Home \ European Union-Humana People to People’s Yunnan Low-carbon Schools Pilot Project \ Exchange wasted plastic bottles for apples
Author: Yang Yi, Promoter, EU-Humana Yunnan Low Carbon School Pilot Project
About 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year.
Which will affect nearly 700 marine species and humans.
According to marine conservation organizations:
plastic has been found in over 60% of seabirds and 100% of sea turtles.
(Figure from the Internet)
At present, trillions of microplastics have now reached the surface of the ocean, and plastic fibers have been found in fish sold in markets in Southeast Asia, East Africa and California through surveys. Research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation shows that: between 5 and 13 million tons of plastic enters the ocean each year, and the weight of plastic waste in the oceans is expected to add up to more than the weight of fish by 2050.
Plastic, a serious threat to the environment and the oceans.
(Figure from the Internet)
As we all know, waste items, cardboard, plastic bottles ......, all belong to recyclable waste. Recycling can reduce the pollution and harm to the environment.
How can we mobilize the youth, and groups to participate in the activities of recycling and raise their awareness through activities?
The " Exchange waste plastic bottles for apples" is to mobilize students to collect waste bottles, discarded cardboard, plastic bags and other recyclable household waste for apples.
Students will learn what recyclable waste is in practice, and get fruit through a small low-carbon action. They will become more aware of the current environmental crisis, be a low-carbon person, and strive to be "The little green man".
Recently, the EU-Humana Yunnan Low Carbon School Pilot Project co-operated with several primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in Kunming to launch the initiative "Recyclable Waste, Recycle to Treasure" and "Exchange bottle for Apple" activity.
All classes actively participated in the campaign, the students did pre-mobilization in their spare time. Then a unified redemption campaign at each school site is underway after a period of collection. 3 bottles or 3 types of recyclable waste could be exchanged for 1 apple.
At the end of the event, the students were rewarded with delicious apples, and we also received recyclable waste. Through the sale of recyclable waste, we were able to obtain funds to purchase forest carbon sinks on the Yunyou Carbon Platform to support the campaign of "Green Power - offsetting carbon footprint - helping the fight against poverty" .
The bottle-for-apple exchange is not just a simple material exchange, but an exchange of environmental awareness and ideas.
Next, the project team will further develop more activities for youth to participate in climate change learning and activities, promoting them to practice low-carbon in school, realize the combination of individual, school and family, mobilize more people to build a connection with climate change, and highlight the "youth" power in addressing climate change.
Project introduction:
Yunnan Low-carbon Schools Pilot Project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the People to People Foundation (Spanish member of HPP) in cooperation with FAIHPP (Switzerland) Yunnan Representative Office, Yunnan Academy for Science and Technical Information, Southwest Forestry University, Green Kunming (Kunming Environmental Popular Science Association) and Kunming Good Deed Public Welfare Community Development Service Center with a project cycle from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2023. The project begins by increasing partners’ awareness and advocacy on climate change mitigation and environmental protection, by raising climate change awareness among 600 schools, 70,000 students and teachers, determine the emission benchmark through basic calculation, and then implement emission reduction work in 50 Carbon Compliant Pioneer Schools. Use science, technology, innovation and other means to respond to “climate action” to accelerate environmental sustainability and promote the transition from green campuses to low-carbon and carbon-neutral campuses.
The project is funded by European Union.
Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of the donor.