Peshawar University’s Green Campus initiative to be replicated in all varsities of KP

PESHAWAR, Dec 05 :The `Green Campus’ initiative of Peshawar University is going to be replicated in all the varsities of the province to transform them into hubs of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
The replication plan includes nomination of Ambassador of Green Campus in all the universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including both public and private, shared Dr. Shakeel Khan, Head of Green Campus Peshawar University.
The Green Campus initiative was launched in 2023 by the Business Incubation Center (BIC) with the objective of transforming educational institutions into eco-friendly spaces, Dr. Shakeel told APP.
Now after achieving good results at Peshawar University, it has been decided to expand the programme in all the universities of the province, he added.
Under Green Campus initiative a number of research have been conducted to reorient the campus culture towards ecological consciousness, resource efficiency and circular economy principles.
Elaborating his viewpoint, Dr. Shakeel said students conducted research and discovered that around seven to eight hundred thousand pieces of paper or plastic tea cups are discarded as trash on campus premises which can be utilized through recycling.
Volunteers of Green Campus also introduced clay pots for drinking tea and water to reduce paper and plastic litter.
Similarly, he continued, a device was introduced by students by use of which the ablution water at campus mosques can be reduced from 10 litre per ablution per person to three litre, saving thousands of gallons of water on a daily basis.
The concept of not using polythene bags in campus premises is promoted by members of Green Campus, he added.
The Green Campus is mobilizing youngsters towards minimizing environmental impacts, enhancing campus resilience and providing a healthier, more inspiring learning and working environment.
The same practice will be extended to all the universities of the province and it would have a very positive impact on young generation, Shakeel hoped.
He said initially a committee comprising ten members would be constituted in each varsity with the task of initiating eco-friendly measures through involving of students and faculty members.
Shakeel said the vision of Green Campus will be expanded to the whole country and in this respect, contacts would be established with students and teachers at the national level.
He said it’s need of the hour to involve educated youngsters in mitigating the impacts of climate change which is badly affecting all the segments of society not only at the country level but in the whole world.
It merits mention here that the Green Campus Initiative of Peshawar University has recently launched the Climate Governance & Journalism Fellowship, calling all youth who are passionate about climate change to join a two-month training programme.
The purpose of the eight-month hybrid programme is to impart training to its participants which can help them bring positive changes in their fields for the cause of improving the environment.