Last Oct. 30, Filipinos once again cast their votes for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE). From the campaign period to post-election, colorful political tarpaulins adorned the streets, bearing the faces and slogans of candidates vying for public office. These eye-catching banners are essential for campaigns, but they often become litter after the election is over, contributing to the growing problem of environmental pollution.
However, there is one innovative non-profit startup that is taking a creative and sustainable approach to address this issue: Kids Who Farm. This organization has embarked on a mission to turn political tarpaulins into "tarpots," transforming the aftermath of the election into a green revolution.
Kids Who Farm is a youth-led non-profit startup from Zamboanga with a dual mission: promoting sustainable agriculture and its environmental awareness while addressing the issue of election-related waste. This organization believes in harnessing the creativity of the youth to make a positive impact on our environment.
According to Muneer Hinay, co-founder of Kids Who Farm, the "tarpots" initiative started in 2022, during national election, where they promote "urban farming and the utilization of waste materials such as used containers, PET bottles, tires, etc. in growing vegetables for local food access."
Kids Who Farm saw an opportunity to tackle this problem by repurposing these tarpaulins into "tarpots." This innovative concept involves converting election banners into pots for planting trees, vegetables, and various plants.
"Converting used election paraphernalia into tarpots is our way of showing that you can indeed repurpose waste materials into something production. By making tarpots, we hope to encourage waste repurposing and more importantly, home food production," Hinay added.
The transformation process is a multi-step endeavor. First, the tarpaulins are collected after elections, diverting them from landfills and incineration. Next, they are cleaned, cut, and sewn into various sizes of pots. Finally, these "tarpots" are distributed to communities, schools, and organizations involved in tree planting and urban gardening initiatives, "inspiring future farmers and food citizens."