Youth want to make a difference

FOUR weeks ago, nearly 200 young people from 11 countries, among them 10 from Namibia, laid the foundation stone for a worldwide youth climate network called Youthinkgreen.

The aim of the project, which will culminate in the International Youth Climate Summit next year, is to develop students between the ages of 14 and 18 into critically minded young people. Together with the climate ambassadors from Bulgaria, China, Iceland, Peru, Brazil, India, Namibia, Germany, Italy and Egypt, the youngsters want to implement specific everyday action against climate change.The DHPS Environmental Group is eager to make visible changes in Namibia and specifically at their school. They are currently working on three local sustainability projects such as providing the Deutsche Höhere Privatschule Windhoek with solar energy. In cooperation with the School of Natural Resources and Tourism at the Polytechnic of Namibia, they aim to change the transport situation at the school. ‘At the moment, most of our students are taken to school by car. There is no public transport system, except for two buses ferrying a minority of the students. We want to plan and put into action an extensive bus system that allows every student to reach school in a more sustainable way,’ said the participants. For the annual school bazaar, the students are developing a green bazaar with key aspects like less rubbish, more organic food and an eco-quiz moderated by a well-known radio DJ.