The Salesian Youth Movement volunteer group of the Salesians Sarrià school in Barcelona, Spain participated on March 16, in a waste collection campaign in a natural environment near a stream in a town called Castelldefells, near Barcelona.
The campaign “1m2 against litter*” is an annual collaborative meeting to collect and record abandoned litter in natural environments. It brings together citizens, companies, organizations and institutions in a nationwide meeting, in order to remove from nature those wastes that should not have ended up in it. And therefore, to raise public awareness of the magnitude of this problem.
This campaign is part of a project, “Libera, united against litter”, created by the NGO SEO/BirdLife, in alliance with Ecoembes, the non-profit environmental organization that promotes the circular economy through the recycling of packaging to free nature from litter.
Hello, we are first-grade students at Salesianos El Pilar School in Soto del Real, Spain. We've been working on a project about respecting and preserving the environment. We wanted to put up posters to remind ourselves how we can contribute and also raise awareness about the importance of saving water and energy, caring for animals, and keeping our surroundings clean.
The ReCirculando Project - Recycling Organics in a Community and Circular Way at Casa do Puríssimo Coração de Maria in São Paulo, Brazil has been joined by new families. This year, we hope to see even more families and students involved in our composting. Let's circulate this idea!
On May 8, 2025, the students of the São João Batista Youth Center, a social work located in the city of Poxoréu/MT (Brazil), planted three cashew seedlings, a fruit tree native to Brazil. Each class was given a seedling to plant, as a way of giving a gift to the Earth and at the same time benefiting us with its fruit and shade. The activity sought to emphasize that we must have a reciprocal relationship with our environment, because taking care of fauna and flora means more quality life for people. The activity will continue throughout the year, as the students must ensure that future trees grow, watering and fertilizing when necessary. The act was in line with the request of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), which set the theme of Fraternity and Integral Ecology for reflection during the Lenten period. Seeing the students committed to taking care of the environment reaffirms the hope that the new generations will be able to take care of our Common Home
In line with its commitment to environmental sustainability, FUNDEMI Talita Kumi has taken another step toward caring for the planet by progressively eliminating the use of disposable cups and plates during student snack times. These have been replaced with reusable utensils as part of a strategy led by the students themselves to significantly reduce waste generation within the educational center located in San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.
This action addresses a growing concern, as disposable products not only generate large volumes of waste but also release toxic substances that contaminate soil and water sources, severely affecting wildlife, oceans, and human health. Many of these items also contain harmful chemicals that can be absorbed by the body with each use.
With this initiative, Talita Kumi not only promotes a cleaner and healthier environment but also fosters environmental awareness among its students, most of whom are young Q’eqchi’ from rural communities. By adopting these practices in their daily lives, they also become agents of change in their communities, where the overuse of disposables has become an alarming trend.
Small actions—such as using reusable utensils—can have a significant impact. At Talita Kumi, the daily choices of its students reflect a genuine commitment to building a more sustainable future.
From Santiago, Chile, to the heart of the Elqui Valley, 45 students from the Nursing, Speech Therapy, and Kinesiology programs at the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Silva Henríquez Catholic University (UCSH) lived an experience that profoundly marked their educational and personal journey, surrounded by mountains, open skies, and ancient seeds that safeguard the memory of the earth.
This journey was not just a physical journey. It was an act of hope and ecological commitment. A living expression of a community that believes in care as a form of love and in health as a profoundly human act.
Thanks to solidarity and collaborative work, the students raised funds by selling natural preparations made with medicinal herbs grown in the university's own gardens. Thus, what sprouts from the earth was also what made this journey possible: a true metaphor for the life that regenerates when cultivated in community.
In our fast-paced digital age, the latest smartphone or laptop / desktops often becomes obsolete within a few years—or even months. But what happens to our old devices once we discard them? The answer is troubling: they become part of the world’s growing mountain of electronic waste, or e-waste.
The ‘Thank you dance’
A boat of whale-watchers was on a trip in the coast of California. They noticed a small Humpback whale, trapped. It’s tail and flippers were entangled with fishing nets. Michael Fishbach and his team, who were on the boat thought that the humpback was already dead as it was floating on top of the water.
Month of March always reminds us of influential role the women play in our society. In the following paragraphs, we shall see about few convincing women personalities in environmental protection.
Gauri Devi
“Forest is like our mother’s home, we shall protect it come what may,” voice upraised by Gauri Devi of Chamoli as a weapon. This inspiring lady is known for Chipko Movement (chipko meaning hugging).
A Lenten reflection to stay-rooted (Pray), stay-integrated (Penance) and stay-connected (Share)
I picked up the title from the quote by John Muir, “And into the woods I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” An apt invitation for the lent. Get deep into the forest, slow down, breathe deep, look around, see the hidden, hear the silence, smell and feel the forest. It has a lot to offer for our soul and for our human community.
Climate Change, a ‘threat multiplier’ for the marginalised
A UN reports states that nearly 32 million people got displaced due to climate-related hazards in 2022, which represents a 41 per cent increase compared to 2008. Apart from displacements caused directly from extreme weather, climate is called a ‘threat multiplier.’
2025 marks the tenth anniversary of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical letter on the Care for Our Common Home, in which he invited all people of good to “a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet” (Laudato Si’, 14).
I have picked up this line, “My good friend, what’s your name?” from the conversation Don Bosco had with a young lad, Bartholomew Garelli. He was beaten up by a sacristan for not knowing how to serve for Mass. Don Bosco rescued him from the sacristan, but the sacristan was angry at Don Bosco and said, “What does it matter to you?” Don Bosco, with the heart of a Good Shepherd, said, “It matters plenty. He’s my friend.”
by Fr. Ricopar Royan
The heart of a hummingbird is larger proportionate to its body and so it has a massive flight power. This tiny bird flies alone nearly 40 km/day during its 5,000 km migration. When our problems are oversized, let’s not give up but rely on our hearts’ power. Look for the next supply of energy.