A WORLD STRANGLED BY PLASTIC

Title:A World Strangled by Plastic

This activity organized primarily to sensitize the students to the hazards created by
Plastic waste on ecology and environment was conducted by the Environment Club of the
School. The main theme of all these activities was the significance given to the 3R’s –
Reduce, Recycle & Reuse.

Mainly 4 events:
Event Name Activities Student Participants
*Essay Competition Std. VI – IX
World Environment Day
Event 1 *Plastic Waste hazards faced by Age : 11-14
celebration – 5th June 2008
Kochi-Understanding the issue Date: 05-Jun’08
Seminar on recycling waste by *Skit Presentation on ‘Say No to Std. VI & VII
Event 2 Mr. K.B. Venugopal Plastics’ & T-Shirt designing on the Age : 11-12
theme of 3R’s Date: 22-Oct’08
Std. IX
Paper Bags making – An alternative to Plastic Bags – Done under the
Event 3 Age: 13-14
aegis of the Balajanasakhyam Club
Date: 14-Nov’08
*Brief report and
Written assignment on Solid Waste
Management in UK & Plastic Waste
Management –Story of Man’s
apathy- Success in Germany &
Follow up Projects done by Std. Std. XI
Event 4 Ireland
XI students Age: 15-17
*Interface with manufacturing units
engaged in eco-friendly and energy
saving products
*Discussions on different ways of
recycling and reusing plastic waste

Teacher Co-ordinators: Ms. Susy Mohan Thomas,

Ms. Seema Ramesh, Ms. Rohini S. Kanugo

Objectives: (i) Developing awareness of harmful effects of non-biodegradable

waste on the environment (flora & fauna)
(ii) Involve students in activities related to community issues

Evaluation : (i) Feedback forms from participating students.

(ii) Decisions on execution plans and solution strategies

One of the important hazards that the world is facing today is the toxic effects of plastic
waste on ecology and nature and environment. Corporate and industries with their
commercial orientations have produced products which are non degradable and have
generated colossal solid waste which negatively affect the ecological balance, flora and
fauna. Growth with nature and sustainable development are the main issues faced by both
the developing and developed countries of the world. The Environment Club, a forum of
the Toc H students engaged in activities which are related to environmental and
community related issues conducted these activities.

CONTENTS

EVENT 1: Celebration of World Environment Day – Brief Outline

 Speech on the issue of Plastic Hazards by Student President-Environment Club

 Oath Taking – ‘Say No to Plastics’
 Students with the Poster on 3R’s
 Student entry in the Essay Competition
 Plastic waste hazards faced by Kochi – Understanding the issue

EVENT 2: Seminar on Recycling Waste

 Report on the seminar with photographs

EVENT 3: Paper Bags Making – An alternative to Plastic Bags

 Teacher Co-ordinator’s Report and Photographs

EVENT 4: Follow up Projects done by Std. XI Students

 Written assignment on Solid Waste Management in UK

 Plastic Waste Management –Story of Man’s apathy- Success in Germany &
Ireland
 Interface with distributing unit on biodegradable product – Biomate Enterprises
 Discussions on recycling and reusing plastic waste for community development
activities
 EVENT 1

CELEBRATION OF WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

The World Environment Day was celebrated as an assembly event on 5th June 2008. The
Environment Club under the guidance of the Teacher co-ordinators conducted the
following events:

1. Speech on THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF PLASTIC HAZARDS AND

THEIR EFFECTS
2. Essay competition on the topic ‘PLASTIC – A GRAVE GLOBAL PROBLEM’
3. Poster Competition on ‘3R’s of WASTE REDUCTION’
4. Oath taking by the entire school –‘SAY NO TO PLASTICS’

Speech on THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF PLASTIC HAZARDS AND THEIR

EFFECTS

In the morning school assembly the student leader of the Environment Club read out the
following speech on the topic to enlighten the students on the negative impacts created by
plastic waste

Respected teachers and my dear friends,

Today (5th June 2008) the whole world is celebrating the

World Environment Day. We the members of the
Environment Club have decided to celebrate this as an
anti-plastic day, for one of the major challenges that the
ecology and environment all over the world is facing, is
the problems created by the plastic industry and plastic
waste. Unless we say ‘NO’ to plastics, our whole heritage
and future would be jeopardized. Before we commit
ourselves to anti-plastic campaigns we have to understand
the nature and extent of this problem. I as the student
chairman of the Environment Club 2008-2009 is indeed privileged to speak to you and
share with all of you my concerns and feelings on this topic.

