A 12-year-old climate champion has been honoured after launching a shop that trades single-use plastic for bags of rice and school stationery.
Licypriya Kangujam is one of the world's youngest environmental campaigners. She first came to global prominence when addressing world leaders at Cop25 in 2019 and the World Economic Forum a year later.
The dedicated activist, who lives in India’s capital New Delhi, has been busy in recent months playing her own part in tackling the climate crisis.
She aims to take the concept of a kiosk she started on her school campus global to reject single-use plastic.
Licypriya’s project is a testament to the power of youth-led initiatives in driving real, tangible change
Beryl Kay,
Action for Nature president
Ms Kangujam’s project was recently selected for the International Young Eco-Hero Award by Action for Nature, a non-profit group that recognises the effort of young people, aged eight to 16 years, to address climate change.
“My main message is, bring me plastic you will use only once and in return I will give you something you can use many times,” said Ms Kangujam in an interview with The National from New Delhi.
“I started my shop because I believe young or old, we can do small things that can make a big difference.
“I don’t want Mother Nature to be treated poorly by big polluters, big leaders and politicians."
Ms Kangujam hit the headlines in December last year when she was removed from the Cop28 venue at Expo City Dubai after disrupting a key session.
“I wanted more people to listen so I went up on the Cop28 stage in Dubai to protest and remind our leaders about pollution and to save our planet.”
She remains determined to make her voice heard and is showing the benefits of taking tangible action.
Meaningful trade
The passionate environmental activist began the Plastic Money Shop two years ago at the Prometheus School in Noida, northern India.
Children and adults queue up at the solar-powered kiosk to deposit plastic bottles, bags, plates, bowls and straws.
If a pupil brings in 1kg of plastic, she hands over a 2kg bag of rice, 500g plastic waste will be exchanged for a plant sapling or a notebook and a single plastic bottle will earn a pencil or eraser.
Ms Kangujam sends the plastic waste to green companies she has partnered with in India’s Rajasthan state.
This is recycled into floor tiles, school benches and desks that she either donates or sells to schools.
She buys stationery, rice and plants for the store with the money raised from selling recycled products to schools.
Any cash awards and reimbursement money she receives when she travels for functions also goes towards stocking the store.
The project is attracting attention in India with messages from educational institutions asking her to bring the kiosk to their city.
Ms Kangujam hopes the idea will take root overseas too.
“I really want there to be meaningful change and I would love other people to start similar work,” said the campaigner who turns 13 in October.
“I take my shop to different schools and to events. I have got emails from kids in India and abroad asking how they can start the same shop.”
Power of young people
California-based non-profit organisation Action for Nature said the young campaigner’s project stood out among hundreds of applications as it showed the “incredible impact” young people can have.
“Licypriya’s project is a testament to the power of youth-led initiatives in driving real, tangible change,” said Beryl Kay, the group’s president.
“By creating a system where plastic waste can be exchanged for essential goods, she has found a creative way to engage communities in environmental action.
“Her work not only raises awareness but also motivates people to actively participate in reducing plastic waste. Projects like hers remind us that age is not a barrier to making a difference.”
Other awards were won by children who launched campaigns to convince schools to replace styrofoam lunch trays with eco-friendly alternatives, turned home gardens into wildlife sanctuaries and built early warning sensors to save lives from deadly tornadoes.
The award gives Ms Kangujam the chance to engage a global audience with her message on climate education.
“My mission is to eliminate single-use plastic from our planet,” she said.
“It is a major crisis. Plastic is a good product but we as human beings have made it bad because of how we use it. I want to raise awareness so people have more knowledge.”
The climate champion has big dreams linked to tree-planting drives and climate education programmes she advocates governments should implement.
“I’m working on reaching out to governments including the Indian government to pass a climate change law to control carbon emissions and greenhouse gases,” she said.
“I believe climate education should be in every school curriculum so young children learn more. I also ask students to plant 10 trees every year.”
Global crisis
Plastics that are used for a few minutes can last for hundreds of years emitting chemicals that disintegrate into microplastics harming health and killing wildlife.
A million plastic bottles are used every minute, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.
The UN has committed to deliver a legally binding agreement by the end of this year to transform how countries produce and dispose of plastic.
Professor Chandan Ghosh is Ms Kangujam’s mentor and said the vision of young people is the key to creating change.
“I have been with Licypriya on her activities in many cities and even in villages and seen so many children just come to listen to her,” said Prof Ghosh, a retired Indian government official who headed the federal disaster management department.
“I connected with her when she was just 7-years-old, asking questions and wanting to make a difference. Instead of playing in a park like other children, she has devoted herself very specifically to climate change This is very unique.
“She is a sensation not only among her peers but to parents and older people also. We need motivators like these to inspire the young so they are directly involved and impact change.”
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Neil Thomson – THE BIO
Family: I am happily married to my wife Liz and we have two children together.
Favourite music: Rock music. I started at a young age due to my father’s influence. He played in an Indian rock band The Flintstones who were once asked by Apple Records to fly over to England to perform there.
Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
Favourite film: The Greatest Showman.
Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
Favourite food: I went to boarding school so I like any cuisine really.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Zayed Sustainability Prize