P3 G2

1. We are committed to solving the plastic pollution and global warming:

Our country is placed 10th in the top ten countries that are contributing to plastic pollution. We would like to eliminate our name from the list and in the process do our part of saving the planet.

2. We are looking to prevent plastic pollution. To do this we want to reuse plastic and teach our people to recycle. Simultaneously we are looking to build vertical and roof top gardens to help go green and prevent global warming.

3. We would get the opportunity to live in a cleaner environment. We shall be able to save planet earth and resist our doom if we donot start looking for alternatives to plastic now. 

280 millions tons of plastic every year enter our ocean. This plastic is killing more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals each year. Plastic does not degrade, it collects as a substance called micro plastic which has now integrated itself into our food chain. Marine animals have started to ingest it which causes food blockage in their digestion. At this rate we won't have a marine life to protect in a few very short years.
Apart from this problem we also have the number of plants we are killing, multiplying at an outrageous rate. Fires and trees being chopped down are destroying our very source of the air that we breathe and nothing is being done to solve it.
These problems are also contributing to the ever growing problem of climate change and global warming. Slowly but surely, everyone is being affected by both these problems.

We are serving our planet, Earth, which in turn is eventually serving us. We've ignored the very dangerous red flags that mother Earth has been waving in our faces for much too long.
We are working with the children of today, because they are the people of tomorrow. We are trying to integrate these small actions that work towards a better solution into their routines so that they are very involved from a young age. This will keep them devoted to working towards a better and brighter future for Bangladesh as well as our planet.
The small ways of reusing plastic will solve the major problem of pollution in our country. With more plantations in these very thrown away plastic bottles, we are also solving the problem of the greenery we are losing every day.

We are trying to collect the plastic bottles that are thrown away everyday and using them to plant small plants. We have also taken the initiative to try and make one wall green at our school, as well as grow grass on our rooftops! We also plan on inviting other schools in our area to do the same. If we can effectively have even a few buildings do the same, we're looking at a much healthier Bangladesh in no time!
For these two projects that go hand in hand, all that we need is the plastic bottles that are thrown to waste and the will to do something for our country!

Our solution is something new in Bangladesh but not unique in the world.  Bangladesh does not have the concept of recycle as no one is doing much about it so awareness is yet to be created,  We want to practice what we preach and that is why we have involved our school children in this campaign.   We have planned to make bins out of plastic to accummulate more plastic. in doing so, we shall teach people to throw their plastic into these whenever they see them. so one  step of accumulating plastic and the first step of recycling is done and using plastic bins to accumulate plastic is hopefully innovative enough to grab our people's attention. On a broader scale we shall be one step closer to keep our cities clean. 

As we also have another project going along with this one, these plastic bottles will further be used as plant holders. We plan to use the accumulated plastic bottlesas plant holders on one of our school walls to make the wall green. In the process our plan of vertical gardens will unfold.

A small step at times goes a long way in bringing a change. Take the example of a seed that is planted in soil. one small step gives the end result of a huge tree which gives oxygen, shade and shelter. The problem in our country is great because people havent learnt to look at the consequences of their actions. Littering is a way of life here and no one bothers to pick up litter or clean up.  Our idea of plastic bins puts one problem away and that is makes our streets plastic free. but that is only one part of the problem solved. There is more. We want to encourage people not to use plastic bags. To solve this problem we are arranging for alternatives. That too is  a very small step, using jute bags which are reusable instead of Plastic ones. Again one small solution which in the long run will hopefully have a huge impact. To top it all for our going green slogan, all we need to do is plant some creepers on top of our roof and let climb down one wall. Again a very quick step to realize our dream of having vertical gardens to prevent global warming. 

currently the number of peple we are seving will be zero as we have just srated creating awareness. If we have been able to touch anyyone's heart, it probably is of the 30 children who are working on this project with us.

In the first year of our activities, we want to be able to serve the people of Dhaka city only which is roughly about 8 million.

In 5 years we will be transforming all in our country and have everyone on board for this campaign. the figure? 164 million!

our work will be strictly Dhaka based for a year. we want to:

1. Create awareness

2. Make bins to accumulate plastic bottles and place them everyone in the city

4. Arrange with recycling plants to help recycle these bottles.

5. Reduce the use of plastic bags

6. create alternatives for these bags.

