CEE joined hands with rest of the world in celebrating World Environment Day (WED) on 5 June 2009 . The designated theme for this year was ‘Your Planet Needs You – UNite to respond to Climate Change'. CEE's offices across the country organised events that reflected this theme and which focused on creating awareness on climate change and the associated threat. In most places, school children, teachers and the citizen community took part in the popular events like rallies, games, quizzes, competitions, tree plantations, slogan and poster making, skits and many other activities.

Films and documentaries on climate change were also screened in various locations. Most of the centers screened ‘An Inconvenient Truth', one of the most popular movies on climate change. Speeches and seminars by eminent people on conservation of nature, with special focus on actions that could be taken at local level were also part of the celebrations.

A Glimpse of some of the other activities across the country

CEE Central

The government of Madhya Pradesh (MP) organised a week of celebrations with agencies working in the field of environment, in the capital city of Bhopal . CEE MP State Office fully participated in all the events at different locations and with a range of participants.

One of the events was at Ekant Park. The first session was for the regular park visitors and walkers. The second session was for school children, teachers, NGOs and the staff of Capital Project Administration which collaborated with CEE for this programme. The participants planted more than 50 nsaplings in the park.

A one-day programme was organized by CEE Pune Office at Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) 'Indradhanushya' Citizenship and Environment Education Centre, in partnership with ALERT.People of different backgrounds and age groups representing PMC, NGOs, corporates, academic institutes and youth groups participated in the programme. Adv. Vandana Chavan, Ex-Mayor of Pune and Founder-Director of ALERT, an NGO spearheading climate change awareness discussed the need for visionary leadership in cities to address adaptation and mitigation at the local level. She stressed the need for local level change in response to, and in alignment with, India 's National Action Plan on Climate Change(NAPCC). The groups reviewed the NAPCC and discussed its application at community level vis-à-vis urban environmental issues such as Solid Waste Management, Mobility, Biodiversity, Soil and Water Conservation and Energy. This formed a basis to derive Pune specific actions for citizens and PMC to combat Climate Change.

CEE South

Students removing the litter strewn on the beach

The Tamil Nadu State Office organised a six-day long workshop titled, ‘Crusaders of Climate Change for the students of The Velammal International School, Panchetti, Chennai and Anglo Chinese School , Singapore . 80 students and 10 teachers participated in the workshop which culminated on 5 June 2009. The workshop was planned to sensitise the students to climate change issues and empower them to act as proactive change agents for sustainable development and a safe future. The first 4 days included visits to natural and cultural sites, talks by experts and hands on activities and exercises. On 5 June, the students started the day with a beach cleaning exercise in the Marina Beach, which was followed by a rally along the beach.

Community interaction on waste management practices

As part of the World Environment Day 2009 celebrations, a series of activities were conducted by CEE Andhra Pradesh with the support of Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) and in cooperation with partner NGOs - Association for Providing Social Action (APSA), Centre for Applied Research & Extension ( CARE ), Chatri and Sukuki Exnora. The celebration included a lake walk from the Necklace Road to Sanjeevaiah Park . Activities were organised to promote solid waste management practices for the residents of slums around the immediate catchments of the Hussain Sagar Lake . Around 600 residents from 23 slums participated in the programme.

A wallpaper on the theme was developed for this year's WED.

CEE Jaipur organised a three days event around the theme. The Rajasthan Pollution Control Board (RPCB), Times Group and Rajasthan Bharat Scouts & Guides were key partners with CEE for this event. A ‘Run for the Environment' marathon and Wishing Tree were popular attractions this year.

In an effort to mobilise the urban community in sector 84 of manasarovar where CEE Jaipur's earlier office was situated, volunteers tied green bands on each other's arms as a symbol of their commitment to the cause of combating climate change. Wallpapers and a booklet Paryavaran Sarakshan ke 101 Upay (101 Ways of Protecting the Environment) were developed and distributed to spread the message.