Look around your surroundings. Tell me what you see. You can’t because all you see is garbage everywhere and this creates all kinds of pollution to our Mother Earth. We were given the responsibility to take care of nature and all we do is destroy it. We can’t do anything if nature itself makes us pay the price of our irresponsibility. This will cost us the destruction of our properties or worse our lives. This is the raging storm brought by the nature to pay our debts. 

As a youth, who are the future of our generation plays a vital role in our society and the coop’s future branding. Even if we are young, we’re responsible and can be the source of change for the better. We are not just for a display for the sake of being nothing in the modern society. Youth can make a significant and outstanding action for the 21st century society. We, the aspiring youths, never back down to any problems as long as we uphold our dreams to make it a reality and serves as an inspiration to other young people. That is an immense impact we, the millennial wanted and hoped to develop. 

We created a big step ahead in doing a great deed for the environment. With these environmental issues and problems are rising each and everyday and one of the major cause of the earth’s destruction especially in the environmental, economic, and health concern trends is the Global Warming. Last July 07, 2018 at Maasin Watershed Forest Reserve (MWFR) in Barangay Daja, Maasin, Iloilo under the Province of Iloilo through the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) conducted a Tree Planting Activity participated by hundreds of participants from different sectors of the government, students, teachers and employees from various places in the province of Iloilo to be as one in the action for the help of our environment. In line with the celebration of International Day of Cooperatives, the Iloilo  City Public School Teachers and Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (ICPSTE-MPC) Laboratory Cooperative Staffs and Youth Officers and the Multiple Intelligence Sequence and the High School for the Gifted students and teachers of SPED-Integrated School For Exceptional Children spearheaded the said activity by Ronah Marie Kristine Funtilon Nillos, the chairperson of the ICPSTE-MPC Lab-Coop and the NATCCO Youth Representative to join the celebration of Philippine Environment Month 2018 with this year’s theme “Beat Plastic Pollution” to support for the action for Re-greening and Transformation for Climate Change Adaption (ART-CCA). 

Youth can help reduce waste by giving appropriate attention to small details in their lives via planting and growing a tree, it can contribute to the environment by providing much oxygen, improving air quality, conserving water, preserving soil and supporting the habitat of wildlife. Protecting the environment starts within each and everyone  of US. You and I, we can make a better change for the world.

Country - Thailand

Organisation - Individual

Go Green Bangkok

The power of people is the core to the cooperative movement and when individual's come's up together for the similar purpose it brings up the cooperative sprite of pure and utmost category. In Thailand, 3 individuals from different fields and knowledge worked on something bigger than themselves to promote the Go Green Campaign, through this campaign spreading awareness of Coopertive Identify. Planting 2 trees in each on their designated location. All of them somehow are aware of the cooperative importance and what it can do for the community. As a proud citizen, there contribution is most appreciated it.

According to Ms. Garn PJ "I planted the tree in my office and I went to plant a tree as I wanted to be part of the program and to save environment."

Mr. Kung, He was a former manager of Navy Saving Cooperative, now, he is a farmer and Ms. Rumon Kongnoi, Training Officer from Cooperative League of Thailand. Planted a tree to preserve a life of earth, it is there way of contributing to the mother earth.

It’s the heartwarming contribution of the citizen that makes it community grown and the nation a greater asset.

People makes community and community makes the cooperative. 

Country - Palestine

Organisation - ESDC

On the International Day of Cooperatives July 7, 2018 for sustainable Consumption and production, and combating climate action, Ms. Doaa Nasser and Ms. Aisha Salem participated from the ESDC #Palestine. (GO GREEN) through the cultivation of some trees (berries, grapes, olives, etc.) in their respective gardens, where tree planting contributes significantly to achieving sustainable development goals, SDG12 & 13, which deals  Consumption and production, and combating climate action.

We hope that our participation in the GO GREEN campaign to plant some trees is a positive step to encourage the members of the community to contribute to the achievement of a sustainable green environment in Palestine.

Although Palestine has a wide agricultural environment and a geographical nature that enables it to diversify in varieties of plantations, it suffers from a continuous decline in the area of ​​agricultural land and shrinking green area.

 The State of Palestine is considered a special case, unlike the rest of the world. The limited number of trees and plantations in the areas is not only due to the urbanization of the community, However, the main reason for this is the Israeli occupation of Palestinians and their land, which involves confiscating large areas of land and preventing access to them, bulldozing them, building Israeli settlements and burning trees and crops. The construction of the Apartheid Wall also prevented citizens from reaching their lands for cultivation and care.

 Therefore, we in Palestine seek to continue the practice of agriculture and encourage all members of society to agriculture and preservation of the environment and the presence of land with the Palestinians in addition to the many benefits of agriculture to citizens in terms of consumption and production and improve individual income and reduce unemployment and improve the climate.

Palestine, like other countries in the world, seeks to achieve the goals and indicators of sustainable development SDGs adopted by the United Nations. In addition to achieving the goal of SDG 12 for consumption and production, agriculture in Palestine contributes to improving individual income, reducing unemployment, promoting the economy of society and the environment, and improving the quality of life of individuals in the future, thus reducing poverty and increasing welfare. SDG13 aims to combat climatic change. It serves as a link between the individual and the land. It seeks to increase the citizen's attachment to the land and prevent the Israeli occupation from confiscating or seizing it.

