WASTE MUST BE FACED!

The textile industry is one of the major industries of India. It plays a vital role in the economic growth of the nation.  It employs a significant number of skilled & unskilled labour.  WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? The chemicals & dyes used during manufacturing generate an enormous amount of waste. The production requires gallons of water & tons of energy consumption. Even the fertilizers used during the cultivation of raw materials such as cotton pollute the land, water, soil & also the nearby habitat. There are many aspects of the textile industry which has to be looked into, such as 1.     Use of toxic chemicals 2.    Pesticides & other chemicals used in the production of raw materials. 3.   Water & Energy Consumption 4.   Toxic emissions & noise pollution 5.   Treatment of various discharge after production 6.   Packaging & Transportation 7.    Waste generated from discarded & faulty materi...

  There are many reasons to make schools more sustainable. The most vital reason is educating the majority on the importance of waste generation & its management. Building sustainable school & school life will spread awareness in students and the others like parents, management etc. Living a zero-waste or low waste lifestyle is a choice. But it is highly essential to know about waste generation and its impact, especially the waste generated out of things we do not need or can be easily swapped.                                                                                  ...

  Here’s a start-up guide to make you go low waste at your hostel with your friends. This is the best time in your life to bring changes. Good changes stay with you forever. There's joy in practicing a lifestyle together.  1.       Use both sides of your notebook while practicing: We all use old notes for practicing; which is good. Finish your empty notes. 2.     Do not print excess when you do not need: We all have to print projects & assignments. I have no idea what is the purpose of finishing an entire assignment on a word file and then printing it. #doesnotmakesense. We all do print out textbooks sometimes, especially in college. Many times we do need it due to the lack of availability of books. Borrow from library or from your senior. This is the best way to reduce cost.  3.     Buy your study supplies in bulk. Split the bill among your hostel mates: Yes, choose products with minimal packaging. Buying in bulk helps. You can also...

Schools need to adopt a low waste system for their day to day activities for valid reasons; Of course!    Students need to practice waste management habits from a tender age.   The first step towards that would be to bring awareness among the student & other stakeholders. This awareness should not be limited to a page essay or a chart paper with pictures on it. Because after the end of an academic year, there are going to landfills anyway.  Rather what could be done is practical practice waste management practices in the school itself. This would keep students thinking & questioning. Finally, this curiosity would be the foundation of a large zero-waste practicing community. Not to forget, this would prevent a major chunk of waste dumping in landfills.   Here are 5 easy waste education ideas for schools.  1. Arrange a field trip to recycling units, composting units, sustainable business & landfills: Also Carry the waste collected from scho...

     Students are well aware of environmental hazards these days. Our education is limited to our examination. A lot of students are unaware of what to do & how to start. So,  Here's a guide for children to go low waste in school.     1.  STOP using use & throw pen. Recycle must be your go 2:  I cannot stress this enough, do not buy use & throw pens. As a student, it is difficult to afford eco-friendly pens. Then choose reusable pens. All you need to buy is refills. Another hack to reduce cost & packaging is to buy in bulk from wholesale markets. Choose products with minimal packaging. You should also choose products with packaging which can be repurposed. Do not forget to carry your bag.    2.  Invest in reusable water bottle & Tiffin box:  Say no to plastic. Refill your bottles whenever necessary. If your canteen serves food in plastic, bring in your tiffin box & request them to serve in it. Say n...

India has around 1.5 million schools. With so many schools, comes waste. Waste generation in any education institution specifically in schools can be divided into 8 categories namely paper, electronic, plastic, furniture, garden, textile, food, and other waste. Considering children spend a major chunk of their time in school, it can be a great platform to inculcate waste management education in them. No, I’m not talking about that one last 10 marks chapter in a science book called “solid waste management.” I literally mean waste management in practice. Some schools have gone zero waste, but practically every school can't be zero waste completely. So what could be done is to stop creating unnecessary waste. “Unnecessary” here means is to reduce those waste which could be either swap with an alternative or need not be produced at all. Waste generation starts at school. Our education system is not designed in a way to question every time a student generates waste.   There are a ...