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@youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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Celebrating Inclusion. Creating Sustainably. Healing Through Art. 🙏🏽

The Young Environmentalists Programme brought Eco Ganesha to the centre for differently-abled participants and staff—turning a traditional celebration into an experience of inclusion, creativity and sustainable living.

Through the simple act of working with natural clay, participants explored how our festivals can be joyful while remaining gentle on our rivers, lakes and oceans. 🌊

🎨 Art became the medium for sustainability.
🤲🏽 Clay became a medium for tactile learning and expression.
💚 Inclusion became the foundation of the experience.

Clay-based creative activities can provide opportunities for sensory stimulation, fine-motor practice, concentration, self-expression and relaxation, while allowing differently-abled participants to learn and create at their own pace.

When sustainability is experienced through the hands—not just taught through words—it becomes meaningful.

An Eco Ganesha is more than an idol. It is a reminder that our traditions, our environment and our communities can thrive together.

🌏 Sustainable living must be inclusive living.
✨ Every hand can create. Every mind can learn. Every individual can be an agent of change.

#YoungEnvironmentalists #EcoGanesha #Inclusion #InclusiveEducation #SustainableLiving ClayTherapy ArtForSustainability EnvironmentalEducation OceanLiteracy Sustainability DifferentlyAbled @ecop_programme @hellomtdc @accessibleoceantourism AccessibleSustainability GreenFestivals GaneshChaturthi ArtAndEnvironment LeaveNoOneBehind by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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a month ago

When Art Meets Ocean Literacy! 🌱

Senior High students explored the connection between Art, Environmental Science and Ocean Literacy by creating their own Eco Ganesha murtis using natural clay as part of an interactive learning programme by the Young Environmentalists Programme.

Through hands-on learning, students discovered that what we use on land can eventually impact our lakes, rivers and oceans. From understanding natural materials to exploring sustainable festival practices, the Eco Ganesha became more than an art project—it became a lesson in our relationship with water and nature.

🎨 Art became expression.
🌱 Science became experience.
🌊 Ocean Literacy became action.

By creating with clay and saying no to plastic, thermocol and chemical colours, young learners are discovering that celebration and sustainability can go hand in hand.

This Ganesha, let’s celebrate with nature—not against it.

#EcoGanesha #OceanLiteracy #YoungEnvironmentalists #EnvironmentalEducation #ArtAndScience SustainableCelebrations ClimateEducation WaterConservation SaveOurWaterBodies SDG4 SDG12 SDG13 SDG14 GaneshaFestival by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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a month ago

Ocean Literacy, Shaped by Hands. 🎨

What if learning about our aquatic ecosystems which flow into the oceans—could be touched, shaped and created?

As part of our Sustainable Living Lifestyle module, students worked with natural clay/silt from aquatic ecosystems—lakes and rivers—to create Eco-Ganeshas. 🪷 This is our 20th year of Eco Ganeshas programs. We invite you to collaborate and join us.

An interactive learning experience where Ocean Literacy met Art, community service, Ecology and Curriculum—transforming environmental concepts into something the very talented students of Singhad College could see, feel and create.

🌱 Learn. Create. Connect. Conserve.
Congratulations to all participants and teachers!
Let’s get ready to welcome Bappa🙏

#OceanLiteracy @freepressjournal
#EnvironmentalEducation #EcoGanesha #SustainableLiving #ExperientialLearning ArtAndEnvironment ClimateEducation Sustainability AquaticEcosystems EducationForSustainabilitysustainablelifestyle by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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a month ago

Wild & Powerful! Join us for our next ocean literacy exploration? Leave no one behind-UN
Training @extremedivefuvahmulah @divebutlermaldives @fuvahmulahcentraldivecenter._

SHARKS: THE GUARDIANS OF OUR OCEANS 🦈

Sharks aren’t just powerful predators — they’re essential to healthy ocean ecosystems. 💙

🌊 They help keep marine food chains balanced.
🐟 They control prey populations and support biodiversity.
🪸 They contribute to healthier marine habitats.
⚖️ They help maintain the natural balance of ocean life.

Without sharks, ocean ecosystems can become unbalanced, affecting countless other species.

