Green Campus Initiative: Promoting Mindful Waste Management and Eco-friendly Behavior through Climate Education.

This project is dedicated to cultivating an environmentally conscious campus at AUW by embedding climate education and sustainable waste management practices. It addresses the campus’s challenges with excessive waste and unsustainable habits by encouraging behavioral changes, including reduced plastic use and composting of organic waste. Despite setbacks like campus closures due to political unrest, the project has successfully conducted workshops, trained climate leaders, organized thrift fairs, and piloted a vermicomposting project using organic waste from the university kitchen. These efforts have led to visible shifts in behavior and garnered institutional support for expanding composting initiatives. In collaboration with YouthNet Global and local schools, the project has also promoted tree planting and sustainability efforts, fostering a campus community of engaged climate advocates.

The project has already generated significant impacts and continues to advance with a focus on sustainable practices and climate resilience. A core achievement is the formation of a permanent Climate Leader Team, consisting of 24 trained leaders who actively drive initiatives like thrift fairs, waste separation policies, and eco-conscious behaviors across the campus. Their involvement is pivotal in ensuring the project’s long-term sustainability and in embedding a culture of environmental responsibility. Regular thrift fairs, introduced through this project, promote mindful consumption and significantly reduce clothing waste by encouraging students to adopt reuse-oriented habits. Inclusive climate education has also been central, uniting students from diverse disciplines with strong faculty support to foster environmental awareness and make the campus more climate resilient. The project’s vermicomposting initiative diverts approximately 40 kg of organic waste from landfills each month, amounting to around 520 kg annually, thus reducing waste while creating valuable fertilizer. By producing campus-made fertilizers, the project not only cuts costs and reduces reliance on commercial products but also inspires students to engage in plant cultivation. Finally, waste separation practices on campus help minimize landfill contamination, resulting in a cleaner, more sustainable environment.

TEAM MEMBERS:

• Bangir Mahmud
• Mipru Marma
• Naliprue Marma
• Hamim Tanin