(MissionNewswire) The Don Bosco Green Alliance, an initiative of Salesian missionaries in India to teach a younger generation about responsible use of natural resources, has just launched a new website DBGreen.in. The Don Bosco Green Alliance is an international collective of young people from Don Bosco institutions and organizations that contributes to global environmental action, thought and policy.

The website aims to streamline the Alliance’s effort to push its green agenda and to garner more support for its eco-friendly initiatives, not just in India but in countries around the globe. The mission as noted on the website reads, “We are working to create an environment that is safe and caring for all life on the planet, while building up a new generation of environmentally committed citizens and leaders.”

The Don Bosco Green Alliance’s priority areas include combating pollution, reducing global warming and eliminating disposable plastic. In each of these areas, the Alliance aims to partner with ongoing global campaigns promoted by the United Nations Environment Program (UN Environment) or other international organizations.

On the website, under the priority areas link, the Alliance underlines why three main priority areas have been singled out. It notes, “The environmental crisis we are presently facing is easily the biggest threat to the planet—to humans and to every species on this earth.”

The Alliance website also offers a Green Champs section, which makes users aware of the clean-up drives, awareness promotion rallies and campaigns, exhibitions and competitions, exposure visits, environmental education programs and eco clubs being undertaken. In addition, this area of the website also highlights Don Bosco Eco Concerns, an initiative by Don Bosco Tiruchy, India, which has been promoting green lifestyles on Don Bosco campuses with a specific 10 Point Green Point Program.

The 10 Point Green Program is aimed at educating and empowering youth to protect and nurture the planet. The program includes increasing green cover, reducing the use of non-degradable materials, increasing the usage of renewable sources of energy, ensuring zero wastage on the campus, promoting organic farming, home vegetable and herbal gardens, and preserving and conserving water. It also promotes clean and green environment, healthy organic food habits, usage of eco-friendly products and environment education for all.

The Alliance is a growing network with new members constantly joining. The members, besides working on the key priority areas of the Alliance, are also involved in various other environmental initiatives based on local needs and challenges. Don Bosco institutions and organizations around the globe are invited to join the Alliance via the website. A form is provided on the site to start the process.

With more than 1.2 billion people, India’s growing population is putting a severe strain on the country’s natural resources. The Don Bosco Green Alliances and other initiatives are working to combat this in their home country as well as across the globe. India, with the fourth largest economy is home to one-third of the world’s poor, according to UNICEF. Close to 217 million of India’s poor are children. Although more than 53 million people escaped poverty between 2005 and 2010, most remain vulnerable to falling back below the poverty line.

India’s youth face a lack of educational opportunities due to issues of caste, class and gender. Almost 44 percent of the workforce is illiterate and less than 10 percent of the working-age population has completed a secondary education. In addition, many secondary school graduates do not have the knowledge and skills to compete in today’s changing job market.

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Sources:

Don Bosco India – Don Bosco Green Alliance powers its Web Portal

UNICEF – India