Mangalore: ‘Care for our common home’ and creating ecologically sensitive youth have been the missions of St Aloysius PU College. In this regard, the Centre for Environmental Concern (CEC), in collaboration with Eco Club, organized ‘Eco Week’ where ecology enthusiasts took active participation in various ecology-based events. The theme of this event was to ‘Act Green, Think Clean and Live Sustainably’ in order to spread awareness about various environmental issues, to conserve nature, plant more trees and to inculcate in students a shared responsibility toward preserving the planet for future generations.
This week-long celebration was inaugurated by the Principal, Rev. Fr Clifford Sequeira SJ along with Vice-Principal-Science, Muralikrishna GM, Deans, Kiran Shetty and Inas Dais, Staff Coordinators and Student Representatives of CEC and Eco Club, and other faculty members. Fr Clifford congratulated students for playing a role in protection of the environment and urged them to continue promoting different ways to safeguard the environment. He encouraged the students to move from anthropocentrism to cosmic communion, which is a sense of unity and harmony between humanity, the cosmos and the divine. He emphasised the freedom and responsibility of humans, as members of the Earth family, to recognise, protect and respect the rights of other species. The participants took a pledge to conserve Nature by writing their Eco Wish on a leaf and placing it on the Tree of Hope – which represented the vision and commitment of the Associations to a sustainable future. They also displayed placards portraying the activities of Eco Week.
‘Eco Week 2025’- aimed to instill in the students a sense of responsibility and a deep appreciation for the environment, ensuring that these efforts did not end with the week but continued to grow, much like trees. The highlights of this year’s Eco Week were:
• Plantation Drive: A green initiative aimed at promoting afforestation, enhancing biodiversity, and engaging students in hands-on ecological restoration work at Tenkakajekar, Kodange Reserve Forest.
• Zero Waste Awareness Programme: Workshops and campaigns promoting mindful consumption and waste reduction.
• Trash to Treasure Competition: A creative platform for transforming discarded items into useful and innovative products.
• Declaration of Pristine Class Award: An award given to a class motivating students to practice cleanliness.
• ‘Drops of Hope’ Seminar on Water Conservation: A thought-provoking session on protecting our most vital resource.
• Visit to the College of Fisheries: A unique opportunity to explore sustainable practices in fisheries and marine conservation.
• Eco Swap: An event encouraging the exchange of eco-friendly items such as books, clothing, and accessories.
• Visit to Alvana: An enlightening experience at an arboretum featuring 150 plants from over 70 species.
Eco Week 2025 encouraged students to learn environmentally sustainable behaviour; to conserve, recycle and reuse natural resources and become guardians of our ecology. It was successful in promoting the cause towards a clean, green and sustainable environment.
