Md Asif Hossain & MD AjmainAdil Nakib
Education is the backbone of society. However, it raises questions regarding whether the current education system is hampering the sustainability of the environment we live in. There is no denying the importance of education to build a better world. However, is the current educational system impacting the destruction of the future?
With the rapid advancement of technology, we have the whole world just a fingertip away. The PDF file of a new book of your favourite author, movies, music, the news you want to know about somewhere halfway across the world can be found online. In an ideal world, the same could be done to reduce the use of paper.
However, not every country and every person can afford that. The pandemic showed how so many children could not continue their education due to either their lack of access to technology, their institution's lack of access to technology, or both. The effectiveness of online or remote education is still questioned by many.
However, integrating the use of technology in classes and exams can drastically reduce the use of paper, hence reducing the amount of paper. Using technology in the classroom, such as computers to conduct exams, can be an effective solution. As great as it sounds, providing such technology to students is a struggle for the developing world. Collections of softcopies of reports and assignments rather than printed copies would also contribute towards the solution.
There is no doubt that reading an actual book is more formal and convenient for most readers. However, do we take into account the amount of waste these books would create if they were not recycled or reused? Almost all primary and secondary schools require students to bring their textbooks in class. The students must buy those books. Most of these books are not reused after the yearly exams.
Often, those books are piled up in the storerooms filled with stuff that is of no more use and then sold to local vendors. However, those often end up being waste in a world that apparently wants to educate students to learn how to reduce waste.
The situation is not very different in universities either. Most of the books are often not needed after the end of a particular semester. But, the rate of reusing books in universities is higher as most of these books are more expensive than the textbooks they read in secondary and higher secondary stages.
The problem is not the production of books; the problem is the lack of willingness to reuse and recycle. Reusing the same (or almost same) books your senior used last year in school can do more good than you think. The idea of reusing school books is not new. However, it is not explicitly practiced in our schools.
Recycling study materials for other useful purposes can go a long way. The unused papers can be used to make notebooks through the recycling process. Also, initiatives can be taken to encourage book exchange/second-hand book sale events. Educational institutes can host recycling programs and other environmental activities with direct waivers on tuition fees, which will motivate the youth to promote environmental awareness and consciousness.
Another initiative school and university libraries can take is to provide the option to borrow books for an extended period for a small fee, which is a common practice in developing countries.
The school-going students use different modes of transportation based on their affordability and comfort. Some use public transportation (public bus), some use private transportation (private car, bike), and some use buses provided by the school.
However, private transportation leaves more carbon footprints behind per person than any other mode of transportation. A very basic solution can cross our minds. If those who can afford private transportation put their convenience aside and start using public transport, their carbon footprint can significantly decrease, right? However, it is not as easy as it seems.
Our transportation system and urban infrastructure are far from being efficient. It is not like the ones who are using private transportation do not care about the environment. Public transportation is hectic, more time-consuming than private transportation, less safe for women and children. Integration of passenger-friendly transportation policy has the potential to reduce per-person carbon footprint. This is far from reality in the present scenario in Bangladesh but not impossible. A good start would be the educational institutions providing timely, cheap, and efficient transportation services dedicated to their students.
Unfortunately, many do not even understand how every single activity of ours can impact the environment. Awareness plays a critical role in moving towards a sustainable world. Awareness for parents, children, teachers, and everyone in society is essential. Parents and teachers shape the way children think. Children shape how other children think. Everyone is interconnected, and everyone plays an important role. There is a lack of awareness among parents and even teachers regarding how our activities impact the environment.
Schools can play a more significant role by including environmental awareness activities and experiments into the primary and secondary school syllabus. Such as planting a tree, including occasional cooking classes, learning about the process of farming so that children can learn to value foodwhich will eventually help reduce food wastage. When young students know the benefits of keeping the classroom, washroom, and floor clean, they can do wonders.
Therefore, teaching environmental consciousness to young minds from an early age can help them see the world differently.
Are these steps feasible? Is Bangladesh ready for this drastic change, or are these unrealistic ambitions? Considering the socio-economic structure, these steps might seem very utopian but not impossible. What we lack is administrative and political will and a lack of awareness among the public. With administrative and policy level support, the institutions will be able to integrate and implement feasible policies that can make our education system environment-friendly.
Md Asif Hossain, lecturer, North South University & MD AjmainAdil Nakib, Student,North South University
