A Green Campus is a place where environmental friendly practices and education combine to promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the campus. The green campus concept offers an institution the opportunity to take the lead in redefining its environmental culture and developing new paradigms by creating sustainable solutions to environmental, social and economic needs of mankind.

      

REPORT- GREEN AUDIT WORKSHOP

St Mary’s College Puthanangadi never fails to adapt itself to the changing scenarios of the education system. In a time when environmental issues are hazardously cumulating it has become necessary to take adequate measure to prevent the precarious outcomes. This time keeping this agenda in cognizance St Mary’s has taken a brilliant step to create an eco-friendly consciousness in the young minds. Green Audit, a UGC proposal aims at the conservation of the natural and artificial energy resources of the campus, which falls to the hands of the students. The college in association with NGGF, has conducted a two-day workshop on Green Audit to make the volunteers capable of accomplishing the goal.

In a period, which is thwarted by the most challenging Covid 19 pandemic, the two- day workshop was channelled in both offline and online modes to avoid any serious situations following all the norms of the government and the health department. The session began with the official inaugural ceremony on 27th July 2021 at college auditorium. Honoured by the presence of Rev. Fr Denny Cholappillil, college principal and Er K Madhukrishnan, CEO Herbal Heritage Homes, and other delegates, was made a great success by the active participation of 37 students and 15 teachers. In the session was presided by the principal and Prof VK Damodaran, Former director, S&T and Envt, Kerala, delivered the keynote address through online. Prof V K Damodaran, a veteran in ecological concerns, was able to elevate the students to a new regime of eco-friendly lives, with his long-term experience in this field.The technical session commenced soon after the formal inauguration and a short tea break, at 11’o clock. Since most of the resource persons were not able to reach the college because of the pandemic restrictions, the classes were streamed online on Google Meet. Er. A M Narayanan, Former director ANERT instigated the technical lesson with Energy Audit, being a veteran in this field he was able to impart his ideas with the students and the students too got immersed in the lecture with much enthusiasm. After lunch break two sessions were held by Er. K Madhukrishnan and Dr. Sabu T on Water Audit and Biodiversity Audit respectively. These experienced and skilled instructors skilfully imparted the concepts of the audits as well as the steps involved in it. After the theoretical sessions the students were given a practical awareness about carrying out these works. Divided into three groups students were asked to conduct the biodiversity as well as energy audits under the guidance of Er. K Madhukrishnan and the supervision of the teachers. Strictly following his guidelines, the volunteers managed to get in to the line without much ado.

The first day was concluded by a short refreshment provided by the college. As a prerequisite for the second day which was channelled completely via online platform, students were asked to conduct water audit in their homes, which was already taught to them. The technical sessions of the second day began with Prof VK Damodaran, who shared his ideas on Health & Environment Quality Audit and Green Audit Data Coordination. A topic which novel as well as familiar at the same time because of the areas of its concern was accepted by the students with same enthusiasm and patience like the prior day. The programme was continued without much delay, with Er. Jayaraman C, Former President STEEM who held a captivating session on “Climate Change, Carbon Foot Print Transportation Audit”. A topic with dire importance, since the planet earth is put in a dead threat of ozone depletion, shrunken glaciers, dangerously breaking up ice on rivers and lakes and alarmed rate of change in the weather are all a warning that its high time we should take a remarkable step to protect our nature for the coming generations. The first day was concluded by a short refreshment provided by the college. As a prerequisite for the second day which was channelled completely via online platform, students were asked to conduct water audit in their homes, which was already taught to them. The technical sessions of the second day began with Prof VK Damodaran, who shared his ideas on Health & Environment Quality Audit and Green Audit Data Coordination. A topic which novel as well as familiar at the same time because of the areas of its concern was accepted by the students with same enthusiasm and patience like the prior day. The programme was continued without much delay, with Er. Jayaraman C, Former President STEEM who held a captivating session on “Climate Change, Carbon Foot Print Transportation Audit”. A topic with dire importance, since the planet earth is put in a dead threat of ozone depletion, shrunken glaciers, dangerously breaking up ice on rivers and lakes and alarmed rate of change in the weather are all a warning that its high time we should take a remarkable step to protect our nature for the coming generations.

Before concluding for the lunch break two more vital classes were given on Accessibility Audit and CGH & Transport Audit by Mr Ramkamal Manoj and Mr K Madhukrishanan respectively with effective demonstrations. The open forum conducted in the afternoon session was blessed with active participation of all the resource person who individually interacted with the students till the time. The impactful deal of time spent together by the teachers, students and the resource persons gave a platform for all the participants to clear their doubts on all the concerned topic, since they were now hailed as the Green Guardians of the college. The students utilised the chance well so hat they will be able to fulfil the duties bestowed upon them without causing any problems or committing any mistakes. The concluding session, was opened for all the participants to share their feedbacks, along with the observations of Er. Madhukrishnan the representative of NGGF team who spent almost three days in the college and actively participated in both theoretical and practical sessions even though he is in his early 70’s. Prof VK Damodaran also used this final chance to interact with the new guardians of the nature and once again alerted them about the dangerous situations that nature facing and their role in overcoming these hazards. Mr Hari Prabhakar MD, NGGF and Rev Fr Denny Cholappillil, college principal too marked their valuable opinions and comments on the two- day workshop as well as the topic concerned. As the students representative Prahlad KR from second semester BA history shared his experiences of this workshop and the values and ideals that he was able to comprehend from it. The two- day workshop, which was channelled on 27th and 28th of July overcoming all the barriers of the pandemic restrictions and the limitations of online mediums came to an end the official vote of thanks at 4’o clock on 28th July 2021. The meeting was concluded in the hopes thatthis new initiative for sure will be marked in the history of St Mary’s in golden letters. And the determined Green Guardians too left the meeting with good resolutions and never-ending optimism