BEST PRACTICES

Best practice 1

1. Title of the practice

MINIMISING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC: BAN ON PLASTIC CARRY BAGS, THERMOCOL CUPS, AND SECTIONED PLATES ON COLLEGE PREMISES

1. The objective of the practice

• To BEAUTIFY & GLORIFY the college by freeing it from the littering plastic materials.
• To raise awareness amongst students and stakeholders through providing information via poster/essay writing competitions speeches, workshops, discussions, and mass participation rendering to institution’s social responsibility.
• Awaking students and society for concern towards stray animals who accidentally gulp down plastic carry bags thrown by laymen in the garbage and get prone to throat chokes.
• To provide protection and improvement in environmental quality as the burning of plastics diffuses harmful & toxic gases.

1. The context

        The factual and conceptual information on plastics is indispensable for youths. Following contextual features or challenging issues were before us in designing and implementing the practice of ban on plastic thermocol cups & polythene bags.

• Inculcating values, moral responsibility, and judicious environmental use culture among students and stakeholders.
• Plastic littering in form of empty bottles, thermocol cups and polythene bags gives a bad ambiance to the college setup and a sense of irresponsible citizens.
• Mortality in cattle and stray animals due to choking hazards of plastic along with garbage.
• Single-use carry bags and plastic tea cups are made from non-renewable resources such as polypropylene & their extraction and production cause greenhouse gases emission which contribute to climate change.
• Recycling plastics is a very costly process.
• Plastics are oncogenic: cause blood cancer and other incurable diseases in human beings.

 

1. The Practice

• College endeavors sensitization programs of students, staff, society, and stakeholders regarding enactment and publicizing this practice for minimizing the use of plastic in day-to-day life through various means that include mouth-to-mouth canvassing, awakening through contests, seminars, workshops, etc. Help from (SAB, YDC, NSS, and NGO) is also sought in this regard
• The college canteen is not allowed to use plastic cups. It is banned at the college level and a moderate amount of fine is imposed when a violation of rule is observed even after a few warnings by the college administration.
• College uses all possible resources to materialize the practice towards success. College principals and staff members, NSS volunteers, Ranger volunteers, and student members of the Eco club collectively work in direction of popularizing this practice of college at college premises.  Efforts for promoting and caring for environmental health are popularized even in adopted villages of NSS Units and all persons directly or indirectly related to college. 
• A viable Eco Club functions in the college which makes the college environment eco-friendly. For this purpose, the club organizes seminars and co-curricular activities to educate on acts such as the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and aware the students about the harmful effects of plastic on humans and wildlife. Reports regarding activities are shared on various platforms.
• College shows Multi-sector involvement with local administration especially Municipal Corporation, and Keoladeo National Park to keep their premises free from single-use plastics
• This group of human resources college also volunteered to stitch cloth bags and distribute them amongst class fellows within the college, faculties of college, and other stakeholders.  Some cloth bag material was collected from college faculties & some were collected by volunteers on their own . Some students and the home science department volunteered to stitch though Maximum bags were supplied by volunteers of NSS & Eco-Club.

Direct interactions were held with the public at various marketplaces of Bharatpur (such as Bijlighar Chauraha, Kanni Gurjar Chauraha etc.) in 2018, 22-25 January with an intention of exercising the social responsibility of college for awareness towards beautification and protection of nature. The principal of the college Dr. A.K. Bansal addressed laymen, shopkeepers, kids, and all passersby regarding minimizing the usage of plastics in their everyday life. Students from NSS, & Eco Club distributed cloth bags in the general public with an appeal for the non-use of plastic bags for groceries and to use of cloth bags as alternatives for plastic carry bags.

1. Evidence of success

 

• Instead of polythene bags, paper/cloth bags are used in the Institute by staff and students Monitoring is done at a college level by a committee. This committee keeps a total check on the practice successfully.
• Now tea is provided in Kulhad (Earthen pots) and coffee in ceramic cups or best quality paper cups in the college canteen of our institution.
• Staff uses kullads and leaf made Dona- Pattals in different functions organized by Staff Club thus contributing its bit in the drive against single-use plastics
• The college campus is single-use plastic-free since 2010 College is free from littering plastic carry bags.
• One faculty member has been awarded by the local administration for the effective functioning of this practice.
• This practice has prompted other colleges to replicate this best practice on their own campus.

1. Problems encountered and Resources Required

• Some resistance to this practice was raised by few non-teaching staff members and students and canteen staff who were initially habitual of plastic use, but after some time they understood the long-term positive effect of this practice. This group has now taken up this practice and happily follows it and contributes to the college campaign of this practice in routine.
• No funding agency is supporting financially in sustaining this practice.

