Eco-friendly Movements for Children

Here are two environmental movements that promote environmental awareness among children:

The Wild Network is a movement focused on reintroducing and reconnecting children to nature and outdoors by rousing parents, schools and communities to make this shift in childhood possible. The advocacy envisions kids living nature-rich lives instead of staying indoors and tied to gadgets and technology screens.  Spurred by the success of the film “Project Wild Thing”, the advocacy continues to extend its reach within and beyond the United Kingdom through effective use of social marketing and employing media, partipatory, instructional and marketing strategies. Since its launch in 2013, the movement has gained traction and earned the support of more than a thousand individuals and organizations.  The concept of selling the social idea of rediscovering nature and outdoors through marketing may sound ironic, but it’s a strategy that the advocates has embraced and utilized boldly, intentionally and quite effectively. It does not outrightly discuss environmental concerns such as pollution, climate change, etc., but it surely spurs environmental consciousness and nature connection among children.

Toka Toka is an environmental movement launched by Manila Water in 2012 to advocate proper management of wastewater or used water in every household as a way to revive the rivers. One of the campaigns under this movement is the Bawat Patak Tumatatak Goes to School Program which is targeted to educate and engage children as environmental partners and superheroes by going around schools within the East Zone of Manila. The project employs the IEC approach and uses traditional media to raise awareness and inspire actions among the children about a relatively new concept of wastewater management.  Since its launch in 2014, the campaign has successfully visited around and forged partnerships with different schools to reach out to a number of students in the metro.