By. Garima Tandon BSc, Bd. M.Ed Eco-Ciub: Development, Planning and Management Eco-Club- According to Yadav (2016), o-club or green club is a voluntary group which promotes the participation of students in learning about, and improving. their environment”. It is a means by which sidents and youth can organize themselves to learn more about the issue, and also take action to prove their immediate environment. Itis reflected ftom the content available on Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Plateform (2018) that the Eeo-Green Club is made up of teachers and a group of motivated students to learn about the environment and to take action to improve their immediate cavironment, They will also provide a wonderful opportunity to help generate awareness, build attitudes and enable students to take up activities in the real world, in a way that the constraints of the classroom and curriculum won't allow. As reflected from Samgra Shiksha compaign of MHRD, Eco clubs empower students to participate and take up meaningful environmental activities and projects. It is a forum through which students can reach out to influence, engage their parents and Aeighbourhood communities to promiéte sound environmental behavior. Objectives of Eco-club- As per the MHRD guidelines (2019), major objectives to establish an eco-club are as follows: » Motivate the students to keep their surroun green and clean by undertaking plantation of trees » Promote ethos of conservat 1 of water by optimizing the use of water.v v v wv v v wv v Motivate students to imbibe habits and life style for minimum waste generat n, source separation of waste and disposing the waste to the nearest storage point. To develop skills of observation, experimentation, survey, recording, analysis, reasoning needed f ‘onserving environment through activities Organise seminars, debates, lectures and popular talks on environmental issues i the school to motivate the students to keep their surroundings green and clean. Promote ethos of conservation of water by optimizing the use of water and cleaning of water body in the adjacent area. Educate students to create awareness amongst public and sanitary workers, 80 as to stop the indiscriminate burning of waste which causes respiratory diseases. Sensitize the students to minimize the use of plastic bags, not to throw them in public places as they choke drains and sewers, cause water logging and provide breeding ground for mosquitoes. Organize tree plantation programmes, awareness programmes such s quiz, essay, painting competitions, rallies, nukkad natak ete. regarding various environmental issues and educate children about re-use of waste material & preparation of products out of waste Campaign against use of loud speakers, motivate students not to use crackers and fireworks, recycling of glass and metals, use of unnecessary homs. Field visit to environmentally important s ites including polluted and degraded sites, wildlife parks, etc. Organise rallies, marches, human chains and street theatre at public places with a view to spread environmental awareness. Action based activities like tree plantation, cleanliness drives both within and oul ide the school campus Grow kitchen gardens, maintain vermin-composting pits, construct water harvesting structures in school, practice paper recycling etc. Prepare inventories of polluting sources and forward it to enforcement agencies. Maintenance of public places like parks, gardens both within and outside the sehool campus.. Mobilise action against environmentally unsound practi¢es like garbage disposal in unauthorised places, unsafe disposal of hospital wastes ete, . Beautify selected road side aren with plants and flowers and put campaign boatds to generate awareness. ~ Any other innovative programme on environmental issues, Steps to establish an Eco-club- As suggested by Climate CoLab (2016), following steps should be followed to establish an eco=club: 1. Seek for permission to establish the club & its approval. 2. Arrange a venue, a suitable day of the week and time for meeting. 3. Advertise the meeting time, place, etc. (Organize beforehand with some students who might be interested in forming the management committee). 4, Get a teacher to be the patron/staff advisor. 5. At the meeting; the names of all who attended will be taken down. The strdents will decide on the structure of the club, and on its objectives themselves. 6. Haye elections for the posts on the management committee, and post the names be pasted on the notice board 7. For the first meeting after the elections, we will have a presentation, or show a video or slide show, about climate change to hold everyone's interest. 8. Decide on the types of activities, offer members some suggestions, according to theit interests and capabilities. 9. Decide on the amount of dues and on a meeting schedule, 10. Ensure that notices are given out for the next meeting in goad time: 11. Select students to be coordinators / chairpersons.Structure of Eco-club Patron (Head and Dean) President (1* Teacher alloted for Environmental Education) Vice Precident (2™ Teacher alloted for Environmental Education) General Secretary Joint Secretary Treasurer General MembersDifferent positions and duties- (1). President- This position is the overall manager and exe: ‘o-club, President is responsible to perform following duties: Oversees the executive board v ‘Co-ordinate events with eco-club member's involvement wv v Guides the meeting according to the agreed agenda v Enforces rules and procedure, e.g., only ane person speaks at a wv Rules on disputed matters Maintains the policy of the club and the college wv Prevents irrelevant discussions v n of all members. v Encourages parti > Deals firmly and tactfully and with humour when faced with disruption or aggression & Summarizes the discussions before a decision is to be taken. (2). Vice President- The main