Project Title:
Investigating the Effects of Pollution and
the Impact of Poor Waste Management on
the School Environment and Proposing
Sustainable Solutions
Stage 1: Problem Identification
1. Description of the Problem
o Pollution (air, water, soil, and noise) is a growing concern at ZRP High
School due to littering, improper waste disposal, emissions from
nearby traffic, and lack of recycling, leading to environmental
degradation of the soil.
2. Statement of Intent
o This project aims to assess pollution levels around the school, analyze
their impact on health, the environment and current waste
management practices, and propose eco-friendly solutions (e.g.,
composting, recycling bins).
3. Project Specifications
o Conduct surveys on the effects of pollution on the soil and crops.
o Interview students/staff on waste disposal habits.
Stage 2: Investigation of Related Ideas:
Idea 1: Installing recycling bins in classrooms.
o Evidence: Practiced and Successful in suburbs in Mutare City
in Zimbabwe.
o Merits: They help to create a greener, more sustainable school and
reduce the amount of landfill waste.
o Demerit: Lack of education on how to properly handle it. Without
proper instruction, students are more likely to throw away recyclable
items
Idea 2: Composting
o Evidence: Used in urban agriculture (e.g., community gardens).
o Merit: Compost Helps Revitalize and Filter Local Water Sources and
Reduces Green House Gasses
o Demerit: Setting up a composting system may require some initial
costs. The efficiency of composting depends on the amount and type
of organic waste. If not managed properly, composting can produce
foul odors.
o
Idea 3: Organizing awareness campaigns on pollution.
o Evidence: Done in the country every first Friday of each month
o Merit: Raising awareness encourages cleaner habits, which in turn
reduces waste and emissions
o Demerit: Limited funding and resources can restrict the reach of
awareness campaigns. Some individuals and communities may resist
adopting new practices due to cultural or economic reasons.
o
Stage 3: Generation of Possible
Solutions:
Solution 1: "Green Patrol" student team to monitor littering.
o Merit: educates, inspires, and empowers students to make a
difference in their community. They allow kids to learn about
environmental issues from their peers.
o Demerit: Time-consuming for students thus it may affect their grades
Solution 2: Partnering with local NGOs for tree-planting drives.
o Merit: They encourage communities to participate in tree planting
and agricultural programs, providing them with knowledge,
necessary training, and resources. The involvement of local people
will help them achieve food security, employment, and income.
o Demerit: NGO-government collaborations may hinder the ability to
mitigate their associated downsides rather than biasing collaborative
behaviors towards success.
Solution 3: Using eco-friendly cleaning products in labs.
o Merit: reduces chemical runoff, using sustainable packaging, and
featuring biodegradable ingredients.
o Demerit: increases in harmful secondary pollutant concentrations
Stage 4: Development of Chosen Idea:
1. Chosen Solution
o Implementing a "Green Patrol" student team to enforce waste
management.
2. Justification
o Encourages responsibility, reduces littering and low-cost.
3. Refinements
o Refinement 1: Training sessions for the patrol team.
o Refinement 2: Weekly waste audits.
o Refinement 3: Rewards for the cleanest classrooms.
Stage 5: Presentation of Final Solution:
Type of Presentation:
STOP POLLUTION
Stage 6: Evaluation and Recommendations (5 marks)
1. Relevance to Intent (2 marks)
o The project successfully identified pollution sources and proposed
actionable solutions.
2. Challenges (1 mark)
o Some students resisted behavior change; limited budget for bins.
3. Recommendations (2 marks)
o Introduce stricter penalties for littering.
o Seek sponsors for recycling bins.
