Five universities win Green Youth gold awards for making a difference with environment projects
Five out of nearly 60 universities nationwide were recently awarded the prestigious Green Youth Award at Gold Level by the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
The department has been organising the Green Youth project annually since 2021 to reward university students and personnel who take part in outstanding environmental promotion campaigns under the university’s nature conservation or other eco-related clubs.
Environmental campaigns under Green Youth project must encourage positive environmental changes within the university through the participation of either students or university employees. The project’s scope should also be able to expand to surrounding communities and societies and promote the overall environmental policies of higher education institutes.
This year, 59 universities in Thailand passed the criteria of the Green Youth project. Five universities received Green Youth awards at Gold Level; 15 institutes received Silver Level awards, and 24 received Bronze Level awards. The other 15 universities have been granted a membership of the department’s Green Youth network.
The five winners of Gold Level Green Youth awards 2022 were chosen for the following environmental projects:
● Suan Dusit University, Bangkok, won the gold award for making flower pots from organic wastes. The flower pots passed the standard of structural integrity while their material also serve as fertiliser for potted plants. The project helps in adding value to organic wastes collected from the university and surrounding communities while promoting the planting of trees and other decorative plants in the university area.
● Chandrakasem Rajabhat University, Bangkok, won the gold award for its “Recycle Bank” project. The project educates on correct practices for waste recycling and promotes participation of university students, personnel and surrounding communities, who can also benefit from additional income from selling recyclable waste.
● Uttaradit Rajabhat University won the gold award for their project that turns plastic and foam waste into pavement blocks and flower pots for walkways in the university.
● Roi Et Rajabhat University won the gold award for their project that expands green space in the university by promoting agricultural techniques, such as grafting and sowing of economic plants to replace trees that had been cut down to make way for construction projects in the campus.
● Ubon Ratchathani University won the gold award for the campaign to reduce single-use plastic in the campus by encouraging students and personnel to carry fabric bags and personal cups when buying products from the university’s shops. For every purchase that refuses single-use plastic, customers will be awarded a "Green Point" on a mobile application that can be exchanged for activity period credits and other eco-friendly gifts.
