Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
Julie Bucknell, Salusalu Tuwai, Eni Qio, Eni Vererua, Fulori Suiqa and Elijah Kaukilagi / Fiji Government Facebook
The issue of improper waste disposal has been a growing issue across communities and youths are compelled to take action to fight the surge of waste accumulation in their homes.
Eco Guardians, an environment group based out of Lami is assisting youths from surrounding areas to take up initiative and be actively involved in their communities and homes.
Kalekana Youth Club member and Eco Guardian volunteer Julie Bucknell states that growing up she has noticed that there has always been an issues of improper waste disposal in her community.
She says that there is a lack of awareness and appropriate information in many communities about proper ways to dispose waste and recycling efforts.
Bucknell adds that she joined the Eco Guardians to help others youths realize the importance of their environment and to avoid the excessive amount of littering that is taking place in their communities.
She acknowledges that since joining the environment movement she has been able to able to assist her community reduce the amount of waste they create and encourage the practice of recycling.
“Plant more trees, stop cutting down of mangroves, using them for firewoods and practice reduce, reuse, recycle every day”
Bucknell says that they are also visiting other villages and communities in and around the Lami area and advocating about the benefits of traditional environmental knowledge and practices.
She says that such knowledge still hold relevance today and it helps people to practice sustainability.
The Kalekana youth’s message for other young individuals is if they love their environment, one must take the necessary steps to protect it, nurture it and sustain it for other generations.
