These Monks Are Turning Plastic Bottles Into Robes To Keep Their Community Clean.

It’s no secret that plastic waste is a big problem across the globe, and it’s up to each and every one of us to help clean up the mess.

That’s exactly what a Buddhist temple in Thailand is doing, only they’re recycling the bottles in an incredibly unique way!

The monks of Wat Chak Daeng knew they wanted to find a way to reduce the amount of waste that was ending up in the Chao Phraya River.

In fact, Phra Maha Pranom Dhammalangkaro, the head monk at the temple, has been on a mission to fight pollution for several years now. Originally, the temple burned their bottles, but when they realized that was causing the air quality to worsen, Dhammalangkaro set out to find another solution.

After learning about an innovative way to break plastic bottles down into clothing fibers, he came up with an amazing idea: Why not transform the fibers into robes? Soon, he was putting his creative plan into action!

The temple began encouraging everyone to donate their used plastic bottles instead of throwing them away or littering. The first year, they only received 2 tons of trash. Luckily, that remains the lowest number they’ve seen since.

These days, they get about 10 tons of plastic each month! The donations, which come from fishermen and citizens all over Thailand, have helped the temple produce more than 800 robes so far.

Not only is this a great effort for the environment, but it’s also supporting the Thai economy by providing a source of income to homemakers, people who are retired, and individuals with disabilities!

Each robe costs between $85 and $214, and all the proceeds go to the employees who create them and the overall mission.

Even better, the temple is using the program to teach their community about the benefits of recycling, including how the monks transform their old robes into cleaning supplies and other items.

This wonderful initiative is clearly paying off! With each plastic donation, they are finding less and less waste in their water. Keep up the great work!

Learn more about the temple’s efforts in the video below, and share this story with your friends to make them smile.

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