ProjectNBYOUTH- Youth and waste management: Raising awareness and making a difference in their communities

WHY? Waste management is a key component in environmental protection and sustainability.  Improper waste management, which is a growing problem globally has an enormous impact on health, safety, local economy, society, and the global environment. I have traveled to many countries with my family during vacations including India to visit my extended family. During my trips to countries like India, Peru, and Mexico, one of the things that affect me the most is poor sanitation, inadequate public awareness about proper waste disposal, and lack of initiative from the young people there to implement changes. I see a tremendous potential in the youth of these countries to make a difference in their communities. When I volunteered at suburban clinics in India in July 2013, I witnessed first-hand poor sanitation, related health and safety problems, and lack of public awareness about the issue. This inspired me to work towards these causes.

THE MAIN ISSUE- As urbanization continues to expand, the management of solid waste is becoming a major environmental concerns in urban cities globally. There is a huge element of uninformed complacency about the magnitude of the problems resulting from improper waste disposal among the local public. In many countries, although the barriers to proper waste disposal and sanitation are manifold including lack of public education, poor infrastructure, lack of funds, inadequate policies regarding issues surrounding waste disposal methods, there is definitely a tremendous room for improvement if the youth of these countries start thinking about these issues at a young age, and work towards taking corrective measures to solve this problem.

SOME FACTS- According to a 2014 United Nations report on waste management, each year the world dumps 2.12 billion tons of waste into the oceans. Each year, 400 tons of toxic waste is generated which includes hazardous waste such as batteries, cosmetics, cleaning products, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Half of the urban populations in developing countries do not have proper solid waste disposal services, which is causing toxic contamination of the water, land, and air in these regions. Food waste which contributes majorly to organic waste in landfills which is a significant contributor to methane emission that is causing global warming and climate changes. Plastic wastes from plastic cans, cups, bottles, bags etc. are non-biodegradable and causing garbage islands in the Pacific Ocean. Plastic wastes can exist for hundreds of years and if burnt can contaminate the environment by transforming into dangerous chemicals like dioxins and furans. If no action is taken to change the way this problem is perceived by the public at a very young age, inefficient waste management and indifference of man will threaten our environment more and challenge the survival of mankind.

WHY BENGALURU AND SURROUNDING REGION- In urban cities like Bengaluru in India, the problems related to waste management is reaching a critical point. In a metropolitan city like Bengaluru, which is often referred to as the silicon valley of the country, there is inadequate public awareness about the magnitude of what improper waste disposal is doing to our environment. Bengaluru, a city of 10 million, produces about 4000 tons of waste every day. Nearly a fourth of this is plastic waste. Specialists predict that if only enough public awareness and measures can be generated, total waste in the city can be capped to less than 25 percent of the current quantity.

HOW CAN THE YOUTH HELP? Youth between the ages of 15 and 24 represent about 18 percent of the world’s population. They not only contribute to the waste generation but also suffer the ill effects of poor waste management repercussions in their communities. If the youth can be trained and made aware of the 3Rs of waste reduction- Reduce, Re-use and Recycle, they can bring about significant changes in their schools, households, and their communities to change the tide of this environmental problem. They can raise awareness of citizens in their communities with their access to information and technology. They can be inspired to become leaders in the field and push local municipalities and the government to implement policies for proper waste disposal.

OUR AIM- ProjectNBYOUTH aims to promote awareness and action projects towards sanitation and healthy living conditions in by mostly youth-driven projects. For my initiative, I want to start in India as my first project. I want to implement an awareness project for the youth in India about the environmental hazards of improper solid waste disposal and stimulate them to think and practice the 3Rs. I chose India because I have firsthand seen the shocking state of garbage disposal in Bengaluru when I visited there multiple times. I have volunteered in suburban hospitals near Bengaluru and seen the health hazards in children who play near the mounds of garbage on the streets and come in contact with it. When I talked to the kids there, they did not seem to be much informed or affected about the issues surrounding this topic. Some of them were not even aware that they could contribute to the solution.  I hope to inspire students in these schools about team work, leadership skills and community awareness. These schools can then start local projects in other smaller schools nearby and involve more students to think critically and act responsibly. I hope to create a domino effect of constructive thinking and action in the youth in India, about their issues.

THE COMPETITION- The competition will invite high school students, who can participate in groups of 2 to 3 students, research the topic of hazards of improper waste disposal on the environment ( see specific related topics announced each year), and submit an essay of 1 to 2 pages. They will also need to implement a small project within their school or local community such as setting up an environmental club at their school to spread awareness, or distributing brochures to about 100 households about the topic to spread awareness in the general public, or spread the word of the 3Rs and methods to implement it in their school assembly or in other nearby smaller schools. They will submit their essays and the proof of their projects to me by email. I will request my mentors to grade these essays and projects. The students of the winning schools will receive cash prizes in the form of certificates, book store vouchers etc. The winning schools will also receive award trophies and certificate. The list of winning students and schools will be announced in a local newspaper in Bangalore. The winning essays and projects will be showcased on our website.

YES, WE CAN! I have the conviction that in any society, the youth are a tremendous source of creativity, energy, and drive who can influence their communities positively. I hope to expand the competitions to other cities in India and then to other countries around the world. I am a firm believer that with education, diligence, and team work, the youth in any country can accomplish a lot. Clean and healthy surroundings is a small beginning, and we strive to create a better world for all, one small step at a time.