As part of the activities of the “School Network for a Healthy Environment", and realizing the major role of schools in promoting the public endorsement of good environmental practices, the department of Environmental Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) in the American University of Beirut (AUB) is organizing a one-day workshop entitled “Road to Waste-free Schools".
School representatives will be gathering on Tuesday 27 November 2018 to learn more about the best practices to encourage youth to contribute to a healthier environment, starting with educating them on proper waste reduction practices.
During the workshop, members of the schools network will also thrive to identify the available options for schools to reduce and divert resources from the solid waste stream.
The workshop is considered to be a milestone in a series of activities that are planned to take place under the framework of the “School Network for a Healthy Environment".
This initiative led by the department of Environmental Health was launched on November 23rd, 2017. In collaboration with Lebanese schools, this Network aims to encourage youth to engage in environmental conservation and to appreciate the importance of the environmental health field to achieve sustainable development.
Schools have an imperative responsibility to shape the behavior of young people and educate on proper waste reduction practices. Hence developing a vital part of the long-term strategy to establishing healthy living habits towards a more sustainable future.
Up until today, Lebanon's solid waste management structure has been in a perpetual state of emergency. It has suffered primarily from infrastructural and financial deficits as well as political intrusion. However, these problems are exacerbated by Lebanon's relatively high population density and ever-increasing waste generation rates.
As part of its mission, the Environmental Health Department aims to create and contribute to a healthier environment by addressing critical issues that are a threat to the health of current and future generations.
The department of Environmental Health at FHS launched the School Network for a Healthy Environment in November 2017 (click HERE to read more).
A second workshop was held in March 2018 to discuss the World Health Organization' (WHO) parameter guidelines (click HERE to read more).