SWANIRVAR IN EDUCATION: Campaign against Plastic in schools:

Campaign agaist plastic -2004

Hand-made dustbin in public places

In 2004, we organized mass awareness campaigns against the use of poly-bags (thin plastic bags) in our project villages. Our KKB members(mostly adolescence boys and girls) organized rallies, posters, wall writings, leaflets on the evil effects of plastic and its long term impact on environment. There was an interactive discussion on ‘EFFECTS OF PLASTIC AND ITS ALTERNATIVES’ held at Kolsur High School. Students and teachers of some other High schools also participated in that programme. At the end of the programme all were agreed to reduce the plastic use in the daily life.

We also observed that indiscriminate use of plastic also causing barriers in drainage systems; sometimes these were also taking life of the cattle who were consuming massive amount of plastic bags. We installed handmade dustbins in public places so that we can dump the used plastic bags in a confined place. From the year 2005-06, KKB staff started giving regular inputs in High schools and one of our main successes was to motivate students, teachers and school managements to introduce dustbins in the classrooms. Gradually dustbin-use became very popular and most of the schools started to purchase dustbin from their own funds. (at the initial days this was supported by Swanirvar).

Training to Govt Teachers

In 2009-10, we observed that in each month a huge quantity of garbage were being deposited in the dustbins. So we organized trainings on waste segregation and its reuse. Almost all the schools made compost pits and the bio-degradable waste were kept in these chambers to make manures but the problem was with the non-degradable waste (plastic). Our staff, Alamgir Alam found out solutions for plastic reuse. Mr. Alam a born-artist with innovative creativity, made splendid toys from the waste. He gave trainings to the school students on plastic re-use and making toys from these. In, 2010-11 he had given trainings in 20 High schools and also given hand held trainings to the 8 Govt. teachers from 8 High Schools. He had given trainings to the students of Basirhat College. He had also given such trainings to other NGOs of Birbhum, Howrah and Medinipore.

At present, the students of these 20 High schools were making toys from the plastic and some of them also showing their innovative skills in making toys.