Plastic Ban Pledge

Theme: Weather, Climate and Climate change education

Background

A school-based action to support the government's plastic ban. With the plastic ban reinforcement from 1st April 2019, schools across the country stand to support this green move. Although, most of the schools already have a waste management pledge and actions in place, this "No Plastic Initiative" will further instill the good values of more sustainable lifestyles in the schools.

Objectives

i.    Create awareness on climate change through plastic ban pledges
ii.   Instill the value of proper waste management
iii.  Encourage staff and students to minimize the use of plastic bottles by
      bringing their own reusable drinking cups

Target group: Whole school.

Program details:

1. Present scientific facts on effects of plastic pollution

Here we see that in 2010:

• global primary production of plastic was 270 million tonnes;
• global plastic waste was 275 million tonnes – it did exceed annual primary production through wastage of plastic from previous years.
• only plastic waste which is improperly managed (mismanaged) is at significant risk of leakage to the environment; in 2010 this amounted to 31.9 million tonnes;
• of this, 8 million tonnes – 3% of global annual plastics waste – entered the ocean.
• The amount of plastic in surface waters is not very well known: estimates range from 10,000s to 100,000s tonnes.

Source: 
plastic pollution from https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
the plastic initiative from https://theplasticinitiative.org
plastic pollution from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/here-s-how-much-plastic-enters-ocean-each-yearhttps://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/here-s-how-much-plastic-enters-ocean-each-year
global trends plastic pollution from http://www.plastic-resource-center.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Global-Plastic-Production-RisesRecycling-Lags.pdfhttp://www.plastic-resource-center.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Global-Plastic-Production-RisesRecycling-Lags.pdf


2. Advocate the national policy on plastic ban and local practices
3. Adoption of school-based plastic ban policy
4. Take individual pledges
5. Share on Social Media. Use hashtag #supportplasticbanBhutan

Expected Outcome:

1. School adopts plastic ban policy
2. Individual actions (action on individual pledge) for fighting climate change
3. Sensible and responsible plastic users
4. Climate action Advocators

Clean Toilet Challenge

Theme: Responsible Citizenship

ASPnet School Name: Zhemgang Central School

Background
One of the biggest challenges in Bhutan are the toilets in schools and public. If we think back to our school days, I think we can all remember a time when we were afraid to visit our own toilet, and nearby toilets. School toilets can be extremely daunting particularly for young children if the toilet is dirty, and unfriendly. According to some unofficial records children have frequently reported smelly, dirty or unpleasant toilets in their home, schools, and public places. Therefore, with this activity in place, we create toilets children want to use it.

Objectives:

1. understand and realize the importance of hygiene and its impact on daily life
2. actively consult and involve the pupils in managing the toilets
3. implement and maintain an effective toilet cleaning, supervision and inspection system to ensure proper standards throughout the school day

Program details:

Target group: Whole school action

Timeline: February to mid-march 

1. Sensitization on clean toilet
2. Create a clean toilet movement in the school
3. Use hashtag #mytoiletmyresponsibility
4. Upload on Social Media platforms

Note: 
Recommend to use Harpic and Phenol to clean toilet pots. 

Process: 
1. Wet or pour water lightly around the toilet pot
2. Then spread, or sprinkle Harpic in the necessary areas 
3. Keep untouched for around 15-20 minutes
4. Start to scrub with the help of brush
5. Flush with water

Outcome:
1. Understand the importance of toilet
2. Relate clean toilet and sanitation
3. Reduce the usage of sticks, papers
4. Promote healthy toilet habits

When Onion Makes us CRY?

Agriculture is now more likely a failed policy hanging over a longer period of time now. Let us keep in mind this loose phrase –If agriculture fails, nothing will succeed. So far, no political agenda is solving this long-standing problem of ours. However, now it is likely becoming a sketchy equation to solve with an ever growing population.

Some scholars claimed that ancient hunter-gatherer societies as peaceful paradises, and argue that war and violence began only with the Agricultural Revolution, when people started to accumulate private property too much than the other.”

Over the years, the onion has become a very essential, and unavoidable ingredient in the kitchen in most cuisines. It became a very important staple food for all kinds of people. However, the current price is something very upsetting, and unkind. The price ranges from place to place Nu. 100.00 per kg to Nu.170.00 per kg across the markets which have affected large sections of society including farmers, traders, and wholesalers. The sudden uprising of the price of this kitchen item has also adversely affected especially the small business, restaurants, and street food vendors. The bitter price rise of this food item has been attributed to a decline in production in Indian farm houses which was due to unseasonal, and errant rainfall that led to an acute shortage. 

