In addition to the constant increase in numbers, the informal youth group Think Green was assisted by socially responsible companies and individuals.
Plastic bags, empty beer and wine bottles, sneakers, plastic chairs, ceramic items, car parts, Tetra Pak packaging, TVs and other household appliances, furniture … the first and only logical thought is that you are in some big mall. Unfortunately, these items are mostly old, shabby, empty, instead of in regional landfills they find their place in the woods, by streams, along the banks of rivers or lakes, in meadows and the like.
It did not just “fell from the sky”. All of this is done by a man, an individual, a community, or even an unconscious society as a whole. Who has the right to destroy the common natural good, and until when will the planet suffer the destructive human side!? Every ton of garbage thrown into nature is a ton of problems for the community that lives there. Nature then reacts, giving us floods, landslides, hurricanes and similar storms.
The story of ecology begins in the head of every individual, and acting on a local level sometimes seems like a small step, but let’s just remember the saying: Many small people in many small places, who make many small steps can change the world.
When an idea becomes an action
People with positive creative ideas can do a lot, sometimes it just takes a small amount of good will. For the past ten days, young people in Visoko gathered in the Facebook group Think Green have already taken the first step. The first tons of garbage next to the local forest paths were transferred to the regional landfill.
It all started a few months ago. Faruk Avdagić who uses his free time for the common good and preservation of the environment explained how it all happened.
“My story about ecology is about seven or eight months old. I talked with my friend Mustafa Ćosović about waste recycling and ecology and environmental awareness in general. Then we talked about bigger and more difficult projects, which for now are just an idea“, says Faruk, who added that he loves nature and that he often walks recreationally on the local forest paths of the famous Ravne picnic area.
“I recorded a lot of illegal landfills with my friends, and in that regard, we found that everyone knows about it and they are against it, but no one is doing anything about it. We decided to act on our writing on social media networks with a real cleaning action and removal of landfills, one by one. Ten days later, the result is a ton of garbage less in the immediate vicinity of the Ravne picnic area“, he proudly points out and adds that around twenty young people from Visoko sent a strong message to all those who share the same vision of environmental protection to join them.
“We also sent a message to those who are constantly adding to these landfills, to stop, and at least think for a moment about what they are leaving behind and what natural beauties they are depriving their children of.”
Think Green is becoming a serious story
In a very short time, from an informal group of young people and a Facebook page, the movement became a real novelty in one small local community. In addition to the constant increase in numbers, this group was assisted in their first actions on the ground by socially responsible companies and individuals.
“Everything we had at the beginning, and we are still at the very beginning, is an idea. I am very happy that socially responsible citizens supported us by providing us with work gloves, garbage bags and refreshments for all participants. It’s amazing how fast things are going, even faster than we imagined“, this young activist told us and reveals how after a few days and two cleaning actions they came to a situation where other similar organizations contact them for cooperation, offer help.
“We want to register either an association or some other legal form of entity in order to make cooperation easier,” our interviewee concludes. This movement was soon joined by young people who are developing their actions in other fields for the benefit of the community, and share the same opinion on environmental protection. One of the youngest city councilors in Visoko, Tarik Halilović, also supported the Think Green movement.
Reforestation action
Forests, mountains, rivers, streams, meadows do not belong to anyone, nor should we think that they will belong someone in terms of private exploitation to the detriment of society as a whole. A few hundred years ago, the greatest admirers of nature and fighters for its original preservation, the Indians said and warned: “When you cut the last tree, when you poison the last river, when you catch the last fish, only then will you know that money cannot be eaten.”
In order to prevent that, we need to act, and Think Green has taken one small first step and won’t stop there.
Think Green will mark Earth Day on April 22, and hold a press conference. All interested will have an opportunity to hear more about the work done so far and plans for the future. “For now, we will only announce that in addition to the removal of landfills, a large reforestation action is also planned,” announced Avdagić.
