierre Daher in his blog. In 2008, Pierre founded Craft to promote paper recycling among the government, civil society, and corporate sectors in Lebanon.
"Our situation in Lebanon potently illustrates the fragility of our planet's ecosystems," writes Pierre, citing recent environmental disasters ranging from forest fires to oil spills. In pursuit of its mission, Craft has raised awareness among thousands of employees and students in the country about the importance of recycling and equipped them with the tools to do so.
For Gabriel Bastardo Venegas, Founder of La Guia del Inmigrante (The Immigrant Guide), a magazine in Spain, the environmental crisis is one of the most potent forces uniting people in pursuit of solutions. In honor of Earth Day, Gabriel is launching a yearlong campaign, Integrarnos es Labor de Todos (Integrating the Concerns All of Us), to promote good citizenship among immigrants and non-immigrants alike.
"We believe it's everyone's responsibility to take care of the environment and that our shared concern for the earth is one of the most powerful tools we have to build bridges among people," writes Gabriel in his Earth Day blog.
Similarly, Rodrigo Mendes, founder of Bicho Verde Água (Animal, Vegetable, Mineral) in Brazil, reminds us of the interconnectedness of all life on the planet. "All components of planet Earth - the air, water, land, animals, and plants - form part of a complex, interrelated system," writes Rodrigo in his blog. "What happens in one part of this system has a direct impact on the rest," he adds, pointing to the need for each of us to exercise personal responsibility as citizens of a shared planetary home.
In honor of Earth Day, Rodrigo has launched a campaign to promote the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats in São Paulo in an effort to reduce the number of pets that are mistreated, uncared for, or abandoned.
And in the U.S., Josh Arnold, founder of Global Awareness Local Action (G.A.L.A.), makes the case for individual and community responsibility. "If we want sustainability to be the emergent property of a global system, then we must take actions on the local level that will percolate upwards and increase the probability of a sustainable global society," he writes. In recognition of Earth Day, G.A.L.A. is rallying residents of Wolfboro, NH to participate in a weeklong series of events - from tree planting to potluck picnics to a family barn dance.
As YouthActionNet® celebrates Earth Day, we'd like to acknowledge all of our Global Fellows who have pioneered innovative solutions for addressing a host of environmental challenges - from educating students to advocating for improved policies, from helping businesses 'go green,' to reporting on the front lines of the environmental movement.
Alejandro Zapata Arango (2009), Founder, Portafolio Verde, Columbia
Therese Clarence Fernandez (2008), Co-founder, Rags2Riches, Philippines
Richard Graves (2008), Founder, Fired Up Media and Project Survival Media, United States
Jessica Lax & Jocelyn Land-Murphy (2005), Co-Founders, The Otesha Project, Canada
Maritza Morales (2007), Founder, Hunab Life Project, México
Rachel Nampinga (2007), Founder, EcoWatch, Uganda
Laiden Pedrina (2005), Founder, Young Artists Fellowship for the Environment, Philippines
Anna Rose (2007), Founder, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Australia
Jose Sarasola (2009), Founder, Mediapila Foundation, Argentina
Carla Tennenbaum (2008), Founder, EVAMARIA, Brazil
Zablon Wagalla (2007), Founder, Trees for Clean Energy, Kenya
|