So, the next time you see a shark, remember: a healthy ocean needs sharks! 🦈💙🌎
Tiger-like stripes: Young tiger sharks have dark, vertical stripes that resemble a tiger’s pattern. The stripes usually fade as they grow.
* 🍽️ “Garbage can” of the sea: They have an incredibly varied diet and can eat fish, turtles, seabirds, rays, and even hard-shelled animals.
* 🦷 Special teeth: Their teeth are curved and serrated, making them excellent for cutting through tough prey such as sea turtles.
* 🌊 Highly adaptable: Tiger sharks can live in a wide range of tropical and warm-temperate waters and often move between coastal and deeper waters.
* 🦈 Large predators: They are among the largest shark species, with some individuals reaching around 5 metres (16 feet) or more.#
#Sharks #SaveSharks #OceanConservation #MarineLife OceanEcosystem ProtectOurOceans SharkConservation SaveOurOceans MarineConservation OceanAwarene by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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2 months ago

Honouring our Youth Ambassador! Young Voice for Our Oceans 🌊

Today, we celebrate the inspiring work of Thaargai Aarathana — a young ocean swimmer and diver who has become a powerful voice for marine conservation.

On this World Ocean Day, her message reminds us of something deeply important:

Saving the environment is the responsibility of every individual.

Through her remarkable underwater clean-ups, over 7,000 kilograms of plastic and ghost nets have already been removed from the ocean floor, with hundreds more kilograms cleared in recent efforts. But beyond the numbers lies a much bigger impact — awareness, responsibility, and change.

Her experiences underwater reveal two contrasting realities:
one of breathtaking marine life, and another of alarming plastic pollution that threatens it all.

Ghost nets entangle marine animals. Plastic breaks into microplastics that enter the food chain. What is discarded on land never truly disappears — it returns to us through the ocean.

Her powerful message is simple yet urgent:
🌱 The ocean does not need heroes — it needs responsible humans.

Through long-distance swims, including crossings of the Bay of Bengal and the Palk Strait, she has carried a consistent message across schools, communities, and audiences: protect the ocean, protect life.

And perhaps the most meaningful impact of her work is not measured in kilometers or kilograms — but in minds changed. In students who choose to refuse plastic. In individuals who begin to act differently.

Her call to action is clear and achievable for all of us:

* Reduce single-use plastics
* Carry reusable bottles and bags
* Spend time cleaning our surroundings
* Educate others about environmental responsibility

Because change does not begin with one extraordinary act — it begins with many small, consistent ones.

The ocean has given humanity everything — life, balance, and sustenance. Now it is our shared responsibility to protect it.

Let this be a reminder inspired by her journey:
💙 Not to pollute. Not to ignore. Not to stay silent.

Because the ocean is not just water —
it is life, and it is our responsibility. by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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4 months ago

Meet Ayushi a young researcher totally heart broken on world oceans day!
Mumbai is India’s financial and commercial capital, a modern, educated, and fast-moving city. Yet plastic bags, wrappers, and single-use plastics continue to find their way into our streets, drains, beaches, and eventually the ocean.

Why is this still happening? Are people confused about the plastic ban and permitted micron limits? Are regulations and fines not being enforced effectively? Or are sustainable alternatives simply too expensive and difficult to access?

As part of her internship with Ocean School and Young Environmentalist, young ocean researcher Ayushi is beginning her journey to find answers. Through field surveys, data collection, and community engagement across Mumbai, she is investigating the human side of plastic pollution and the challenges behind changing behavior.

Her research begins in the heart of a city that drives the nation’s economy but also contributes significantly to marine pollution. Every plastic bag that reaches the sea tells a story, and Ayushi wants to understand why.

Join her research journey. Share your experiences, observations, and perspectives. Together, we can move beyond assumptions and work toward real solutions for cleaner oceans and a more sustainable future.

#Mumbai #PlasticPollution #OceanConservation #MarineDebris #YouthForOceans OceanSchool YoungEnvironmentalist CitizenScience ResearchForChange PlasticFreeFuture MarineConservation Sustainability OceanLiteracy EnvironmentalEducation by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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4 months ago

Congratulations to Our Youth Ambassador, Aditya Kumar! 🎉🌊

From curiosity to commitment, Aditya’s ocean conservation journey is an inspiration for young people everywhere.

