From Ideas to Action—Sacred Heart High School, Vashi

25th January 2011
‘This is my plant!’ piped a tiny student of Sacred Heart High School, proudly showing off her sapling. We were impressed—these students, and their eco-club in particular, have taken decisive steps to make their school a greener and healthier place.

     

Our visit began with the eco-club, led by their teacher Mrs. Nirmala, showing us their garbage management system, where wet waste is composted and used as fertilizer for plants. This led us to their next initiative, a small garden of medicinal plants. They then explained how they’ve succeeded in combining environmental consciousness with utility by setting up an organic garden where they grow vegetables with the manure generated from the school’s wet waste. They also went on to show us how they are trying to involve other students in their greening activities by getting them to bring their own plants to the nursery.

The students’ eagerness to make a difference in their surroundings came through in the presentation they made for us, detailing the green projects they have taken up in the past. These include carrying out audits of their water, energy and fuel use, and taking practical steps to reduce consumption. Their intelligent questions and suggestions left us in no doubt that for these young people, sustainability is not just a good idea but a way of life.