Jessie Mehrhoff (participant)
*Group name
Tunza Environemntal Club
*Country/Region
Connecticut, USA
*Type of Group
Community
*Number of total members of your group/project
20 persons
*Number of regular participants in activities
20 persons
*Characteristic of members
I am engaged in several environmental projects. Basically they are all projects involving children from my school.
*Theme(s) of your group/project
*Air Pollution, *Biodiversity, *Chemicals, *Energy Issues, *Forest/Tree Planting, *Land and Soil, *Nature Conservation, *Wastes and Recycling, *Water Issues, *Climate Change/Global Warming Effect, *Urban Issues, *Peace Issues
*Missions and activities of your group/project
I have been involved in many environmental projects in my school (grades 4-8). One of these was the 5th grade nature club which focused on the animal life in the Willimantic River that flows behind our school's playground. I have also been involved in Project SEARCH, a program that studies the water quality in Connecticut Rivers. During the year, we tested the water quality and identified some of the fresh water organisms that live in the river. We submit the results of our studies to our state's Department of Environmental Protection.
Last year I helped start an environmental club for the students in my school. We called it the Tunza Environmental Club. We helped clean up our school and nature trail, we played games that taught the students about environmental issues, we made sure that items that should be recycled were not thrown in the trash. We also created posters about recycling that were displayed throughout our school and town library.
This year my school's principal offered to let me create a webpage about environmental news for young environmentalists. This website includes information on current events, news items, and other things of interest primarily to youth. I hope that this website will encourage and give children and adults necessary information to become better environmentalists.
*Major publications and articles
Our reports/activities were introduced in our school's newsletter "Superintendents Letter", which is published few times a year.
*What kind of group/project do you want to exchange for imformation and experience with?
I would like to keep track of various events, projects related to UNEP. I keep in touch with some of the participants I got to know in the Summit.
*Short message for exchange with other group/project
Children are the future. We should change our earth in a positive way.
*Impression of Children's World Summit for the Environment 2005 Aichi
I loved the Summit, and learned so much from it. Meeting people from around the globe who are working on diverse projects and activities was something cool. It was great to know how people tackle environmental issues in other places around the world.
*Interview
After the Summit, I have become even more active in my projects. Among all the activities I am working with, currently I am focusing on my website where I share my knowledge, opinion and other information with people who visit my site. I especially keep in touch with Brittany, one of the delegates of the Summit from New Zealand whom I became friends with, and we help each other with our projects. I am seeking opportunities to participate in similar conferences or events on a global scale in the future.
*Contact person
Jessie Mehrhoff
*Contact Address
43 Schofield Road, Willington, Connecticut, USA
jbmsmiles@yahoo.com
*URL of Web site of your group/project
http://www.students.hallteachers.org/Jmehrhoff/YoungEnviroHome.htm
