Happy Eco News: The First Ever Global Winners of the Earth Prize are from Youth from India

In June, 16-year-olds Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal and Avyana Mehta were crowned Global Winners of The Earth Prize, the world’s largest environmental competition for teenagers. Their solution, Plas-Stick, uses discarded tamarind seeds to remove microplastics from drinking water, transforming an everyday waste product into a tool for cleaner water.Determined to find a simple and accessible solution, the students turned to something abundant in India: discarded tamarind seeds. Through a number of experiments, the team tested a combination of ingredients until they found the perfect mix. When added to water, the powder attracts and binds microplastic particles into visible clumps that can then be removed using a handheld magnet. More UPLIFT.