Environment

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TWA’s Women’s Environment and Development desk (also known as ‘WEDD’) disseminates timely and useful information on the environment and women’s issues for the international community. In addition, this program highlights the critical issue of climate change in Tibet and engages proactive measures to offset any destructive climate policies.
In recent years the Tibetan community has come to know of the enormous environmental destruction of Tibet. Vast areas of forest have been logged causing immeasurable damage to local ecosystems. Tibet is reportedly being used as a nuclear dumping ground, the effects of which will not be truly felt for years to come. Tibet’s rivers are polluted with industrial waste and vast mining of precious resources has created widespread imbalance of local ecologies.

In order to bring the world’s attention to this continuing destruction of Tibet’s precious environment, TWA alerts the local communities by focusing attention on local environmental issues. By protecting and nourishing the local ecosystems there will be a better quality of life, with an understanding of the interconnectedness of the global environment.

RTWA-Regional Tibetan Women’s Associations organize regular cleanup drives in their local areas. TWA is also involved in local reforestation programs. Every year on World Environmental Day (June 5th), our Regional Working Committees have planted saplings in the Tibetan settlements. His Holiness the Dalai Lama regularly blesses large quantities of fruit tree seeds which are distributed amongst the settlements. TWA has made special efforts to ensure that blessed seeds are planted properly on His Holiness’ birthday (July 6th) and maintained as they grow.

TWA representatives regularly attend workshops organized by the Environmental Desk of the Central Tibetan Administration. TWA has introduced environmental awareness to the office. The use of non-biodegradable plastics is discouraged and paper waste generated by the office is recycled.

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