Country - Indonesia

Organisation - Koperasi Kopma UGM

Koperasi “Kopma UGM” is a student co-operative located in Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Established at 1982, Koperasi “Kopma UGM” has received many awards from regional and national level. The unique fact about our co-operative is even though we are listed as one of the student activity unit, we are also registered as business entity. It is very challenging since we have to find a middle to accommodate campus’ policy along with government’s policy.

Koperasi “Kopma UGM’s  elements divided into top management, members, and employes whom have their own roles in co-operative itself. We have several business pillars running: retails, convection, cafeteria, mail and shipping services, laundry, photocopy and printing. For the dynamics of members, we have one specific division dealing with member activities. To accommodate member’s passion, there are groups and communities that offers activities such as sports, discussion, upgrading, workshop, training, and the list keeps going.

As for participation in local and national co-operative movement organization, we send delegates to Yogyakarta Student Co-operative Association and Indonesia Student Co-operative Communication Forum. We also participated in event held by ICA by sending delegates for youth summit or general assembly. This year, we contributed in Go Green Campaign organized by ICA Asia-Pacific as a support to #SDG13. This campaign was done to celebrate International Co-operative Day on the 1st Saturday of July. Planting tree or flower was advised to help combating climate change and minimalize the negative impacts of global warming.

This Go Green Campaign was started by mapping the area that were going to be planted. Then, we decided to use the empty spot around the building. For the area next to the building was for flowers, and the area outside the gate was for trees. We planted two mangos trees, two mahoganies trees, and one orange tree. We also planted around 19 new flowers and relocated old flowers into 3 pots. This action was a form of cooperation done by top managements, alumni, and employees. We proceeded to clean up and prepare the area for plantation at 7.30am (UTC +07.00). There were several groups working on different areas in order to save the time. It was around 10am we already finished. Our environment looks more colorful with many flowers planted and greener with the trees.

We support this campaign and encourage dear fellow cooperators worldwide to stand with us and join the movement. By planting a tree or flowers and keeping them alive, we already contribute to the better environment in the future. We cannot sit back and do nothing as the environment is getting worse as a result of humankind’s activities. It is our responsibility to preserve this planet for the next generation. Let’s remember the 7th co-operative principles mentioned in International Co-operative Identity Statement (ICIS): concern for community as a motivation base to engage into Go Green Movement. This earth is the only place we could live on, it does not hurt to take care of it, doesn’t it?

Country - UAE

Organisation - Sharjah Cooperative Society (Co-operative)

As a Celebration of the International Day of Cooperatives in UAE. Sharjah Cooperative Society, in collaboration with the Cooperative Department of the Ministry of Economy, organized a tree planting initiative to promote a culture of environmental protection. To make it a green environment and to fight the Climate change. Sharjah Cooperative Society was chosen to host this a great event, as it is a member of ICA.

 

This initiative was attended by

 

Mr. Said Mubarak, Director of Cooperative Department, Ministry of Economy. Mr. Ahsan Ali Thakur, Chairperson – ICYC. With Attendance of the administrative committee of the program of Youth Cooperation Ambassadors in UAE. The aim of this initiative is to emphasize the role played by cooperatives in achieving the sustainable development goals in accordance with the Seventh Principle of Cooperative (Concern of community affairs). The Ministry of Economy participated in this green event through the Youth Cooperation Ambassadors program of the Cooperative Department in order to enhance the role of youth in cooperative community.

The event program.

 

The event started with the planting of the tree after that a meeting was held between the administrative committee and Mr. Ahsan Chairperson – ICYC. He talked about the International Cooperative Alliance and its achievements, objectives and his future vision. The meeting also witnessed a discussion session held by Mr. Esam Al Amran, in which he discussed the concept of cooperatives and their objectives and principles. In addition, the significant role of cooperatives in supporting society in times of crisis. After that the administrative committee (Youth Cooperation Ambassadors program. UAE) held a brainstorming session to discuss the ways to develop, promote and enhance cooperative work among the community.

 

The event ended with lunch and some pictures to commemorate the International Day of Cooperatives Youth Cooperation Ambassadors program. UAE

 

Introduction to the program:

Youth Cooperation Ambassadors program 

 Aims to build a voluntary base of young people who are qualified to spread and strengthen the cooperative movement in the country

through qualifying and importing the knowledge, skills and values necessary in the field of cooperative. The program implements the self-management approach of its members. This will include many successful ways and means to achieve the program objectives such as effective communication, teamwork, and brainstorming sessions.

The program will also include a series of workshops and meetings with Pioneers of the cooperative movement as well as field visits to a successful cooperative experiences.

The Youth Ambassadors program was launched in 2010. The program is an annual forum for the students participating in Ajyal cooperative Initiative to exchange knowledge and experience among cooperatives student themselves and real cooperatives. In 2017, improvements were made to the program. Youth people between ages of 18-35 were added to the program to support the establishment of the cooperative movement.

We have also established a working team to be a future supporter and to spread the awareness of cooperative work.