Towards an environment-friendly future

A team of three young students yesterday won the first "Climate Justice Idea Competition 2022" for generating the idea of transforming waste into saleable products under an environment-friendly process.

Two more teams emerged as first and second runners-up for generating ideas to mitigate and adapt to climate change related challenges.

The competition was jointly organised by ActionAid Bangladesh and The Daily Star, which aim to make the contest a "flagship event", by engaging the private sector for young and innovative climate champions.

The grand finale of the competition took place at The Daily Star Centre.

Juairia Haque Mahi, Mohammad Mohiuddin Sourav, and Jabir Al Mahdi Izaan, members of the winning team "Wastech", said once implemented, their idea can ensure 100 percent recycling of waste and zero emission.

The first runner-up team, "The Ackermans", generated the idea of producing eye-wear using garment waste.

The second runner-up team, "Lego Hulks", pitched the idea of using plastic bricks for building homestead structures in disaster-prone areas.

The winning teams received Tk 20,000, Tk 15,000 and Tk 10,000, respectively.

Besides, three more groups -- Team GYSH, Team Elder Wand, and Team Ethereum 4.0 -- took part in the grand finale and received much appreciation.

Organisers said initially,  around 70 teams submitted ideas. From them, six qualified for the mentoring session and the final round.

During the grand finale, each team pitched their ideas in front of an adjudication panel.

The panel comprised of Nazmul Ahsan of ActionAid Bangladesh, Shamima Akhter of Unilever Bangladesh Limited, Mahfuz Sadique of bKash Limited, Mushfiqua Zaman Satiar of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and media personality Abdur Nur Tushar.

Congratulating the winners and participants, ruling Awami League lawmaker Nahim Razzaq, who attended as chief guest, said although climate change is happening, actions for adaptation and mitigation are slow.

ActionAid Bangladesh Country Director Farah Kabir said ideas generated in the competition should be reach people, stressing for involving different organisations in the process.

It's significant that the country's youths have engaged themselves in pitching ideas to fight climate change-induced challenges, said The Daily Star Executive Editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque.