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Teenagers win Earth Prize for microplastic 'magnet'
PRINT ALL READINGS (PDF)Earth Prize - Level 0
Three Indian sixteen-year-olds won this year's Earth Prize. The award is for eco-challenges. The teenagers made a special powder made from the seeds of the tamarind fruit. Microplastics in water stick to the powder. They are then removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple way to make water safer to drink.
The teenagers were very happy to win the award. They said it was "incredibly special". Microplastics are in our drinking water. The teenagers said their powder is like a magnet for microplastics. The collected plastic is recycled "so it can't return to nature". The powder will protect our planet from microplastic pollution.
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Earth Prize - Level 1
Three sixteen-year-olds in India have won this year's Earth Prize. The award is for solutions to eco-challenges. The three teenagers invented a special powder made from tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit. Microplastics in water stick to the powder. The microplastics and powder are then removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in poor and rural areas.
The powder is called 'Plas-Stick'. The teenagers were very happy to win the award. They said it was "incredibly special for all of us". They explained that microplastics hide in our drinking water. They said their powder acts like a magnet for these microplastics. The collected plastic is turned into useful items "so it can't return to nature". The powder will protect people, animals, and our planet from microplastic pollution.
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Earth Prize - Level 2
Slowest
Three sixteen-year-olds in India have won this year's Earth Prize. It is the world's largest environmental competition for teenagers. It is for thinking of solutions to global eco-challenges. The three teenagers invented a biodegradable powder made from tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces. Microplastics in water stick to the powder. The mass of microplastics and powder can be removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in rural areas.
The teenagers called their invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely happy to win an award for it. They said it was "incredibly special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it". They explained: "Tiny bits of plastic hide in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder…that acts like a magnet for these tiny plastics." Their website also says the collected plastic is turned into useful items, "so it can't return to nature". The powder will protect people, animals, and our planet from microplastic pollution.
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Online activities | 8-page printable (PDF)
Earth Prize - Level 3
Three sixteen-year-olds from India have won this year's Earth Prize. This award is the world's largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers. Teens can win by developing innovative solutions to global eco-challenges. The three Indian teenagers won by inventing a biodegradable powder made from old tamarind seeds. A tamarind is a tropical fruit that is used in sauces and desserts. The powder attracts microplastics when it is put in water. The microplastics stick together and form a mass that we can see. The mass of microplastics and powder can then be removed from the water with a magnet. The powder is a simple, cheap way to make water safer to drink in rural areas.
The three teenagers called their invention 'Plas-Stick'. They were extremely happy to win an award for it. They said: "Being named the global winners of the Earth Prize is incredibly special for all of us, especially as the first team from India to receive it." They added: "Tiny bits of plastic hide in our drinking water, but they're too small to see. We made a special powder from thrown-away tamarind seeds that acts like a magnet for these tiny plastics." Their website outlines another benefit. It said: "The collected plastic is safely turned into small useful items… so it can't return to nature. This simple method helps protect people, animals, and our planet from invisible plastic pollution."
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