PAWAR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHANDIVALI PRESENTS

GO GREEN!
RECYCLING PLASTEAM
PLASTIC RECYCLING
THE LIFE STORY OF A PLASTIC BOTTLE
WITH A TEACHER
NAME: RESHMI CHATTERJEE

PROFESSION: TEACHER FOR GEOGRAPHY

WITH AN ORGANISATION
NAME: SIDDHANT

PROFESSION: CHEF, CO FOUNDER OF NUDE FOOD CAFÉ, WHICH

IS THE FIRST ZERO WASTE FOOD CAFÉ IN MUMBAI
WITH A STUDENT
NAME: NEHA

PROFESSION: STUDENT
The Sustainable Development Goals are seventeen interlinked goals that form a global compass
for achieving a more sustainable future in which no one is left behind. The goals focus on
challenges concerning People, Planet, and Prosperity.
The 14th goal is to conserve the life below water, and the 15th goal is to conserve life on land.
Plastic is a major causative agent for pollution on both land and water. Pollution in water due to
plastic causes the fishes to choke on the plastic pieces and die. When plastic is thrown in landfills,
the plastic pieces enter into the soil, and through the soil, enter into the body of all living
organisms. Pollution on land also causes the animals to eat plastic and choke on it, resulting in
their deaths.
By participating in this project, we are really happy and proud to be propagating the message and
accomplishing 2 SDG’s.
1.By forming our own Plastic Pioneer committee, we will be able to empower ourselves.

2. We can promote initiatives like 'Go stainless,' which eliminates the use of plastic tiffin boxes and
bottles with stainless steel ones (Any other reusable item works too!)

3.A plastic waste collection department should be formed, which would collect plastic waste from
students once a week and recycle it by giving it to an organization.

4. Regular workshops regarding recycling of plastic should be conducted.

Sugarcane Bagasse
Bagasse is the residue leftover after crushing the sugarcane. It is eco-friendly, sustainable, and compostable. As a
result, it can be used to make food containers and package food products. Disposable cups, plates, and other
items can also be produced with it. It is a less expensive and more accessible option to plastic.

Glass
While not biodegradable, glass is inert, inexpensive and infinitely recyclable. And since many food items come
packaged in glass, upcycling glass jars into food storage is a no-cost way to give your food packaging new life. Jars
from jam, honey, pickles, nut butters, and so much more can be added to your no-waste toolkit for shopping from
the bulk bins. They can also be repurposed to store leftovers and homemade drinks, or decorated and turned into
homemade gifts.

Jute
A lot of people know that cotton is an eco friendly fiber, but another very popular eco friendly substitute for
plastic is jute. And it beats cotton! A hectare of jute plants consumes about 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide and
releases 11 tonnes of oxygen. Additionally, it grows without any usage of insecticides and pesticides which helps
in preventing damage to the environment. It is known for its tensile strength, durability and affordability.
Additionally, jute is completely biodegradable, recyclable and sustainable. Some popular jute products include
sling bags, table runners, gift envelopes, pouches, notebooks, and more.
1- Agreements about the use of pictures and videos.
All our interviewees were informed earlier and were fine with having themselves recorded
for this project.

2- The division of tasks during the visit/interview.

Our team had equally divided the various subtopics amongst ourselves before we
proceeded with the making of our projects according to our ability, due to this the division
of tasks during the interview was an easy process for us.

3- Place, time and duration of the interview.

To ensure safety, all of us conducted the interview online and interviewees were more
comfortable doing virtually than in person. The timings of the interviews were fixed as per
the suitability and availability of our interviewees and varied for all.The duration of our
interviews varied from four to twelve minutes.

4- How did you thank the interviewee(s)?

We thanked our interviewees during our interview as well as personally once they were
over. We thanked them for giving us their time, coordinating with us and helping us with
our research
The majority of people use plastic items, with some exceptions being reusable items.
Additionally, everyone knows that the main issue is the disposal of plastics. Incorrect
disposal methods prevent plastic from fully decomposing faster. As a result, the
environment is also adversely affected, causing global warming and an increase in animal
deaths. School, society, and government policies and procedures also play an important
role in recycling plastic. Having this awareness also contributes to the action taken by
students. There are also people who reuse plastic and put it to new uses.
All participants suggested alternatives such as glass, metalware, cloth bags and other eco-
friendly alternatives when asked about reducing plastic use. Although people are aware of
this topic and its extent of harm, most of our interviewees believe it still has room for
growth. The majority of them believe that our ill actions and the use of products must be
communicated to the world. This is so that the consequences of our actions and uses can
be understood. People also believe that more alternatives should be available and widely
known so that people can transition to better ways of using.
In conclusion, when asked if they would be willing to do more to spread the word, all of
them said they would volunteer through social media and word of mouth.
Through this research project, we found some innovative ways of reducing plastic.
Firstly, to find ways to reduce plastic, we need to find out which item causes maximum plastic waste
generation. The waste generated is mostly in the form of PET bottles, straws, plastic bags and polythenes.
This waste is normally dumped into landfills or water bodies, or burnt in air, which causes pollution.
Instead of buying these products and causing harm to nature, we can just stop using them altogether. We
can carry our own bottles while going out, not using a straw or using a paper straw if necessary, and carrying
our own cloth and jute bags while going out.
Only some specific types of plastics can be recycled. These are PET and HDPE plastics. Some of the most
common items recycled are- Plastic bottles
Juice and milk cartons, Peanut butter jars, Salad dressing and cooking oil containers, Most cleaning product
containers, Bleach and laundry detergent containers, Shampoo and conditioner bottles, Yogurt and butter
tubs, which are made of PET and HDPE plastic.
Some other ways to recycle plastic is to transform it into a completely new item using craft materials.
Piggybanks, flowerpots, flower vases, pencil cases, and so much more can be made by using plastic
bottles alone!
Some good alternatives for plastic are wooden cutlery, paper or jute bag, paper straws, metal
water bottles, paper or glass cups. Items made of bamboo, upcycled tyre, tree free paper, cork,
cardboard and bioplastics really help to cut down on the usage and wastage of plastic.
We decided to create an INSTAGRAM account (https://www.instagram.com/recycling_plasteam/) , where we uploaded
posters regarding awareness of plastic recycling. We also conducted a seminar with the children of Senior
Kindergarten.
Thanking you
MEMBERS-

JIYA (TEAM LEADER)

AVIKA
SAKSHI
VED