Environmental Pollution and Sustainable Packaging Solutions
Today environmental pollution, has become one of the biggest problems worldwide. The long-term retention of plastic waste in nature threatens marine life and disrupts ecosystems. For this reason, the need for environmentally friendly packaging solutions is increasing day by day. At this point, projects developed with innovative ideas and natural materials play an important role in reducing environmental pollution.
Packaging Production with Natural Materials
Developed by students Smart Food Packaging Project, is a notable example in this regard. Two students in Van have managed to produce sustainable packaging using natural materials such as licorice root, purple onion peel and red seaweed. These natural materials exhibit an environmentally friendly approach by using local resources and creating a product that can be quickly decomposed in nature.
Project Stages and Implementation Process
During the development of the project, students went through various stages. First, boiling natural materials, filtering and controlled heating were carried out. The gel form obtained as a result of these processes was dried in the oven and turned into packaging. In this way, a product that is 8% more durable and has antibacterial properties compared to traditional plastic packaging has emerged.
Advantages of the Smart Food Packaging Project
- High Temperature Resistance: The product has a structure resistant to high temperatures.
- Antibacterial Properties: The antibacterial properties provided by natural materials increase food safety.
- Low Permeability: The low permeability of the packaging helps preserve the freshness of foods.
- Eco-Friendliness: This packaging, which can quickly decompose in nature, is an effective solution to reduce plastic pollution.
Students' Motivation and Achievement
The students who implemented the project set out with the motivation to prevent environmental pollution. Agrin Nuda Bayat developed a product specific to her region using natural materials by using local resources. Her friend Elif Berra Demir also contributed to the project by using purple onion peels from her own region. This collaboration both contributes to the local economy and offers an environmentally friendly solution.
The Supportive Role of Teachers
The support of teachers also played an important role in the success of the project. Aydın Uçkan, the Director of Hayati Yazıcı Science High School of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, always encouraged students to research and produce projects stated that they encourage. This year, 120 projects applied and one of the two projects made it to the Turkish finals. Agrin Nuda Bayat's project became the first in Türkiye in the field of chemistry.
Future Scientists
The students' determination and perseverance is an indication that they can become important scientists in the future. Physics teacher Alper Bayram emphasizes that the students patiently carried out the process for a year. Laboratory experiments were recorded and sent to each other. Despite the distance between them, they achieved this success by working with great devotion.
In Conclusion; The Importance of Environmentally Sensitive Projects
The steps taken today to combat environmental pollution are of great importance for the health of future generations and the protection of our planet. Packaging produced with natural materials offers an environmentally friendly alternative and reveals the creativity of young minds. Such projects are increase environmental awareness and constitutes an important step towards developing sustainable solutions.
