Laurels School Students Explore Sustainable Living at Jimmy McGilligan Centre
Students from Class 8A of Laurels School International recently visited the Jimmy McGilligan Centre for Sustainable Development, gaining hands-on experience in green technology and environmental conservation. Accompanied by faculty members Firdous Ghori Khan, Atishuchi Sinha, and Anjali Balakhe, the students engaged with the centre's founder, Padma Shri Dr. Janak Palta McGilligan, to bridge the gap between classroom theory and practical sustainability.
The visit focused on several key areas of environmental literacy:
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Renewable Energy: The campus operates entirely off-grid. Students learned how a Solar-Wind Hybrid system provides uninterrupted power and explored how specialized solar dehydrators process food while retaining nutrition without chemical preservatives.
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Botanical Conservation: Dr. McGilligan guided the group through a living gene bank featuring rare flora such as Aritha (a natural detergent), Parijat (medicinal jasmine), and Annatto (a natural food dye).
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Zero-Waste Circular Economy: Demonstrating that "waste is only waste if we waste it," the centre showed students how agricultural residues are compressed and used as fuel for high-efficiency, smokeless stoves, preventing pollution and protecting health.
The excursion successfully empowered students to view sustainability as a practical, lifestyle-oriented goal. The Jimmy McGilligan Centre continues to serve as an inspiring blueprint for a self-reliant and greener future.
