20^th of September 2019 witnessed a spectacular turnover of the children and youth, schools and colleges across the country to mark the Global Climate Action Week, under the partnership of Caritas India and Earth Day Network in India.  Caritas India partners from different states organized a series of events to make it a citizen’s engagement movement to bring together various organizations, volunteers, communities and all concerned citizens together, with a goal to create clean communities.  Through the campaign, Caritas India, in partnership with Earth Day Network, aimed to reach people everywhere to promote individual actions that reduce waste, and organize massive global clean-ups.

The campaign saw tons of trash being collected and people being educated about plastic pollution and its real solutions. Volunteers also participated in beautification projects, tree plantings, and other activities that helps heal and strengthen our planet. In Kerala, awareness session on significance of nature and waste management, sapling plantation, environment protection pledge and rally were organized in various higher secondary schools like St. John’s, St. Mary’s, St, Joseph’s, Trinity Lyceum, St. Theresa, and many others through the involvement of Caritas India partners such as Kshema integrated Development Society, Neyyatinkara Integral Development Society, Social Service Society of Malankara, Quinol, Trivandrum and Punalur, Chethana, BODHANA, SAMRIDHY, to name a few. The school children with the help of partners and Caritas India volunteers, created event banner out of cotton and paper banners, thereby demonstrating the possibilities that exist without the use of plastic.

In Tamil Nadu, community cleaning, a skit on 3Rs-Refuse, Reuse, Recycle; and sapling distribution and plantation drives, were organized. The partners involved were- Chevalier T.Thomas Elizabeth College for Women, Multipurpose Social Service Society of Dindigul, Coimbatore, and Madras, Integrated Development Society of Dindihul and Marthandam, and many more. Around 3000 people including the SHG members, Corporation Staff, youth, children, CI volunteers, teaching faculty and staff members participated in the event. Similarly, there was an involvement of a partners in various states like Bihar, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Delhi and Uttarakhand.

Thousands joined the movement and shared the responsibility of protecting environment that’s suffering owing to climate vagaries, thanks to the human beings! Moreover, the promotion of sustainable goods like jute bags and pencils made his movement an inclusive programme by giving handholding the differently-abled people with constant support. Caritas India partners like the Seva Kendra Arunachal East, Seva Kendra Dibrugarh, Seva Kendra Silchar, Nongstoin Social Service Society, Development Association of Nagaland, Jaintia Hills Development Society and many others led the campaign in North East with the help of volunteers. In Bihar, the campaign happened with the help of Bettiah Diocesan Social Service Society, Bihar Dalit Vikas Samiti, ICM Sisters, Kochas, Bhagalpur Diocesan Dev. Social Service Society and Muzaffarpur Diocesan Social Service Society.

The Delhi chapter of this event was organized in Bhim Rao Ambedkar College of University of Delhi with the help of College National Service Society, through the involvement of CI volunteers. The surrounding area was cleaned, waste disposed off and fruit tree saplings were planted.

Pdiangshailin Walarpih, a female volunteer from Meghalaya, who participated in the event stated that, “Being part of the environmental movement gives me a learning on how our environment should be protected especially from the adverse use of plastic bags, and through this programme I can lend a helping hand towards a better society.”

The world is at the crossroads, and children and young people have joined the otherwise adult domain of policy negotiations, internationally. They are refuting the climate and environment insensitive development moves of the global economies and demanding immediate actions to protect their future and that of generations to come. This campaign was to take the struggle of young people for a safe and better environment back to Indian rural and urban communities. It was designed as a three-step campaign, entailing Cleanliness drive, waste management and plantation drive. The goal of the event was to build a nationwide movement of organisations, volunteers and communities on environment protection, which got amplified with media reportage