Kathmandu– Students have become concerned about the impact of recent environmental changes on human health and the Himalayan region.

The children, who are considered future leaders, emphasized that it is the responsibility of all of us to protect a clean atmosphere and the earth, as it is the home of living creatures.

Not only that, they have organized the ‘Go Green Save Earth’ campaign at the Bouddha International School (BIS) to highlight the importance of June 5, i.e., World Environment Day.

Srinika Lama Tamang, a student studying in grade 2, says that without a clean environment, the very existence of humans and other living beings will be in danger.

Srinika, who is just seven years old, is interested in pursuing a career in painting in the future, but she says, “To create a clean environment, we should plant a tree every day and not throw away plastic.”

“Pariskrit Panth, a student in grade 4, said he learned about human-caused climate change during a program organized on the occasion of Environment Day.”

He seemed concerned that the city was becoming unsightly due to increasing urbanization and plastic problems. He believes that the pollution in the atmosphere is caused by the vehicles we drive and the smoke emitted from industrial areas. When asked who would solve it, he said, “All of us.”

Yankila Sherpa, who is studying in grade 6, aims to pursue a career in rock climbing in the future. As much as she has developed a passion for rock climbing, she seems equally concerned about the extinction of life on Earth due to environmental change. “The road around the Buddhist temple is dusty and slippery due to the water. People fall because the road is slippery,” she says.

In her opinion, our environment is deteriorating due to similar reasons. The government and the people around it are ignoring this, which has further deteriorated the environment. “After participating in environmental programs, we have gained knowledge to protect aquatic and terrestrial animals,” she adds.

Shrikrishna Maharjan, a student in grade 8, says that there should be an emphasis on electric vehicles (EVs) to prevent air pollution. His goal is to start an electric vehicle (EV) business in the future.

He believes that recent global warming is changing our atmospheric conditions. He says that due to rising temperatures, there is a situation where there is no rain in time or there is too much rain in some places, and snow is melting in the Himalayas.

“We must play our part in protecting the environment, such as cleaning up our surroundings, removing plastic from the ocean, and reducing the use of diesel- and petrol-powered vehicles, he suggests.

Suman Shrestha, head of the Department of Science at BIS, says, “We worked on the answer key competition, personality art, and various types of environmental 3R models.”

According to him, we had asked the students of class 8 to work on a project with their families based on the concept of ‘reduce, recycle, and reuse.’ Accordingly, the students have created various models.

‘Go Green Save Earth’

Similarly, according to the ‘Go Green Save Earth’ concept, grade 9 students brought used plastic bottles or other items from home to school and talked about things that can be reused.

Tshering Dolkar Sherpa, a student studying in grade 9, gave a presentation on ‘Climate Action Starts with Us’, focusing on the direct impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region and what actions humans can take to address it. She says, “My slogan is See the Mountain.”

Only then can we inform young people about changes in the atmosphere or ways to protect the atmosphere. “Since the earth we live on is home to all living things, it is important to pay attention to ways to keep it alive,” she says.

According to various scientific studies, she says, “Snow melting, glacial lake outburst floods, and natural disasters are the main factors of climate change.” Similarly, global temperatures have increased due to human activities, she explains

She claims that the Himalayan region is also being impacted by the black smoke released by human-driven cars. “Using helicopters in the mountainous region is also a humanitarian activity,” she adds.

BIS Principal Hari Lama says that the week-long program has been organized this year to inspire students to engage in environmental issues in a more hands-on and experimental manner.