Kannur: A week into the state school arts festival, its organizers are putting forward an idea to anyone in Kerala who cares. The arts festival, arguably the biggest in Asia, was noted for its focus on environment-friendly measures.
If a program that accommodates about 1 lakh people over seven days can be completely eco-friendly, then why can’t you? Kannur has shown the way. Are you listening?
Eating out of leaves
The organizers served food on the traditional plantain leaves. About 1 lakh leaves were carried by school students from across the district to the makeshift canteens attached to the festival venues. Even the serving spoons were made of dried palm leaves. About 5,000 steel glasses and utensils were arranged in the kitchens and canteens as plastic got a strict no.
Will of steel
Apart from the steel utensils used in the canteens, about 5,000 steel glasses were arranged for participants and audience to drink water. The big jars and containers to store drinking water at various venues were also made of steel.
Carried away in cloth bags
The participants, judges and officials were presented with cloth bags. Organizers directly procured about 15,000 bags apart from the loads presented by organizations like Malayala Manorama. Official files were made of jute.
Writing on the wall
All committees formed to organize the arts festival used nothing but ink pens for all paperwork related to the event. It was a throwback to the previous generation’s ways when organizers realized that the refill plastic pens posed a serious threat to ecology. As many as 1,000 ink pens and ink pots were bought by the Green Protocol Committee.
Green army
Kannur offered a pleasant surprise with its uncompromising attitude against plastic. You have the Green Army to thank for it. A 208-member strong Green Army marched around the festival venues to ensure that the directions of the Green Protocol Committee was adhered to. As many as 200 students volunteered to the noble effort. They were steered by 80 team leaders.
Waste disposal
The festival venues were noted for the ubiquitous waste bins made of coconut fronds. The pretty baskets were chosen after a friendly weaving contest organized by Kudumbasree workers. Messages of cleanliness were written on cloths, plantain leaves and organic mats. Artists from many places joined hands to prepare the messages and propagate them.
Did it hurt?
All these activities must have cost the Green Protocol committee a bomb? Not at all. The committee was well within its limited budget of Rs 15,000. It included the cost for training, feeding providing accommodation to the Green Army and transporting them from place to place. The Green Protocol Committee also put up 12 little green huts to drive home the point across the venues. The one at the main venue on the Police Ground was particularly noteworthy.
