06/02/2026
From a kitchen larder staple to an award-winning global environmental breakthrough, three sixteen-year-old students from India are showing the world how youth-led innovation can solve some of our most critical planetary crises. Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta, classmates from the Jayshree Periwal International School in Jaipur, Rajasthan, have been named winners of the prestigious Earth Prize 2026. Organized by The Earth Foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland, this global competition serves as the world’s largest environmental incubator for teenagers. The trio won international recognition for inventing "Plas-Stick," an incredibly simple, low-cost, and biodegradable solution designed to eliminate invisible microplastics from drinking water using powdered tamarind seeds.The inspiration behind Plas-Stick was sparked during a visit to rural communities and government schools in Rajasthan. The students observed children drinking water directly from large communal storage containers. While the water appeared clear, the teenagers realized a hidden threat: the absence of proper filtration systems meant these communities were vulnerable to microplastic contamination. Microplastics, defined as synthetic plastic fragments smaller than five millimeters, have become a terrifying environmental and public health hazard, appearing everywhere from remote mountain peaks to human blood, lungs, and tissue. Recognizing that advanced water purification methods like Reverse Osmosis are entirely unaffordable and inaccessible for low-income and rural populations, the three students set out to build an inclusive alternative that requires absolutely no electricity, complex infrastructure, or expensive machinery.The magic of Plas-Stick lies in its brilliant use of agricultural waste. Tamarind is a staple ingredient in South Asian cuisine, but its seeds are typically discarded. The students discovered that these waste seeds contain natural binding compounds capable of attracting suspended impurities. Under the scientific mentorship of a polymer research expert and graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, the team developed a specialized formulation. When the biodegradable tamarind seed powder is added to contaminated water and stirred, its natural adhesive properties act as a clumping agent, attracting the microscopic plastic particles and aggregating them into larger, visible masses. After waiting for about thirty minutes, these clumped particles can be effortlessly pulled out of the water using nothing more than a simple handheld magnet.The simplicity and effectiveness of this breakthrough are already making a tangible difference. The team has ran successful pilot projects in six government schools across Rajasthan, deploying the system to help over 8,000 students and teachers access cleaner, safer drinking water. With the regional award grant received from The Earth Prize, the young innovators are planning a major expansion. Their immediate goals for the end of 2026 include setting up decentralized production hubs to scale their reach from 8,000 to nearly 40,000 users. Furthermore, they are prioritizing independent, third-party laboratory testing to validate that Plas-Stick’s ninety percent microplastic removal efficiency remains consistent across various geographic and water conditions. Their ultimate vision is to secure partnerships with corporate social responsibility initiatives and government bodies to safely treat over 100 million liters of drinking water for underserved communities. These brilliant teenagers have proven that the solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges do not always require high-tech factories, sometimes they can be unlocked by looking at the natural world around us with fresh, empathetic eyes.From a kitchen larder staple to an award-winning global environmental breakthrough, three sixteen-year-old students from India are showing the world how youth-led innovation can solve some of our most critical planetary crises. Vivaan Chhawchharia, Ariana Agarwal, and Avyana Mehta, classmates from the Jayshree Periwal International School in Jaipur, Rajasthan, have been named winners of the prestigious Earth Prize 2026. Organized by The Earth Foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland, this global competition serves as the world’s largest environmental incubator for teenagers. The trio won international recognition for inventing "Plas-Stick," an incredibly simple, low-cost, and biodegradable solution designed to eliminate invisible microplastics from drinking water using powdered tamarind seeds.The inspiration behind Plas-Stick was sparked during a visit to rural communities and government schools in Rajasthan. The students observed children drinking water directly from large communal storage containers. While the water appeared clear, the teenagers realized a hidden threat: the absence of proper filtration systems meant these communities were vulnerable to microplastic contamination. Microplastics, defined as synthetic plastic fragments smaller than five millimeters, have become a terrifying environmental and public health hazard, appearing everywhere from remote mountain peaks to human blood, lungs, and tissue. Recognizing that advanced water purification methods like Reverse Osmosis are entirely unaffordable and inaccessible for low-income and rural populations, the three students set out to build an inclusive alternative that requires absolutely no electricity, complex infrastructure, or expensive machinery.The magic of Plas-Stick lies in its brilliant use of agricultural waste. Tamarind is a staple ingredient in South Asian cuisine, but its seeds are typically discarded. The students discovered that these waste seeds contain natural binding compounds capable of attracting suspended impurities. Under the scientific mentorship of a polymer research expert and graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, the team developed a specialized formulation. When the biodegradable tamarind seed powder is added to contaminated water and stirred, its natural adhesive properties act as a clumping agent, attracting the microscopic plastic particles and aggregating them into larger, visible masses. After waiting for about thirty minutes, these clumped particles can be effortlessly pulled out of the water using nothing more than a simple handheld magnet.The simplicity and effectiveness of this breakthrough are already making a tangible difference. The team has ran successful pilot projects in six government schools across Rajasthan, deploying the system to help over 8,000 students and teachers access cleaner, safer drinking water. With the regional award grant received from The Earth Prize, the young innovators are planning a major expansion. Their immediate goals for the end of 2026 include setting up decentralized production hubs to scale their reach from 8,000 to nearly 40,000 users. Furthermore, they are prioritizing independent, third-party laboratory testing to validate that Plas-Stick’s ninety percent microplastic removal efficiency remains consistent across various geographic and water conditions. Their ultimate vision is to secure partnerships with corporate social responsibility initiatives and government bodies to safely treat over 100 million liters of drinking water for underserved communities. These brilliant teenagers have proven that the solutions to humanity’s greatest challenges do not always require high-tech factories, sometimes they can be unlocked by looking at the natural world around us with fresh, empathetic eyes.