year
A year (or months) dedicated to environmental and sustainability learning through Hands-on conservation work, Volunteering with eco-NGOs, Permaculture and organic farming, Climate activism, Sustainable travel and Ecological research. This also include low carbon and ecofriendly simple living, self-education, and community engagement. The mantra for such living is the less is more.
Traditional gap years involve travel, internships, job preparation or even academic work. Personally, I also took a gap year, but it was for preparation for entrance exams. Today, it is quite common for people to take gap year. Many young people are opting for a break between high school and college to reflect, recharge, and reorient, which is frequently called a Green Gap Year. Its main motive is to address environmental issues and dedicate time to environmental exploration, ecological service and learning outside the classroom
We often forget our real needs and necessities and run behind and stack up things that are completely unnecessary to us, but just because other people have that we also need to buy that. This mindless and environmentally harmful attitude of people is being changed in such a living style by taking core idea that “the less is more”.
Green Gap Year goes beyond the simple Eco tourism. It is profoundly engrained in value such as environmental awareness, sustainability, simplicity, regeneration, activism and mindful living. It allows us to reconnect with nature, values, and sense of purpose. It is not just relaxation or escape from our daily hustle as it is traditional or societal viewed. It is an extremely wonderful and important experience that let one delves into its natural habitat. It is luxury of human life if it is viewed mindfully.
Why Youth Are Reimagining the Gap Year?
Young people are striving for harmony between their belief job path and planets will be the shift shows that young people are increasingly want their life choices to match their climate values. As climate deteriorates, many young individuals feel the need to take meaningful action before they enter the work force. We have observed very closely that our formal education feels disconnected from the real climate crisis we face. There are students who feel eco anxiety or academic stress and the opportunity to heal and reconnect with nature. According to me, young individuals are quite aware of their personal future as well as the future of humanity and their responsibility to the world and earth. This also shows that their interest in lining their life decisions with environmental values.
What Happens During a Green Gap Year (GGP)?
Usually, GGP are self-designed or organisation-structured or even community-planned sometimes. It can be divided into two parts i) Formal education through institutions and organisation and ii) Self learning or hands-on conservation work.
Institutions like Earth University or Auroville Earth Institute offer short-term courses in ecology, green economics, and eco-philosophy. There they also emphasis on environmental-friendly and sustainable living. Still, this year will be outside classroom learning year and full of practical knowledge. They also taught philosophy, healthy ways to live.
For second part i.e. self-learning people usually join organizations for volunteering. They perform activities like permaculture, organic farming, water harvesting, natural building and zero waste life. These organizations usually consist of families who live life this and host people for doing same. They may also take some nominal charge for accommodations and food they provide. However, sometimes it is absolutely free and is in exchange of work you do at their farms and workshops. It is not just limited to farms and workshops but they also conduct wildlife trekking, beach clean-up drives, tour to rural areas or hidden nature gems and enjoy local art, craft and music performances. This all is an incredible and pleasurable experience that one could have in his/her life. This no less than any luxury, in fact this is opulence of nature that we human miss in today’s time.
Another than this some people also get into advocacy and activism for environment. They join climate movements like Zero Hour or participate in citizen assemblies, pushing governments for stronger and beneficial environmental policies. Some people may take up eco- travelling and nature immersion for trying efficient and self-sustaining lifestyle. This allows them to learn living in low carbon footprint life.
Benefits of GGP
We have numerous advantages of this beyond resume. First is discussed above as practical knowledge like doing gardening chores, building solar cooker and mental healing. Second this helps us in Environmental Literacy of our only loving planet earth. Nature immersion, slow living, and purpose-driven work help reduce burnout and anxiety. Third, many people return with a better sense of clarity, understanding, and emotions, which make them strong from inside. Fourth and last is community and connection, which is often deep and lasting. This might also help them in their studies or jobs later in the future.
In spite of these advantages, there are some barriers or criticism faced by this good sustainable trend. First, it is not socially or societally usually accepted or even viewed neutrally. Some have culturally related reasons while others have rigid mentality reasons. Second, it is not yet affordable and accessible to the masses, which is mostly due to a lack of awareness. Third, I feel it lacks proper structure, which might make me feel uncertain and insecure further. It can also lead to losing interest without knowing and trying its actual purpose.
What’s needed is institutional recognition, financial support, and cultural acceptance of non-linear paths.It is like “The Road Not Taken” yet. We have actually very few examples of such things in India so far, despite having the largest population on earth at least.
Conclusion
As said, it is not a break from education, but it is a new kind of education that one will need to accept in the future for planet Earth. It is way giving back to nature through reconnection, reflection, and reorientation in nature’s lap. In coming, we might see this integrated in schools and universities’ curriculum extensively. Some may offer credit for environmental internships and projects done. It is a powerful response to a chaotic time. At a moment when the Earth itself is calling for help, more and more youth are answering not with fear, but with action. Not with burnout, but with creativity. And not with blind conformity, but with conscious exploration.
By: TANISHKA KARANDE
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