STORY PREVIEW

2025

From Waste to Wonder: Bioplastic for a Cleaner Future

SK Seri Kampung Tengah, Kluang, Johor.

Johor

MENTOR

Noor Halini binti Allias

Step 1 FEEL

List the challenges or problems in your surroundings (school,neighbourhood etc.) that bothered you.

Water pollution is becoming worse as millions of plastic bottles are thrown away and end up in rivers and oceans. These bottles take hundreds of years to break down, releasing harmful microplastics that poison fish, turtles, and even humans through the food chain. We also feel sad because our friends in school and people out there still throw plastic bottles everywhere. We want people out there to aware why it is important to recycling plastic bottles and protect our water and marine life.

State the problem chosen to work and why.

To protect our water and marine life, it is important to find solutions such as recycling plastic bottles and creating bioplastics from natural materials. Bioplastics are safer and biodegradable, helping reduce pollution and keeping our water clean for the future.

Who were the people affected by the problem? What were their primary concerns?

The people affected are the local community, students, and future generations who rely on clean water for daily life. Besides people, marine life such as fish, turtles, and seabirds are also directly affected because they often ingest or get trapped in plastic waste. Their main concerns and our concerns are the pollution of rivers and oceans, the death of marine animals, and the danger of microplastics entering the food chain, which threatens human health. The community also worries about the long-term effects of plastic waste that does not decompose and continues to harm the environment for hundreds of years.

Step 2 IMAGINE

List ALL the different solutions you came up with.

Imagine a world where our rivers and oceans are no longer filled with floating plastic bottles, but instead remain clear and safe for fish, turtles, and other marine life. Imagine if the waste we usually throw away, like banana peels or other natural materials. it could be transformed into bioplastic, a cleaner and safer alternative that doesn’t harm the environment. By recycling and creating bioplastics, we can reduce water pollution, protect marine ecosystems, and design a future where humans and nature live in balance. This vision inspires us to take action through our project, turning imagination into real change. So we came out with these activities: 1. Recycling plastic bottles – Encouraging proper collection and recycling helps reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in rivers and oceans. 2. Creating bioplastics from banana peels – Using natural materials provides an eco-friendly alternative that is biodegradable and safer for the environment. 3. Raising awareness – Educating students, teachers, and the community about the dangers of plastic pollution motivates more people to take action. Students also make a scraptbooks about water pollution. 4. Reducing single-use plastics – Promoting the use of reusable water bottles, food containers, and bags helps cut down daily plastic waste. 5. Organizing clean-up activities – School and community clean-up programs remove plastic from rivers, drains, and surroundings before it reaches the ocean. 6. Campaigning for proper waste management – Advocating for better waste separation and disposal prevents plastic from polluting waterways.

Which solution from those listed above did you choose to implement and why?

We chose to implement three main solutions: recycling plastic bottles, creating bioplastics from banana peels, and educating others to raise awareness. Recycling helps reduce the amount of plastic waste that pollutes our water, while making bioplastics provides a safer and biodegradable alternative to replace harmful plastics. At the same time, educating students and the community is important because change starts with awareness. By combining action and innovation with education, our project not only reduces pollution but also inspires more people to protect the environment.

Step 3DO

Describe very briefly the process of implementing your solution(s).

We collected used plastic bottles for recycling, experimented with banana peels to produce bioplastic, and shared our project through talks and activities to raise awareness among students and the community. We cooperate with SK Lepong Balleh in Sarawak, we also cooperate with Eko Marine Reseacrh Center University Kebangsaan Malaysia (EKOMAR), we gaher 100 students and 20 teachers in our Program Pembangunan Inovasi Marin in Tg Resang, Mersing for 3 days and 2 nights in July. Many activities we did here and we also cooperate with Bahagian Pembangunan 7 Teras KPM in STEM Division, TeacherTraining College and STEM Education Department, University Kebangsaan Malaysia for a recycling and STEM CAMP in 16&17 AUgust 2025. We also perform a choral speaking in district level and we are invited to perform the choral speaking in front of Ministry of Education, YB Fadhlina Sidek and the top level management in KPM which the choral speaking theme is about Madani Generation that protect environment and recycle bottlle plastic.

