On the occasion of Earth Day on 22 April 2022, the Directorate of Education launched the campaign for ‘Phasing out Single-use Plastic’ in order to create awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastics and to contribute towards creating a new, clean, healthy and plastic-free India.
Under the guidance of the esteemed Principal, Ms Padma Srinivasan, the students and teachers of Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram enthusiastically participated in the launch of the campaign. The programme commenced with a Plantation Drive undertaken by the Principal, Ms Padma Srinivasan, the Vice Principals, Ms Renu Nayar, Mr Naresh Miglani Mr Anil Kathuria and Mr JS Virdi, the Headmistress, Mrs Rashmi Malhotra the Supervisor of Classes VI-VIII,Ms Vinita Gupta, Activity Incharge Ms Abha Chona, Mrs Sushma Sardana, Incharge Environment Club, Ms Dimple Menon, Rep Class XI Mrs Kusum Yadav, Examination Incharge VI-VIII, Ms Reema Khosla. The Plantation drive was followed by a plethora of activities that were conducted on the school premises. The details of the activities are as follows:
CLASS VI:
A Poster Making activity was conducted for the students of Class VI on the theme ‘Eco-friendly Alternatives to Plastic’ wherein the students created beautiful posters with meaningful quotations based on the given theme. The students presented their versions of how the usage of single-use plastics can be minimised with sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives.
CLASS VII:
The students of Class VII participated in the Slogan Writing activity based on the theme ‘Phasing out Single-use Plastics’. The activity brought forth the creativity of the students wherein they wrote catchy and impactful slogans that would help in creating awareness about the harmful effects of single-use plastics on the environment.
CLASS VIII:
The students of Class VIII participated in the Essay Writing activity on the topic ‘Strategy of 6 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Redesign and Remanufacture’. They wrote a variety of essays that presented their innovative and creative ideas about the conservation of natural resources, landfill space and energy.
CLASS IX:
The students of Class IX used poetry as a form of expression in the Poetry Writing and Recitation activity on the topic ‘My Earth, My Future’. They wrote self-composed poems and thereafter recited them in the presence of their fellow classmates. Their poetic creations reflected the sensitivity and awareness of the young generation towards the issue of environmental conservation and sustenance which can make the Earth a better place. This activity enhanced the emotional and critical learning of the students and offered them a unique way of writing and reciting poetic verses that would prompt them to think about their future in terms of sustainability and resourcefulness.
CLASS X:
The students of Class X contributed to the awareness campaign against the usage of single-use plastics by participating in a Nukkad Natak/Role Play activity based on the topic ‘The Harmful Effects of Plastic’. The students performed bilingual street plays to highlight the social reality of the adverse effects of single-use of plastics and accentuated the need for the contribution of the citizens to developing and maintaining a sustainable and healthy environment.
The students displayed great enthusiasm and creativity to convey their message to the audience. They performed scenes that depicted the general attitude of people towards cleanliness and how plastics desecrate the environment. The budding actors addressed the audience and urged them to be responsible citizens and protect the environment.
CLASS XII:
The students of Class XII took part in the Speech Writing and Recitation activity wherein they showcased their creativity and critical thinking skills, and presented their original ideas on the topic ‘Identification of Single-use Plastic and its Elimination’. The students were given 1.5 minutes to share various economic and practical ways to identify single-use plastics and they then presented effective ways to eliminate them.
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
PLEDGE:
The students of Classes VI-X and XII also undertook the pledge ‘Say No to Plastic’ wherein they pledged not to use plastic as well as educate others about the dangers of plastic use. The students pledged to do their bit in order to contribute in creating a new, clean, healthy and plastic-free India. The pledge provided a comprehensive understanding to the students of how this planet belongs to us and how only we can save it for our secure and bright future.
QUIZ:
Students from Classes VI-X and XII participated in an Online Quiz based on the theme of the ‘Plastic Waste Management Act 2016’. The quiz was conducted on Google Forms for a duration of 20 minutes and it helped the students and teachers to acknowledge the fact that although single-use plastic products may epitomise convenience, they cause severe damage to the environment and human health through their production, distribution and litter.
LECTURE AND DISCUSSION:
The students of Classes VI-X were also invited for an enriching and interactive lecture to create an awareness campaign for phasing out single-use plastic. This session discussed the ‘Problems in the Elimination of Single-use Plastic’ as well as ‘How to Eliminate Plastic from Schools’. The Science teachers of all the classes then expanded upon the lecture via classroom discussions that gave a lot of insight to the students on how a huge change in developing a sustainable environment can be made by following just a few simple steps. The enthusiasm of the students ensured a positive outlook toward a better, eco-friendly and promising future.
DISPLAY OF POSTERS AND CHARTS:
The awareness campaign was not only limited to a variety of activities that were conducted in the school but also involved the display of bright, colourful and informative posters and charts in the different prominent places of the school, thereby developing consciousness among the students and teachers about the phasing out of single-use plastics.
Thus, the launch of the awareness campaign for reducing the usage of single-use plastic in the school was a great success through the collaborative efforts of all the students and teachers. The campaign turned out to be an exquisite learning experience for everyone, thereby making such endeavours to be the steps toward a brighter, more sustainable future and an eco-friendly nation.