Media Release
Mangaluru, Nov 22: Canara Organization for Development and Peace (CODP) organized an awareness programme on ‘Plastic Waste Management and Cancer’ for students of Ashoka Vidhyalaya on November 19 for 230 students of class 6th to 10th.
Lenet Gonsalves, programme manager of CODP being the resource person said that the main aim of conducting awareness is to build a better and healthy atmosphere by managing waste systematically. She said, “Plastic waste management has emerged as one of the greatest challenges of 21st century. It is estimated that approximately 70% of plastic packaging products are converted into plastic waste in a short span. The adverse impacts of littered single use plastic items on animals, birds and humans were explained in detail.
“The methods to segregate wet waste and dry waste and also to make compost from biodegradable waste at each house were explained. Doing this small task of segregation of waste at home can help us to give respect to the civic workers who collect waste daily from our doorstep and maintain our city clean,” she said.
Children were asked if they were ready to collect stinky waste which may have worms and bacteria from door to door for a period of one week like the civic workers, for which the majority of the students disagreed. Through this, Lenet stressed upon the need for segregation of waste effectively to reduce further problems viz, garbage slip which happened at Pacchanady dump yard. The students were sensitized through a video i.e., removing a plastic straw from a sea turtle’s nostril.
A demonstration on preparation of eco bricks was provided by MSW students of St Aloysius College Shwetha and Joel to motivate students to build community structures through plastic waste instead of destruction of natural resources.
Thereafter, awareness on healthy lifestyle and consuming organic food was stressed upon by Shilpa D’Souza, coordinator of Sparsha-Campaign against Cancer, through presentation and video documentary.
Moreover, students came forward and shared their role in curbing the menace of plastic trash through the four R’s Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle of plastic and have decided to take small initiatives towards plastic waste management.
Students of class 9 and 10 were provided with a handbook ‘Parisara Devara Vara’ published by CODP.