Like many boys his age, 11-year-old Jordan Hartman is interested in sports and games but what sets him apart from many of his peers is his keenness on environmental issues.

He was among 10 children from around the globe selected as the "universal dream kids," for their bravery, environmental awareness, and their cravings for education.

The selection is part of a global campaign launched by the Xinhua News Agency and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to mark the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations on November 20, 1989.

In his backyard garden, Jordan uses a compost bin to create compost for the garden, and he has recycling bins for all plastic and cardboard recyclables. Along with these bins, there are installations of water saving appliances and gray water diverters to reuse laundry water and shower water on the garden.

Jordan's father, Dollas, said Jordan began showing interest in environmental issues about two years ago and gradually built up his initiatives to help reduce the environmental impact.

"For example, Jordan often encourages us to use recycling bags while shopping instead of plastic ones. When we take too long in the shower, he will yell to remind us of saving water to meet the Government's target of 155 liters of water per person per day," said Dollas.

"Jordan is keen on the environment, which is a win-win for us all. If we save water and electricity, we save our money and save the environment. So why not?" Dollas said he should thank his son as Jordan had motivated him and his wife to do something for saving the planet.

"We have only one planet and we should all take care of it and make our environment clean and sustainable," Jordan told Xinhua in a recent interview at his home in west Melbourne, Australia.

Jordan has participated in several community events to demonstrate his commitment to the environment. Recently, he participated in Clean Up Australia Day, an annual event where volunteers collect rubbish in their local area. Earth Hour is another annual event that Jordan and his family participate in.

Jordan said he often goes to the government websites to research and read stories and articles about environment protection, to get to know the eco-friendly projects in order to make himself up to date about the environmental issues.

Jordan's teacher at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, Michael Gallus, spoke highly of him, saying Jordan is sociable and actively involved in class, enjoys sports and studies hard, and often discusses sustainability issues with his classmates.

"In class, we studied endangered animals in Australia and around the world. Jordan is very interested in that. He brought these issues home and discussed ways with his parents to preserve the environment so that the endangered animals could reflourish," said the teacher.

"We also discussed how to save water and other things to make our planet a better place to live in class. In 2008, Jordan and his school classmates took part in a day of tree planting at the school grounds," he said.

Jordan said he had a few dreams for the future, but the job he most wants to do is to help protect the environment.

"Of those dreams that I have, one is to find a job in a government environmental park. I like soccer, so I wish to be a soccer player. I' m also interested in parliament affairs. But I would like to be in the government and help with the environment more than any other thing," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2009)