Each generation can be better than the last - Takataka plastics reaches out to schools.

The problem of plastic pollution is an increasingly crucial issue to address. It is not only an ocean issue but also a climate issue since plastic emits greenhouse gases right from the beginning of its life cycle as it originates from fossil fuels.

Climate change involves everyone: from South to North. It modifies the society where we live, our economy, and our health. If we do not act now for a full shift towards renewable energy and a circular economy, we are destined for a world of drought, extreme weather phenomena, environmental devastation, and increasingly intense migrations. Therefore, we need to reform the system radically, putting environmental policies at the top of any political and business decision. The survival of mankind is worth it.

Plastic waste along the Pece stream in Gulu City

Each generation can be better than the last. This is what Greta Thunberg tries to teach today to our leaders and to her peers when she says: “They are stealing our future”. Now all over the world young adults are more concerned about global warming. But there is still a long way to go.

We must start with the young generation to save the environment. It is important to sensitize girls and boys about green living habits to make them become conscious consumers. The schools, responsible for the education of citizens of tomorrow, are definitely one of the most suitable places to raise awareness of the respect of the environment.

Ochan Clifford, Takataka Plastic’s Head of Partnerships and Community Engagement having an interactive session with participants at one of the schools.

That’s why, in the months of March and April 2021, Takataka Plastics conducted training to 9 primary schools in Gulu, with the support of Fitchner and Gulu City Council. Over 3,000 students were trained about plastic waste management.

The training would last about 1 hour each and made use of active teaching that prefers interventions that can stimulate the reflections in students.

The facilitators discussed with the students the negative effects of plastic pollution in our environment, the creative ways of recycling bottles for young kids, and the business activities that Takataka Plastics is conducting.

The 4Rs of proper plastic waste management was introduced to the students.

One of the most important moments with the students was the talk about the 4 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink. These are the pillars of efficient and sustainable integrated waste cycle management.

The first step is to produce less waste. From this point of view, we citizens are called to responsibly use goods that we choose to buy, to learn to extend the life of products, to take care of them, repair them and for those goods for which this is possible, place them in a virtuous circuit of donation, exchange or sale that can give them a "second" life.

From a productive point of view, however, companies must engage in responsible, innovative, energy-efficient choices of the use of raw materials and, in particular packaging, they are called for a strong reduction of their environmental impact, focusing on environmentally friendly packaging.

Ochan Clifford, our Partnership and Community Engagement lead showing students how to use a plastic bank

The second step is to reuse. The benefits of it are many: the reduction of total waste, the prevention of pollution, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change, and, eventually, the preservation of the energy originally used to produce the reused object.

Thirdly, separate collection in an accurate and constant manner is very important. Through recycling we can obtain "secondary" raw materials that can be used to create other goods and products with a lower impact, we can reduce the amount of waste and resources lost in landfill or burned;

The fourth step is also crucial: rethink the use the discarded items will minimize the amount of waste inherited by future generations. Before throwing away an item we can ask ourselves the following questions: can it be reused? Is it repairable? Is it recyclable?

Takataka Plastics is planning to make this an ongoing activity and to organize practical meetings with the students to teach them practically how they can recycle plastic bottles.

Eventually, Takataka Plastics believes that a change is possible and trusts Ugandan young generations to bring a brighter future for our people and environment.