Plastics are made out of the chemicals PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride). It contains toxic
chemicals called aditates and phthalates (plasticides) which are used to soften brittle PVC
into a more flexible form. PVC is commonly used to package foods and liquids,
ubiquitous in children toys and teethers, plumbing and building materials, and everything
from cosmetics to shower curtains. Traces of these chemicals can leach out of PVC when
it comes into contact with foods. The Word Health Organisation , international agency
for research on cancer has recognized this chemical Vinyl Chloride as a non human
carcinogen. The European union has band the use of DEHP the most widely used
plasticizer in children toys. PS Polystyrene is on the toxins , the EPA, Environmental
Protection agency monitors in America the drinking water. PC a Poly Carbonate whose
primary building block is pisphenon, is a hormone disputer and acts like Estrogen.
Research shows that it can increase body weight and it generates insulin resistance which
can lead to inflammation and heart disease.

Plastic degrades very slowly. Burning plastics can release toxic fuels. The manufacturing
of plastics creates large quantity of chemical pollutants. It is said that plastics gets into
food and food gets into plastics. Hence you eat, drink and breathe plastic. They are called
as indirect addictives and they migrate into food. Scientists and Government agencies
have become aware of this problem as early as 1958 and had mandated regulations
against the use of plastics in packaging food items. According the regulations passed, the
manufacturer had to prove the migrants fall within the acceptable range. According to Dr.
George Paul, Associate Director of Science Policy FDA ‘We invite the fox in to the Hen
house and surprised when there is nothing left but egg shells and feathers”. The FDA has
passed its regulation on also the technologies that are used in the production of our foods
– Plastics, Pesticide growth hormones, irradiation and microwave. Sometimes it looks as
if the regulatory agencies bend over backwards and jump through flaming hoops to
please their corporate clients as their god. For decades the plastic industry has deceived
with assurances that polymerization process binds the constituent chemicals but
disinformation for polymerization process is never 100%. However because of many
millions of dollar worth of advertising and public relation work consumers are educated
to think the plastics are safe.

As we celebrate the anti-plastic campaign today we must all be aware of the above
hazards created by plastic waste and should awaken the community against the profuse
use of plastics in our day to day life. Hence we have organized a few events, first an oath
against the use of plastics, second an essay competition on the topic and third a poster
competition projecting the concept of 3R’s. These events are organized under the aegis of
the Environment Club. It is our wish that the student participants and the others will get
enlightened and sensitized on the topic of the grave problems created by the most
dangerous phenomenon of the present day – the overuse of plastics.

Saira Kuruvilla
Std. IX

OATH TAKING – SAY ‘NO’ TO PLASTICS

I am convinced that
Plastic carry bags
Inflict irreparable damage
To this country where I live
I therefore
Solemnly affirm
That I henceforth
Will not use
Plastic carry bags
And will persuade
My dear and near ones
Not to use them.

The text of this oath was handed over to the school by The Indian Express, a popular
National English Newspaper.
 ENVIRONMENT CLUB MEMBERS WITH A POSTER ON 3R’S

ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION IN PROGRESS

 STUDENT ENTRY IN ESSAY COMPETITION
Sample (1)

Sample (2)
THE PROBLEM OF PLASTIC WASTE - IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
The town of Kochi recently faced a big dilemma in identifying an area for disposing
metro waste and there was lot of discussions and inter -departmental conflicts on the
issue. The city of Kochi was choking with heaps of solid waste, most of them toxic and a
consensus had to be reached regarding the spot to which it had to be transported. No
recycling policies or machinery were available with the administration. Eventually they
identified a spot and the process of removing the waste to that area became an irksome
issue for the local administration. Educational institutions in the city remained closed on
the day when refuse from different parts of the city were removed to Brahmapuram.

Waste removal gains momentum

Staff Reporter THE HINDU

Nearly 1,000 workers deployed round the clock for task

CLEANING-UP DRIVE: Lorries loaded with garbage wait near Foreshore Road to
proceed to the dumping site at Ambalamedu.

KOCHI: Removal of garbage from the Padiyath dumping yard of the Corporation and the
city streets gathered momentum on Sunday. The district administration began work on
removing the garbage to Ambalamedu on Saturday night.

Mini Antony, secretary of Kochi Corporation, said nearly 1,000 workers, including
supervisors, had been deployed for removal of waste.

