Earth Equity News

Argentine Youth Ecoclub Movement Spreads to Other Countries. By Marcela Valente, IPS, January 2, 2009. "Ecoclubs, an international social movement of teenagers and young people who work with their communities to enhance quality of life through environmentally-related initiatives, while developing their own potential for leadership and action, were born in Argentina 16 years ago and have since expanded to 30 countries in Latin America, Europe and Africa... Ecoclub members receive training and design and carry out awareness-raising campaigns on a wide range of issues, including climate change, waste recycling and dengue fever prevention. The campaigns target both schools and neighborhoods, where they use a 'door-to-door' methodology to bring their message to members of the community. The Ecoclub initiative originated in 1992, when agricultural engineer Ricardo Bertolino encouraged middle-school students from the city of Firmat, in the eastern province of Santa Fe, to organize and work with their community in a household waste sorting effort... An International Network of Ecoclubs coordinates the activities of the various groups, through a governing council in which the founder, Bertolino, participates as an active member. Representatives from each country meet once a year to share their experiences with each other."