ALEX KERR | staff writer

APU students participate in a "Go Green Week," as countries around the world strive to be more eco-minded.

Sustainability, the process of economic systems having the least possible impact on ecological systems, has reached a global stage, leading countries such as China, India, South Africa, and Ireland to adopt more environmentally friendly practices.

Individuals like Tang Xiyang, founder of China’s Green Camp, hope to promote and sustain the recent boost in pro-environmental thinking.

Green Camp provides democratic training to Chinese university students, and has been credited with aiding the “Green Movement” in China. Since its launch in 1996, Xiyang has held seven Green Camps, hosting over 10,000 participants from China, Taiwan, Macao and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, as some countries are actively working to prevent further damage to the environment, others are attempting to reverse that which has already been done.

In both India and South Africa, the use of thin, polythene bags has been banned.Offenders in India face up to seven years in jail, or a fine of approximately $2,000.

South Africans caught with the bags also face jail time of up to 10 years.

Similarly, Ireland has placed a tax on plastic bags, leading to a significant reduction in their usage.

Environmentalist groups around the world have also made an impact on the global effort to become sustainable. Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, and The World Conservation Union are just a few of the environmental organizations currently operating.

Established in 1971, Greenpeace began its first environmental project on a small fishing boat in Vancouver, and now holds over 30 offices worldwide.

The group continues to actively pursue those engaging in whaling, nuclear testing, deforesting and more.

The World Wildlife Fund also seeks to promote a more environmentally friendly future, while working to stop and reverse what harm has already been done.

“WWF works with very limited resources, despite our successes in the world of conservation,” Jackie Janosi, member of WWF’s international team, said.

The fund currently works in over 100 countries worldwide, stirring awareness and proactive behavior on issues such as global warming, water conservation, and global sustainability.

The Canada branch of WWF has recently been working with the Deh Cho who live in the upper reaches of the Northwest Territories’ Mackenzie Valley where plans to run a gas pipeline have conservationists worried about the welfare of the wildlife. WWF has been helping the Deh Cho people map local values and document traditional knowledge.

Bringing together 83 states, 110 government agencies, and over 800 non-governmental organizations, The World Conservation Union is currently the largest conservation network in the world. Utilizing nearly 10,000 scientists and experts from 181 countries worldwide, the union seeks to promote sustainability in all cultures.

Since its founding in 1948, it has helped to preserve both the environment and animals.

In response to the “Green Movement,” philanthropist and civic leader Richard N. Goldman created the Goldman Environmental Prize.

Established in 1990, The Goldman Prize seeks to acknowledge “grassroots” environmental heroes. One individual from each of the six inhabited continents is selected per year.

Recipients of the prize are recognized for the lengths to which they were willing to go in order to protect and preserve the environment, often risking their own well-being.

It’s the world’s largest enviornmental prize, awarding winners $125,000 for their efforts.

“In the end, protecting the environment is about very clear choices,” Executive Director at Greenpeace USA John Passacantando said. “We can either stand up for what is right or we can sit by and watch while decisions are made that threaten to destroy our collective future.”