In October 2014, the International Gymnasium in Novye Veshki (North East of the Moscow region) launched an exciting partnership with the regional government encouraging children to take part in an environmental awareness-raising program.

The first pilot project “Save a Tree” helped 7-14 year-old children to plant their own trees advancing reforestation in the forests around the school. For the next stage, efforts focused on turning waste papers into new paper products. This initiative continues today involving the entire school from the youngest kids to senior teachers into the collection of used paper. It aims to establish the continuing system of waste paper collection. It will be supplied by waste management companies offering cost-effective solutions for the recycled manufacture.

It is hoped that these initiatives will teach kids about the importance of environmentally responsible behavior and have some fun along the way, encouraging cross-sector collaborations between government, community groups and other entities, such as private sector dedicated to the activities that help conserving the environment.

More information: Ekaterina.tegina@unep.org