The Bird in the Burning Forest

My name is Jeeven Nadanakumar and I am in Yr 12 at Marist College Canberra, where I am a College Leader and President of the Justice & Solidarity Group. Alongside my interests in public speaking, social justice, health science and politics, my passion for environmental sustainability stems from my experiences travelling overseas and my education in ecological studies. My uncle who is a Professor of Environmental Engineering has also been an inspiration to follow this cause.

As a student representative on the Marist Environmental Management Committee I have had the opportunity to broaden my horizons and develop my skills to be at the forefront of change in our school community. I was invited to tell my story after appearing in the Canberra Times for an Earth Hour Special Edition which focused on the proactive and positive attitude of youth in relation to environmental action.

My story is about how I came to form the Marist Green Youth Group in 2011 as a way of involving more young students in the challenge of making our community eco-friendly...

Once upon a time, a large rainforest, home to many animals caught fire and they were driven out of their home. From the hills nearby, they watched together… helpless, as their home and land, was destroyed. And as they did so, a small bird flew past with a droplet of water it had collected from a lake nearby. It dropped it on the fire, then it flew back for another drop of water, again and again. The animals watched in amazement as this bird flew back and forth, determined to quell the fire with just drops of water. An elephant stopped the bird and asked why? Didn’t the bird see that its efforts were in vain? The bird simply replied, “The drop of water I carry may not stop the fire, but eventually you will realize that if we all work together we can make a difference…”

I heard this story at the 2010 PowerShift Conference in Canberra, run by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Since it inspired me, I have used it on a number of occasions to justify why I am involved in leadership, social justice and environmental movements at Marist College and in the wider community.

In 2007, the 5 Year College Strategic Plan established an Environmental Management Committee (EMC) to look at ways in which our school community could become a more sustainable place. Since its inception, the committee has organised energy audits, installed water tanks and refined the toilet and ICT systems. In addition, it has raised environmental awareness by defaulting printers to double sided, introducing an e-Mail tagline and hosting a youth forum focused on sustainability, just to name a few. It has outlined ways in which decisions and initiatives related to professional practice, procurement and curriculum can all progress the College community to becoming environmentally educated and aware, as well as reducing our carbon footprint, water usage and waste for the benefit of all. A significant step that reflects the Christian ethos of the College was the inclusion of ‘Respect for Environment’ in the Code of Conduct launched in 2009.

In 2010 as the Strategic Plan initiatives moved into a new phase of sustainable practice, the EMC invited two students to join the committee. Through my involvement, I assisted the committee and the College leaders in implementing recycling bins throughout the senior school as well as in the development of a policy paper outlining the School Environmental Management Plan. Along with teachers, we visited other schools, attended conferences and initiated College participation in events such as Earth Hour.

However, after hearing the story of the bird at PowerShift and being on the EMC, I was motivated to establish another group for students focusing on sustainability; a group which can work with the EMC, staff, students, College leaders and external organisations to be proactive within the community. At the end of 2010, together with another senior student and teacher, we began the idea of introducing a Green Youth Group (GYG). The aim of our group was to monitor existing initiatives and bringing in new ones, participating in events such as Schools Clean Up Day and encouraging environmental consciousness. Our philosophy was that a student-driven movement within the school would be far more effective and engaging rather than an ‘imposed’ set of guidelines implemented by staff.

On the 18th March 2011, the, launch of GYG was held as part of the College assembly before we went on to make a presentation on Schools Earth Hour for the following week. As our first official event, we encouraged students and staff to turn off the lights in classrooms for a minimum of two hours; a simple action with a big message. Several days later, our school was featured in the Canberra Times to recognise my efforts as a young person in fostering sustainability. As other students expressed interest in joining GYG, we were amongst the many stalls which were setup as part of the Marist Community Service Expo. Alongside the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and Catholic Earthcare, we were able to begin advocating environmental awareness within the community. In a school like Marist, care for the earth and sustainable living is seen as integral to being a good local and global citizen – it's not just about being green for green sake, but being responsible to the community.

In its first term, GYG has made its voice heard in the community. In its first year, GYG plans to participate in National Tree Day, begin the MobileMuster challenge, promote the achievements of the school and the group as well as working to continue the success of existing environmental initiatives at Marist.

For me, launching the Green Youth Group in my last year at this school has been a highlight because I have been able to see, firsthand, how the initial droplets of water I carried have motivated others to join this cause, one which has become one of the greatest challenge the world has faced in the 21st Century: environmental sustainability. It begins with one person, one group, one school or community, one city, one nation… one world. That person, is you!

I believe that beginning or joining an action group is an important step in indicating your dedication towards becoming an eco-friendly society. But, it is just as important to remember that no one person can change the world – grassroots initiatives, campaigning and leading by example are slow but effective and rewarding ways of achieving change.

When I began GYG, I knew that the biggest challenge was inspiring people to join a group that would have been labelled a ‘tree-hugger’ association 25 years ago. Changing attitudes and education are key components of achieving environmental awareness. One must remember, however, that it involves patience, determination and commitment.

From buying carbon neutral products, drawing wind turbines on any sheet of paper you find, joining an action group, writing to your local MP or addressing a rally of hundreds of people – any action, big or small is valuable and can make a difference! Good Luck!