Do you believe technology could help save our planet?

While it is true that there are negative effects of technology on the environment, a recent increase in global concern about climate change has prompted the development of new environmental technology. This green or clean technology is aimed at assisting in resolving some of the most pressing environmental issues by shifting to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.¹

If there is one thing for sure, technology matters… but how we use it and how we allow it to change society are all up to us humans.

On that account, isn’t it amazing when you see young people at the forefront of the fight for a better world? Schools have an instrumental role in fostering innovation, and it starts with young people changing the game. School technology projects encourage students to explore research and create an awareness of how new technology may help students succeed academically. 

Well, a school project at STI College Lucena, Quezon City, Philippines did exactly that.

In this article, we are honored to introduce a group of young Filipino students as part of Outwiths Faces of Innovative STEM Youths. They used technology not only to excel in academics but also to take action on an environmental issue.

For their Practical Research course, Filipino grade 11 students studying at STI College Lucena namely Ron Irish Esguerra, Rose Marie Pornela, Arjohn Carl Itable, Jimwell Asejo, Jaymarc Balamban, and Alliyah Joi labitiga, came up with a working prototype of an automated waste segregation trash bin. The group’s project became viral after a news site uploaded a video of their prototype, garnering over 108,000 views on Facebook as of this writing.²

Outwiths was able to reach out to Rose Marie and Ron Irish (who is the leader of the group) for an interview. We were so lucky to meet and talk to these bright students! We can’t wait to share what we’ve learned about them, so continue reading!

What inspired your team to come up with the idea for the project?

Ron: Our group came up with this project due to the problem of waste management in the Philippines. In my opinion, many people in our country don’t consider segregating or managing waste. Many people don’t know how to properly segregate it, so why not conduct a project—a trash bin—that can automatically segregate waste and at the same time, can share a piece of knowledge about waste management, so people can have an idea of how important waste management is.

What were you thinking as the short-term and long-term goals when you were doing this project?

Rose: The short-term goals of our project are to be functional and solve the issue [improper use] of trash bins. For the long term, I think the goals are [for automated trash bins] to be used by the public residence because the traditional trash bins in our place are not being used properly. So, why not try a new approach? There’s nothing to lose if we try it.

Is it your personal advocacy to make a project that helps the environment?

Rose: On my part, yes, it is one of my personal advocacies to love and help our environment. I have been into different campaigns before regarding this kind of advocacy, like in junior high school, I became a member of the Girl Scout of the Philippines and one of our platforms is cleaning our environment. Also, in our barangay, I once joined a clean and green program. So, basically, this project is close to my heart.

What challenges did you face as a team and how did you overcome them?

Ron: I think [one of] the challenges that we encountered from building our prototype was  designing the prototype because we don’t have any experience on how to design a project or a device… and there are so many automated trash bins that already exist that have many different capabilities and functionalities. So, we want our trash bin to be as simple as possible and have a large capacity. That’s [also] one of our challenges [encountered] as a team. So, the next thing we did was we gathered [information on] different types of automated trash bins, different types of designs that already exist, and list down the things that are possible to be improved or to be added and to simplify the overall design. Those are the things that we did to overcome that challenge about designing the trash bin.

Did you receive any feedback? If yes, how did you incorporate this into your project?

Rose: Yes, we actually received feedback from our professors before regarding this project. They asked us if we can really do this one, like [if] we can actually make a prototype of this since it’s an automated trash bin, it uses technology. So, they always ask us if we can actually make this kind of project since it sounds impossible, right? But since we are a team we [were able to] still make it.

Why do you think it’s impossible? How did people give you their feedback? Is it when they saw your project in the news or when you first presented your study to your professors?

Rose: When we proposed our project first. I think the reason why it sounds impossible is that it’s an automated trash bin, so basically it is a use of technology, and us [being] senior high school students. We are not yet experienced with that [kind of] technology, so maybe it sounds impossible to create this kind of project, but we still made it.

More power to you guys! What do you think would help you in order to scale up this project? What kind of support are you needing from the community?

Ron: I think it’s the financial support because many components are most likely not very cheap in the Philippines; in other countries, it’s very cheap, but in here in our country, I think [it’s] not affordable, so we have some problems with the budget.

Ron and Rose both shared that they think it is possible for them to turn their project into something bigger for the community and even the whole country if people would pay more attention and decide to fund it.

What was the most enjoyable part when you were making this project?

Ron: Personally, it’s the struggle. Because of the struggles, we learn new things and attain new knowledge that is out of our comfort zone. Also, we build a connection with each other because we talk a lot and share some new information with each other. Those are the most enjoyable parts for me.

Rose: The most enjoyable part of this project is maybe when I slightly felt that we were in a face-to-face class since I can see my group mates that time, we make it [the trash bin] as a team in one place. I can [get to] know each of them. I think it’s very enjoyable to know your group mates personally.

What do you think will be the next version of your project? What are the improvements that you’re going to make?

Ron: That’s a good question. If we [were to] make a new version of our trash bin, we will change the materials of the body because some of the materials that we used are cardboard. The body must be sturdy and durable, so [we would] change the cardboard part, then change the motors for a more [improved] rotational axis, and change the sensing mechanism to fit more sensors and to have a large capacity for the waste. I think it is a great idea to add some new features and some new parts like a power source. I think it is possible to use a battery and a solar panel to have its [the automated trash bin’s] own power source, so it won’t have to connect to the power station, just its own power source, and also update the software.

Alright, sounds amazing! We agree with going with the solar panel; it makes everything more sustainable. So, the next question is, what did you learn about yourself and your teammates when you worked on this project?

Ron: I learned that I can improve my skills that I couldn’t think that I could do. Also, I learned to adapt to every situation that we faced as a group. For my teammates, I can say that they are reliable. Thinking our project is not easy to make, I and my group mates had a hard time, but we still focused on our goal and managed to finish our work.

Sounds great and you did a good job with your team! What advice can you give to those who are exploring technology projects like yourself?

Ron: I just want to say that don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to try. Read some books and any other materials. Also, if you have some extra money or extra budget, you can experiment. And the internet is there, so use it properly.

Who would not be wowed by these students?

Their story shows just how important it is for us to empower, engage, and encourage young minds. The future is indeed in their hands, so we should help them reach their fullest potential. The youth can do so much with their fresh ideas and infectious energy if we continuously support their learning journey.

Combine environmental technology and young people, and you have mother nature’s superheroes. Keep taking action, kids!

References:

1. https://edinburghsensors.com/news-and-events/impact-of-technology-on-the-environment-and-environmental-technology/

2. https://fb.watch/8yFQXMjBPh/

Disclaimer: This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Created on: 1 November 2021