As part of Mukti’s Amplifying Community Voices (ACV) project, members of the Climate Club have set a remarkable example of youth-led environmental awareness. Comprising 35 young members between the ages of 14 and 21, the club is actively working at the community level to address climate change and promote environmental protection through practical initiatives.
Their primary goal is to spread awareness across villages and panchayats and to reduce environmental damage through meaningful action. Already, the club has undertaken activities such as promoting plastic-free panchayats, encouraging water conservation, and raising awareness about the impacts of climate change.
This year, the club has turned its attention to making local festivals and celebrations more eco-friendly. Members observed that in events such as fairs, weddings, Eid, Christmas, Independence Day, and Durga Puja, many materials and practices often contribute to environmental harm. Since pollution is a key driver of climate change, the club has resolved to encourage communities to adopt more sustainable ways of celebrating.
Beginning with this year’s Durga Puja, the Climate Club is engaging with local organizers to advocate for eco-friendly practices. From the choice of materials to waste management, the club is offering guidance on how celebrations can avoid harming the environment. During the festival, members will visit different pandals to monitor practices, and those organizers who adopt eco-friendly measures will be formally recognized by the Climate Club.
Beyond Durga Puja, the club aims to extend this approach throughout the year to other festivals and community celebrations. In doing so, they hope to minimize the negative impacts of climate change while fostering a healthier environment for all.
The members of the Climate Club affirm: “We are all part of this environment, and protecting it is a collective responsibility.”
Mukti believes that such grassroot-level initiatives hold the power to bring sustainable change to rural society. As part of the ACV project, the efforts of the Climate Club stand as an inspiring example of community-driven climate action.