AGS projects are very rarely one-time issues or events, so there are still a lot of ongoing long-term plans… but we would like to share with you some of the new ideas for the coming months and into next year.

Projects for 2011 include

• Articles + Projects, including features in ASIAN Geographic magazine!
• Trips + Events, including research expeditions!
• Photo + Writing Contests, with opportunity to see your efforts in print!

Scroll down for the details…

ARTICLES + PROJECT THEMES

• Cultural Guardians 

Festivals: What are the major festivals around Asia and how do they celebrate and sustain our cultural heritage? Do modern pressures and lifestyles put our festivals and traditions at risk? How can we keep festivals and cultural events alive?

• Social Guardians 

Inspirational Inventions: Who are the inventors around Asia looking to change and improve our world? What are the latest scientific break-throughs inspiring a better tomorrow? How can science and new technology help to solve large-scale challenges such as climate change?

Shelter: Most people believe in the basic human right to shelter but our home is often more than just a roof over our heads, it’s also a cultural reference point and offers us a sense of security. What homes or communities are currently at greatest risk and how can we better prepare for future environmental threats? Which heritage sites that offer historical significance to many are under threat? If our homes or communities give us some stability in an ever-changing world then how can we safeguard this basic right?

• Wildlife Guardians 

Turtles: How many turtle species are there and which are in great danger (from habitat destruction, fishing lines, and human exploitation)? Where are the major hotspots for encounters (the nesting sites, the feeding areas, and the hatcheries conducting conservation work)? How can you play a part in their survival?

Endangered Asian Wildlife: Should humans be responsible for acting as caretakers of the planet and its inhabitants? What are the latest findings from global and regional wildlife groups and which species are under the greatest pressure? Are all endangered species supported by conservation groups or do some still need a human voice to take up their cause?

• Planet Guardians

Plastic Waste: How are plastic bags and other sources of non-degradable waste impacting our planet? What do the latest statistics and photographs show? What are the simple steps we can all take to tackle the problem and turn back this trend of a “throw-away” culture?

Sustainable Living: Beyond just plastic waste, what can we do about wasteful living? Can humans learn to live sustainably and be informed consumers, making some short-term sacrifices for longer-term gains? With food a major part of our lifestyle, how can we eat sustainably and support trends such as fair-trade products or locally sourced goods?

TRIPS + EVENTS

• Teeny-Turtle-Trip (March 2011, Turtle Hatchery tbc): Join this AGS weekend trip to a turtle hatchery to take part in hands-on conservation work and also help raise awareness and funds for this cause!
• Reusable Bag Drive (Summer 2011, details tbc): Together we can make a difference… sign up to help the AGS drive to stamp out plastic bags and demand more reusable bags in shops and restaurants, and recruit more supporters by visiting nearby businesses to hand out plastic bag alternatives and spread the message that we want a change in our society!
• Home-building Trip (September 2011, location tbc): Take a few days out of your normal routine to help others and see a real difference in someone’s life, by joining our AGS home-building trip!
• It’s Just Coffee (October 2011, regional): People get together for a coffee and a chat all the time, but why not make the time really count by giving your meetings a theme and a cause? AGS will be initiating a number of meetings in coffee shops for like-minded people to meet and discuss ways they can improve their lifestyle, workplace or community while also raising funds for specific projects… but we’ll also be asking AGS members around the region to organise similar functions. It starts with just a coffee but there’s no harm in dreaming big, so AGS hopes to encourage regular meetings and make “inspiring change with friends” a natural and essential part of our social calendars!
• Tag-a-Turtle Expedition (November 2011, Turtle Nesting Site, northern Great Barrier Reef – Australia): If you can’t make the weekend hatchery trip or prefer something even more hands-on, why not come on a live-aboard expedition (with scuba diving opportunities included) to help us monitor and tag some of these majestic marine creatures!

PHOTO + WRITING CONTESTS

• Humanitarian Imagery (Dual-Hues): call for submissions by November 2010, on sale February 2011 to raise funds for educational projects
• Asian Heritage at Risk (Memories and Images for Posterity): call for submissions by April 2011, on sale August 2011 to raise funds for humanitarian projects
• Endangered Asian Wildlife: call for submissions by July 2011, on sale November 2011 to raise funds for wildlife projects

Look out for updates and online forms coming soon but for urgent enquiries EMAIL AGS