7. Encourage stores and shops to have an incentive program if reusable bags are used. 

8. Introduce the concept of recycle.

9. have people get into the habit of recycling 

10. Arrange for the wet garbage to be recycled into compost

11. develop an income program for the under priviliged to get paid to help accumulate  plastic and pick up litter from the streets to recycle. 

12. Arrange to reach the govt and pitch the idea of reusing plastic bottles in road construction.  Using 1 tonne of plastic bottles with 9 tonnes of Bitumen has proved to be good for the roads 

13. See if the plastic can be melted to make pavement eco bricks or fuel. 

14. Approach garment and jute factories to see if they can contribute to make reusable bags from their waste material. Initially we want to give away these bags for free, Then We want these bags available at a very low price for all. 

16. see if biodegradable plastic bags can be made. 

17. make our roof top and one wall green,

once this works out in Dhaka, in five years we want to do the same nationwide.

1, Mindset: Changing the mindset is a big task

2. Alternative: The alternatives are yet to be explored.  There is a gentleman in our country who claims he can make fuel out of plastic bottles, another claims to have made biodegradable bags. To connect withese people and see if this is truly done is a challenge. 

3. financial: Any kind of work of this scale needs funds. We have none.

4. Awareness: Due to no funds at hand, creating awareness becomes close to impossible. 

1, Mindset: Changing the mindset is a big task and can only be done with a lot of marketing of the idea and awareness programs. Therefore we look to winning Tigers Challenge.

2. Alternative: The alternatives are yet to be explored.  There is a gentleman in our country who claims he can make fuel out of plastic bottles, another claims to have made biodegradable bags. To connect with these people and see if this is truly done is a challenge. due to no funds at hand. once we have funds we can travel to them and see if their idea can be patented for use. 

3. financial: Any kind of work of this scale needs funds. We have none. but we hope to win.

4. Awareness: Due to no funds at hand, creating awareness becomes close to impossible. but even the word impossible says I AM POSSIBLE. It is a mindset and a positive viewpoint that makes the difference with the support of able people who are working to help others through this challenge. Win or not, thank you for bringing this opportunity to our country. 

This project is the baby of Stride International School.  I am the Principal of the school and have come up with this project to encourage my school children to be the change that they want to see the world to be.  These children are working closely with me to reach all our first year goals. Their enthusiasm has brought me to apply for this grant because without funds we cannot work at the scale that we want to. 

It is us teachers first and foremost who are in this project with me. The no. is 10. Then the children who are with us giving their 100%. and that number is 20. We are a team of 30 working on our first year goals. Then we have our school staff of 6 who are supporting us all the way. Together we are a team of 36. Some of my ex students are ready to help when we print leaflets and work on ground level if we get some funds, those children are almost 30 in number too. 

Because we care. 

1. we know how to go about it

2.  we know what to do

3. our plan is achievable

In this kind of a project, skills have to come in second and passion first.  We are aware that mother earth needs help and we know what to do as you have seen in our first year goals. Our five year goals includes collaborating with Plastic bank. We want to introduce the concept of exchange a bottle for a meal program. For this we have to know restaurant owners. One of my ex students brother is a restaurant owner and they are very happy to help. Another idea is to use plastic bottles for fees for the under privileged ones. For this we have to know Principals of schools who will be a part of this program and take the children in and I happen to be a Principal of a school so  I know fellow Principals who can be on board this plan.  I could not add these to our goals due to the word limit. many of the goals here are UN Led goasl, We have a plan of using unemployed people on cycles to go and collect waste from house to house so that we cab recycle. I know the owner of the recycle mill here who is willing to help. Therefore it is us who can do it as we can connect with all. 

None at the moment. We are working on our own. However we do have a plan to bring all grocery shops in on this with us so that they can have an incentive plan for encouraging the use of reusable bags. We also plan to have recycle plants onboard with us for this work. it would be very nice to bring the government on board as well but it remains to be seen if we can reach out to them. 

The only revenue at  the moment that we can look at is:

1. We can charge the individual homes to pay us to collect their garbage for them. This will definitely fly because we dont have any such service here.

2. We want to earn from recycle plants as we shall be their raw material suppliers. 

3. If we can put this plan into action and collect all plastic bottles then we could set up our own machinery to convert plastic bottles to resin and export it. 

Winning Tiger challenge to start with. Then using the three options to start stated above.