Over 700 students join the launch of PlasticBusters Malawi
PlasticBusters launched its activities in Malawi on Thursday 27 May 2021 at Mudi Full Primary School in Blantyre Rural with a call to pupils and teachers to engage in litter picking around the school in particular and the area as a whole and quit use of thin plastics in a country where thin plastics are a huge problem causing land degradation, pollution and death to domestic and wild animals.
Speaking to over 700 pupils and twelve teachers, Deogracias Benjamin Kalima who is PlasticBusters ambassador for Sub-Saharan Africa region and coordinator for PlasticBusters Malawi, said that although the issue of plastic waste and trash is a huge problem in Malawi, little attention is being given by government, non state actors and citizens which is exacerbating the environmental problem in the South East African country pointing out it is time everyone plays their part to reduce the amount of plastic waste being dumped in the ecosystem.
Deogracias Benjamin Kalima, PlasticBusters ambassador for Sub-Saharan Africa region and coordinator for PlasticBusters Malawi, presenting to pupils and teachers the negative impact of plastics.
“We are all experiencing the plastic debris pile up in the community which is causing death to livestock and wildlife, spreading toxins and degrading arable land thereby affecting economic activities of many families here, yet we seem to look away from the damage plastics are doing to the environment.” He said.
Kalima explained while fighting climate change is a buzz word these days in the country, not much is being invested into educating masses about how thin plastics are part of the problem and what could be done to reduce the amount of thin plastic trash by lobbying to people for a change in some habits and save the environment.
According to Kalima, PlasticBusters envisages a planet free of plastic litter, thereby translating into less water, air pollution and soil contamination. And almost all plastics are made from chemicals that come from the production of planet-warming fuels like gas, oil and coal. The reliance on plastic therefore prolongs our demand for these dirty fuels. Burning plastics in incinerators also releases climate-wrecking gases and toxic air pollution thereby contributing to global warming. Reducing usage of plastics can in turn also mean no need to burn them in incinerators.
Kalima said as part of their partnership with Mudi Primary School, they have adopted Mudi stream in the area of Chief Makata which is a source of water for watering crops in an area where over 95 percent of the population depend on subsistence crop and animal agriculture for livelihoods. However, the growing economic activities at Makata have come with its consequences. Plastic waste has increased and much of it is ending up in Mudi Stream, one of the tributaries of Shire, Malawi’s biggest river on which 90 percent of Malawi’s main grid electricity is generated through four hydro electric power stations constructed along the river. Recently, the national power utility Egenco has been bemoaning the enormous amount of trash in the river which is affecting power generation capacity and supply of the organization translating into frequent power outages for consumers.
“In partnership with Mudi School, PlasticBusters Malawi have adopted Mudi stream and we will be making sure it is free from plastic waste so that local vegetable farmers have unpolluted water with which to irrigate their crops.” he explained.
Another member of PlasticBusters Malawi, Joana Lukaya called on girls at the school to be on the forefront in fighting plastic waste by preferring baskets which can be reused for many years. Girls and women in Malawi do the most shopping so reaching out to them with anti-thin plastic message can have a significant positive impact on the reduction of plastic waste pileup. Lukaya said huge challenges like plastic waste pileup can be overcome with small steps in the long term if all people put their efforts together.
“For challenges like waste, small steps can lead to lasting changes, especially when collaborative effort is exerted. As a woman, I would like to appeal to fellow women and girls to switch from thin plastic carrier bags to baskets when going for shopping. In this way we will gradually do away with plastic waste pileup.” explained Lukaya
One of the learners at Mudi, Rita Nanthambwe thanked PlasticBusters for taking time to teach her and other learners about how harmful plastics are to air, land, water and animals saying previously she did not know plastics were such dangerous to the environment
In his remarks, the headteacher for Mudi Primary School, E B Ngwira commended PlasticBusters for taking issues of plastic waste management seriously and for considering to start educate pupils from his institution about the negative impacts of plastic waste saying this will go a long way in changing the mindset of the pupils on thin plastics.
Malawi counts with a unique biodiversity. Pictured: Mount Mulanje by Madelein Wolf.
“I am very excited that PlasticBusters came to teach us about the evils of thin plastics. Following your coming and teaching, I hope the amount of plastic waste here at school will subsequently be reduced.” he said.
Ngwira went on to say he believes the environmental conservation message will also reach out to parents and guardians of the pupils since children like to relay whatever they have been taught at school to others including their parents and guardians, thereby maximizing the reach of the message. He also thanked PlasticBusters for donating exercise books, ballpoint pens and pencils to all learners at his institution saying some of the learners did not have enough school supplies such that the donation will go a long way to assisting those learners.
Recent studies by Professor Mary Beth Kirkham of Kansas State University have shown that more microplastics pollution is getting into farm soil than oceans, and these tiny bits are showing up in fruits, vegetables, and bodies. This means the problem of thin plastics pollution over farmland is equally becoming worrying although much spotlight has been given to oceans, seas and lakes.
Over 700 pupils from Mudi Full Primary School in Blantyre Rural attended the event.
PlasticBusters, a voluntary grouping for anyone concerned about the amount of plastic waste in our planet and its impact on the environment, was established in 2019 in the Isle of Man by Jaime Amoedo who became concerned with a the amount of plastic waste on sea beaches and grounds around the Isle of Man thereby degrading and polluting the area. He began to organize litter pickups with other fellow activists. Sooner, the grouping grew and spread to other countries in Europe and beyond. Today PlasticBusters has thousands of volunteers in more than 95 countries and the number keep growing. Its motto is “For a planet free of plastic litter!”
PlasticBusters supports the United Nations Environment Programme and its Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 Programme.
Would you like to join PlasticBusters in this noble cause of caring for our environment and start making a difference in your community and the world? Then please visit www.adopttheworld.org or click below and sign up today! For more information about PlasticBusters Malawi click here.