As part of The Ocean School and Young Environmentalists Programme internship, Aditya undertook research on the Vashi Creek ecosystem, exploring the impacts of ocean pollution and the urgent need to protect our coastal environments.

What makes his story special is that he never imagined he would become involved in ocean conservation. Yet through hands-on learning, research, and field experiences, he discovered a passion for protecting our oceans and is now fully committed to making a difference.

His latest video highlights the challenges facing Vashi Creek while demonstrating how youth-led research and action can contribute to healthier oceans and communities.

🌎 The future of ocean conservation belongs to young leaders like Aditya.
All subjects in schools and colleges are connected to our oceans and climate studies. We connect the curriculum to our oceans through ocean literacy and Blue Threads programs.
We are proud to see him using his voice, research, and creativity to inspire others to take action for our blue planet.

👏 Congratulations, Aditya! May your journey continue to inspire more students to explore ocean literacy, environmental research, and conservation leadership.

#WorldOceansDay #OceanSchool @ioc_unesco @oceanschoolindia #YoungEnvironmentalistsProgramme #YouthAmbassador #OceanLiteracy MarineConservation VashiCreek OceanPollution YouthForTheOcean BluePlanet EnvironmentalLeadership OceanAction FutureOceanLeaders by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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4 months ago

World Oceans Day | June 8

Today, we celebrate the ocean—the heart of our planet, a source of life, wonder, healing, and inspiration.

A special congratulations to Yuvraj Matre our Youth Ambassador, whose decade-long journey beneath the waves has transformed curiosity into action. Through his dedication to studying marine biodiversity, fish species, coral ecosystems, and coral restoration, he has become a powerful voice for ocean conservation and youth leadership.

The ocean is more than a destination—it is a classroom, a teacher, and a healer. It teaches resilience, patience, responsibility, and respect for all life. Every dive, every observation, and every conservation effort deepens our understanding of the interconnected world we share.

This World Oceans Day, we invite students and young changemakers to follow his example. Use your vacations and academic projects to explore marine science, participate in conservation initiatives, conduct research, and become part of the solution. Ocean conservation is not just a career pathway—it is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our planet.

Together, we can inspire a new generation of ocean stewards who will protect, restore, and celebrate our blue planet for years to come.

💙 Explore.
🔬 Research.
🌱 Restore.
🌊 Protect.

The ocean needs your voice, your passion, and your action.

#WorldOceansDay #OceanConservation #YouthForTheOcean #OceanLiteracy #MarineBiodiversity CoralRestoration YoungEnvironmentalists BluePlanet OceanEducation YouthLeadership ProtectOurOceans Sustainability FutureOceanLeaders by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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4 months ago

What if the thing you feared most became your life’s greatest purpose?

Meeting Paul de Gelder was a powerful reminder that resilience is not about what happens to us—it’s about what we choose to do next.

A former Army paratrooper and Navy bomb disposal diver, Paul’s life changed forever when a bull shark attack during a training exercise cost him his arm and leg. Many would have walked away from the ocean. Instead, Paul chose understanding over fear, curiosity over anger, and purpose over victimhood.

“I never blamed the shark. It was just a shark doing sharky stuff.”

Those words stayed with me.

Today, Paul is one of the world’s most recognized shark advocates, using his extraordinary story to transform public perceptions of these misunderstood predators. Through education, storytelling, and firsthand encounters, he helps people understand that sharks are not monsters—they are essential guardians of healthy marine ecosystems.

His journey is a powerful lesson in ocean literacy. Fear often comes from what we don’t understand. Knowledge builds empathy. Empathy inspires conservation.

Paul’s story is not just about surviving a shark attack. It’s about choosing courage over fear, finding purpose in adversity, and learning to coexist with the natural world rather than trying to dominate it.

The ocean doesn’t need more people who fear sharks.
It needs more people who understand them.

And perhaps life’s greatest challenges are not meant to break us—but to reveal strengths we never knew we had.