Garbage removal from the city had come to a standstill for the last few weeks, as the
attempts of the district administration to dump the waste at some sites, including the
Goshree land, had met with stiff public resistance. This had also given rise to fears of an
epidemic outbreak, as heaps of putrefied waste had piled up in the city.

Ms. Antony said workers of the Corporation were working round the clock to clear the
garbage. On Sunday, 36 truck-loads of garbage was removed from the Padiyath dumping
yard till evening. It was moved to Ambalamedu. It will take at least one more day to
remove the garbage that has been accumulated in the city, Ms. Antony said.

The Corporation secretary has been personally monitoring the collection and removal of
garbage from the Padiyath yard.
The garbage used for landfill is done as per the directives of the authorities. Senior
officials of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (PCB) have been stationed at
Ambalamedu to ensure that the garbage is dumped in a scientific manner without causing
pollution. There was no instance of public resistance in Ambalamedu, as prohibitory
orders were in force in the area, Ms. Antony said.

Holiday declared

The District Collector has declared a holiday for schools and Government offices in the
city on Monday in view of removal of garbage.

The garbage collection will be carried out from morning. A holiday has been declared to
reduce traffic pressure on the roads, he said.

Waste removed from transit depot

Major step: Fire force personnel cleaning the transit waste dumping depot at Padiyathukulam on
Monday.

Environment Club members along with the teacher at a Plastic Waste

EVENT
Disposal 2
area in Kochi

REPORT ON THE SEMINAR ON

 RECYCLING WASTE MATERIAL
22nd October 2008 saw the Environment Club propagating recycling of waste material
Mr. T.M. Venugopal, Paper technologist, gave an impressive speech on recycling waste
material and also showed the audience a CD on making paper out of waste.

After the seminar on recycling waste material

on 22/10/2008, a skit on save our
environment was presented by the student
members of environment club from Stds. VI
& VII.
The attraction of the day was the T-shirts worn by the participants painted on their own
bearing slogans and pictures on the topic of the 3R’s – Reduce, Recycle & Reuse.

EVENT 3

PAPER BAGS MAKING – AN ALTERNATIVE TO

PLASTIC BAGS

Teacher Co-ordinator Report

On Novmebr 14, 2008 the Balajanasakhyam Club , a social service forum of the students
in Toc H conducted a training for the students to make paper bags which can be used as
an alternative to plastic bags. Mr. K.V. Joseph came to the school and the students of Std.
IX took the initiative in learning this art from him. The Art and Craft teachers also
learned the technique. It was a very satisfying experience and the members of
Balajansakhyam decided to make paper bags and sell them to the students and teachers in
the school. The money thus collected they could use for their routine social activities. It
was both a human friendly and eco-friendly activity on the part of the members.

Mrs. Sobhanakumari
Teacher Co-ordinator
 EVENT 4

BRIEF REPORT ON PROJECTS DONE BY

STD. XI STUDENTS
The following projects were given to Std. XI students as extended research.

(1) a. Written assignment on Solid Waste Management in UK

b. Plastic Waste Management –Story of Man’s apathy- Success in Germany &

Ireland

(2) Interface with distributing unit on biodegradable product – Biomate Enterprises

(3) Discussions on recycling and reusing plastic waste for community development
activities.

Written assignment on Solid Waste Management in UK

Plastic Management in UK
Startling Facts

The world's annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million
tonnes in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tonnes today.

One tonne of plastics is equivalent to 20,000 two litre drinks bottles or 120,000 carrier
bags.
We produce and use 20 times more plastic today than we did 50 years ago!
The amount of plastic waste generated annually in the UK is estimated to be 3 million
tonnes. It is estimated that only 7% of total plastic waste are currently being
recycled
It takes 25 two litre plastic drinks bottles to make one fleece garment

Every year, an estimated 17½ billion plastic bags are given away by supermarkets. This
is equivalent to over 290 bags for every person in the UK.

RECOUP (RECycling Of Used Plastics Limited) undertakes an annual survey of plastic

bottle recycling activity in the UK. Results of the most recent survey indicate that an
estimated 24,000 tonnes of plastic bottles were collected in 2003. However, this still only
amounts to approximately 5.5% of all plastic bottles sold.

