YLSS practice in Taiwan

YLSS, the Youth-Led Solution Summit is an initiative of the World YMCA, in collaboration with YMCA of the USA and the YMCA of San Francisco, the United Nations, academia and external partners to empower young people and drive social innovation to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The vison of the Summits is to amplify youth solutions that positively impact local and global sustainability, the development of just and equitable communities, and the well-being of all people.

 

There’re two solution teams organized by Taiwan YMCA. From the last week of January to the third week of February is our winter vacation, both of Taiwan teams have planned through some kids’ activities of the winter camp to promote our solutions.

 

First solution team which related to the topic: Waste Management, was mainly organized by Tainan YMCA. It was held as a workshop through the Caring Community School Project. In Taiwan, the school education usually teaches some basic concepts of recycling. However, the concept of “Clothing Recycling” is rarely talked about. After recycling clothes, where do they go? In addition to the disadvantaged groups, it is to enter the burning factory, but because of this, it also causes the combustion air pollution, the pollution of the influx of the pigment into the water source, and also cause the waste pollution. In order to reduce pollution, we created "Create a Second Life for Second-hand Clothes." In addition to guiding resource management, the use of the workshop facilitates the use of teaching hand-made, so that children have their own unique coin purse.

 

“I think this activity of making coin purses from second-hand clothes is very interesting. It only spends less than three hours to make the life of secondhand clothes and contribute to the environment. The idea of a friendly environment is communicated to the children and to ourselves, seeing their happy smile after completing the work is my greatest achievement. And from now on I will pass on the idea of reducing waste and regenerating life to more people, working hard to make a contribution to the planet, and building a greener future.” – feedback by a youth volunteer

Read more: YLSS practice in Taiwan

YMCA BinhiBuhAY: Genesis

Last Updated (Wednesday, 24 February 2021 23:37)

“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves”

- Mahatma Gandhi

 

The Formation of the BinhiBuhay is initiated by our out of school Y’ers as part of the 3 point survival strategy of YMCA Davao, Philippines. The initiative is designed to provide affordable ready to plant edibles for start-up back yard gardeners. YMCA BinhiBuhay is a one-stop shop for backyard gardeners and plant enthusiasts.

 

Partnerships
YMCA Davao and Humi green partnership blossomed at the height of the pandemic aiming to bring out the full potential of the garden. YMCA Davao sought for a partner that is concerned with the community. BinhiBuhay also partnered with Unlad seeds (a local startup seed seller). The partnership allows the program to have access on quality affordable seeds.

 

The Growth
YMCA Binhi Buhay Grew from a simple advocacy of coping with the pandemic to an advocacy that aims to empower and is now aiming to provide green spaces in offices by creating spaces for cleaner better air. (Inspired by Kamal Meattle)

 

Plainly said YMCA Binhi Buhay aims to 1) advocate for safer and greener food; 2) improve air quality in work spaces an 3) acquaint YMCA volunteers with the indigenous and modern techniques of planting.

 

Aiming for empowerment, the YMCA Binhi Buhay facilitates the gathering of city based backyard gardeners. This small solid network of gardening enthusiast helps educate amateur gardeners.

↑ Binhibuhay project	↑ YMCA volunteer helps sell the produce

 

Enhanced community relations
The program gave many opportunities to galvanize friendships and form new networks. The seeds came as key to people foreign to the cause of the Y and has now became partners and friends of the YMCA of Davao.

 

YMCA BinhiBuhay is able to establish a network of customers; and to improve the system to maximize the impact of the program.

 

YMCA Binhi Buhay is more than just a planting and greening program. It is not just an emergency response to what the times has brought us. It highlights the provision of God through the generosity of people. Once again the noble and sterling ways of the YMCA proved without a doubt its potency to reach and serve communities. Seeing how people come together, the future in the new normal like tilling the garden gives us hope, growth and the promise of fruition. The program facilitated the best response from our volunteers, partners and communities that despite these arid times there is a healthy ground for holistic cultivation of humanity and stewardship.

 

- YMCA of Davao, Philippines

 

The Green Dream

Last Updated (Monday, 25 January 2021 19:00)

The Green Dream

 

A Dream That Became a Reality!

With great pleasure we share the news with the YMCA family, that the YMCA of Moratuwa was a carbon-neutral YMCA during 2019. The feat was achieved, mainly through a 12kVA Solar PV system which was installed in July 2018. The total investment for the project was 11790 USD which was partly funded by the APAY.

 

The overall emissions for 2019 were 4.66 tons while the total offsets were 7.02 tons resulting in a positive carbon offset of 2.36 tons. The figures were obtained using the APAY Carbon Footprint Calculator. In the Year 2019, the system generated a total of 17630 kWh worth 2154 USD.

 

How It Works
The Solar power systems can be used with or without batteries to store excess energy. Our system does not have storage and the excess energy generated is fed to the electrical grid through an inverter (Although this may not be possible in all countries). Similarly, when the demand exceeds generation, electrical energy is drawn from the grid.

