Dozens of graduates have completed TNAC educational center programs
The “green” movement is only beginning to spread in Armenia. Hripsime Mkrtchyan, the author of the “EcoWaste” initiative, can safely be called one of the green movement pioneers. It all started in 2018 when she discovered how much paper she was throwing in the trash can.
The public organization “EcoWaste” has carried out many environmental initiatives
“I called on my friends to hand over the waste paper they collected for recycling,” says Hripsime.“I wrote an appeal on social networks, and various people began to respond to it. Many citizens have joined us in Yerevan. We organized fundraising campaigns several times a month. People already knew when and where to take out the waste paper. It has become a habit.”
Various organizations joined the movement, and very soon the expression “Paper is not garbage” became a catchphrase in the capital.
Hripsime Mkrtchyan, a physicist by profession, had a great desire to clear Armenia of garbage heaps, saving all recyclable things and materials from the landfill. She started by contacting the relevant authorities, but received no response.
Hripsime Mkrtchyan, a physicist by profession, had a great desire to clear Armenia of garbage heaps, saving all recyclable things and materials from the landfill. She started by contacting the relevant authorities, but received no response.
“Before, I had no idea what was happening in the field of waste processing in Armenia. I began to search for information, friends joined me. Every day we learned something new, and this process is still going on,” Hripsime shares.
It all started with the civil campaign “Paper is not waste”
The civic campaign “Paper is not trash” gained momentum, the amount of waste sent to recycling plants grew. People began to make donations, a certain amount accumulated. And in 2018, Hripsime and like-minded people registered their initiative as a public organization “EcoWaste”.
That’s when plastic’s turn came. EcoWaste secured an agreement with a recycling plant and announced the collection of plastic waste.
That’s when plastic’s turn came. EcoWaste secured an agreement with a recycling plant and announced the collection of plastic waste.
“The best thing about it all was the trust of the people. The project brought together more than 40 volunteers and became the missing link connecting the people and processors!”Hripsime does not hide her joy.
Members of the organization were directly involved in the sorting of the collected garbage, explained in detail to citizens what things and in what condition are not suitable for further processing. The activities of EcoWaste were supported by the Yerevan Municipality by allocating a grant. For these funds, the team organized regular waste collection in the administrative district of Davtashen in the capital for six months.
19 800
plastic
KG
134 500
have been recycled over the years of the initiative. All kinds of goods that received a second life after recycling were collected on the Green Shop website and organized for sale.
paper
4300
KG
12 200
KG
plastic bags
glass
KG
The “EcoWaste” project found a continuation: in two districts of Yerevan, Ajapnyak and Davtashen, the municipality installed sorting containers.
Impossible without environmental education
Lyusine Karapetyan is convinced that without environmental education one cannot go far, and the population needs to be explained from childhood about the significance of certain steps.
“Few people believe that something can change from one person. But we are raising a generation capable of operating in ways that reduce environmental damage. Environmental education contributes to sustainable development,” she believes.
Founded in 2019, the TNAC Education Center is still successfully operating today
In her hometown of Vayk, Vayots Dzor province, Lyusine opened a non-governmental public organization “Solution HUB”, which focuses on environmental education. In her courses, children and young people from different regions of the country learn how to properly sort garbage, find out what consequences plastic waste pollution has for nature and people, discuss other environmental problems and how to involve the media in their coverage, go into nature.
More than 350 people have trained on Impact HUB programs so far. And it's already brought some results:
“My 2016-2017 graduates are sorting waste, changing their lifestyle and reducing their ecological footprint,” says Lyusine proudly.
More than 350 people have trained on Impact HUB programs so far. And it's already brought some results:
“My 2016-2017 graduates are sorting waste, changing their lifestyle and reducing their ecological footprint,” says Lyusine proudly.
“Without environmental activism, there can be no active citizenship”
Here is what Lyusine Karapetyan told us about herself:
“I lead the TNAC youth center and the Solution Hub organization. Since 2016, I have been participating in youth empowerment projects and educational programs, most of which are aimed at environmental education.
In 2015, I moved to Yerevan to continue my studies at the university. But I did not lose ties with my native Vayk. In 2016, I participated in an eco-school, after which I decided that a small educational project should also be organized in Vayk. We decided on the name: TNAC — “Trainings for Non-Formal Education and Active Citizenship”. Courses were developed on environmental education, sustainable development and zero waste, but there was no funding. There was no money even for the accommodation of the participants, so we came up with the idea of introducing a model of host families. This idea is very popular in the world, we ourselves have been to different countries as guests, but there was no such practice in Armenia. Nothing was spent on the first TNAC classes. In 2019, we founded a public organization and a youth center and have been successfully working so far.
I started with Vayk for a reason. Yes, there are acquaintances, infrastructure, it is easier to hold any event, but this is not the only reason. When I was a teenager, in Vayots Dzor, and even more so in Vayk, there were no opportunities for self-expression and volunteering. Having matured, I decided to create something like this for the youth of Vayots Dzor. An integral part of any program for children is environmental education and activities. Without environmental activism, there can be no active citizenship. The infrastructure in Vayots Dzor is not developed, and citizens are only now beginning to understand that throwing garbage in the streets is bad. A very polluted river flowed through the city, which begins in the Syunik province and reaches Lake Sevan. Residents of nearby areas dumped garbage into it. When I was asked in 7th or 8th grade what the problem was with my community, I always answered that it was garbage. I didn't like seeing rubbish on the road or people throwing it into the river at all.
I was born in a large family, there were 7 of us. We had a small garden, chickens, etc. We used everything to the maximum: the clothes were not thrown away until they were worn out completely, the food never ended up in the bin, but went to the chickens. At some point, it formed in my brain as a way of life. For me, the concepts of “big family” and “spend less” are interconnected. In addition, I just do not like plastic, polyethylene, garbage.