In the UK, a total of approximately 4.7 million tonnes of plastic products were used in
various economic sectors in 2001. Plastic waste, such as plastic bags, often becomes
litter. For example, nearly 57% of litter found on beaches in 2003 was plastic.
Uses of plastic

Packaging represents the largest single sector of plastics use in the UK. The sector
accounts for 35% of UK plastics consumption and plastic is the material of choice in
nearly half of all packaged goods.

The data representation below the uses of plastics in the various sectors throughout UK
Types of plastic

There are about 50 different groups of plastics, with hundreds of different varieties. All
types of plastic are recyclable. To make sorting and thus recycling easier, the American
Society of Plastics Industry developed a standard marking code to help consumers
identify and sort the main types of plastic. These types and their most common uses are:

PET Polyethylene terephthalate - Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal

trays.
HDPE High-density polyethylene - Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

PVC Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays, cling film, bottles for squash, mineral
water and shampoo.

LDPE Low density polyethylene - Carrier bags and bin liners.

PP Polypropylene - Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays.

PS Polystyrene - Yoghurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes

and egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for
electronic goods and toys.
OTHER Any other plastics that do not fall into any of the above categories. - An
example is melamine, which is often used in plastic plates and cups.

The production and use of plastics has a range of environmental impacts. Firstly, plastics
production requires significant quantities of resources, primarily fossil fuels, both as a
raw material and to deliver energy for the manufacturing process.

Plastics production also involves the use of potentially harmful chemicals, which are
added as stabilizers or colorants. Many of these have not undergone environmental risk
assessment and their impact on human health and the environment is currently uncertain.
An example of this is phthalates, which are used in the manufacture of PVC. PVC has in
the past been used in toys for young children and there has been concern that phthalates
may be released when these toys are sucked (come into contact with saliva). Risk
assessments of the effects of phthalates on the environment are currently being carried
out.

The disposal of plastics products also contributes significantly to their environmental

impact. Because most plastics are non-degradable, they take a long time to break down,
possibly up to hundreds of years - although no-one knows for certain as plastics haven't
existed for long enough - when they are landfilled.

Methods to control plastic

Reusing plastic is preferable to recycling as it uses less energy and fewer resources. Long
life, multi-trip plastics packaging has become more widespread in recent years,
replacing less durable and single-trip alternatives, so reducing waste. For example,
the major supermarkets have increased their use of returnable plastic crates for
transport and display purposes four-fold from 8.5 million in 1992 to an estimated
35.8 million in 2002. They usually last up to 20 years and can be recycled at the
end of their useful life.

Plastic process scrap recycling

Currently most plastic recycling in the UK is of 'process scrap' from industry, i.e.
polymers left over from the production of plastics. This is relatively simple and
economical to recycle, as there is a regular and reliable source and the material is
relatively uncontaminated. Process scrap represents some 250,000 tonnes of the plastic
waste arising in the UK and approximately 95% of this is recycled. This is usually
described as reprocessing rather than recycling.

Post-use plastic recycling

Post-use plastic can be described as plastic material arising from products that have
undergone a first full service life prior to being recovered. Households are the biggest
source of plastic waste, but recycling household plastics presents a number of challenges.
One of these relates to collection. There are approximately 4,000 plastic bottle collection
banks in the UK.

Mechanical recycling

Mechanical recycling of plastics refers to processes which involve the melting, shredding
or granulation of waste plastics. Plastics must be sorted prior to mechanical recycling. At
the moment in the UK most sorting for mechanical recycling is done by trained staff who
manually sort the plastics into polymer type and/or colour. Technology is being
introduced to sort plastics automatically, using various techniques such as X-ray
fluorescence, infrared and near infrared spectroscopy, electrostatics and flotation.
Following sorting, the plastic is either melted down directly and moulded into a new
shape, or melted down after being shredded into flakes and than processed into granules
called regranulate.

Plastics recycling in the UK

In 1998, a pilot feedstock recycling plant went operational at BP's Grangemouth site in
Scotland, with a capacity to process 400 tonnes of mixed plastic waste per annum. A
feasibility study into its viability concluded that a 25,000 tonnes per annum plant could
be supported from the area's municipal waste sources alone.

In 1991, LINPAC Plastics Recycling opened a unique plant with the ability to recycle
post-consumer polystyrene products. The plant, based in Allerton Bywater, West
Yorkshire, has a capacity of over 14,000 tones per year, which is set to increase to 25,000
tonnes per year by 2005. The plant is able to process fast food boxes, meat trays, egg
cartons, yoghurt pots, vending cups, and a range of other polystyrene products. In
addition, the plant processes a range of polyethylene and polypropylene goods, such as
bottles, crates, sheets, caps, pipes and fibres.

