On the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated annually on June 5, the Small Earth Nepal (SEN) in collaboration with International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) organized “Best from Waste: An Environmental Fair-2018” to fortify this year’s theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”. The program was held at Shree Padma Higher Secondary School, Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Altogether 40 participants took part in the program.Selected students from grade 7- 10 actively participated in the program.
Mr. Arun Prasad Bhattarai from the Small Earth Nepal started off the program accentuating why this particular day is celebrated. He added that to highlight the problems and find solutions and make people aware of what is happening in the environment, World Environment Day is commemorated all over the globe.
The popular and well-known 3R principle: reduce, reuse and recycle was brought to light in the program. The students were given training by the experts to make innovative things from their recyclable waste. Ms. Megha Bajaj, a M. Sc student from College of Applied Science and Mr. Sagar Pradhan from Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN) acquainted the students with ideas to get creative with their reusable and recyclable waste. Ms. Bajaj taught the students to make hanging bottle garden with the help of plastic bottles and pencil holder from waste newspapers and carton boxes. The students seemed excited to plant in their creative hanging bottles. Ms. Manisha Manandhar from Grade-8 and Ms. Manisha Pradhan from Grade-7 were given a small gift by Ms. Bajaj for making a good product out of the waste at the training.
Similarly, Mr. Sagar Pradhan from CWIN emphasized on “If you can’t reuse it, refuse it”. He added that one must understand their responsibility to learn better in life. Mr. Pradhan says, “People know you by your work and you must put effort to create your identity.” He stressed upon the need to instill an urge within yourselves to take initiative and adopt positive attitude and behavior to make your environment clean. He also talked about 6R principles: recycling, reusing, refusing, repairing, rethinking and reducing the materials. Ms. Anju B.K from CWIN showed their products (bags, purses) which were made by up cycling waste banners. Mr. Mohammad Mehedi Hasan and Mr. Arijit Dey from CWIN also enlightened the students with their experience about their journey of making bags from banners.
Along with the training program, photo exhibition was also carried out which displayed the grim reality of plastic use and its malignant effect on the environment. The students observed the display with much curiosity.
The training was successful in indulging students in creative learning. They interactively participated in the program and learned from the experts about the necessity to keep their ambience clean. Students also shared their view and opinion about what they got to learn today. They all received a positive take away message from the things they got to learn at “Best from Waste: An Environment Fair-2018”.
