Wanted: Young individuals with eco-innovative ideas

Bayer Phils. is calling all Filipino youths nationwide, 17 to 23 years old, who have an interesting innovative idea or concept, to join the search for the country’s representatives to the Eco-Innovative 03, a youth forum that will be held at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia on July 13-18.

Created by a partnership among Bayer, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Eco-Innovate 03 is an invitation for young people across the Asia-Pacific region to take up what the United Nations describes as the biggest challenge of the new century – to take an abstract idea, "sustainable development," and turn it into a daily reality for the world’s people.

Eco-Innovate 03 was formally launched at the UNSW in Sydney recently and Australian long-distance swimmer Susie Maroney hurled the challenge to all the young people across the Asia-Pacific to join this exciting new regional environmental initiative.

"High school students in Western Australia have developed a water purifier which is powered by a bicycle. Eco-innovations like this seem like simple ideas, but they have the potential to create environmental benefits," Maroney said.

What are eco-innovative ideas? They are innovative and sustainable ideas that constitute a sustainable development solution. Student eco-innovations such as a solar heated doghouse, a hammock made from recycled plastic bags, a toothbrush powered by the Sun were showcased in the launch alongside cutting-edge UNSW innovations like the solar hydrogen cell that produced energy from water and light and a new natural technique that uses bacteria to clean the hull of boats.

In the Philippines, six finalists will be selected, from whom the best two will get to go to the forum in Sydney where they will be given the opportunity to learn about the steps necessary to develop their eco-innovative ideas.

These two young individuals will also get a chance to meet other young people across the Asia-Pacific and share ideas and experiences.

The forum will have a high-level involvement from the UNEP, the World/Australian Business Development Council, key government agencies, the academe and other environmental organizations in Australia.

By involving young people from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and India, the forum recognizes the importance of generating innovations that draw on different cultural and natural heritages and respond to local needs.

Surendra Shrestha, regional director and representative of UNEP in the Asia-Pacific, said, "We urgently need more innovations in current production and consumption patterns. Today, just 15 percent of the world’s population accounts for 56 percent of consumption and if everybody lived like them, we would need 2.6 additional planets to support us all."

Eco-Innovative 03 is sponsored by Bayer, an international research-based group with major businesses in health care, crop science, polymers and chemicals.

Bayer is the official partner of UNEP for Youth Education in the Asia-Pacific, working on numerous joint initiatives related to the environment.

The UNEP, established in 1972, works to encourage sustainable development through sound environmental practices everywhere. The UNSW is recognized internationally as a world-class center of teaching, learning and research, and leads in solar energy research.

How can the youth join the search? They can simply log on to www.eco-innovate.net, download the application form and send the completed form to Bayer Philippines Inc., Corporate Communications, Canlubang Industrial Estate, Calamba, Laguna.

For more information, call (02) 450-7200 or (049) 549-7375. All entries must be received by Bayer Phils. not later than April 30. Only one name should accompany each entry.