Bio-plastics
A number of manufacturers have been exploring alternatives to plastics made from non-
renewable fossil-fuels. Such alternative 'bio-plastics' include polymers made from
plants sugars and plastics grown inside genetically modified plants or micro-
organisms.

Health and safety concerns have arisen over potentially hazardous chemical additives to
plastics and consumer pressure has contributed to manufacturers switching to plant-based
plastics in such cases. For example, the world's largest toy manufacturer Mattel
announced in 1999 that PVC would be replaced with plant-based plastics in new products
from 2001 onwards.

What we can do

At present we are aware of only two collectors that will accept plastic milk-bottle tops for
cash. If you believe you know of a scheme collecting for wheelchairs or other causes or
cash, contact them directly to make 100% certain that they are willing to take bottle tops.
The money that can be raised through plastic bottle top collections is small and it may be
more worthwhile to collect cans, mobile phones or printer cartridges.

When you put plastic bottles in recycling banks, or even in your bin,
ALWAYS REMOVE THE BOTTLE TOPS. This also enables them
to be crushed more easily so they occupy less space.

• Choose goods with minimal packaging, and which are packaged in a material that
can be recycled or returned in your area.
• Try to reduce the need to throw away plastics. For example, take a reusable
shopping bag to the supermarket or corner shop, or re-use the bags you were
given last time. Don't accept a bag if you don't need one. When they are beyond
reuse, plastic carrier bags can be put into collection banks at some Morrisons,
Tesco and Sainsbury's supermarkets.
• Rather than throwing them away, give plastic toys or containers to children's
scrap stores or playgroups for reuse. Further details can be found here
• Use plastic containers and bags again or make them into something else. For
example use yoghurt pots to grow seedlings, use the top part of drinks bottles as
cloches for plants and offer clean plastic carrier bags to charity shops.
• Buy products that are refillable.
• Think of ways of reducing the need for packaging. Don't add extra packaging
yourself - a melon, a grapefruit or a bunch of bananas already has natural
packaging - does it need to go in a plastic bag as well as your shopping bag, and
 does that already efficiently packaged dairy product or piece of meat really need
another wrapper?
• Ask your local authority recycling officers which materials are currently collected
or may be collected in the future.
• Look for products, e.g. bin liners and refuse sacks, made from recycled plastic,
now available in many supermarkets. Also look out for products packaged in at
least partially recycled material. For example, Shell Oil's 1 litre and 4 litre Helix
oil packs now contain a proportion of recycled plastic, collected from domestic
and industrial waste.
• If it does not already run one, suggest to your local authority that it considers
starting a plastics recycling scheme. The development of market opportunities has
meant that at the moment demand is outstripping supply of plastic bottles, so new
initiatives are needed to feed the process and ensure its success.
• Encourage your local authority to buy products, such as street furniture, made
from recycled plastic rather than wood.

Ashwin
Std. XI
Plastic Waste Management – Story of Man’s apathy –
Success in Germany & Ireland
 INTERFACE WITH DISTRIBUTING UNIT ON
BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCT – BIOMATE ENTERPRISES
 A Curricular Project given to Std. IX Students for their
subject : Environmental Studies

Biomate Enterprises, Puthencruz P.O, Cochin –

682308, Kerala is a distributing agency in Kerala
and they have the following products which are
made of 100% bio degradable plastics.
Distributors’ project about their products in comparison to similar items
 Discussions on recycling and reusing plastic waste for
community development activities.
Avoiding plastics totally may not be viable as they have become an intrinsic part of our
life and the urban landscape. Hence we also have to think of the ways of reducing and
recycling them. There are 2 main routes of disposal, (1) Incineration – burning under
controlled condition for reducing its volume and providing a stable landfill and (2)
Recycling of plastic waste - In the light of environmental and health risk, the cost factors
and other problems involved in the management of domestic plastic waste, it is desirable
to reduce the quantum of waste generated by minimizing the use of plastic carry bags and
reusing them in our daily life. The Environmental Club members discussed on the
different ways of recycling plastic waste and collected data regarding that.

(1) Floor tiles from Plastic Waste:

A young man from Kodungallur Mr. K.B. Joy of Sun Tech Company brought out an
innovative way of recycling plastics, turning plastic waste into tiles.

