Kris Young is the latest volunteer to bring skills, motivation and strategy to the Foundation of Goodness (FOG), spending two months with the Environment Committee and Green Team in Seenigama to assess potential for different ‘green focused’ initiatives including home gardens and plastic bag reduction.

Twenty nine year old Kris originates from the USA, and has a Bachelor of Science with a major in forestry. His environmental protection focus has seen him work in a diverse range of areas including everything from teaching children the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mantra to a beetle eradication program in New York.

As Kris explains, it can take a long time for people to understand the implications and repercussions of how they treat their surroundings.

‘What’s needed is time and education. The more we teach people about responsibility and stewardship, the more they will get on board,’ he says.

During his time in Seenigama, Kris worked with the Environment Committee on two projects aimed at increasing environmental awareness, an important contribution to the village where most residents have little idea about the benefits of conservation.

The ‘home garden’ project involves the distribution of plants, fertilizer and tools for twenty small gardens to help people become more aware of what their immediate environment can provide if they cultivate it well.

The ‘bag-for-a-bag’ project will offer the opportunity to trade plastic bags for more environmentally sound canvas or cloth versions. Kris developed the project in response to the local lack of understanding about the negative impact plastic bags have on the environment.

With the support of Dilhani Weerasinghe of Brandix Apparel, it is hoped that the cloth bags will be made by students from the Women’s Enterprise Centre. FoG will take the plastic bags to the recycling centre in nearby Galle.

Kris believes that the Environment Committee are a committed and hard working team, who, with enough support from the community, government and skilled experts, could make a substantial difference to local attitudes about the environment.

‘The committee needs technical assistance, funding and person-power to really get things off the ground,’ he explains.

‘If they had more people – local or international – who could provide specifically oriented training, it would really help.’

With a strong focus on the environment, PROViDE will take a multifaceted approach which could include infrastructure development, economic structuring and creating livelihoods – whatever it takes to give communities a boost.

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For more information on the work of the Foundation of Goodness, see www.unconditionalcompassion.com.