Challenges

Green Protocol

The Green Protocol is one of the challenges in the YOUKAN HEAL KOCHI project. This initiative was taken to reduce all types of disposals including plastic, paper, etc in our daily life, to segregate bio and non-biodegradable waste, and also to reduce waste generation at a large. This challenge is implemented in two ways;

• Outside college- Few volunteers are sent to public functions to check if they use plastic cups and plates for serving food or if are they following the green initiative and whether will they be willing to collaborate with us.
• Inside college- To ensure the use of plastics is maximum eliminated at functions held in the college and to use environmentally friendly products.

A few initiatives which we could suggest under this challenge is;

BYC(Bring your Cup)

This means bring steel or glass cups/ plates /steel lunch boxes when any function is happening on campus. If it is outside, the event organizers could gather reusable crockery items for food.

Litter-free challenge

An initiative that we should take up for cleaning the surroundings. So that it would help Kochi out from mosquitos.

Ban the bag challenge

Ban the bag is a part of the youkanheal project. This initiative is taken to make a switch from nonbio degradable plastic bags or covers to biodegradable bags. Our government has banned plastic bags or covers, and despite that many schools are still selling plastic covers and the customers need to pay for the plastic covers as a penalty. Even though it is a penalty, the customers are forced to buy the covers to carry things. So as a citizen, we should ensure in taking reusable carry bags whenever we go shopping and thus we should become a part of the reduction in the generation of plastic waste.

Sweet Repeats

This is a challenge where we could sell our previous favorites to others. For instance, select or take a few items say clothes, crockery items, etc that were your favorite items once, but not now and you are thinking of an option to give away these items to someone needy. Then we could initiate this challenge. Special note that the items should be unspoiled. Turn them into exchangeable like a barter system or we could use a swap shop where in we could store and sell all these items to the customers. The buyers and sellers could be the customers of this shop also.

Sustainable Menstrual Practices

This is a part of YouKan Heal project. This initiative was taken to make the switch from disposable to eco-friendly reusable cloth pads. Several waste streams are challenges in the country, sanitary waste stood in particular, used disposable pads.
According to the South African Cloth Nappy Users Association, a lady will use 4140 disposable pads and generate almost a ton of waste (952kg).
Moreover used disposable pads may contain viruses and microbes which can cause public health problems if they are leached out from illegal dumpsites into the soil and water also these pads can lead to allergic rereactionsnd rashes on the skin.