In this time of climate crisis, the movement to protect the environment is no longer limited to meetings, seminars or field activity; through digital media it has reached everyone's fingertips. The younger generation in particular is using social media to build impressive grassroots environmental initiatives. Several young environmental activists shared how awareness campaigns in the virtual world are becoming tree planting, clean-up drives and biodiversity protection in reality.

One activist said a small feeling of love for nature began their journey with the environmental organisation Resilient Planet Society. Where the movement was once limited to seminars and some field activity, now a single video or online campaign can stir the conscience of thousands. The organisation has used digital media from the start not just for publicity but as a platform for young people's active participation, and has seen new volunteers emerge through online awareness content. But online discussion alone cannot protect the environment, so every digital campaign is linked to field work such as tree planting, clean-up drives and training for young people. Fake information and short attention spans are big challenges, the activist said, but with the right purpose and sustained effort digital media can be the movement's most powerful tool.

Another activist, working with the organisation Prafulla, said social media shows how quickly an awareness message can reach large numbers of people. The group regularly shares documentaries and content online to turn young people towards the environment, but does not stop there: when they go to educational institutions or remote areas to plant trees after a campaign, they get an unprecedented response from ordinary people. The biggest challenge is balancing online enthusiasm with reality on the ground, as many who appear online are not seen when it is time to work in the field. To close this gap, the group uses its online platform as the main source for recruiting volunteers. "Alongside virtual campaigns, go close to the soil," the activist advised newcomers. "Real change comes from the field."

Mission Green Bangladesh works with young people to build environmental awareness nationwide, connecting people in 64 districts under a "green umbrella" through online networking and producing regular visual content on the beauty of the environment, biodiversity conservation and climate awareness. Its activist described mixed experiences in the field: on River Day, when they tried to discuss protecting the river with people on the banks of the Turag, many were not interested in listening. The number of volunteers willing to work consistently is far lower than the interest seen on social media, and data from online surveys often does not match the reality on the ground. Newcomers were urged to cherish "mother and soil", not to be caught up in certificates or praise, to become aware themselves and inspire others, and to learn environmental laws and join green organisations.

An activist with Green Voice, Rajshahi University, said online campaigns have a positive effect on ordinary students. Sharing photos and information about tree planting or clean-up drives on campus encourages young people to get involved. In the field, the group has had a strong response from students and the university administration. It promotes each programme online as soon as it is scheduled. The biggest challenge is keeping people's interest, as many who show support online take part less in real activities; the group tries to narrow the gap through continuous campaigns and field initiatives. Rather than waiting for big plans, people should first identify the problems around them, the activist said, since small steps and regular participation bring big change in the long run.

Another activist said any good initiative falls behind if it cannot keep up with the times, and digital media is now a major tool for social change, carrying a simple message from one end of the country to the other in moments. Over the past two monsoons, the National University unit of the Bangladesh Torun Column Lekhok Forum ran tree planting across the country. The organisation does not have members in all 64 districts, but by promoting the initiative on social media it reached many people, and students from other universities also took part voluntarily. The first time it could not be carried out fully in every district, but the second time was largely successful: although 64 specific people from 64 districts could not be confirmed, more than a hundred young people joined.

The group also regularly shares photo cards and writing on the need for tree planting. Not everyone who responds online turns up in reality, the activist admitted, but online campaigns may bring in new energetic people. Newcomers were advised to use digital media not just for publicity but to increase public engagement, since the right use of technology and a little awareness can lay the foundation for a beautiful, green world.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.