ABOUT EDEX THINK GREEN
An initiative launched to educate, activate and engage youth towards sustainable living, understand the need to change attitudes, behaviors and action to reduce harmful impact on ecological footprint. EDEX Green Zone is held concurrently with EDEX Expo, as a unique platform which brings together individuals, entrepreneurs and corporate institutions keen to display, exhibit and showcase their green initiatives.
Vision
“Be the most active, leading and respected entity on green initiatives in the country by educating, activating and engaging Sri Lankan youth on sustainable living.”
Mission
“We will exceed the expectations of the members, stake holders, youth and the entire society by providing a platform to organize and act on sustainable living and engage in all minor and major activities in the country by using our strengths and resources to make those more successful.”
FOCUS AREAS
| Water | Preservation of Water, which is one of the key elements of life, is essential, mainly due to the fact that pure drinking water being a scarce resource. |
| Nature (Biodiversity) | With the list of endangered species getting longer day by day, it is evident that human activities are likely to be the reason behind the next mass extinction. |
| Air | Air pollution is causing the global warming while being a major factor behind Respiratory Diseases. |
| Soil | Soil pollution is not only caused by directly harmful activities like deforestation but also by essential activities like farming, indicating that human beings need to be a lot more cautious. |
SUSTAINABLE DELIVERY GOALS
| Manufacturing | Industry and manufacturing are key drivers of employment and economic growth in many countries, but it’s high time that we considered whether it’s worth it to employ someone to pollute the environment? |
| Transport | Choosing alternative transportation methods such as walking or riding a bike for short trips, is not only good for your health but also beneficial for the environment. |
| Energy | The current mainstream energy sources – oil, coal, gas, etc. – are not only harmful to health and environment; they’re not sustainable in a world of growing energy needs. |
| Waste | Waste is no more what it used to be, with the amount of Global E-waste increasing at alarming rates. |
| Agriculture | Sustainable Agricultural methods have become an absolute necessity, with roughly 1 billion people not getting sufficient nutrition. |
| Forest Products | It is advisable to use electronic files to reduce the demand for paper products, and to seek out timber and paper products that come from certified sustainable forests whenever possible. |
| Construction | Modern practices like energy audits are gaining popularity by reducing the climate footprint of buildings while leading to significant savings in energy costs. |
| Tourism | Tourism’s impact on sensitive habitats has become a major concern, which not only destroys the natural beauty but also threatens the existence and well-being of endangered species. |
| Fisheries | Overfishing in many parts of the world threatens to deplete future fish stocks, indicating the need to promote sustainable fishing practices. |
365 DAYS ACTIVITIES
Promoting sustainability and creating awareness are not one-time jobs
EDEX Think Green has understood the gravity of promoting sustainability concepts. Furthermore, like almost all the other good deeds, this cannot be successfully achieved by a one-time event or a campaign but needs a sustainable mechanism to be in operation. The creative solution given for this is the 365 Day Activities committee of EDEX Think Green, which focuses on keeping the momentum through a variety of ongoing processes and activities.
The 365 Days Activities Committee as of now, operates mainly with a collaborative approach with Royal College and the Royal College Green Circle focusing on the following.
Awareness Seminars and Workshops
EDEX Think Green 365 Days Activities include Organizing Seminars, workshops etc. for students and the public. These are focused on raising awareness of the society in order to help creating a more responsible, educated society that thrives to adapt sustainable concepts.
Supporting other EDEX Think Green Initiatives
The 365 Days Activities Committee supports the other Think Green Initiatives such as the Green Community and Green Schools as well as the collaborative projects with the Royal College Green Circle such as the Bio Gas Plants, Rain Water Harvesting Projects and Urban Gardens maintained at different places.
GREEN EDUCATION
It’s essential that Green Collar workers not only have green attitudes but Qualify themselves with the required skills and knowledge. The Demand for ‘Green Education’growing in the developed world the trend is continuing to emerge in developing markets. Below are some of the qualifications available in the global market place.
- Environmental Engineering
- Renewable Energy
- Energy Management
- Solid Waste Management
- Environmental Science
- Toxicology
- Environmental Economics
- Environmental Architecture
- Earth Sciences
- Natural Resources
- Watershed Management
| Qualification | Institute | Country | Web Link |
| Master in Forestry and Environmental Management | University of Sri Jayewardenepura | Sri Lanka | http://science.sjp.ac.lk/fes/ |
| Bachelor of Engineering in Sustainable Energy Engineering | University of Adelaide | Australia | |
| Bachelor of Science in Energy Engineering | Indian Institute of Technology | USA | |
| Bachelor of Science in Construction Management and Sustainability | University of Pittsburgh | USA | |
| Certificate in Energy Systems Technology | St.Lawrence College | Canada | |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering | Colorado State University | USA | http://www.engr.colostate.edu/ce/students/advising.shtml |
| Bachelor of Science in Earth and Environmental Engineer | Columbia University | USA | http://www.eee.columbia.edu/pages/academics/up/DegreesOffered.html |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering | Cornell University | USA | |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering | Johns Hopkins University | USA | http://engineering.jhu.edu/~dogee/undergraduate-application/ |
| Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Env) Sciences | Yale University | USA | |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Water Resource Management | University of Arizona | USA | |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Economics and Policy | Michigan State University | USA | |
| Bachelor of Science in Environmental Economics and Management | University of Rhode Island | USA | |
| Bachelor of Engineering (Focus in Environmental Studies) | Delhi College of Engineering | India |