An eco-friendly example

Giving a boost to the 'going green' movement, Vagdevi Vilas Educational Institute, located in Marathahalli, is hoping to spread awareness on saving the environment by involving children in their initiative of planting trees.

The school has more than 150 kinds of flowers including Yellow Bell, Bird of Paradise, Bougain villea, Euphorbia Milli, Lantana, Rose, Thunberia Laurifolia and many more.

Apple, Jack fruit, Mango, Papaya, Badam, Bell Bamboo, Banni, Tulsi are among the 300 kinds of plants and trees adorning the campus. Students here have two weekly classes dedicated to environment with their own natural surroundings serving as a classroom. They are also taught how to plant saplings and protect them. Eighth standard student, Shashak says, “We feel like we are living in a farm of flowers. Different flowers in the campus makes our institute look so beautiful. There are a variety of plants, trees, flowers and they help us understand the relation between each other. For example, how they produce flower or fruit and many more things.”

The institute is also involved in rain water harvesting. The tanks in the campus can store upto 3 lakh litres water at a time and there are around 10 soak pits.

K Harish, President of Vagdevi Vilas School and a former scientist at ISRO said, “It is important that students love nature. They learn things practically here along with theoretical classes which make them understand more and also builds curiosity among them to know more about the nature and environment. This is a platform for students who want to get into the field of Botany and they can start learning right from school."