Green Exchange: Saplings for Plastic at Jahangirnagar

In a commendable effort to safeguard the ecological integrity of Jahangirnagar University, a student-led initiative is transforming how the campus community perceives waste. Ifrat Amin (Akshor), a student within the Department of Statistics and Data Science and an activist with the JCD, has launched a pioneering "Green Exchange" programme. The initiative invites students to trade discarded plastic for living greenery, aiming to transition the campus toward a plastic-free future.

The Mechanics of Sustainability

The premise of the campaign is elegantly simple: any student who collects and submits ten plastic bottles or an equivalent amount of plastic waste is rewarded with a fresh sapling. This direct-action approach not only cleans the grounds but also contributes to the university’s legendary biodiversity.

Since the programme commenced on Monday, the response has been overwhelming. By Wednesday afternoon, the initiative had already achieved significant milestones:

Cultivating a Conscious Campus

Ifrat Amin noted that the rapid accumulation of plastic debris—ranging from beverage bottles to crisp packets—has become an eyesore and an environmental hazard on campus. "The goal is to foster a sense of responsibility among my peers," Amin explained. "By providing a tangible reward like a tree, we are replacing pollution with life."

The initiative has garnered widespread acclaim from both the student body and faculty. Ahsan Labib, the Social Welfare Secretary of JUCU and a student of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, remarked that while Jahangirnagar is celebrated as a sanctuary of natural beauty, negligent littering has threatened to turn portions of the campus into dumping grounds. He described Amin’s project as a "refreshing and necessary intervention."

Academic Endorsement

The environmental impact of such grassroots movements is backed by academic experts. Professor Jamaluddin, General Secretary of the Nationalist Teachers' Forum and a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Sciences, lauded the scheme. He emphasised that plastic waste causes long-term degradation to soil and local ecosystems, stating that Amin’s proactive stance is an "exemplary first step" in larger conservation efforts.

Through this initiative, the "Oxford of the East" is proving that environmental stewardship often begins with a single student and a handful of discarded bottles.