Ban Plastic Burning in Residential Zones!

Government High School, VeppampattuTiruvallur, Tamilnadu

“Every action against nature will result in a broken promise to the future generation”

Present Condition

▪ Majority of the litters contains plastic, phthalates mixed PVC, rubber articles, etc

▪ Absence of structured civic maintenance in rural areas

▪ Root cause-in the name of modernisation everything wrapped with plastic material and lack of awareness among the people

Burning litter in residential zone is a burning issue!

▪ People burn the litter irrespective of the type (majority of them are polythene, phthalates mixed PVC and plastic articles which contain hydrogen and carbon – produce heat, highly toxic dioxin – which contributes to Global warming and also causes many ecological disturbances, Dioxin is linked with cancer, affect both immune and reproductive systems)

▪ Most vulnerable-children and the aged

▪ Immediate effect-difficulty in breathing due to inflammation of lungs -bronchitis

▪ Affect family economic growth due to frequent illness of family members

Brainstorming for strategy to tackle the issue

▪ Understood the issue with the help of mentor

▪ Pupils listed the possible ways to reduce the severity of the problem

Strategy

▪ Reducing generation of plastic in villages for that we decided to introduce alternative articles such as cotton and news paper bags to replace polythene bags

▪ Creating awareness on ill effects of plastic burning in residential areas

▪ Conducting public meeting with civic experts

Activities Carried Out

▪ Gone through PPT prepared by IITM student and interacted with Prof. Susy Varughese, Dept. of Chemical engineering IITM to understand the issue

▪ Learned news paper bag making – made 525 bags – each 50 bags were distributed to 8 grocery shops and a temple for carrying pooja material – taught how to make paper bag to 14 shops for self sustainability – 25kg old English news paper were distributed to shops for initiating bag making – taught to local girl children too

Awareness Rally

▪ 4km distance including 3 habitations with 483 households were covered by 22 students including members from “Sparrow conservation” team to help us

▪ 8 houses spotted with burning and explained the issue at the time of rally

▪ Many agreed to stop burning practice after our intervention

Gram Sabha held on 2nd Oct, 2012

▪ Participated in the meeting to emphasis the issue and given alternative solutions to reduce plastic usage in Panchayat

▪ Panchayat admin came forward to pass the resolution against burning plastic litter in our limit and highlighted the matter in leading regional daily

▪ Around 108 people were presented including elected members, official from SSA who appreciated the initiative

In School Assembly

▪ Principal and teachers appreciated the work carried out by our team during vacation

▪ Oath against burning plastic was taken by 355 high school and 188 elementary pupils

▪ 100 Cotton Bags were distributed to students of both High and elementary schools (Fund were mobilized from local well wishers)

Watching PPT on ill effects of Burning litters on 19 Sep. 2012

Slogan writing for rally on 25 Sep

Leader of Women SHG flag off the rally on 28 Sep

The rally in progress.

Resolution against plastic burning in Gram sabha on 2

Oct 2012

Published in regional daily

on 4 Oct 2012

Addressing participants in Gram Sabha on 2 Oct 2012

30 Cotton bag distribution at Primary school on 3 Oct 2012

Handing over 70 Cotton bags to our Principal on 4 Oct 2012

400 Paper Bags were Distributed to 8 Grocery shops

1. Stop choking my backyard - Say no to plastics.

2. What is your way? No plastics on my way.

3. We create revolution. Good bye plastic pollution.

4. Think New. Plastics adieu.

5. No burning plastics in my home, not on my planet boss!

6. Don't colonize my home, boycott the rule of plastics

7. Ozone hole becoming bigger and bigger due to uncontrolled burning in

everywhere

8. Paving ways to new ailments

9. Became addict to plastics

10. Dioxin comes out of PVC burning and victimize the innocent passive smokers

11. Day by day increase of temperature by uncontrolled burning

Slogans against plastic burning

Changes

Resolution in Gram sabha against burning plastic litter

483 households got awareness about ill effects of litter burning

14 shops learned and using paper bags – they were happy to learn to manage the ban on polythene carry bag use in district

Received call from IITM environmental club (Prakrithi) for teaching paper bags to their residents

Our team members consisting of 8 people, are now thoroughly enlightened on this issue and have pledged not to commit this mistake ever.

Link to view video about our activities

http://youtu.be/4L8KHqoNSYk

Acknowledgment

Many Thanks to following resource persons for their great help in Execution of the project

▪ Prof. Susy Varughese, Dept. of Chemical Engineering – knowledge sharing http://www.iitm.ac.in/component/faculty/69/susy/

▪ Ms. Nirupama, 2nd year M.A. Integrated studies, Dept. of HSS, IITM – knowledge sharing

▪ Dr. Suguna, Veterinary physician, Melakondaiyar, Tiruvallur for donating old News papers

▪ Mr. Nizam & Mubaraq local residents for donating Jute rope for paper bags and stitching 100 cotton bags at free of cost

▪ Principal for encouraging us to implement the project

▪ Thanks to web for teaching how to make news paper bag

▪ Sparrow conservation team for joining us to conduct rally

▪ Parents of the teammates for great encouragement

▪ Local donors for cotton bag making

▪ Thanks to mentor Mr. L. Natana Sabapathy