Cleaning up in India

Project goal: Cleaning up rubbish heaps and spreading awareness, especially in schools
Project size: 400 climate educators in 40 offices in India, Australia and Sri Lanka
Education program: A masters program in “Sustainable Development, Climate Change Impacts Management and Climate Change Education” founded in 1984 and supported by the environment ministry and the Indian government.

Millions of tourists flood to the sandy beaches of the tiny Indian state of Goa. Tourism remains the backbone of the economy. But an influx of revelers also leads to a rise in rubbish that often lies strewn around the beaches and rots or worse is burned and emits toxic gases. In addition to a lack of funds and organization, many of Goa's residents are also ignorant about the growing environment problems. Now a campaign is aiming to sensitize young people to the growing mountain of trash on their doorstep. A center for climate change education is taking its message to schools to try and raise awareness. The measures seem to be working with young Indians increasingly volunteering in different environmental projects and spreading the word through social networks and other media.

A film by Elke Opielka