After doing the research about many environmental problems, we found out that Litter is the foundation of human impact on the environment and is a serious environmental issue in many countries. It may be seen as a small thing, but it has a big influence to both environment and people mindset.
Because of littering problem is important case, CPYs 2011 decided to make this project happen as “Green & Clean Beach” with motto: “Go Clean, Starting from Something Small”. Our objectives are to raise awareness about rubbish classification and recycling, to encourage planting of trees and to promote the sense of volunteerism and social contribution to school children. We conducted this project with two different school are Sakura Cambodia-Japan Friendship Junior school and Krong High School.
On 25 February 2012, CPYs left Phnom Penh by bus to Sihanouk Province at 6 o’clock in the morning and arrived at 11 o’clock. CPYs were equally divided into two groups. Each group approximately consisted of 12 PYs and was responsible for the activities which have been assigned accordingly to different schools which were Sakura junior high school and Krung (City) high school. Through our lecture, student were able to understand about environment, clean beach, and importance of beach. With the activity, student were divided by small group as what we called “buddy matching”. (Each PY was required to be responsible to take care of 5 to 6 others students while the beach cleaning activities start) We all spent time on beach about one hour. We walked along the beach holding big billboard and picked rubbish up. After beach cleaning activity finished, CPYs started tree-planting trees at Sakura junior high school.
Through this project, we believe that we can create a positive effect on individual littering and mindset. Changing individual behavior is a key to preventing litter and environment issue. Changing a common behavior, like littering, starts from everybody. Each person must accept responsibility for their actions and influence the actions of others around them, at home, at school, in their place of business, and in the community at large. Many people should have more respect for their surroundings and public areas.