AHMEDABAD: ARCH Foundation, a leading NGO in association with L&T Technology Services, launches its aspirational initiative of transforming four government primary schools of Vadodara into ‘Eco -schools.‘
Eco–school is an initiative to inculcate an environmentally friendly lifestyle and create awareness about environmental issues within the identified schools. In the second phase, the project was inaugurated in 4 new schools of Vadodara on 1st February 2022 with the installation of vast 6 KVA Solar Panels in all the four schools that shall suffice for the electricity need of the entire school campus.
Additionally, Orbin dustbins are also installed in the campuses to promote reduced wasted and sustainable lifestyles. These waste bins are intended to manage the biodegradable waste efficiently and produce nutrient-rich compost and liquid manure fertilizer in return.
The symbolic inauguration of the Eco-School project with Solar Panels and Orbin Dustbins was done by Anup Mahajan (Senior CSR Executive, L&T TS). Nishant Shah (Director, ARCH) attended the much exuberant ceremony, Sonkee Shah (CEO, ARCH), and equally joyous school children, teachers, and school administration.
School buildings and infrastructure in India are among the most significant energy users and remain a huge source of waste that degrades the environment. Eco–school shall be an innovative concept to transform these ecologically harmful government school campuses into Eco-friendly structures. Understanding the need, ARCH very promptly launched the Eco-schools project for eight government schools of Vadodara as a pioneering model to give students the vision, supporting infrastructure, engagement opportunities, and responsible culture to encourage the development of environmentally conscious global citizens.
The series of strategic interventions under “Eco-school” shall include working on various aspects of building, infrastructure, and practices to ensure steady and sustainable impact. In the past, ARCH already conducted workshops on Green Building Certification and Gap Analysis as per the rating parameters provided by Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and accordingly planned a way forward to improvise ratings. And now, with the installation of Solar Panels to replace conventional electricity management of the school with renewable solar energy and installing Orbin bins as a step towards zero waste, the team marks its actual symbolic commencement of the project.
ARCH has launched the project in collaboration with L&T Technology Services to impart environmental education skills in schools that will help students shape and sustain future policymaking and nurture critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Environmental Education can become the medium that delivers these goals in a meaningful manner to society and humankind at large. Influencing children at an impressionable age can be a game-changer. To instill a sense of care, it’s significant to build a habit of precaution for an environmentally sensitive society. By far, we have successfully transformed eight schools and positively impacted more than 4340 primary school children.
Nishant Shah, Director, ARCH, says, “We need to agree that going green and sustainable is the call of the hour. With a huge hue and cry around climate action and global warming, we need to train and engage the 250 million assets we have as students in Indian Schools. As hubs of communities, schools can help to transform markets, policy, education, and behavior, increase community resilience, mitigate climate change, and prepare children to think and act in new and creative ways. Through Eco-Schools, ARCH envisions a world where every person is aware of and accountable for the impact they shall be creating for an environmentally, economically, and equitably sustainable future.”
The project will encompass year-round activities related to the environment where the “whole school” approach is being adopted, emphasizing students of primary classes in the traditional schools for capacity-building initiatives.
The project promotes environmental stewardship in identified schools through classroom and infrastructural development activities to improve critical, interdisciplinary, and holistic thinking. The main objective is to create climate change awareness among students. Eco–school is itself a journey that shall make a child into an ecologically sensitive and responsible citizen.”
(Photos: India CSR)
