The International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment is organised annually by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), Bayer, and Nikon Corporation. It has been held since 1991 and has received over 190,000 entries from children in over 100 countries. This year's competition will focus on "Biodiversity: Connecting with Nature".

Children who are between the age of five and 13 years may submit entries. The children’s paintings will focus on concrete actions to preserve biodiversity such as tree planting, marine and animal conservation, restoration of coral reefs, etc.

Application Information

The Imagine Durban Project in partnership with Durban Industry Climate Change Project is launching a business electricity saving competition.  This competition is an opportunity for businesses to participate in a five month long process that will involve monitoring their current electricity use, identifying electricity efficiency interventions, implementing those interventions and then monitoring the effectiveness of the interventions.   

The winning business and four runners up will be profiled in a four page pullout that will be published in the Metro Ezasegagasini in April 2010.  The Metro Ezasegagasini is distributed throughout Durban.  R50 000 worth energy efficiency & renewable energy products will also be donated to a school chosen by the winning business.  This R50,000 prize has been sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.  

‘ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION NOW FOR A BETTER FUTURE’

CONCEPT

Children comprise twenty per cent of the population, but are one hundred percent of our future. The eThekwini Youth Environmental Conference (EYEC) aims to increase children’s understanding of environmental issues by providing an opportunity to build new and lasting friendships between children from different communities, as well as provide student-centred learning to bring about a cultural change in the way we perceive our natural environments.

EYEC also aims to develop children who are motivated, have high self esteem and respect for others. Using a peer learning system, the EYEC will provide learners with knowledge and skills in environmental education, but more importantly it will build learners who are optimistic, have a sense of future, are capable public speakers and can communicate ideas in many different forms.

THEME

The United Nations has declared 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action.   The Ahemebad Declaration 2007: A Call to Action which was developed at the 4th International Conference on Environmental Education states that “….through education, human lifestyles can be achieved that support the ecological integrity, economic and social justice, sustainable livelihoods and respect for all…” and that “… through our actions we add substance and vigour to the quest for sustainable living.  With creativity and imagination we need to rethink and change values we live by, the choices we make, and the actions we take.”  The conference also the launched the concept of the “Handprint” with a call to “Increase your handprint. Decrease your footprint”

In keeping with this, the EYEC 2009 will use the theme “ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION NOW FOR A BETTER FUTURE”.

EYEC 2009 will highlight how important it is for this generation to take action by accepting environmental responsibility by exchanging ideas and adopting a “green” way of life thus providing the next generation with a safer, healthier environment, EYEC 2009 will awaken the sense of place and a realisation that wise environmental management of their place will ultimately have an impact on our planet future generations.

Sub-themes

• Healthy Environment, Healthy People: building a safer future for all

• Taking Action for a Better Environment
• “Your Planet Needs You – Unite to Combat Climate Change”

Students will use the above themes to design presentations and workshops, which they will present to other young people at the Conference. Each participant is required to provide a short write-up of his/her presentation or workshop as part of the requirements. Students may want to use this opportunity to highlight a particular project in which their school has been involved; express an opinion on a particular issue or conduct a workshop / presentation where the sole purpose may be to impart knowledge on a particular area of interest. The best submissions relating to the themes of the Conference will be selected for presentation to delegates during the event.

Have an idea to save energy? Don’t keep it to yourself. Enter it into the 20th annual eta Awards.

If you have a bright energy saving idea or have developed an innovative process for saving electricity, you could win a cash prize of R30 000 for your idea as well as an eta Award. The eta Award ceremony will be a gala dinner in Johannesburg at the end of October 2009.

The eta Awards, endorsed by the Department of Minerals and Energy and sponsored by Eskom, are unique as they cut across the industrial, commercial and residential sectors and also recognise the efforts of innovative thinkers, young designers and women who are active in promoting energy saving in their own right.

To find out more about the eta Awards and the events leading to the gala evening in October, go to the eta Awards website at www.eta-awards.co.za.