1. Notes 

• Plastic is a non-biodegradable as well as harmful material. Plastic material on the land is a threat to plants and animals as well as humans. Plastic releases harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into the groundwater or other water sources and also the ecosystem. Toxic chemicals released from plastic enter the body and can cause cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption, and other diseases. Plastics also pollute the groundwater, poison the food chain, and threaten wildlife. Plastics are very slow to degrade.

We the students and staff must avoid using plastic carry bags and instead carry our own cloth bag or some biodegradable bag with us while going shopping and say no to plastic bags.

Best practice 2

1. Title of the Practice

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT THROUGH MAKING COMPOST IN COMPOST PITS ON COLLEGE CAMPUS

 

2. Objective of the practice

• To Recycle the organic waste of the campus through compost pit method for good quality manure- compost
• To aware students of campus and our stakeholders about the benefits of compost as a natural fertilizer and its role in plantation for environmental sustainability.
• To awaken students and stakeholders about cleaning and making a pollution-free campus and getting rid of waste. Compost from bio-waste from the canteen and organic waste within campus area is of good quality and campus is rendered pollution free. This college practice would help the healthy growth of plants leading to a healthy green ambiance.

3. The Context :

• Within the college, instances of solid waste-making nuisance were observed. In order to manage solid wastes such as paper wastes, clippings, branch twigs, chalk dust and such matter an effort to manage waste for best use was identified. Hence the practice of compost making within college premises made its way.
• Plants require nutrition for growth, that’s why fertilizers are applied to them. Fertilizers provide plants with essential nutrients so that they grow healthy, bigger and faster. Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed in a process called composting. It is used, in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture and organic farming. The compost itself is beneficial for the land in many ways, including as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, addition of vital humus, and as a natural pesticide for soil.
• Students can learn and make it a practice at their homes as well.

4. The Practice

Nowadays, using compost as a substitute to chemical fertilizer has become a global consensus. Composting is a form of waste disposal where organic waste decomposes naturally under oxygen-rich conditions. A mass of rotted organic matter made from waste is called compost.   Compost is rich in nutrients and can be used for plantation projects taken up all year round. Compost acts as a soil conditioner as well.

The application of compost could promote soil productivity and also help in waste disposal in an environmentally friendly way.

In educational institutes, usually, organic wastes like dried leaves, grass, clippings of paper and other sorts, etc. are observed regularly and these are either thrown away or burnt to ashes. But in our institute this waste is used in making useful compost using these methods:

1. Open Compost Pit:

The Institute has an open compost pit in which the organic waste material of campus, like greens and browns, are dumped regularly. It is moistened regularly for the transformation into compost. Slowly the organic material decomposes into humus-like material known as compost. This compost is a good booster for the growth of plants in flower pots.

2. Composting in Waste Overhead Water Tanks: It was observed that the time consumed for filling the open compost pit was too much and also it contained some surrounding sand, when extracted, which affected its quality.

Considering this point, another innovative method was implemented. The waste plastic 500 liter overhead water tanks were cut open from the upper side and these were used as Compost Bins. For this, first of all, some garden soil was spread on its bottom and then the organic waste from the institute premises was dumped into it. It was moistened from time to time. When it was completely filled, a thin layer of the garden soil was spread over it. After a few months, it was transformed into useful compost. In this method, Waste plastic overhead water tanks were also reused.

In addition to the disposal of waste, the process of composting also creates a usable product. The final compost, humus, is nutrient-rich and it is used to amend poor soils and fertilize flower pots and gardens, instead of using chemical fertilizers. The added compost also helps soil retain water and therefore can improve growing conditions.

By these methods of composting, the students of this institute are learning the concepts of Eco-friendly Practices, Composting, Reuse of Plastic Waste, etc.

 

5. Evidence of success:This practice started in session 2019-20 Now, college     

has started making use of compost in plants within its premises.

• Yard waste, such as grass clippings and leaves, can also be used for composting. When these items are placed in a pile, have water added to them, and are turned to increase oxygen levels, the perfect environment is created for microbial organisms to naturally break down the organic materials.

• Benefits of Compost: It enriches soil, helps to retain moisture, and suppresses plant diseases and pests. It reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. However, it is now an established fact that applying too many chemical fertilizers can be a problem for soil, the environment, and living beings.
• Compost encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material
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7. Notes  

• This is environment-friendly practice. Besides college, it can be easily taken up massively by other institutes and departments with a pinch of contribution to environmental sustainability measures.

Compost reduces methane emissions from landfills and lowers carbon footprint. Compost is useful for erosion control, land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and landfill cover.

Activities Regarding Best Practices 

VDO Regarding Best Practices

Green Initiatives

Green Audit Report