Youth Ecological Culture: How Al-Farabi KazNU Students Are Shaping a Green Future

In an era of global ecological challenges and climate change, treating nature with care ceases to be an abstract theory and becomes a vital necessity. Shaping the ecological consciousness of the younger generation is a key task of modern higher education. That is why on September 10, 2026, the Department of Thermal Physics and Technical Physics at the Faculty of Physics and Technology hosted an insightful and engaging curatorial hour on the topic "Eco-Culture: A Student's Perspective", featuring 2nd and 3rd-year students of the "Technical Physics" educational program. The event was organized by department curators — Associate Professor M. K. Asembayeva and Senior Lecturer G. O. Ilyasova.

The curatorial hour took the form of a dynamic round table. The main objective was not merely to inform youth about ecological problems, but to practically foster ecological culture, personal responsibility for the environment, and discuss relevant ecological issues from a modern student's perspective. During the discussion, participants examined the significance of ecological culture in human life, personal responsibility for preserving the environment, waste sorting, reducing plastic use, rational consumption of water and energy, and ways to enhance ecological culture within the university.

The interactive part of the event sparked high engagement. Students actively discussed thought-provoking questions: "Why does a person need ecological culture?", "Can one person's actions impact the environment?", and "How relevant is the problem of waste sorting in Kazakhstan?". The practical segment featured a case study session titled "Student Perspective," where four groups explored themes such as "University and Ecology," "Daily Life," "The Plastic Problem," and "Eco-University," presenting concrete proposals for the campus. An interactive game of "Agree / Disagree" allowed participants to defend their stances on various environmental statements. A special highlight was the "My Eco-Promise" campaign, where students completed the sentence "Starting this week, I will…", formulating personal environmental commitments and placing them on the symbolic "Eco-Promise Tree," demonstrating readiness to take concrete daily actions.

In terms of content, this initiative directly aligns with the global UN Sustainable Development Goals. It supports SDG 4 ("Quality Education") by integrating sustainability principles into the educational process. Furthermore, it resonates with SDG 12 ("Responsible Consumption and Production") and SDG 13 ("Climate Action"), as students' practical steps in resource conservation and waste reduction contribute meaningfully to society's sustainable development. In conclusion, participants emphasized that ecological culture is not just an understanding of the need to protect nature, but a matter of daily habits, personal responsibility, and conscious choices.