Mumbai’s Earth Day gift to Mahatma Phule Vidyalaya - 40 desks made of recycled beverage cartons
- This is the third donation under the Cartons2Classroom campaign launched by Tetra Pak, Nestle a+, Reliance Retail and RUR Greenlife in 2022, marking the completion of the campaign
- On Earth Day 2022, the first set of desks was donated to Mahim Police Colony School, Mumbai; The second donation was made in January 2023 to Pune Vidyarthi Griha, Nerul, Navi Mumbai
Mumbai, April 19, 2023: Students at the Mahatma Phule Vidyalaya, Lenyadri Shikshan Sanstha at Mankhurd, Mumbai were greeted by 40 brand new desks made of recycled beverage cartons, a gift from Mumbaikars to them. As part of the Cartons2Classroom campaign launched by Tetra Pak in partnership with Nestle +, Reliance Retail and implemented by RUR Greenlife last year on World Earth Day, these desks carry the affection of all the Mumbaikars who have donated their used cartons, such as the ones made by Tetra Pak, throughout the year to make this happen.
In April 2022, Cartons2Classroom campaign partners had committed to collect 10 lakh used cartons and donate 100 desks to lesser privileged schools, all made entirely from recycled carton packages. Over the past year, a total of 60 desks were donated to the Mahim Police Colony School and Pune Vidyarthi Griha, Nerul.
While handing over the desks on behalf of campaign partners, Damodar Mall, CEO- Reliance Grocery Retail said, “Frugality & Recycling have been part of our way of life for generations. As modern retailers, our customers like us when we encourage them to recycle in newer, modern ways. The empty Tetra Pak cartons we collect with our customers help keep surroundings clean. And the school benches made from these recycled cartons earn us priceless smiles from school students. We invite more Mumbaikars to join our Cartons2Classroom effort & make a difference.”
Nirjhara Rastogi, Communications Director, Tetra Pak South Asia, sharing heartwarming words on the occasion, said, “We could not be more proud of what we are creating for our future generations. With each donation, we take one step forward on our journey of protecting the planet and people. The success of this year-long campaign with Reliance, RUR and Nestle is a clear indication of growing environmental awareness and people’s willingness to actively participate in bringing about a positive change.”
Cartons2Classroom campaign is part of a program called ‘Go Green with Tetra Pak’ launched in 2010 by Tetra Pak, in collaboration with Reliance Retail and RUR Greenlife. The program encourages, implores, and enables Mumbaikars to drop off their used beverage cartons at over 57 Reliance Smart and Sahakari Bhandar outlets across Mumbai. These cartons are then recycled into useful items like desks & garden benches and donated back to the society.
At the heart of the program lies the implementation partner RUR Greenlife. Monisha Narke, CEO, RUR Greenlife, captured this journey by saying, “Since the launch of the program in 2010 with Tetra Pak and Reliance, it has been both exciting and satisfying to see the program grow from strength to strength.
Tetra Pak cartons are paper-based, recyclable, and increasingly being recycled through a robust ecosystem nurtured by Tetra Pak over the last 18 years, working closely with various stakeholders such as urban local governments, NGOs, brand owners, academia, and consumers.