This is a very interesting phrase I came across recently – “during pre-industrial warfare more than 90 percent of war dead were killed by Starvation rather than by Weapons.” Which I feel is very close and synonymous in current situation. If this trend continues, time isn’t very far from now. 

What measures the government are taking to curb such a sudden rise in consumer goods? Should we leave up to Indian business individuals to decide everything or our livelihood? The more we depend on somebody, more they become dominant, and less we become workable, and productive.

One that keeps me worried every time is the mistake we already made. The Foreign Aid in the agriculture sector so far has not done a very promising job. I am sure the Foreign Aid that cashed in must have made few mountains. By calculation, by now we should have a fairly comfortable livelihood and productive farming society if not complete independence. What have we done so far with our Foreign Aid for agriculture?

There is not time for simplicity, and complacency, when the neighbouring friends are keep pushing hard, and unfairly hammering for their export goods. Chilli taxed us so much before, and now onions are making us cry. 

Although, almost all our lands are sloppy, and mountains, and rocks, however, we can do better than this in producing some consumer goods and other necessary items in our own soil.  

We need somebody committed, who can be with the community throughout assisting, helping, and generating some easy farming ideas in the actual field like Engineers, and technical experts in the DNC project. Instructions from the office so far have not helped by an inch at any part of society. Therefore, ideas without action aren’t ideas! 

I Admire Her Feet

Dasho Neten Zangmo (Former Chair of ACC)

As a little boy, I heard many good things about this motherly lady –a woman of very different, and unique personality, and smartness. To my best knowledge, she is not as curled as her hair style, for which people regard her as an "Iron Lady." During her tenure she had served in different government offices in various capacities. However, her position in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was more significant, and visible. During her tenure as ACC boss, she became so famous for her level of personal integrity, and dedicated service above self in serving TSA-WA-SUM with loyalty, and sincerity.  

She is still known for her Anti-Corruption personality today in all her footsteps. It was during her time that ACC acts of Bhutan became so tight, rigid, and narrow.

However, during the 2018 election period, she came into the big picture, and was the main highlight of BKP as party president. Furthermore, the party was also better known by her rigid, and hard ACC personality, perhaps, the party was known as ACC Party. However, she failed horribly in the election battle. I don't know exactly how and why she and her party failed horribly. But my guess is very simple and straight –corruption is something very odd, unusual, and terrifying for all offices, and the people across. Nevertheless, people also felt that her party would simply impose a corruption act for any issue or matter all across. I feel politics don't favour anyone with clear motives, and a straight personality like Dasho Neten.  

Although, she failed in politics, but not necessarily in her personality, integrity and honesty! She is someone more than a manhood.

As far as I know, she was known for Hard Personality of the time for her honesty, and integrity to her service. I think she is the first and probably the last lady who have served with full dedication to King, People, and country. 

...and I wish for more lady leaders like Dasho Neten. But, not as straight, and blunt as President Trump. Perhaps, more humble like Obama, and as smart as Google.

Academic Practice II: Pie Chart Illustration

The two pie charts compare the different modes of transportation people used to commute to one university for work, and study percentagewise in the year 2004, and 2009. In general, buses overtook cars to be commuters’ top choice for transport medium. 

Overall, the bus, and the cars services were availed the most in 2004, and 2009. However, the choice for both train and bicycle were not very popular, and common. 

In 2009, over a half of people (51%) travelling to the university used cars as their main mode of transport, making automobiles the most ideal one, followed by bus with 33%. However, the figure for users experienced a nearly two-fold decrease to 28% in 2004.  The trend of preferring buses to cars could be owing to installation of a new bus stop in 2006 onward. 

On the other hand, both bicycle and walking modes of transport seemed the least popular amongst all the people going to university. In 2004, train service availed was just 3%, while it increased slightly by 1% in the year 2009. However, a more substantial rise, from 9% to 16%, was seen in the bicycle users. In contrast, people travelling on foot was just a vice-versa, 4% in 2004, and 6% in 2009. 

Academic Practice: Writing Task I

Writing practice: Bar Chart

The bar chart shows/illustrates the sales of 5 different fiction novels namely young adult, classics, mystery, romance, and sci-fic, & fantasy in each year between 2006 to 2010. Y-axis (vertical column) shows the gross income, while x-axis (horizontal) indicates the sold years (2006 to 2010).

Overall, the gross earnings show the romance books were sold significantly higher than the rest of the novels throughout the period. However, sci-fic & and fantasy gave the least gross income in each year between 2006, and 2010.

The sales of the romance books in the year 2007 was the highest with the gross earnings of little over $110,000.00, and the least sale was in the following year with gross earnings of around $70,000.00. However, the sales of mystery novels in each year was the second highest between 2006 and 2010. In the year 2007 the book earned a gross earnings of little over $80,000.00 but in the rest of the years the sales of the books were very similar ranging from $60,000.00 to $ 50,000.00.

