Spreading some green love one pedal at a time
Stop littering, be mindful and think recycling is the message that young Nalaka hopes to spread through his one-man bicycle campaign from Point Pedro to Dondra YOUNG READER FORUM
For Nalaka Senadeera
(27) growing up in Dedigama in Kegalle, his passion for conservation began when his hamlet situated on a protected reserve became a dumping ground for garbage. “For ten years people have been dumping garbage in our village at the end of a concrete roadway,” he tells the Mirror Mag. As a young voice in his community, he hopes to spread the message of conservation and the need for mindful disposing of plastic. “I feel that from my generation forward if this message is not taken ahead this problem will be carried onto another generation,” he said.
To get the message across, Nalaka is setting out alone on a campaign on September 29 from Point Pedro to Dondra by bicycle. With the support of friends and those in his community he has printed leaflets, and ban
ners to be attached to his bike. He tells our photographer he hopes to stop and talk to youngsters along the way educating them of the importance of being conscious of plastic and other litter that is being scattered without a thought. He hopes to impress upon them the role that each can play to stop the spread of plastic waste. Having seen his beautiful village being defaced by garbage he feels this habit of being mindful about disposing of waste and especially plastic should be instilled in the youth from a young age so that generations to come don’t carry these same issues forward.
To support Nalaka’s campaign contact him via https://www. facebook.com/Maxsrilanka. If you see him in your neighbourhood stop and say hello he says. (Watch this space as the Mirror Magazine hopes to document Nalaka’s progress).