The birth of the DPS Green Gang

This morning I had the privilege of talking to some kids from DPS (Delhi Public School, Ahmedabad) thanks to a thinking, motivated teacher named Madhumita.

She’d picked this bunch because she felt that they were particularly motivated to tackle the plastic bag problem that blights our world.

I had a ball. This was a bright, enthusiastic and charming bunch. They were brimming with ideas and drive and I am hoping that working together we can really make a difference to this city, starting with the students of DPS and their families and then other schools. I’m convinced that if we get kids appreciating this problem, they will bring so much pressure to bear on their families that change will become inevitable.

Here’s, from my point of view, a quick summary of what we discussed. Plastic is a wonderful material, because it doesn’t biodegrade and can last longer than materials that do. But to use this material, with it’s long life, for bags that we use for a temporary convenience and then throw away is criminally stupid.

When we started the discussion, the group felt that plastic bags had value because they were waterproof and conveniently available when required. When I showed them the waterproof pouch bag we’ve made they agreed that here was a solution that could work. Here's are pictures of the bag and the packaging we would use for this bag if we put it into stores (click on the pictures to see full sized images)

Would the fact that it would cost about 50 bucks to buy a bag be a deterrent? Some thought so for a few moments but the group soon decided that in fact, it would appeal more if it were priced higher, and many thought that sponsors could be found to bring the cost down.

The group decided to call themselves the Green Gang (Actually the DPS Green Gang) and will soon appoint a coordinator. Together and separately, they will share their thoughts on this blog and will use it as a meeting point to plan and share further activity.

The first task this gang is going to undertake is to convince their own families to make sure that they don't use plastic bags; maybe get a few bags like these for their homes.

The next task is going to be spread the message around the school and make DPS a plastic bag free school. 1 person influencing 5 others, who in turn influence 5 others can be a potent and quick way to achieve this...

My task is to very soon make these bags available to them conveniently. Maybe at the school store, maybe at some other easy-to-access location...

We'll discuss strategies and other tasks on this blog.

So, keep your eyes on this blog. I'm hoping this wonderful bunch of kids I met today will use it to take this forward into something that really makes a difference......