Reading Comprehension: English Starter 10 Chapter 2.1

Summary

Panda Wara, a group of five young environmental warriors from Indonesia, was formed with the mission to address the growing issue of river pollution. Inspired by their own experience with floods caused by trash, the group began cleaning local rivers in 2022. Their viral social media videos, which aimed to raise awareness in a fun way, sparked a movement and attracted volunteers. Despite not considering themselves environmental activists, Panda Wara dreams of establishing a waste management system, including trash barriers and recycling facilities to further combat the pollution crisis in their community.

Takeaways

• 😀 Panda War group consists of five young environmental warriors focused on river cleanup actions.
• 😀 The group was inspired by a Japanese puppet story called 'Pandaa LMA,' which also had five members.
• 😀 The name 'Pandaa' and 'Wara' means bearer of good news.
• 😀 The founders of Panda War experienced firsthand the impact of trash problems in Indonesia, particularly floods.
• 😀 Their first cleanup action took place in 2022, cleaning trash from drains and rivers near their homes.
• 😀 The group realized that changing people's behavior was key to solving the pollution problem.
• 😀 They began creating videos on social media to raise awareness about the pollution in rivers and to make cleanup fun.
• 😀 To their surprise, their videos went viral, inspiring many others to take action and volunteer.
• 😀 Despite their viral success, the group does not consider themselves environmental activists, as they prefer to remain humble.
• 😀 Panda War has bigger dreams, including establishing a waste management system and installing trash barriers in waterways.
• 😀 Their long-term goal is to create a recycling facility for plastic and other waste collected from polluted rivers.

Q & A

What is the Panda Wara group, and what is their mission?

Panda Wara is a group of five young environmental warriors focused on river cleanup actions. Their mission is to raise awareness about the pollution in rivers, especially in Indonesia, and to inspire others to take action in cleaning up the environment.

How did Panda Wara come up with its name?

The group chose the name Panda Wara from a famous Japanese puppet story called 'Pandaa LMA,' which also had five members. The word 'wara' and 'pandaa' together mean 'bearer of good news'.

What motivated the group to start their environmental efforts?

The group was motivated by the personal experience of dealing with floods caused by trash in Indonesian rivers. They felt uncomfortable seeing the rivers filled with garbage and decided to take action.

What was Panda Wara's first action in 2022?

In 2022, Panda Wara's first action was cleaning up trash from the drains and rivers near their homes, which were dirty and unpleasant.

How did the Panda Wara group attempt to raise awareness about river pollution?

They decided to create videos on social media to raise awareness of the polluted rivers and promote the idea that cleaning up the rivers could be a fun activity.

What was the unexpected outcome of their social media videos?

The group's videos went viral, which was unexpected. This viral success inspired many others to clean up their local rivers and some people even asked to join the group as volunteers.

Did Panda Wara members consider themselves environmental activists?

No, when asked if they considered themselves environmental activists, all members of the group shook their heads and laughed, suggesting that they did not identify as such.

What are the long-term goals of Panda Wara?

The group's long-term goals include establishing a waste management system, installing trash barriers in waterways and rivers, and creating a place to recycle plastic and other waste collected from dirty rivers.

What kind of impact have Panda Wara's actions had on the community?

Panda Wara's actions have inspired a larger community movement, with people joining their cause and taking similar actions in their own areas. The viral nature of their social media videos has significantly raised public awareness of river pollution.

Why do the members of Panda Wara believe cleaning rivers can be fun?

The group believes cleaning rivers can be fun because they want to change the perception of environmental work. They aim to make it enjoyable and engaging, rather than a burdensome task, to encourage more people to participate.