Jamyang Jamtsho, the environmentalist who embarked on a month-long cycling campaign for climate change has ended his tour in the capital. He reached Changangkha Middle Secondary School on Sunday. The climate activist visited schools and colleges in 14 districts to pass his climate change message.
Jamyang Jamtsho started the campaign from Pema Gatshel on the first of October with a 250ml cola bottle filled with water. He says it’s a grim reminder of what contributes to the climate crisis and the result thereof. The water is brought all the way from Thorthormi glaciers lake at Lunana.
As a climate activist, he has his support crew in an electric car. They went around 14 districts in the last 30 days meeting students. The campaign’s main aim was to meet students and educate them on the way. However, he could meet the students only during the morning assembly. The ministry told them not to disrupt the academic sessions as school started late this year.
“So, I basically went during their morning assemblies and gave a very short 3 or 4-minute speech about the campaign and why I was doing it. From the little understanding that I have, I think students, especially in the higher grades, are aware of the climate impact, and crisis that is happening. But it’s the younger lot who still do not really understand what climate crisis is,” he said.
The team also visited a few colleges and received positive responses from them. The campaign aimed to convey three main messages: to plant trees and stop deforestation, a swift transition to renewable energy, and to include climate change and crisis as part of the school curriculum to have well-informed future policymakers and leaders.
“This is just the beginning. I hope that I have been able to make a small impact with the direct engagement of students along the way. But I have other ways, I feel that I can connect more and that’s the reason why I have the film crew with me travelling in an electric support car. So, in each district we visited, we have been filming different environmental angles and topics,” he added.
The team has ambitious plans like releasing environmental and educational series for the future. They have high hopes to educate and continue the awareness.
Devika Pradhan
Edited by Sonam