{"id":151792,"date":"2025-05-22T08:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T06:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/?p=151792"},"modified":"2025-05-22T08:26:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T06:26:23","slug":"the-big-biodiversity-challenge-is-back-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/environment\/the-big-biodiversity-challenge-is-back-for-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The Big Biodiversity Challenge is Back for 2025!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Some of the best ideas come from children, which is why the Big Biodiversity Challenge is betting on the bold ideas of Grade 6 to 9 learners to answer one of the world\u2019s most pressing eco-social questions.<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>South Africa (22 May 2025) \u2014 <\/em>The Big Biodiversity Challenge is back for 2025; calling on Grade 6 to 9 learners to get creative about answering an important question: \u2018How do we live in harmony with nature while still meeting the needs of people and communities?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Aptly, this year\u2019s theme is Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development. Learners are invited to explore how everyday, real-world environmental issues (food, water, waste, energy and urban living) can be tackled in a way that benefits both people and the planet.<\/p>\n<p>Organised by the Western Cape Environmental Education Friends (WCEFF) with help from CapeNature, SANBI, SANParks, Nature Connect, Working on Fire, the Two Oceans Aquarium and governmental departments, the challenge aims to nurture young problem solvers and get them thinking from a solutions-based perspective.<\/p>\n<h3>How it Works<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Learners can choose to go at the task lone wolf or as part of a pack.<\/li>\n<li>Participants are then encouraged to submit projects in any of the following formats: essays, presentations, eco apps or tech concepts (mock-ups, feature lists or demo videos), social action projects (a recycling drive, school garden or clean-up campaign that should be documented in photos, reports or a video) and creative works (poetry, visual art or music with an explanation as to how the art links back to the theme).<\/li>\n<li>The competition&#8217;s submissions are open until 31 July<\/li>\n<li>Entries can be made <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSctcCstU8vOBzTLCViJPtif7pNazvxjGLooOYFbFqv61BJVMg\/viewform\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Past Inspiration<\/h3>\n<p>Last year, learners impressed judges with innovative and heartfelt entries. Grade 6 learners Benjamin Banda and Polite Masango from Orangekloof Primary used a powerful combination of visual art, poetry, and live performance to raise awareness about water pollution and the human behaviours driving it.<\/p>\n<p>Other learners like Benjamin Draper from Pinelands North Primary earned second place for his ecosystem restoration concept for the Elsies River canal that focused on rewilding the urban water way. Yameen Jeebhay of Westerford High developed an idea for a Conservationist Badge App to reward users for taking part in environmental activities!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h6><em>Sources: Supplied\u00a0<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>Don\u2019t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/good-things-guy-news\/id1485106885\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.goodthingsguy.app\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/goodthingsguy\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a>\u00a0&amp;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/goodthingsguy\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>\u00a0to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/submit-a-story\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">clicking here\u00a0<\/a>or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque \u2013 South Africa\u2019s very own\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/about-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Good Things Guy<\/a>. He\u2019s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there\u2019s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you\u2019ll meet these everyday heroes &amp; hear their incredible stories:<\/em><\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/iframe.iono.fm\/c\/6977?layout=modern\" width=\"100%\" height=\"535\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h6><em>Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We\u2019re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa &amp; we\u2019ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.<\/em><\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Need a Pick-Me-Up? Here\u2019s This Week\u2019s Good News in 5 Hits!\" width=\"810\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v0ZOiNQmd8E?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some of the best ideas come from children, which is why the Big Biodiversity Challenge is betting on the bold ideas of Grade 6 to 9 learners to answer one&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":151836,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[224],"tags":[200,86,1654,59,15,2840,104,12,259,11,190,23,295,161,3180,3858,1296,1000,8,206,229,127],"class_list":["post-151792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","tag-awesomesa","tag-awesome","tag-challenges","tag-change-one-thing","tag-charity","tag-checked","tag-do-good","tag-dont-miss","tag-education","tag-featured","tag-good-news","tag-inspiration","tag-lifestyle","tag-nature","tag-nature-connect","tag-natureconnect","tag-sa-youth","tag-schools","tag-south-afri-can","tag-south-africa","tag-trending","tag-wow"],"featured_image_urls":{"medium":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/child-nature-pexels-300x197.jpg","large":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/child-nature-pexels-1024x673.jpg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/child-nature-pexels-150x150.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/child-nature-pexels-768x504.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.goodthingsguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/child-nature-pexels-1536x1009.jpg"},"appp_media":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- 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