 

A New Business Model for CBOs
One of the main objectives of the project was to use part of the monthly savings from the solar plant for community outreach programs. For example, the YMCA utilized funds to provide health care for the malnourished children in the community. In the year 2019, medicine and infant food worth more than 1700 USD were issued through the outreach project in addition to the free medical consultations given by board-certified healthcare professionals.

 

Challenges
Going green was a bold decision by the YMCA . The challenges we faced were (a) the high initial cost of investment (b) Determining whether the system will properly function throughout the useful life cycle of the solar panels (c) Cost of maintenance needed for the system during the life cycle of the plant.

 

Lessons Learned
It would be great to see many other YMCAs join us on our journey. The following are some useful tips you may consider if your YMCA would decide to harvest green energy.

1. Prepare a feasibility report.

2. A Solar PV System could be a significantinitial investment. Our simple payback period was 4.7 years.

3. It’s good to have a minimum 10-year warranty for the Inverter and a 20-year warranty for Solar Panels. Fittings and the rooftop panel supporting structures could be a costly replacement in corrosion-prone atmospheres. Therefore, use Aluminium or Stainless Steel.

4. A warranty is no good if your service provider ceases to exist. Choose a company with good credentials.

5. As soon as the system is commissioned, obtain an insurance cover for environmental hazards and other risks.

6. Follow IET electrical installation regulations

7. Install surge arrestors for both the DC and the AC Sides of the inverter.

8. Design the system to export 20% of the energy generated to the grid on a sunny day.

9. Carefully select the utility tariff system.

Our Thanks
Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the APAY for providing the initial push by partly funding the project through the APAY Green Fund. We also thank all the member movements who have contributed to the APAY Green Fund.

 

-Niranga Fernando

General Secretary, YMCA of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

 

We only have one planet

Last Updated (Monday, 07 December 2020 15:25)

We only have one planet. We should all do our part to ensure that it’s protected by combining our ways of living with a deeper respect and understanding of what nature provides. The nature provides us foods, natural resources and cleans air in the beginning. But as human, we have been consuming more than what we need. We are following the modern ways of living, invention to high technologies and materials. We rarely consider whether the materials we use are what we ‘need’ or simply what we “want”. We use materials without regard for the effects of our consumption to the future generation.

Today, we are facing a lot of environmental impacts in our daily life such as global warming, climate change, water pollution, air pollution, soil pollution, plastic pollution and other ecological problems. Approximately seven (7) million people worldwide die prematurely each year from air pollution, with about four (4) million of these deaths occurring in Asia-Pacific. Ninety-two per cent of people worldwide does not breathe clean air and air pollution costs the global economy $5 trillion every year in welfare costs.

Plastic pollution is also big issue for water pollution and air pollution. People are using a lot of plastic products. It becomes waste to oceans and landfills. Plastic waste is littering our oceans and threatening the lives of millions of marine animals. Seals, whales, dolphins, seabirds, fish, crabs and many other sea animals are dying and becoming sick because of this deadly environmental concern.

So, what should we do for the environmental conservation for our future generation. For the sustainable development in our lives, we have to balance environment, social and economic sectors. We need to develop these three things equally. We need to evaluate ourselves- what are our bad habits and what behavioral changes we must do.

Promoting Environmental Conservation good practices

Myanmar YMCA is one of the organizations working for the environmental conservation in Myanmar and environment conservation is one of its organization values. Myanmar YMCA is promoting environmental conservation awareness to the people in the community by conducting training, workshop, tree planting campaign, plastic collecting campaign, and bicycle campaign. The staff members and volunteers have the chance to participate in International Green Ambassador training and Climate Change e-learning program that are organized by APAY and Chiang Mai YMCA. We learned a lot of things and good practices from these training and courses.

↑  Conducting Environment Conservation Training	↑  Tree Planting

↑  Bicycle Campaign for reduce Co2 in transportation

Changed LED light bulb to reduce electricity

To reduce carbon emission and greenhouse gas, we need to reduce electricity in our daily life. Y’s Men Club International (YCI) supported Myanmar YMCA to change the LED light in the office. The LED light bulb was an effective way for the YMCA to reduce not its CO2 emission but also the electricity costs. Moreover, a no use of air con during Wednesday in YMCA office contributes to lesser carbon emission..

Garden Reading Corner

A Garden Reading Corner is also created in the office. It is decorated with flowerpot in in order to reduce stress. Every staff member has to reduce the plastic and paper consumption in the office. Every Friday, all the staff members have to participate in plastic collecting campaign and garbage cleaning around the office. Myanmar YMCA staff also follows a waste management. Each of them are aware of the principle of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Avoid.

Environmental conservation comes in many forms and it reminds us to be mindful of our daily choices. No matter how busy our lives are, it remains fairly easy to make small, yet necessary, changes for the good of the Earth. We can do so many things for environmental conservation, but starting with small action can make a difference especially if we work together.

~ Saw Tun Lu (Myanmar YMCA)