Youth Environmental Movement: Green Student Movement (GSM) Aceh

In the midst of the climate crisis and environmental damage that is increasingly widespread in the world, the Green Student Movement (GSM) Aceh was born as an effort by the young generation to save the earth of Serambi Mekkah. GSM Aceh focuses on education and strengthening the capacity of young people in Aceh so that they can become agents of change in environmental rescue actions. After being formed in October 2023, GSM Aceh currently has 50 members who are actively encouraging good changes in their communities.

Based on the Ecology Academy developed by WALHI Aceh, GSM Aceh initiated the “Development of Environmentally Concerned Youth Organizations” with the support of Direct Funding by Nusantara Fund. The program run by GSM Aceh aims to increase the capacity of young people in the Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar areas in siding with ecological justice and climate justice. It was recorded that there were 337 participants involved in the activity, 206 women and 131 men from several villages, namely Geunteut Tourism Village, Alue Naga Village, Jeulingke Village, Bandar Baru Village, and Gampong Jawa Village.

During the implementation from February 5 to July 31, 2024, GSM Aceh carried out various actions to protect the environment. The preparation stage was carried out to finalize the activity plan. In the period from February 25 to July 21, 2024, waste care actions at various tourist locations took place, the "GSM Goes to School" program to increase environmental awareness among children, the formation of a "Waste Bank", and the creation of the GSM Aceh secretariat.

The Care for Waste Movement in Tourism Areas was carried out in Alue Naga, Taman Ratu Safiatuddin and under the Lamnyong River Bridge. This is an action of concern for the balance of the water ecosystem. In addition to carrying out clean-up actions, socialization to the community around the tourist area was also carried out to increase public awareness of protecting coastal and river ecosystems from natural damage. The Care for Waste Movement provides a direct example to tourists to be responsible for their waste, because the facts in various tourist locations in Indonesia show a close relationship between low tourist awareness and the significance of waste volume. Piles of tourist waste that are not handled properly will pollute the water and destroy the habitat of coastal and river species.

The waste collected during the Garbage Care Movement by GSM and other communities was then identified and sorted at the GSM Aceh Secretariat for four days. Waste that cannot be recycled is disposed of at the landfill. GSM members directly applied the knowledge of waste sorting that they had gained during their time with GSM. This activity also marked the establishment of the GSM Aceh Garbage Bank.

Meanwhile, in the GSM Goes to School activity at Taman Edukasi Aceh, children were introduced to B3 waste (Hazardous and Toxic Materials) and how to process waste into valuable products. Children, as future travelers of life, were also given an understanding of the importance of caring for the sustainability of the natural ecosystem. The activity involved 105 participants consisting of children who had not yet attended school to high school students.

The construction of the GSM Aceh secretariat which reached 50% is also an important achievement. This secretariat functions as a meeting place for GSM Aceh members, WALHI Aceh, and other groups to collaborate on issues related to nature conservation. The GSM Aceh Secretariat will also be used to conduct training and education on sustainable practices as an effort to increase the capacity of members. This is where the next youth actions will be created that are in line with the breath of ecological justice and climate justice.

This program not only emphasizes how important the role of young people in protecting the environment, but also shows that collaborative efforts of youth networks can enlarge the reach of significant actions for the environmental movement. Through action after action, GSM Aceh is not only conserving nature for today, but building a foundation for sustainable work in protecting the environment for future generations.