Migration is a dangerous journey as it involves many threats, which are often caused by human activities. The threats faced by birds keep varying as different people in various parts of the world are diverse. The birds fly for long distances and cross many borders. Each country has a different environmental policy and conservation measures.  Migratory birds need protection. We might be wondering how these birds find their flyways. Birds use the polarized light and sometimes they find their way with the sun and stars at night.

We as global citizens need to take measures to protect the migratory birds. This is the main aim of celebrating the World Migratory Bird Day two times in a year. It is observed on 2^nd Saturday in May and October. We need to conserve these migratory birds and their habitats. The theme for each year varies. The theme hopes to raise an environmental awareness about the threats, issues faced by migratory birds so that individuals and organizations can take measures to conserve them. The theme for 2019 is “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution”.

My main objective is to raise awareness about plastic pollution (Single-use plastics) and their impact on humans and marine life. World Migratory Bird Day is not limited to just these 2 days (Second Saturday in May and October) but should be observed every day. Our environment involves deserts and other habitats and we have to ensure to keep our environment clean and safe and promote ecological awareness. I am conducting cleanup campaigns and awareness in my community. I have launched my campaign, PEPC campaign through which I collect recycling materials such as papers, e-wastes, plastics and cans for recycling.

My friends and family do join me and show their support towards protecting our environment. My friends and schoolmates are impressed of my campaign and join me for giving pep talks and presentations to my junior students. We use our free and break time to give presentations and to point out the fact that plastics are not our body’s best friend. We are collecting various materials for recycling so that we can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, thereby reducing: energy usage, air pollution, and water pollution. My sister Sai Sahana Manikandan had also been assisting me by doing pep talks and campaigning in our extracurricular classes like Abacus, Karate, DinoArt drawing and Robotics. We also spend a few hours every weekend to raise awareness in our neighborhood and community.

We would urge all of you to take a pledge to put an end to single-use plastics and save our oceans and seas and also plant trees to protect our Earth. Let us all try to adhere to the great visionary, late Sheikh Zayed’s words, “On land and in the sea, our fore-fathers lived and survived in this environment. They were able to do so because they recognized the need to conserve it, to take from it only what they needed to live, and to preserve it for succeeding generations."

My campaign aims to beat plastic pollution by following these simple and easy steps:

1. Refuse single-use plastic straws, cups, plates, spoons and cutlery items
2. Take your own cloth/jute/paper bags for shopping
3. Carry reusable lunch boxes, coffee mugs, steel/glass water bottles
4. Talk to your local supermarkets and groceries to use non-plastic packaging
5. Replace your plastic cutleries with steel or glass
6. Purchase eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics

I also attend various cleanup activities in my community to preserve our marine environment.

#Together we can create a wave of change!