In celebration of Earth Day 2009, the U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai is displaying Earth Day posters from this and previous years.  Please stroll by the Consulate to view these reminders of the beauty and significance of our environment.

Group Seeks to Improve Air Quality in Northern Thailand

Thanks to a U.S. Embassy Small Grant to the Urban Development Institute Foundation to support the project, “Promoting Local Democracy: Increasing Public Awareness and Involvement in Air Quality Improvement,” the people in Ban Waan have taken steps to control air pollution levels.  Ban Waan is located in the Hang Dong District of Chiang Mai Province, where air pollution from garbage burning, forest fires, industrial processes, and traffic fumes has created a hazardous environment seriously affecting the well-being of the community.  Under the project, the Ban Waan community has supported promoting civic involvement in improving the air quality crisis, truly making a difference in the area.  Residents have conducted public relations campaigns and training courses to heighten awareness of environmental hazards and identify sources of air pollution in their district.  Among the key fruits of this project is an increased civic participation by the Ban Waan community in an effort to protect air quality.  To learn more about small grant opportunities from the U.S. Government, click here.