Guided by its motto, “Utilising Education Forces, Promoting Green Resources”, the young, energetic members of the Eco Trust Society are focused on the sustainability of their environment.
In an interview with Sunday Times Magazine, Madhavi Indarjeet, one member of Eco Trust, spoke of her experiences working with the organisation and how it helped her become a guardian of her environment.
“As a member of Eco Trust Society for the past two years, the experience has left me with a wider appreciation for the environment. It has impacted my lifestyle by making me conscious of eating healthier, employing the three R’s [reduce, reuse and recycle] at home and recognising my duty towards the environment. By participating in activities through the society, I have had the chance to gain valuable knowledge and meet with other environment advocates and people involved with environmental related organisations,” she stated.
The Eco Trust Society is a social, and the only environmental, group operating under the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, known as SEES, (now a faculty) at the University of Guyana.
Founded in 1992, the Society later became dormant, but was resuscitated in 2005 by a vibrant and enthusiastic executive body. It participated in a host of activities in fulfilling its mission to save and spread awareness on sustainability of the environment.
In 2005, Eco Trust members took part in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Annual Green Walk in observance of World Environment Day and participated in a tree planting exercise. Members also attended World Environment Week Lunchtime Seminar series, 2nd National Capacity Building Workshop for Environmental Clubs and displayed posters at Environmental Concert held by School of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
During the year 2006, Eco Trust continued with the hosting of a range of activities with a membership of approximately 67 active students including the executive committee members. For UG Career Day, held during March 2006, Eco Trust presented a poster describing its objectives, roles and activities. On March 23, 2006, three members of Eco Trust hosted ‘talks’ at St. Andrew’s Primary School, Georgetown, and St. Andrew’s Primary School, Coven John, for World Water Day, where the importance of water and the methods of sampling were explained to the recently established environmental clubs at the aforementioned schools.
Eco Trust is focused on ensuring its aims are fulfilled. Madhavi stated that the Society’s executive body wishes to become more recognised in its quest to foster a culture of sustainability and a greener future.
“The society is also committed to promoting a mutually supportive environment among its members. The members will continue to motivate each other to stay true to the motto and use our voices and actions to defend the environment and ensure sustainable development to create a better tomorrow,” Madhavi declared.
Additionally, the Society was involved in capacity building exercises, inclusive of the IADB-CPDC Workshop in Techniques for Successful Proposal Writing and Resource Mobilisation, held in January in Guyana and April 2006 in Barbados. The then Vice-President of Eco Trust was a representative of the organisation at the International Youth Conference for Self-Cooperation held in St. Lucia during the month of May.
This conference was hosted by the Caribbean Youth Environmental Network (CYEN), Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme, the United Nations International Student Movement and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Eco Trust promoted several activities aimed at raising environmental consciousness among its members and youths on campus. One such activity was the beautification of the environs around the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Faculty of Natural Sciences through the planting of a number of exotic tree species.
This activity was done to commemorate World Environment Day. Since then, the Eco Trust Society is actively involved in a number of activities (both as host and participant) and workshops.
The Eco Trust Society is focused on environmental advocacy, activism and education; conservation practices; the sustainable and equitable use of resources; the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.
Its activities include Christmas Feeding Program; Christmas Orphanage Drive; Food Drive for World Food Day; the World Environment Day Program; the World Earth Day; tree planting exercises; recycling plastic bottles; providing benches for seating (recycled from wooden crates); spreading messages of love for the environment in schools and on the street.
The Society also actively participates in Earth Hour hosted by CYEN; International Coastal Cleanup initiative; seminars and workshops; ‘green’ walks; Energy Week Walk; University of Guyana’s Career Day; Tutorial High School’s Career Day; and New Campbellville Secondary School’s Open Career Day.
Students of SEES automatically become members of the society; there are approximately 124 members in the Eco Trust Society.
The society strives to equip members with a valuable experience, a strong ethical outlook, and intellectual fulfilment from the societal activities. All university students, from any degree discipline, are encouraged to help the society in addressing local environmental and sustainability issues that relate to wider problems in the Guyanese society.
For more information, go to Eco Trust Society on Facebook, ecotrustsociety on Instagram or @EcoTrustSociety on Twitter.
