This year, volunteers can be a part of up to 10 environmental projects initiated by FSL – India. Underpinning these initiatives is a strong focus on awareness raising, with volunteers reaching out to local, underdeveloped communities to highlight the socio-economic benefits of conserving their natural resources. Designed around the importance of education as a tool for conservation, our Environment Education (EE) projects require volunteers to visit schools, youth groups and colleges to initiate dialogue on environmental concerns. This ‘Eco Team’ must develop educational material and conduct workshops as a part of the project.

As a part of this on going project, the Eco Team visited the Navunda Richard Almeida Memorial BBM College, in Kundapur District to talk about various environmental concerns. Topics for discussion included global warming, fossil fuels and waste management. Intercultural exchange always plays a role in all our activities, and the visit also provided an opportunity for students of the college and volunteers alike to gain an understanding of the cultural influences in environment conservation. ‘Environmental Awareness & Care in Europe’, therefore, was one of the subjects also discussed.