Environmental awareness and education

Fostering environmental awareness and education are among the priorities of Green Salvation.

Since 1995, the organization has published the Green Salvation Herald, with a supplement in English, since 2000. The Bulletin’s thematic issues are related to environmental protection legislation and the protection of human rights, environmental education, the development of a network of national parks, and other socio-ecological problems. Special courses are developed and textbooks are published for students. To date, more than 25 publications have been produced in Russian, Kazakh and English.

During 1996-2001, an ecological summer school organized together with the ecological club “Berendey” took place on the territory of a national natural park, along with that, a children’s club “Muraveinik” (“Anthill”) was conducted for several years under a patronage of the State Children’s Library.

Green Salvation collaborates with the domestic and foreign press, participates in television and radio programs, and organizes exhibitions.

In 2002, Green Salvation began a video program. The films include: “Legacy of the Nuclear Age”, “The Riches of Nature—In Whose Hands?”, “Passengers in Forgotten Way Stations”, “Canyon” and “The Earth Does Not Belong to Man…”. Several of these films have been awarded prizes at international festivals.

In 2007, Green Salvation began the video discussion club “Green Lens”. Broadcasting of films and meetings with interesting people attract young people, as well as older audience.

In 2002, Green Salvation launched a website in Russian and English. On the Russian version of the web-site, you can find information about educational activity held by Green Salvation, collaborative ecological clubs, and teachers, activists of the ecological movement.

“Education” section of the web-site consists of several sub-sections.

First sub-section “Methodology” contains description of educational methods and programs developed by middle school teachers Golubkova L.A, Pfaf T.R., Melnikova E.V., and Zatoka E.N. These materials were prepared during the period of 2000-2009. Authors from the ex-Soviet countries, committed environmentalists, share their discoveries and findings in their work.

Green Salvation experience in ecological pedagogy is represented in methodological recommendations for special courses “Following pages of the Red Book of Kazakhstan: trip with a camera”. This is a co-joint project of a Green Salvation member Berkova N.N., elementary school teacher Mussikhina E.V., and a scientist Zhdanko A.B.

Second sub-section is called “Ecological clubs”. Here you can find materials about work conducted with children and youth in the ecological club “Eremurus” (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), “Raduga” study group in Magistralny village of Irkutsk oblast (Russia), club “Grey Owl” of the Centre of Technical Creativity in Pereslavl-Zalesskiy (Russia), club “Kapelka” in Djaltyr village, “New Energy” course (Kazakhstan), and other.

“Children’s works”. Here you will find compositions, poems, and drawings created by children who attend the clubs, who are fascinated by studying the nature, observing its changes and conditions.

“Ecological literature” sub-section lists reference manuals, educational and methodological literature, scientific and journalistic articles, science fiction works, names of ecological newspapers and magazines.

An article about Cousteau Society concludes the section. Main article is called “Most important events in the life of Captain Cousteau and Cousteau Society”.