How do you make a viral statement on the recycling of waste to save the Earth? You could try hand-painted cloth banners scrawled with thought-provoking slogans, creative junk art works strung onto a canopy of trees, and an enchanting fusion of street play and folk dance.
Well... All this and more, were employed by school students who took part in a workshop centred on the theme ‘Recycling’, jointly held by Aseema Trust and Prakrithi Foundation at the Besant Theosophical HSS, to mark Sarvodaya Day celebrations on January 30.
Notes on Nature
As the hazy afternoon sun set the natural light mode for the colourful show, a mellifluous rendition on the beauty of the natural surroundings came alive to the tune set by the children of the Sargam Choir who not only laced their songs with the need for environmental conservation but also gave practical solutions for day-to-day life, such as waste segregation and plastic-free zones in schools.
Art-to-Heart Acts
Going beyond time-tested ways to underline the ill-effects of plastic, a humorous dance drama on ‘plastic-monsters’ had budding theatre artists don plastic containers and wrappers to recreate the plight of the Earth riddled with colossal garbage dumps. The endearing scenes had the spectators squealing with laughter and pledging their support for the cause. Young dancers gave a vibrant oyilattam performance, which called for efforts to devise an effective waste management system for Chennai managaram. The soulful recital contrasted the old world charm of the city with its current avatar in rhythmic tones.
Organised as part of the Tree of Life Festival hosted by Prakrithi Foundation, the event was a culmination of a nature camp that began on January 23 on the school premises. It opened up a forum for dialogue on recycling for participants from six schools: Sri Sankara Vidyashram; Besant Theosophical HSS; Besant Arundale Senior Secondary School; Sriram MHSS, Thiruneermalai; Nava Bharathi MHSS, T Nagar; and V-Excel, a school for special children. Theatre artists, sculptors and folk artists highlighted the central theme during the course of the lively workshop.
Catch them Young
According to V R Devika, founder, Aseema Trust, the initiative was all about catching children young and showing them that they could make a difference, even in a small way.
“We had them come up with solutions to deal with the garbage issue, what they thought about recycling and how the Corporation could manage the problem in an effective way,” she said, while pointing out that the focus was also on analysing youngsters’ attitude towards recycling, and their knowledge on the theme.
The message was loud and clear, judging by the students’ response. “I will ask my parents and friends to only use cloth bags,” chirped V Velayudham, a Class 7 student, who said that he is now involved in advocating for potti kadais in his locality.