This Mumbai municipal school has set a sustainable benchmark, by using upcycled furniture.
Every small eco-friendly step helps spread the word and instil the value of sustainability. Students of the Supari Tank Municipal School in Bandra, Mumbai, have got new chairs and desks made entirely of used food cartons, reports Mid-Day.
This initiative is the result of the civic body tying up with RU Greenlife, a company that designs sustainable waste management solutions, and plans to build more benches for all municipal schools in H-West Ward. RU Greenlife, in turn, has a joint venture with TetraPak for this.
The BMC had set up a collection centre at the school, in a bid to spread awareness about waste segregation. Around 550 students contributed cartons from their neighbourhood over the past month, collecting nearly 4,500 cartons. The company then made sets of tables and chairs, and donated them to the school.
The founder of RU Greenlife, Monisha Narke, said that the cartons could be recycled into composite sheets, which can be employed in a number of uses–from making garden benches, school desks, recycling bins, pen stands and exam pads along with other useful products. They hope to spread the word, so that the collection of used cartons can be increased, and they can be put to good use.
According to Narke, from the time the cartons are collected, it takes between a 7-10 days to make a piece of furniture, depending on its complexity. Around 4,000 cartons go into making a one-seater desk and chair. Only nuts and bolts are required to join the parts.
Narke added that furniture doesn’t need any special maintenance, and vouched for its sturdiness.
Sharad Ughade, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of H-west ward, sounded optimistic and said that the message of converting waste into wealth and segregation is great because they can involve students who are engaged in contributing in segregating garbage and can understand the value of the byproduct.
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Well, students will surely understand the value of the cartons and recycling, by this eco-friendly practice. Great way to spread the sustainable word among young minds.
Edited by Shruti Singhal.
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