Eco-friendly initiative: Students turn plastic waste into bird feeders
The Statesman | 1 June 2025
In a remarkable blend of innovation, compassion, and sustainability, the department of education at Asannagar Madan Mohan Tarkalankar College has launched a heart-warming initiative to quench the thirst of the voiceless birds. Nearly 250 handmade bird feeders, ingeniously crafted from discarded plastic bottles, have been placed in the trees surrounding the college and its neighbouring areas. The project, led by students and supported by the college’s NSS unit, is drawing attention not only for its ecological value but also as a powerful example of community outreach.
Using abandoned plastic bottles, cutters, and wooden sticks, students turned everyday waste into life-saving water containers for birds braving the scorching summer heat. These feeders, suspended from tree branches, are already drawing a flurry of feathered visitors — a sight that is as soul-stirring as it is symbolic of coexistence.
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Dr Asok Kumar Das, principal of the college, lauded the initiative as both “timely and praiseworthy.” Commending the NSS team for their creativity and compassion, he remarked, “We should always remember that like human beings, other non-human living beings have the right to live in a meaningful way.”
Dr Aniruddha Saha, assistant professor in the department of education, emphasised the significance of the project from an academic and social standpoint. “This falls under the purview of a community outreach programme, which NAAC looks upon favourably. Outreach is about extending our learning and care beyond the classroom to touch lives in the community — human and non-human alike,” he noted.
The college, known for its lush greenery and vibrant birdlife, offers a fitting backdrop for this environmental effort. Students say the initiative has not only made them more environmentally conscious but also brought immense personal satisfaction. “Watching birds sip water from our feeders is more rewarding than we could have imagined,” said one enthusiastic participant.
In an age where environmental degradation and plastic pollution are looming threats, this small but impactful gesture by a group of college students serves as a beacon of hope. It showcases how educational institutions can play a vital role in fostering eco-consciousness and instilling a sense of responsibility towards all forms of life.
With this project, Asannagar Madan Mohan Tarkalankar College has not only contributed to the immediate welfare of birds during the summer months but also set a shining example of how sustainability, creativity, and empathy can come together in a campus-led initiative, said a senior teacher of the college adding that the flutter of wings and the glimmer of water in hanging bottles now tell a story of care — a story that began with a simple thought and bloomed into a living legacy.