This document discusses how youth can be used as an instrument for change to reduce plastic pollution. It begins by explaining the problems caused by plastic pollution and what plastic pollution is. It then discusses causes of plastic pollution and effects on wildlife, humans, and the environment. The document introduces an "End Plastic Pollution Teach-In Tool Kit" which educates youth about pollution, helps them internalize the issues, and provides ways for them to take action. Examples are given of programs in countries like Malawi, the Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda, and Sierra Leone that educate youth and give them roles in enforcement to address plastic pollution. The conclusion emphasizes empowering youth and collaboration to combat the issue.

1. HOW THE YOUTH CAN BE USED AS
AN INSTRUMENT FOR CHANGE IN
TRYING TO REDUCE PLASTIC
POLLUTION
ASANTESANA CHIKOPA
FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI
ckpasante@gmail.com

2. INTRODUCTION
 Poor waste disposal is one of the biggest problems that most countries are
currently facing. Most developing countries lack the skills and resources for
effective waste management. This puts the health of humans and animals
and the environment in general in danger.
 Plastic pollution has become popular in different countries over the years
and if not controlled, earth will be covered in plastic

3. WHAT IS PLASTIC POLLUTION?
 The accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely
affects wildlife, wildlife habitats and humans
 Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semi
synthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial
products
 Production of plastic is high because plastics are cheap and its chemical
structure makes them resistance to natural processes of degradation.
Because of these two, there a high prominence of plastic pollution in the
environment.

4. TYPES OF PLASTIC DEBRIS
1. PRIMARY DEBRIS
 Plastic that is in its original form when collected e.g plastic bottles
2. Secondary debris
 Plastics which result from degradation of the primary plastic e.g plastic
remains

5. CAUSES OF PLASTIC POLLUTION
 Low prices of plastics makes it easier for people to dispose them off
recklessly
 The inability of plastics to decompose
 Poor methods of waste disposal
 Illiteracy/ lack ok knowledge on the adverse effects of plastics
 Poor enforcement of environmental laws

6. EFFECTS OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

7. 1. EFFECTS ON MARINE WILDLIFE
1. Entangling and ingestions
 Marine animals get entangled by plastics during their movements
 Turtles mostly affected
 Most times animals mistake plastic with food and end up eating, causing
problems which may lead to death

8. 2. PLASTICS LITTER THE
ENVIRONMENT
 Plastic remain on the land because of their non-biodegradable aspect. It
takes about 1000 years for plastics to decompose making the problems
caused by plastics perennial.

9. 3. Plastic affects the health of human
beings
 Chemicals leached from some plastics used in food or beverage storage is
harmful to human health leading to problems such as reproductive system
abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer and
resistance to chemotherapy
 Recycling of plastic is associated with skin and respiratory problems,
resulting from exposure to and inhalation of toxic fumes,

10. HOW THE YOUTH CAN BE USED AS
AN INSTRUMENT FOR CHANGE
 WHAT DO THE YOUTH AND PLASTIC HAVE IN COMMON?
 While many feel the onus of controlling pollution should fall on the largest
polluters, governments and corporations, there is a lot that the youth can
do.
 Around the world, one half of the population is under the age of 25 and
that means primary, secondary and university students can have an
enormous impact is they were to gather together to use the collective
numbers to advocate for change.

11. END PLASTIC POLLUTION TEACH IN
TOOL KIT
This is a tool kit that was introduced by (earth day network) in order to
empower the youth to help in solving environmental issues. The goal for
earth day network is to diversify, educate and achieve environmental
movement worldwide.
The tool kit has three sections, EDUCATE, INTERNALIZE AND ACT.
.

12. 1. EDUCATE
When the youth become educated about the role of pollution and the many
ways to reduce environmental pollutants, they take the knowledge with them
into the future, when they will be in a position to effect real change. Ideas that
we impact on the youth shape their actions in future. When we create a
cohort of the youth who understand the risks of pollution and feel strongly
about the need to keep the environment clean, we create a core constituency
that will demand action and change when they come of age.

13.  Environmental education of the youth should be one of the priorities of the state
educational policy in our countries. We should be able to have a system of
continuous environmental education and training, with environmental education
being included in all curricula of primary schools, academic lyceums, colleges and
higher educational institutions.

14.  in Malawi for example, the Faculty of Law at Chancellor has several clinics
dealing with different issues for example disability rights, commercial law and
Bail and Litigation. Amongst the clinics we have the Environmental Justice and
Sustainability Clinic which deals with educating the society and the students on
environmental issues and provide solutions where necessary including litigation
 However it is voluntary work and participation is not part of the continuous
assessment. This leads to the lack of motivation to participate

15.  The Philippines is building up the number of students studying environment and
natural resources so as to increase the number of experts interested in the area of
environmental protection. School curricula place emphasis on environmental
courses.
 In Tanzania the government encourages the creation of jobs related to the
environmental sector, and encourages students to take specialized courses in
environmental management.

16. 2. INTERNALIZE
 Once the youth acquire environmental education, they must be able to
INTERNALISE the environmental values both at the local, regional and
national level. Internalising stage involves being well accustomed to how
plastic pollution happens, its root causes, and its effects. Once one knows
the root causes of problems, it becomes a lot easier to try and work
around solutions to those problems.

17. 3. ACT
 Community empowerment with civic engagement skills necessary to take action to
help plastic pollution
 Once people know, they can handle tasks aimed at eradication of pollution
 In Uganda for example, local communities have been given a mandate to monitor
environmental crimes

18.  For raising public awareness about environmental criminality, the youth can
engage in debates; drama and theatrical productions; exhibitions, public meetings
at various places including schools
 In Tanzania, new media technology is used. Environment media group which
collaborates with personnel from the National Environmental Management
Committee to ensure that information is obtained. Blogs are also used for
communication

19.  The youth can be a part of criminal enforcement of environmental laws.
 Once the youth know about the environmental issues they can find
employment opportunities by being watch dogs of societies
 In Sierra Leon for example, depending on the nature of the offence,
environmental officers can arrest and handover officers to the police for
prosecution.
 Issues to do with unemployment can be defeated if countries can adopt
this approach

20. CONCLUSION
 RCE’s must work towards empowering the youth and supporting them in order to
attain the sustainable development goals.
 Corporation and collaboration should be promoted to come up with tangible ways
eradicating plastic pollution

22. ASANTESANA