Envelope Recycling Project

CERE has been running the Envelope Recycling Project with students from a municipal school in Mumbai since many years. The aim of the project is to raise environmental awareness amongst underprivileged children by doing practical activities related to environmental conservation, in this case recycling and reuse of ‘waste’ items such as envelopes. Therefore along with awareness-raising, enjoyment and stimulation, which unfortunately is often lacking in many schools, this project contributes to some degree of emotional/life-skill development in the children, particularly in terms of motivational, self-confidence, decision-making and team building skills.

All children attend the classroom sessions but voluntarily participate in the envelope recycling project, recycling as many envelopes as they can manage in a week during their own spare time and not during class. Corporate firms contribute to the project by sending CERE their used envelopes and buying back the same envelopes after they have been recycled for their internal mail. There is a small reward system in the form of small useful, gift items, such as school-bags, books, water bottle, pencil box, etc.