The students and staff of Tarapore School wanted to raise awareness about reducing plastic waste. They taught the sub-staff how to make paper bags. The sub-staff then made over 700 paper bags during their free time. The students distributed the paper bags to local shops and requested they use them instead of plastic bags. Some shops agreed to buy the paper bags, while others refused. The students were not discouraged and found other shops willing to purchase the paper bags. Their efforts helped raise money for charity and spread awareness of reducing plastic in the neighborhood.

1. The usage of plastic bags in some shops in the neighbourhood.

4. After the didis were sensitised to the need to protect our environment, they started making the paper bags, during their free time and during holidays.

5. When more than 700 paper bags were made, we went to the shops in the neighbourhood and gave them the bags, requesting them to give their customers those bags instead of polythene bags. Before doing this, we encouraged our substaff by acknowledging their contribution in a special assembly.

6. We discussed our further strategy and decided to make all the students also contribute to the project, by making 2 paper bags each and submitting them during the Joy of Giving Week in September.

7. In each Craft period, the substaff were asked to teach the students of Stds. I to V how to make paper bags.

8. At the end of the first week of October, we had collected many paper bags again for distribution. We went to the shops again, but some of them did not want to buy paper bags from us. They said they would continue to use plastic bags.

9. We did not get disheartened. On the 9 th of October, we went to some other shops a little further and they bought our paper bags for R 20 per kg. We collected nearly R 100/-

10. One shopkeeper promised to buy paper bags on a regular basis on every Tuesday. Another even gave us the measurement of the kind of bag he could use in his shop.

11. We felt very proud that day, to see the result of a combined effort made by the students, teachers and sub-staff of the school. Our substaff are very excited about the venture and are happy that they can also contribute to donations to charity on a regular basis. We are sure, that slowly this movement will spread in our locality and even the shopkeepers who do not agree with it, will finally make a change. We plan to continue this venture and to ensure that all the students also regularly contribute by making paper bags. Our puja holiday homework will be to make two paper bags each!

12. Mentor Teacher: Ms. Poonam Singh Student Pupil Leader : - Ms. Deepanwita Paul Student Council Members from Std. V Ankit Kumar Mukta Mohanty Hammad Ghani Atul Raj Nidhi Kumari Sub-staff members Suraj Bhaiya Rupa Didi Deepa Didi Salgeh DIdi Poma Didi Amrita Didi Kalawati Didi Sheela Didi TARAPORE SCHOOL, Agrico, Road No. 3 , Agrico, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, 831009 Contact No. 0657-2427800, 0657-6570401 E-mail- [email_address] Website- www.taraporeschool.com