City school walks the talk on avoiding plastic containers

A day after World Environment Day was observed, with millions of people pledging their commitment towards a plastic-free future, a citybased school has walked the talk – by sending out the following circular: “Please avoid plastic materials such as Tupperware of any other category of plastic for tiffin boxes,” stated the missive to the parents. 

The school management conceded that the decision was not a spur-of-the-moment one but has a history. Gayathri Viswanathan, principal, said, “During last year’s science exhibition, our students had showcased working models on plastics and how it takes a long time to disintegrate and pollutes the environment. We have been thinking of ways to go plastic-free in school – because wherever we look, there is plastic. 

There was also the realisation that if we don’t do anything about it, our children will be left with a plastic-filled world. We decided to start with something small – a tiffin box, asking parents to use alternatives to plastic containers for lunch and snacks.” The parents’ response thrilled the management. 

“I got so many mails from parents appreciating the gesture and they immediately agreed to adhere to the circular. This was just a gesture to emit plastic from our daily lives and look at alternatives,” added the principal. 

Rajesh Krishnamoorthy, a parent whose son Selvakumaran is enrolled in Class 6 at the school, supported the move. 

“This is a great initiative, which I welcome. Many parents use plastic because it is convenient but now since the mandate has come from the school, people will use steel boxes or other alternatives. I have been sending my child’s lunch in steel boxes since his kindergarten days. The idea is for a better longtime perspective of the children’s health,” he said. Rajesh, a bank employee, said that this step would teach children from a young age to be environmentally conscious. 

“The child learns from their parents – if I source segregate at home, my child will follow it. if I throw the garbage on the street, they will learn that. Eco-consciousness starts from home,” he added.