TNAC courses last 5-7 days during the summer period when students are on vacation. They do not live in hotels, because this is contrary to our mission, but stay with host families. During these days, participants go through 5 topics: reuse, reduce, recycle, rethink, rot - “5R” from English. Each day is dedicated to one of them: how to reuse, reproduce and recycle. We usually have many guests from various initiatives in this area in Armenia. At TNAC courses we try to produce less waste, be bio-sustainable and sort waste. On the last day we visit the composting site and learn how to make compost from organic waste.
We never cut off contact with our graduates and see that their approaches to life change a lot. Many start a small project, for example, paper recycling, volunteer... Although I like to repeat that the effect of education is visible in a generation, we are already noticing these results.
In 2016-2022, 220 people completed TNAC programs. It never ceases to amaze me how many kids apply when we announce registration for the summer course. I have worked in many places before, even at the UN, and I must say that 250-300 applications is a lot, especially in Vayots Dzor, where the percentage of participation is quite low.
Maybe this excitement is because we make our programs as interesting as possible. And most importantly, we inspire children that the world depends on one person, and this person is a child themselves. They believe because it's true. Why don’t people talk about the ozone hole anymore? Because some measures have worked and the ozone hole is no longer a pressing issue, it is closing. We must apply this same practice to plastic so that children and young people understand that rejecting it and sorting it out is our future. It will definitely pay off in 10 years. In our family, everything was used to the maximum, not because it is environmentally friendly, approved by the congregations of Milan and Paris, no. It was just cheaper and more profitable to live that way. We always give an example to young people: when you buy water in a plastic bottle, you do not pay for water, because in most of Armenia tap water is drinkable, but for a plastic container that you throw away in a few minutes. Do you throw money in the trash? We communicate with teenagers with such messages, they are interested. In adolescence, you believe in yourself more than as an adult. Young people believe that if something starts to change, it will definitely change.”
In 2015, I moved to Yerevan to continue my studies at the university. But I did not lose ties with my native Vayk. In 2016, I participated in an eco-school, after which I decided that a small educational project should also be organized in Vayk. We decided on the name: TNAC — “Trainings for Non-Formal Education and Active Citizenship”. Courses were developed on environmental education, sustainable development and zero waste, but there was no funding. There was no money even for the accommodation of the participants, so we came up with the idea of introducing a model of host families. This idea is very popular in the world, we ourselves have been to different countries as guests, but there was no such practice in Armenia. Nothing was spent on the first TNAC classes. In 2019, we founded a public organization and a youth center and have been successfully working so far.
I started with Vayk for a reason. Yes, there are acquaintances, infrastructure, it is easier to hold any event, but this is not the only reason. When I was a teenager, in Vayots Dzor, and even more so in Vayk, there were no opportunities for self-expression and volunteering. Having matured, I decided to create something like this for the youth of Vayots Dzor. An integral part of any program for children is environmental education and activities. Without environmental activism, there can be no active citizenship. The infrastructure in Vayots Dzor is not developed, and citizens are only now beginning to understand that throwing garbage in the streets is bad. A very polluted river flowed through the city, which begins in the Syunik province and reaches Lake Sevan. Residents of nearby areas dumped garbage into it. When I was asked in 7th or 8th grade what the problem was with my community, I always answered that it was garbage. I didn't like seeing rubbish on the road or people throwing it into the river at all.
I was born in a large family, there were 7 of us. We had a small garden, chickens, etc. We used everything to the maximum: the clothes were not thrown away until they were worn out completely, the food never ended up in the bin, but went to the chickens. At some point, it formed in my brain as a way of life. For me, the concepts of “big family” and “spend less” are interconnected. In addition, I just do not like plastic, polyethylene, garbage.
TNAC courses last 5-7 days during the summer period when students are on vacation. They do not live in hotels, because this is contrary to our mission, but stay with host families. During these days, participants go through 5 topics: reuse, reduce, recycle, rethink, rot - “5R” from English. Each day is dedicated to one of them: how to reuse, reproduce and recycle. We usually have many guests from various initiatives in this area in Armenia. At TNAC courses we try to produce less waste, be bio-sustainable and sort waste. On the last day we visit the composting site and learn how to make compost from organic waste.
We never cut off contact with our graduates and see that their approaches to life change a lot. Many start a small project, for example, paper recycling, volunteer... Although I like to repeat that the effect of education is visible in a generation, we are already noticing these results.
In 2016-2022, 220 people completed TNAC programs. It never ceases to amaze me how many kids apply when we announce registration for the summer course. I have worked in many places before, even at the UN, and I must say that 250-300 applications is a lot, especially in Vayots Dzor, where the percentage of participation is quite low.
Maybe this excitement is because we make our programs as interesting as possible. And most importantly, we inspire children that the world depends on one person, and this person is a child themselves. They believe because it's true. Why don’t people talk about the ozone hole anymore? Because some measures have worked and the ozone hole is no longer a pressing issue, it is closing. We must apply this same practice to plastic so that children and young people understand that rejecting it and sorting it out is our future. It will definitely pay off in 10 years. In our family, everything was used to the maximum, not because it is environmentally friendly, approved by the congregations of Milan and Paris, no. It was just cheaper and more profitable to live that way. We always give an example to young people: when you buy water in a plastic bottle, you do not pay for water, because in most of Armenia tap water is drinkable, but for a plastic container that you throw away in a few minutes. Do you throw money in the trash? We communicate with teenagers with such messages, they are interested. In adolescence, you believe in yourself more than as an adult. Young people believe that if something starts to change, it will definitely change.”