| By Zena HenryThey say that when the mind is young it is easier to mould. That is the exact sentiment expressed by the Environment Community Health Organization (ECHO), as the agency seeks in this year, to use more schoolchildren in the various administrative regions to spread the word on environmental education.Launching ECHO clubs in schoolsThe seven-year-old agency has embarked on programmes that would see more persons across the country becoming aware of the environment’s role as a necessity to life.Executive Director of the environmental body, Royston King, is adamant that more needs to be done by persons in conserving the environment, since in his view, many people still lack in-depth information on how dependent humans are on their surroundings.As a result, a group of citizens concerned about the state of the environment and wanting to do something about it, formed ECHO in 2006. The agency is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, with its main objective; “to raise environmental awareness and consciousness among young people, in particular and citizens in general, in every region of the country.”Emphasis is being placed on young people in this regard, King said, since “We believe that the school community is a very good place to set up environmental clubs,Jerseys From China, because it has various levels of energy and we can therefore help to mould young minds.”Caring for the environment should be everyone’s business“We believe it is a very good entry point where we can use our children to spread the word about the importance of the environment, the health of the environment, and to get them to be hands on; it will spill over to the wider communities, and eventually all areas of the country.”The agency uses ECHO clubs in schools around the country to promote their message.“We have more than 60 Echo clubs in schools at the primary level in Regions three,Supply Cheap Jerseys, four, five, seven and 10. Each club comprises 35 children from Grades four and five. Each club has a president, vice president and others in executive positions, including among other things, a recycling ambassador, etc.”King explained that these clubs report to an ECHO coach, who is usually a teacher in the school – with an interest of environmental health and concerns. The coach is the link between the club of the particular school and the organization itself.These ECHO clubs push for environmental awareness and education through various activities.ECHO hosts an conference observing World Environmental Day 2013.Many activities are done at the schools, especially through environmental competitions, like the ‘most improved school yard competition’ and ‘plant a tree’ programme.King said last year the organization was very successful in raising the level of environmental awareness in students, teachers and even parents,China Jerseys Free Shipping, since many would take part in activities. He said clubs were able to reduce litter in their schools and control garbage accumulation within their environment, making it more conducive for learning.Apart from these competitions,NFL Jerseys Store, the club members were able to attend several environmental tours for example; the GWI water treatment plant in Region 6, the Skeldon sugar factory, key areas with mangroves and several rice farms, to better understand the breeding habitat and processing of the products that are exported.This year, King said, it is hoped that more will be achieved, as the children will start off with an in-depth look at the agro-industry and its impact on the environment. The children also have to present viewpoints and even recommendations on how they believe they can contribute to caring for the environment.Opening more clubs in far-reaching environments is a major goal for ECHO this year. It was noted that while region five had 13 clubs in 2013, 12 more opened before year end; and while region three had three clubs, five more were opened.ECHO is hoping to successfully execute its failed recycling programme this year, after financial constraints saw the programme become stagnated. King explained that ECHO clubs were supposed to gather and store all plastic bottles before it was collected to be partially recycled for shipment to Trinidad and Tobago, China or Barbados. Due to the unavailability of transportation, the project had to be temporarily abandoned. This project, King said, is hoped to educate the students about the harm plastic causes to the environment; pointing to the destructive effect it has had on Georgetown.Plans are also in the making for programmes on personal hygiene, for especially young persons. King asserted that the need to teach children about their bodies and how they should care it was duly recognized. He spoke of personal health and cleanliness, before adding that recipients of this personal health training should also receive hygiene kits for the purpose of personal health.In interior regions, children will be taught how to care for trees, waterways etc. since their environment and experiences would be different from that of the city-dwellers; for example, air pollution through vehicles, factories etc. and environmental damage through indiscriminate dumping etc, would be different from pollution in rural areas.ECHO is looking forward to going beyond Guyana with more educational tours this year. They have expressed gratitude to PAHO, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and especially,NBA Jerseys From China, the private sector, for numerous contributions, and hopes that these will continue, for greater achievements.ECHO’s head office is located at the Maraj building on Charlotte Street. There are six members on the Board of Directors and an army of over 500 volunteers who come out based on their specific environmental interest. King informed that each director has a specific function,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, such as the head of ECHO school clubs, or managing ECHO resources.The organization on its own, sometimes hosts its own fund-raisers and campaigns. The club hopes to set up community clubs to reinforce environmental education. With the current state of the city, environmental clubs that earnestly seek to reduce ignorance on environmental health might be the most effective solution to combat unhealthy environments, King opined. |
