Green Camel Bell - Helping Migrant Families Reduce Environmental Impact

Situation Analysis

China’s economic development pattern has promoted vast growth and economic opportunities in urban areas, while rural areas continue to stagnate economically. As a result, millions of families are moving from rural to urban areas in search of jobs as migrant laborers. In Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province and the biggest city in northwest China, there are an estimated 1,030,000 migrant workers living in the city. Of these, 50% have brought their families with them and are creating new "suburbs" of migrant settlements around the city. This huge influx of migrants has caused social and environmental problems that Lanzhou city is struggling to address. These communities are characterized by high levels of poverty, low levels of educational attainment and a scarcity of public services. Migrant schools, which have been established to provide education for the children of migrant laborers, struggle to meet the needs of these students. This rapid and unplanned urban growth places great strain on China’s struggle to manage environmental degradation. Water, air and waste pollution in these urban areas are at drastic levels, with 16 of the globe's 20 most polluted cities located in China. While polls show Chinese residents are highly concerned about local and global environmental issues, there is little public awareness of how individuals and communities can reduce their environmental impact, particularly among rural migrants. Raising environmental awareness and encouraging more "green" living in migrant communities is an integral part of the solution.

Project Details

Gansu "Green Camel Bell" Environment and Development Center (GCB) was established in 2004 and is the first civic environmental organization in the Gansu province with a mission of protecting the environment in Western China, with a vision of green mountains, clear water, and blue skies. GCB actively promotes environmental protection, provides environmental education, and supports the growth of local environmental organizations in Gansu. The organization’s recent activities include educating elementary and secondary school students in environmental protection, promoting the development of environmental associations in Gansu’s colleges and universities, surveying and mapping environmental conditions in Lanzhou, and organizing training and capacity building projects for environmental volunteers. This proposed project will provide environmental education to migrant workers, migrant school teachers and students in order to change the environmental practices of the migrant communities in Lanzhou city. The project will select three migrant schools in the suburbs of Lanzhou city and provide the school teachers and students with ongoing environmental education activities that are engaging and meaningful. As part of this effort, the project will promote writing and painting competitions on the theme of environmental protection, and will hold anti-littering and waste recycling events organized with students. Twenty teachers will receive intensive training to lead these efforts. The activities in the migrant schools will be complemented by community environmental awareness activities that are designed to increase awareness of environmental issues and to reduce polluting behaviors.. Volunteers from the community will receive intensive training to lead these community environmental efforts. The major activities will include surveying the current environmental status and practice, providing training to volunteers, cleaning up and beautifying the communities, and supporting the creation of volunteer groups to champion community environmental protection.

Expected Impact

Over the course of this community-based environmental education project, over 400 school students and teachers will learn about environmental protection and awareness and influence their families, relatives and communities. Trained community members will spearhead efforts to increase environmental awareness among the 10,000 residents in the targeted communities, with the goal of increasing environmentally responsible behavior.

Done by Dominic Soh 09S27