On the other hand, young adult, classics, sci-fic & fantasy were sold out the least in each year. Young adults gave very constant gross revenue in all the years. However, sci-fic & fantasy gave the least gross income as compared to classic books. The year 2007, was very important and significant because the sales of all the fiction novels was the highest income generators of the five categories earning only $20,000.00, and a mere $10,000.00 in 2009, but the rest of the years seems very similar, and constant.

Speaking Practice I

Part I: Introduction

1.      Tell me something about your home town or village, what kind of place is it?

It's quite a small village, about 60 km away from Damphu town. Indeed, it is a very quiet and beautiful village. We have just a few shops nearby because most of the people are very oriented towards farming culture. 

2.      What is the most interesting part of your home town or village?

Well, my village doesn't have any holy places, yet people are very religious, kind, and helpful. 

3.      What kind of jobs do people in your home town or village do?

Most of the people are engage in farming, social works, local government officials, business, and community services. However, we also have some health officers, engineers, and doctors who work in government offices. 

4.      Would you say it’s a good place to live?

Definitely yes, because people are friendly, kind, and helpful. Nevertheless, my village is small, and naturally beautiful. It is also beyond the call of pollution, and other human disturbances. 

Part II: Individual long-turn

1.      Describe something about yourself which is very important to you.

One of the most important things I have right now is my DSLR EOS 60D Canon camera, because I like photography, and it’s something I am very close to as a little boy. I value my camera so much since it was gifted by my wife during our first anniversary. Perhaps, hanging out with my camera gives me lots of space to forget work stress. As a passionate nature lover, I get lots of chances to connect myself with nature because every image that I take has some story of rich biodiversity, and human connection.   

Part III: Two-way discussion

1.      What kind of things (possession) give status to people in your country?

The First thing I can remember is the car. Almost everybody wants to own luxurious cars, something very expensive, and voguish one.  The others I can remember are clothing, house, and mobile phone. 

2.      Have things changed since your parent’s time?

It's something more than –beyond the "Earth and the Sky." It's absolutely different now and during my parent’s time. One very visible thing is the way we live, and eat. The others are the growth of technologies, fashion in clothes, architectures, networking, and mobile phones, etc…

3.      Do you think advertising influences what people buy?

Absolutely yes. In today's world most of the people have access to either social networking, or television. These are basically the main sources of information people get from. I have seen many of my friends, and perhaps, some of my family members have bought lots of stuff after they have seen it on the media. These days almost 95% of buying and selling things happen online, that basically is influenced by online, and television advertisement because everyone wants to try in a similar fashion like tv stars, and advertisement models. Thus, good advertisement is smart marketing in the world of ever-growing technology, and information overload. 

The Perfect Weekend Outing

Saturday wasn't that great. Champions City fell 11 points behind the top rival Liverpool in EPL fixtures after nervy 14 games down already. Therefore, the hope of winning a third consecutive EPL crown for City is becoming slimmer and daunting. Anyway, I am hoping the best to happen on the City side in the coming days. 

However, Sunday was full of different experiences as I could visit recently revived Dangkhar Menchu to soak myself despite a hectic schedule. The Menchu is located 8 kms (app. 4.9 miles) away from Zhemgang town towards Trongsa. It was face-lifted jointly by Zhemgang Forest Division, and the people of Dangkhar village for the preparation of recently (Nov. 11 - 13) held "Bhutan Bird Festival" at Tingtibi.  Perhaps, it was a gift for all of us. However, as of now, the Menchu is managed by the Dangkhar Community, and is open to all ages, and kinds. 

Time: Anytime of the day. However, the best is during weekends and other holidays.

Charges: As of now, the fees are very reasonable, and affordable. It is Nu. 100 per hour per person. One tub (Waa) can comfortably accommodate two persons at a time. If you like to visit the Menchu, you may kindly inform the caretaker (head of the committee) two-to-three hours in advance for the necessary arrangements. (contact number#+975-17537204).

Benefits: Healing effects –boost blood circulation, reduce stress, piles, body, and joint ache.

Recommendation: Although, the place is very suitable, serene, and ideal for both family and individuals outing. However, car parking and safety railings are required not only for kids but also for senior citizens right in front of the main entrance and the way that leads to the toilet. Although the location of the toilet is quite far away, however, toilet facility is superb, and impressive. 

During my first visit, I found the caretaker (manager) of the Menchu very polite, lively, and approachable because in many offices and organizations these human qualities are actually missing today. So next time you visit Zhemgang, don't miss to visit and soak yourself in the Menchu. 

However, I am a bit skeptical about its sustainability, and the management.