Method: He powdered the plastic waste but putting it in to the machine, mixed it with
liquid asphalt and heated. Baby metal is added into the compound and poured into the
moulds. He painted it to the Red oxide to add to its beauty.

Cost : Rs. 12/- per Sq.Ft. – cheaper than cement tiles costing Rs. 30/- per sq.ft.
It is quicker than making cement tiles. The plastic tile is again recyclable. The
Edavilangu Grama Panchayat is implementing this idea. They collect plastic waste from
houses and then recycle them.

(2) Plastic Roads:

The idea of plastic roads developed from plastic waste has started gaining popularity.
Bangalore based K.K. PolyFlex, a firm manufacturing plastic goods came up with this
technology which also address the problem of disposal of plastic waste in an environment
friendly manner and the Centre for Transportation Engineering and Civil
Department of Bangalore University mandated its durability. The life of the roads were
increased three fold. The chances of seepage of rainwater is also minimized.

Salem Town in TamilNadu became the first municipality to lay a plastic tar road in the
country. A 350mtr road was laid here. Dr.R. Vasudevan, Chemistry Professor,
Thyagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai developed the polymer-tar technology. The
bitumen and gravel mix was mixed with flakes of granules made from domestic plastics.
(3) Fuel from Plastics.
Alka Zadgaonkar in Nagpur and her husband Umesh of Plastic Waste Management and
Research Company (P) Ltd buy 5 tons of plastic waste every day. They wring fuel oil and
sell it to industries in Butibori Industrial Estate on Wardha road outside Nagpur.

They shred plastic waste and feed it into a conventional extruder. It is melted at a low
temperature, stripped of chlorine, and is interacted with proprietary catalyst. A part of the
gaseous cloud is condensed to form hydro carbon which will be used as fuel oil. They are
used as furnace oil for heating processes in factories. It is obtained as a LPG equivalent.
The residue remains as a solid fuel called Petroleum Coke.

After hearing these stories the Environment Club members also thought of taking a
project of recycling plastics and using them for developmental activities of their school
campus. They also decided to persuade the management to start a Biogas Plant in the
school and use it in the school canteen.
 TEACHER COORDINATOR’S REPORT

Gradual increase in population and proliferation of basic industrial processes saw the
emergence of a civilization that began to have a much greater collective impact on its
surroundings.

‘The solution to pollution is dilution’, is a dictum that summarises a traditional approach

to pollution management. But Plastics have become an integral part of sustainable
development. The real unquantifiable cost is to the environment. Sensitizing the students
on this issue was the main objective of this assignment.

The World Environment Day was celebrated at school in the morning assembly. The
Students were administered an oath by the Environment club president Sarah Kuruvilla.

Poster competitions for grades 8 and 9 were also held under the topic ‘Plastic waste –A
Menace’. Essay competition was held for grade 9 students. The response was quite
overwhelming. The topic given for the Essay competition was ‘Plastics hazards and its
impacts on our environment’.

A lecture demonstration by Mr.Venugopal (a Technologist) in recycling plastic waste

was attended by the students of the Middle and High school. An Audio visual
presentation was shown to the students on making paper out of waste. The students were
also enlightened on the topic of waste management. The attraction of the morning was
the T-Shirts worn by the participants-painted with the slogans and pictures depicting their
devotion to the commitment .A play on protecting our environment were put up by the
Middle school students. The magic mantra of efficient plastic waste management –The
three R’s-REDUCE REUSE AND RECYCLE’ was also revealed to the students by the
speaker.

The students of 8, 9, and 11 attended a workshop demonstration on Bag making.

Alternative materials like waste cloth and Newspaper were used to show how plastic use
could be entirely avoided where shopping conveniences were concerned. Bags made by
the students were later displayed in the morning assembly and later on put up for sale so
that the Toc H students could become the role models for the community to follow suit.

Students of Std XI under took a project on ‘Solid Waste management in Developed

countries’. During the course of the project they interfaced with various Commercial
Business concerns dealing with
1. Bags made from Biodegradable materials (alternative to plastics).
2. Alternative, Renewable sources of Energy. This was mainly focussed on
illumination products consuming less energy students were taken to various small
scale industrial concerns in the city to get a practical exposure to the magnanimity
of the Environmental concerns and also get to see the efforts being made by the
responsible citizens of the world to alleviate the problem. Our efforts we hope
have not just invoked the Environmentalists in our students but made them
‘EARTH WARRIORS.’
Mrs. Rohini Kanugo
Teacher Coordinator