What was the result or impact of your project?

Our project created a strong impact at school, community, and national levels. By recycling plastic bottles and producing bioplastics from banana peels, we reduced waste and introduced a creative solution to water pollution. Through our collaboration with SK Lepong Balleh, EKOMAR UKM, Bahagian Pembangunan 7 Teras KPM, Teacher Training College, and the STEM Education Department, we successfully involved more than 100 students and 20 teachers in innovation and STEM-based environmental activities. The 3-day Program Pembangunan Inovasi Marin in Tanjung Resang, Mersing, and the STEM Camp in August 2025 gave students hands-on experience in recycling, science, and innovation. Our awareness efforts also reached wider audiences. The choral speaking performance on Madani Generation Protecting the Environment spread our message of recycling and sustainability at both district and national platforms, even in front of the Minister of Education, YB Fadhlina Sidek, and KPM’s top management. This not only inspired students but also highlighted the role of young people in environmental change. Overall, our project successfully raised awareness, encouraged sustainable practices, built partnerships with universities and institutions, and motivated a new generation to care for the environment.

How many people were impacted by your solution(s)?

3000

What did the impacted people have to say about your project? Provide 2 quotes or testimonials:

Many people not only teachers and students inour school but also SK Lepong Balleh, Kapit Sarawak and Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia, University Kebangsaan Malaysia are proud of what we did. They see our effort from inside school until the outside program and projects. We spread the awareness not only give big impact in our school but also in Malaysia. “Congratulations on this effort. The project has great potential and can go far.” – YBhg. Dato’ Aminuddin bin Hassim, Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia “These students have the ability to be changemakers and raise awareness among everyone about the importance of protecting water from plastic bottle pollution.” – Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)

What challenges did you encounter while implementing your project, and how did you overcome them?

One of the main challenges we faced was the project being time-consuming, as we had to balance it with schoolwork, other activities, and competitions. Despite this, we managed to stay committed and successfully completed our project within five months. Another challenge was the lack of funds to carry out our activities and experiments. However, with the support of our teacher, we were able to secure sponsorships that allowed us to continue and expand our project. These challenges taught us the value of teamwork, perseverance, and seeking support when needed.

How long did it take to implement your solution?

15-30 Days

Which global goals does your story align with?

Life below water

Please explain briefly why do you think so?

We believe our project aligns with Life Below Water because it focuses on reducing water pollution caused by plastic bottles and protecting marine life through recycling and bioplastic innovation. By keeping rivers and oceans cleaner, we help create a safer environment for fish, turtles, and other marine species. At the same time, it also supports Climate Action by reducing dependence on petroleum-based plastics, which helps lower carbon emissions and environmental impact.

Step 4 SHARE

How did you share your project with your school and community? Who did you share your project with? What was their response?

We shared our project widely through social media platforms such as our school’s Facebook page, personal Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. We also conducted talks and sharing sessions not only in our own school but also in surrounding schools and even schools in Sarawak. In addition, we presented our message through a choral speaking performance and distributed flyers to the community and the public. The response was very positive;students, teachers, and community members showed great interest, praised our creativity, and encouraged us to continue spreading awareness about protecting water and reducing plastic pollution.

Approximately how many people did you share your story of change with?

More than 100

Briefly share your plan to sustain the impact of your project?

To sustain the impact of our project, we plan to continue producing and improving bioplastics, organize more awareness programs in schools and communities, and keep sharing our message through social media and performances. We also aim to build stronger partnerships with universities, government agencies, and sponsors so that our project can grow and inspire more people to protect the environment. In October, we will visit 2 schools in Jakarta and share our projects with them too.

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