Sanctuary Asia - May 2018

8 SANCTUARY ASIA, 2018 MAY

End Plastic Pollution!

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On April 3rd, an audio-visual on the ill-effects of plastic

was screened at the Rishi Valmiki Eco School in Mumbai.

Students were shocked to see how plastic is affecting

wildlife and humans. After the presentation, students

pledged to avoid plastic as much as possible and educate

their friends and family about the same by signing a scroll in

support of the plastic ban in Maharashtra.

On April 9th, students of Ranthambhore School organised a

clean-up drive in Rawal village. They collected plastic bags

and other garbage, planted saplings around their houses and

pledged to take care of them. Later, the students went on a

safari to the Ranthambhore National Park. During the clean-

up drive and safari, these kids were educated on how plastic

is killing wildlife and why we need to end plastic pollution.

Before they left for the day, the children promised to avoid

plastic as much as possible in their lives.

On April 10th, students of Swami Vivekanand Rajkiya Model

School, Soorwal, took part in a painting competition

where the theme was ‘ban plastic’. The students unleashed

their creativity on canvas and were later taken to the

Ranthambhore National Park for a safari.

Kids pledge to stop the use

of plastic in Ranthambhor. All

banners made of cloth or paper -

no PVC or other kinds of plastic!

TThree cheers for the hree cheers for the

RRiver Marshals iver Marshals

Keya Sanghavi, a Std. 9 student of the oof Mumbai!f Mumbai!

Singapore International School, Mumbai,

writes about her school’s clean-up drive.

What makes for a perfect Saturday morning? Is it

sitting by the window with a view of the mountains

on a dewy spring morning? Is it sipping the most

deliciously-brewed coffee with your family? Or is it

helping the world become a better place? For the

River Marshals of Mumbai, it’s the latter.

I have been a part of a river clean-up project,

initiated by grade 11 IB students of Singapore

International School. The project was taken up

as the Round Square Anniversary Challenge by

Devyansh Agarwal. A number of students joined

hands to make the four rivers flowing through

Mumbai city clean again, starting with the

Dahisar river.

Most people living near us, would wonder, if the

effort was worth it? While we were there, my

friends asked, “Is there a permanent solution to

this problem?” The professor accompanying us

said wisely, “Will you stop brushing your teeth

because you keep eating pizza? No.”

Community service, afterall, is not just a service to

the community, it’s a service to ourselves.