The profligate use of disposable ballpoint pens in schools and colleges contributes to the mounting pile of plastic garbage; an issue gnawing at our environs.
The Nature Club volunteers of Government Oriental High School, Edathanattukara, in Mannarkkad’s Alanallur panchayat, have got a grasp of the enormity of the crisis.
Led by chemistry teacher Vipin C.G., convener of the club, the students collected 9,325 discarded ballpoint pen barrels from classrooms in two months. The pile was displayed on the school premises on Wednesday with a notice urging students to reduce use of plastic pens.
“The school has some 2,500 students. On an average, each student uses up a pen in six-seven days. That means our school alone adds 1,00,000 pens to the garbage pile a year. However, if we told the children this, they will not understand the gravity of the situation. So we started picking up pens thrown away on the campus. We then put up bins in classrooms and asked students to deposit used pens in them,” says Mr. Vipin.
A few months ago, the Nature Club had sought to introduce paper pens with the help of social workerLakshmi Menon, who promotes ball pens in paper scroll under the brand name, Rolapena .
“It was an experiment, but we would like to approach her for more paper pens. Still better, we would see if we can make them ourselves,” says Mr. Vipin, who plans to apprise the Education Ministry of the need to substitute ballpoint pens with sustainable alternatives in schools across the State. They want to see if the plastic pen barrels could be reused with refills. “Ballpoint pens are available at Rs.2 these days. So it is hard to get refills,” he says.
Ms. Menon said that while the paper pens cost Rs.10 apiece, it cut down on plastic waste by a sixth. “Companies source it from us regularly. We would be glad to consider supplying it to the school as well,” she said.
Students collect 9,325 discarded pen barrels from school in two months.