duty of Vice President is to assists the President. If the President cannot attend an event, the Vice President becomes the person: }-charge of that event. (3). General Secretary= ‘The General Secretary is to take very explicit and detailed minutes at each, meeting. Major duties of general secretory are as follows: > Drafts notices to convene meetings, and posts them ® Takes notes on what the meeting decides > Takes care of certain logistical tasks, e.g., books the meeting room > Follows up with members, others to ensure actions that were agreed on have been done. ® Takes care of any correspondence > Draws up first draft of agenda for the President's approval® Keeps the chair informed (4), Joint Secretary The Joint Sectetary should keep and maintain the records and contact details of the members. She’he should work closely with the General Seeretary. (5), Teeasurer- Following are the major duties of treasurer of eco-club: > Collects dues > Keeps financial records accurately > Prepares budgets > Provides meetings with financial information in a timely manner Eco-club Ai Following things should be kept under consideration while selecting/planning for activies in eco-club: 1. What you want to achieve 2. ‘The numbet of people in your:chibs 3. The time of year niost appropriate for the activity 4, The niles and regulations at your college 5. The time needed to complete it 6. The amount of money needed, Some activities extracted from Climate CoLab (2016) and Eco club Handbook by Environmental Information System, India are summerized below. These activities are only suggestive, The college eco-¢lib may take up any activity depending on their local conditions and course of action.(A), ACTIVITIES: EDUCATING OTHERS- > Prepare an environmental literacy campaign: get posters put up on bulletin boards, have photos on exhibition. Prepare and carry out assemblies for the college community on the different environmental days in year: World Food Day, National Peace Day, Labour Day, Earth Day, World Water Day, World Forestry Day, World Environment Day, Paryavaran Mahotsav, Swachh Baharat Abhiyan, ¢ > Prepare dramatic presentations on issues, e.g., have a play about the importance of environmental protection and Agriculture ete, > Prepare and run a school or college environmental quiz, with prizes for winners. ‘Use Water ® Have a poster, essay, poetry competition “Celebrate the Earth” Wisely”, “Let there be Peace on Earth” ete, ® Prepare some environmental games for students to play and learn with. % Maintain an Environmental Notice Board with interesting news on the environment and set up Environmental Comers in the library. » Organize a mini-conference or rally on an environmental issue in your community. > Arrange for interesting people to speak on a topic or issue. > Prepare and show an environmental video of your campus focusing on any aspect of the environment, e.g., the nature, the buildings, ete. > Do research on interesting local issues and topics, and make presentations, or have debates. (B). ACTIVITIES: WORKING OUTDOORS- > Students are advised to identify a local environmental problem, propose solutions and act where possible to solve the problem, > Goon field trips to interesting areas, e.g., heritage sites, national parks.> Prepare an “eco walk” on the school or college compound, with notes on any old school buildings or ruins, notes on the pond, on the butterfly garden, on the vegetable garden, an the compost heap, pointing out the energy saving aspecis of the college’s operation. Then make copies of the “walk” available to all teachers for their classes. Have a “clean-up” day of an area in your community. Do an environmental audit of the college with respect £6 use of water, electricity, and paper: give your recommendations to the principal; assist with fund-raising to remedy the situation, Establish and maintain a college garden; beautify the callege grounds with ie. Prepare a compost heap, bag compost, and use it in the college garden, or at ornamental plants that do not require much wal home. Sort garbage (remove paper, plastic, glass and composting materials) and recycle (i) recycle paper to make new paper for cards or notes (ii) sell bottles and cans to recyclers. ‘Set up a Litter Control campaign on campus (put up signs, beg for garbage containers, speak with staff who empty containers). Organize @ walkathon (o raise money, for example, for planting trees around the fence line of the college or for repairing leaking water pipes, toilets, faucet Enhance the habitat: tree, e:g., beautify the area around it, take care of the tree, “adopt” an. animal, ¢.g., set up bird feeders, or “adopt” aSteps to be followed for planning a meeting of Ec Displaying Notice to inform club: members about meeting (Date, Time, Venue, and Agenda)References © CBSE. (2019). ECO-CLUBS and Water Conservation : A Handbook for Schools. Retrieved on 03.02.2020. Retrieved from cbseacademie.nic.in * Climate CoLab. (2016). Establishment of Environmental clubs in Schools and colleges in Boulder by David African green movement. Retrieved on 05.02.2020. Retrieved from hitps/www.climatecolab.org/contests/20 15/elimate-collaboration- in-boulder-co/e/proposal/1327001 * Environmental Information System, India, (2014). Eco Club Handbook: Nation Green Corps. p.6. Retrieved on 02.02.2020, Retrieved from https://sikinvis.nic.in * MHRD, GOI. (2019). Constitution of Youth Club and Eco Club, Retrieved on 03.02.2020, Retrieved from http://samagra.mhrd.gov.in/youth.htm! © Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Platform. (2018). Eco-Green Clubs in Schools. Retrieved on 02.02.2020. Retrieved from htips://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership!2p=10737 * Yadav, A. (2016). WHAT IS ECO-CLUB AND ITS MAIN OBJECTIVE. Retrieved on 03.02.2020. Retrieved from htip://ncsecoclub. blogspot.com/2016/09/what-is-cco-club-and= itsemi objective 20.himl?m=1