The issue of plastic waste has become a global concern because of its devastating effect on the environment.
To curb this menace, TEDxUniversityofCapeCoast — an organisation on campus committed to societal outreach — has embarked on sensitisation programme at Kwaprow M/A Basic School to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic pollution on the environment and people.
The programme, which was organised in collaboration with Green Africa Youth Organisation, was also aimed at promoting recycling practices among pupils to complement national efforts at solving the menace of plastic waste in the country.
The event was dubbed: "Plastic Pollution: A Growing Threat to our Planet, Understanding the Impact of Plastic Pollution on Climate Change”.
The group believes school children have the power to influence their peers and families to drive for proper plastic waste management within the communities in which they live.
The Organiser of TEDxUniversityofCapeCoast, Mr. Tebson Haruna Mohammed, speaking to class four pupils of the school, explained that environmental pollution had dire consequences on the individual and the country as a whole.
Mr. Tebson Haruna Mohammed speaking to class four pupils of Kwaprow M/A School
According to him, Ghanaians had become over-reliant on disposable plastic, leading to severe environmental consequences.
Therefore, he stressed that collective effort would be required to salvage the situation and bring the purely human-generated problem under control.
Mr. Mohammed called on schoolchildren to volunteer to collect empty plastic bottles and sachet water rubbers in their vicinities in order not to pollute the environment.
Speaking further, he pointed out that one serious consequence of the indiscriminate dumping of plastic waste was the pollution of water bodies, especially plastic materials in water bodies, destroying aquatic life and adversely affecting the livelihood of fisher folk.
"There is the need to segregate waste to ensure that plastic is treated separately from other waste materials. It is a fact that plastic can be recycled and put to other uses," he added.
Mr. Mohammed advised school children to be part of the fight against plastic pollution by practicing proper waste disposal to keep the environment clean and safe for generations to come.
He called on members of the public to properly manage their plastic waste and stressed the need for the nation to recycle plastic and organic waste into other useful products as a form of generating revenue for the economy.
Executive members of TEDxUniversityofCapeCoast
An Executive Member of TEDxUniversityofCapeCoast, Ms. Jacqueline Ballang, in a remark, noted that it was a collective responsibility for all to be involved in creating awareness about environmental protection.
“We must remember that this is not merely a fight against climate change or plastic pollution, we are fighting for our lives and for our future, and we all have a very important part to play. All we have is our environment and it is our responsibility to keep it clean for our own good,” she told the school children”.
She noted that TEDxUniversityofCapeCoast was targeting school children because research had shown that pupils were used as agents of change in developed countries.
Source: Documentation and Information Section