Purpose: To localize, personalize and reinforce the global educational campaign (above), we must fully empower and train young adults to lead their own campaigns.

Program: Even young adults who are aware of the bigger picture problems, can feel un-empowered in doing much to mobilize real change, especially in their own communities. In a Roper Starch Green Gauge Report 56% agree with the statement: “I would do more for the environment, but I don’t know how.”

So critical is empowerment and training to the sustainability movement, the United Nations prescribed, as a critical action item in its Agenda 21, a comprehensive plan of action coming out of the 1992 Earth Summit:

§ Reorient education towards sustainable development (Section 36.3)
§ Increase public awareness of the issues around sustainability (Section
36.8)

In today’s highly individual DIY (do-it-yourself) youth culture, Pop Sustainability leverages the interest of young adults to own their own message as a way of also reaching larger audiences only accessible by finding allies in young adults on college campuses.

Pop Sustainability provides empowerment and training to young adults on college campuses enabling them to undertake their own campaigns. A practical campaign toolkit will be available to student groups by September 2002 and a guided planning process as well as ongoing reporting and coaching will support some select teams.

As integral actors in this peer-to-peer strategy, students gain priceless hands-on experience implementing their own campaign plans. Pop Sustainability is committed to stewarding strong leadership and enduring social and communication skills—the foundations of any modern career. Pop Sustainability empowers young adults to “be the change they wish to see in the world”.

Measurable Objectives: By the year 2010, Pop Sustainability initiates at least 100 local awareness and action campaigns lead by 500 university youth leaders. These campaigns inspire a documentable action by at least 50,000 young people with a message relating to the principles and practices of sustainability. Local media coverage reaches an additional 1 million young adults influencing style and behavior patterns with the message of each campaign. Pop Sustainability's "how to" Do-It-Yourself kit is made readily available and inspires additional awareness and action campaigns.

© 2002 POP SUSTAINABILITY