🌊🦈💙

#PaulDeGelder #SharkConservation #OceanLiteracy #accessibleoceantourism #MarineConservation OceanAdvocate SharksMatter BluePlanet MarineEducation ConservationLeadership OceanInspiration Resilience NatureConnection ProtectWhatYouLove OceanSchoolIndia by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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5 months ago

Sky full of Pink!
Every year, thousands of flamingos arrive in Mumbai’s wetlands, transforming our creeks, mudflats, and mangrove ecosystems into one of India’s most spectacular wildlife classrooms. These migratory birds travel across vast flyways, with many moving from the Great Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and some populations tracing migratory routes linked to regions across Iran, Pakistan, and other parts of West Asia before reaching India’s coastal wetlands. (www.ndtv.com)

For students, watching flamingos in flight is more than a birding experience—it is a lesson in ocean literacy. Wetlands, mangroves, estuaries, mudflats, and coastal ecosystems are deeply interconnected with the health of our oceans. These habitats act as feeding grounds, nurseries, carbon sinks, flood buffers, and critical stopovers for migratory species that connect countries, coastlines, and ecosystems across continents.

Mumbai hosts both the Greater Flamingo and the Lesser Flamingo. The Greater Flamingo is taller, paler, and more elegant in appearance, while the Lesser Flamingo is smaller, brighter pink, and often seen in large flocks painting entire wetlands in shades of rose. Their iconic pink colour comes from carotenoid pigments found in the algae, plankton, and small crustaceans they filter from the water. The healthier the wetland ecosystem, the richer the food sources that support these magnificent birds. (Mumbai Mirror)

Through ocean literacy field experiences, students learn how migratory birds are indicators of ecosystem health and why protecting wetlands is essential for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the future of our oceans.
💗

#OceanLiteracy #FlamingosOfMumbai #WetlandConservation #Mangroves #MigratoryBirds Biodiversity OceanEducation YouthForTheOcean
@creditajaykamath @copyrighttoowner by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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5 months ago

Congratulations to our Youth Ambassador Yieshanee on this outstanding research project on sustainable waste management in Masinagudi and the Mudumalai region in the remote parts of the global south.

Your dedication to environmental conservation, community awareness, and sustainable living is truly inspiring. Through this project, you have highlighted the urgent challenges of waste pollution while also showcasing innovative solutions such as segregation, composting, recycling, upcycling, and community participation.

We are especially proud of your achievement in being selected as the Youth Ambassador for the Young Environmentalist Program and Ocean School India. Your passion for photography, marine biology, and protecting our planet reflects the spirit of young leadership and environmental responsibility.

This research not only spreads awareness about the importance of preserving ecologically sensitive regions like Masinagudi, but also encourages others to believe that waste can be transformed into a valuable resource for a sustainable future.

Your hard work, creativity, and commitment to the environment are making a real difference. May this achievement be the beginning of many more contributions toward protecting nature and inspiring future generations.

Congratulations once again, and we are incredibly proud of you.#oceanliteracy #climateaction #bluethread @ioc_unesco @ecopsindia @climatereality.indsa @oceanschoolindia by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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5 months ago

Congratulations Ahana Salian on being selected as our Youth Ambassador! Very good good results on your incredible research project exploring microplastic pollution in the Udyavara River, Estuary, and Malpe coastal region 🌊♻️

Your work highlights the urgent environmental challenges facing our coastal and marine ecosystems, bringing attention to how rivers become pathways for plastic and microplastic pollution into the Arabian Sea. Through research, scientific analysis, and storytelling, you’ve helped create awareness about the invisible impact of human activities on our oceans.

From studying the Udyavara River system to documenting pollution pathways and scientific findings within the estuarine ecosystem, your project reflects dedication, environmental responsibility, and a strong commitment to ocean conservation.

Proud of your efforts, extensive documentation of research, and beautiful visual storytelling through your video presentation 💙

The future of ocean stewardship is brighter because of passionate young changemakers like you 🌍✨

#OceanConservation #Microplastics #MarinePollution #YouthForOceans #OceanLiteracy @theeeeee._.spammm EnvironmentalResearch CoastalEcosystems UdyavaraRiver Malpe MarineScience PlasticPollution YoungChangemakers Sustainability BluePlanet by @youngenvironmentalistsprogram

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5 months ago