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Thanal's work in Environment Education dates back to its origin. It has as a primary focus group the students of colleges
and the children in schools. In the early days the few members in Thanal used to branch out whenever and however possible
talking to as many children and students. In 1994, the Nature Club Council - a programme aimed specifically at the children
of schools was started. We have an enrolment of nearly 200 schools where materials on environment, pollution, wild-life and
biodiversity are regularly sent. We also organize Film Shows and Talks in these schools as well as other focus groups. All
of us continuously interact with as many people on the environment and on specific issues like water, oceans, biodiversity,
pesticides and health, plastics and its impacts on the environment and livelihoods etc.
The Nature Club Council has actively participated in many conservation action and campaigns. Notable of them is the
massive signature campaign to protect the Tiger. 1.53 lakh children from the State of Kerala signed on to the request to
convene the Wild Life Board of the Country to take action for protecting the tiger(1998). Nature Club Council brings out
Environment Education Materials and a non-periodical theme letter - Nature Concerns. The students and teachers contribute
to this. Of late we have not been able to bring out Nature Concerns as we could not raise the funds needed for it.
We are also much concerned about the toxics that our children are being affected with, especially through the plastic
toys that are cheaply and commonly available here. With the support of some concerned mothers we brought out a booklet on
Children and Toys (Kuttigalum Kalipattangalum, 2001) compiled by Raju S. We have updated ourselves since then, and are bringing
out a revised edition of the same this year. At the Zero Waste Centre in Kovalam, we have been organising a Children for
a Toxic Free World programme - a one-day workshop every month since 2003, introducing children to the world of non-toxic
alternatives in toys, crafts and creative arts. This is also an attempt to create awareness among the children about the
toxic materials around them and how as children they can intervene and change for a better future. In April, 2004, we organized
a 15 day camp called "Children and a Toxic Free World" focussing on Nature and stressing on the need to protect
it and ensure the world is toxic free.
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