12 Scouts from Baba Hardayal Singh Scout Group – a Troop sponsored under the Ticket To Life Project (TTL) in Punjab, India were introduced to the partnership project of WOSM and UN Environment Programme: Plastic Tide Turners Challenge Badge.

Mr. Arup Sarkar, in-charge Deputy Director of Scouts and Ticket to Life National Coordinator of Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), hosted the meeting for the TTL Scouts including their unit leader Ms. Amritpal Kaur to be informed of this project to turn the tide against plastics through reduction, reusing, recycling, and other creative ways.

The meeting sparked creativity in the minds of the TTL Scouts as they found ways to turn plastic bottles in to something artsy and useful. After the meeting, they have produced handcrafted hangings, show-pieces, pen holders, and flower vases. Creating Plastic Art is one of the challenges inside the Plastic Tide Turners Challenge Badge and their creations makes them progress towards the achievement of the badge. Mr. Arup says that “they find it interesting, creative, easy and good chance to work together.”

Aside from introducing the project, this meeting also bridged connections during this time of social distancing. They had a meeting over Zoom and the Scouts were excited to try teleconferencing; they felt great as well. During this lockdown period, the Scouts will use the time to develop their interest in creating more projects by reusing plastic waste into something purposeful. After knowing the bad effects of single-use plastics in our life and environment we are to see their promise of creating a better world by giving up one plastic item from their daily life, finding alternatives to each one they eliminate, and recycle things that can be repurposed.

The Ticket to Life Project is an ongoing flagship project by the WOSM Asia-Pacific Support Centre, targeting young people in especially difficult circumstances to help them get back to society through Scouting. These TTL Scouts are turning the tide against plastics; are you up to the challenge? Join us in our climate change actions towards Creating a Better World through the Better World Framework!

By Aaron Byan Lopez (World Scout Bureau), as reported by Arup Sarkar (Bharat Scouts and Guides)