Students propagate DIY culture on day one of AFIIM

The culture of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) can play an important role in combating climate change. To encourage the same, a DIY competition was held on July 30, day one of Season 3 of the Apeejay Festival of Ideas Ignited Minds organised by the Apeejay Institute of Technology – School of Architecture & Planning (AITSAP)

Senior school students (class 11 and class 12) from across the country participated in the virtual festival. The theme of the contest was Upcycle, judged by renowned architect and product designer Neha Singh. The submission has to be given by 9 pm on Friday via email and the results will be announced on July 31.  

This was an on-the-spot competition and students were briefed about the guidelines. Recyclable (waste material) available in the home has to be used.

The judgement criteria include the use of waste products, creativity and the concept on which the product is designed and its relevance with the event theme ‘climate change’ and an appropriate product title.

Sharing the benefits of DIY, Mrs. Neha Singh said, “The root foundation of DIY is to utilise the junk lying around. Once you start recycling things, you eventually learn the importance of eco-friendly products.”

She also gave a tip to students on how to make DIY sustainable. “First, you need to understand the property of the material that is to be used. You can modify it by using other properties to make it long-lasting. By using final adhesive on the top, the product can be made more durable,” she said.

Mrs. Neha Singh resolved queries of the participants while sharing her recycling journey. She also reminisced about her childhood days when she learnt that villagers used to recycle the corn husk fibres (the leftover) and turned it into a rope. On her Instagram page, she had given this technique a special mention.