Antiplastic Campaign by DNA club members, Jaycee School, Ankola

ANTI PLASTIC CAMPAIGN IN ANKOLA TOWN

DNA (Department of Biotechnology Natural Resources Awareness) Club, Jaycee High School, Hattikeri, Ankola

The DNA club was started in 2008 and has since been involved in various environment related activities. I have been the club coordinator since its inception. During one of our sessions a student very simply said that it was not enough to reduce the individual use of plastic carry bags but something needs to be done on a larger scale. She also wondered why the Government cannot ban their use, knowing well the ill effects. I was waiting for an opportunity to involve the students in an anti plastic campaign ever since. I spoke to the tahsildar, Dr. Udaykumar Shetty about it and he promised to lend his support. We had to however wait until the exams were over to launch the campaign.

The Campaign was planned in three stages:

I.                    Survey of per day plastic carry bag consumption in the main market area.

II.                 Awareness Campaign – Street plays, posters and banners.

III.               Training: Exploring alternatives like cloth bags, paper bags, Jute bags and Nylon (tungis) bags, conduct workshops to train the student trainers (TOT) who in turn would train the members of self help groups to produce some of these and to assist them to get whole sale materials and market finished goods.

I.                    Survey of per day plastic carry bag consumption in the main market area of Ankola Town:

Objectives:

1. to find out the approximate number of plastic bags used per day by different kinds of shops.
2. to enumerate the responses of these shopkeepers and reasons thereof.
3. to find whether they suggest any alternatives other than those identified by us.
4. to spread awareness about the dangers of using plastic carry bags.

  Method & Findings:

Students were divided into eleven groups of two each. Survey schedules were printed and the students instructed in filling them. The students were then allotted different areas in the town market to conduct the survey.

Dr, Uday Kumar Shetty, Ankola Tehsildar and in charge Chief Officer of the town Municipality himself launched the survey.

Some Responses by the shop owners:

Most of the shop keepers were of the opinion that it would be a good thing if plastic carry bags were banned. They said it was because the consumers demanded that they used them.

When a shopkeeper opined that while a cloth bag would cost about Rs. 10, a plastic bag would cost only 50p, the student responded by saying that a cloth bag could be used again and again for years whereas a plastic cover could or rather is used only once. Therefore in the long run the cloth bag would cost less and being eco friendly would not pollute. Also if the hidden cost of plastic on environment and health is considered they work out to be rather expensive.

A person selling cold drinks wondered why the Government does not ban the manufacture of plastic carry bags.

A Baker wanted the students not to write the actual number of Plastic bags he used which was about a thousand per day but note down the number as 200  as he did not want any trouble from the authorities.

Another felt that the Government should create a market for the plastic waste. If it fetched a good price then people would sell the waste which could then be recycled. This would also create employment.

A couple of them encouraged the students in their endeavor and asked them to demand a total ban and go on a strike if necessary! They said even if it worked out to be expensive they are ready to buy cloth bags.

One of the shop keepers was downright rude and said “Your parents cannot do without plastics. They use them from their birth to their death. Can you imagine how many that would be? Why don’t you first ask their parents to stop using plastic?” To this the student retorted, “I have already told my parents that and now I am telling you!!”

Shop to shop survey and …..

…. consolidation

The data so collected was consolidated and the average carry bag consumption by shops of different categories was tabulated. It was estimated that the total per day consumption of plastic carry bags in Ankola town market was around 1 lakh!

II. Awareness Campaign – Street plays, posters and banners.

Soon after the survey was completed the students got busy with painting posters for the awareness campaign. They were also getting ready with their street play and slogans. Within a week the tahsildar made official arrangements for the stage function and subsequent procession and street play.

Street play

III. Training:

Training of Trainers (TOT)

On 2^nd and 3^rd of April the DNA club members were trained by their coordinator to make bags out of different sizes and kinds with old newspapers. They were also taught to make their own glue with flour and Copper Sulphate. Fourteen members volunteered to get the training and in turn train the members of the five self help groups of a nearby hamlet, Ambarkodl.

Training of Women of Self Help Groups:

On 4^th of April around 50 women of five self help groups were trained by the students with the help of old newspapers donated by their parents. The women’s response was excellent and they showed keen interest to learn. The children were amazing and conducted the workshop with great maturity. They also enacted a skit

and action song that spoke about being eco friendly.

Post Script: It so happened that soon after our anti plastic campaign the new D.C. who was transferred to Uttar Kannada advertised in the dailies that those organizations interested in the working towards the plastic ban could contact him directly. The DNA members lost no time in getting an appointment with him and briefed him with the work that they had done. He was quite impressed with the presentation of the children and visited our school the next week. On August 15^th the club members were invited to the district headquarters to enact the anti plastic street play for the Independence Day celebrations. The D.C. wanted us to visit the other schools in the vicinity and create awareness among the children. He had promised to hold a meeting in our school along with the D.D.P.I. (Deputy Director of Public Instructions) and the Mandal Panchyat members to work out the logistics. Unfortunately before that could happen he was transferred. Needless to say the children are all very disappointed.