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India's Invisible Heroes: Trailblazers of an Economic Boom
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It’s funny how we popularise our movie stars,” said Vinod Shetty, director of the Acorn Foundation, when we met in his crowded office in Mumbai. “There are so many other people we should popularise for the work that they do, but instead, they are invisible and expendable.”
This experienced advocate was referring to the work of the thousands of recyclers who reside in the city’s largest slum, Dharavi, and whose rights he spends much of his time promoting.
Although the BAFTA award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire did a lot to highlight the plight of Mumbai’s slum-dwellers, Shetty believes it overlooked a story of true heroism in this infamous quarter; one that forms part of the day-to-day reality for its residents, and for millions of others across India.
Sula's Green Fingers
Viticulture is growing at a rate of knots in India, and the country's largest winery is leading by environmental example
Nestling just 200km from the bustling metropolis of Mumbai lies Nasik, an area of natural beauty, rich spiritual heritage and home to one of India's newest and burgeoning industries: wine.
As you look towards the sweeping horizon, across undulating hills and sloping valleys, it is an increasingly familiar sight to see straight rows of leafy grape vines stretching far into the distance.
Sula, founded in 1999, now produces 20 different wine varieties from the region, including red, white, rosé and, most recently, port. Not only is it the largest winery in Nasik, but also, as of last year, the largest winery in India, distributing wine across the country and to a rapidly expanding international clientele.
Although only accounting for a small percentage of agriculture in India, the wine industry here is growing at a rate of 25-30 per cent a year (globally, grape-growing accounts for around 4.9 per cent of arable and permanent croplands).
Organic, biodynamic and 'sustainably produced' wines have been popping up with increasing frequency around the world. As a nascent Indian industry, can these principles be adopted early on?
Rajeev Samant, founder and CEO of Sula, believes so. 'Sustainability for its own sake is very desirable, and it has to be a part of the way we work as companies today,' he says. 'Even if it costs us a bit more it is totally worthwhile, in my opinion, if it results in our using fewer natural resources.
From Muck to Riches
"Do you have something to wrap around your face?” asked Vijendra Singh Shekawat, my host for the afternoon, as he waited beside a sleek black Enfield that shone in the glaring sunlight. Rajasthani summer was in full force and anyone would be wise to protect themselves against it.
We set off, weaving our way past buses, cars, rickshaws and camels, over flyovers and along muddy lanes towards the outskirts of the city of Jaipur. The air blew hot like a hair dryer and was filled with a fine dust, coating us with a gritty layer. Forty minutes later, we reached a small plot of land close to the airport. Through a small doorway was a private compound where Shekawat and his six-member family live in a two-room house. In their concrete yard, they have set up a factory to manufacture paper. But not just any paper -- paper made from elephant dung.
Vijendra Singh Shekawat (second from left) with his family
EcoFestival 2010
On Saturday I visited the EcoFestival 2010 at the American Center in New Delhi. The event was hosted by the KRITI Team, a Public Trust self-described as “a development, research, praxis and communication team” (for more details, see their website: http://krititeam.blogspot.com). I wanted to speak with the women from Jan Sandesh (http://www.jansandesh.org), who make a variety of products – notebooks, boxes, picture frames, journals, and more – out of recycled paper (newspaper, cardboard and such). Here is a sampling of photographs of those products:
Garbage Girl on a Clean-Up Mission
Crossposted from The Tribune
She is fondly called the “garbage girl” of Bhagsunag. Jodie Underhill, a resident of England, had come to Dharamsala as a tourist. However, today she is actively involved in saving the higher reaches of Himalayas from solid waste spread by trekkers that as earned her the name of ‘garbage girl’ of Bhasunag.
Every week she can be seen on the rocky 7-km-trek that runs from the grassy summit of Triund through the hills of the Dhauladhar range, with a group of volunteers and donkeys bringing back 35 sacks of trash.
The bags, displaying messages for proper disposal of solid waste, can be seen at every tea shop enroute Triund and near the resting places of tourists.
While talking to The Tribune, she said, “I am surprised how such huge quantity of broken glass reach the virgin heights of mountains. It seems that trekkers carry beer and whisky bottles and are dumping there.”
She has managed to raise a group of volunteers from among the local youth and visiting tourists who have been named as “Mountain Cleaners”.
Pakistan Sustainability Network Creates Jobs Through Waste Management
The Pakistan Sustainability Network (PSN) has just kick started the “Clean Pakistan Campaign” with the help of Waste Busters in Green town Lahore. Green town is considered to be one of the most polluted areas in the locality, thanks to the trash.
The idea is to clean it up through empowering the community as well as promoting youth entrepreneurship and leadership. In this case, locals will be employed to run the program, collect trash and sell it to Waste Busters (a recycling company). This will provide jobs and empower the community to take responsibility for their trash.
Concept: What is the Clean Pakistan Campaign all about?
Clean Pakistan will be spearheaded by Ecopreneurs after getting trained in their respective areas. An Ecopreneur will be the person who would invest in the capital cost of the project i.e. purchasing of a Suzuki Pick Up and allied collection equipment such as hand carts etc. Total investment envisaged is approximately Rs. 3,00,000 – Rs. 5,00,000 depending upon the type of vehicle and number of equipments required.
Waste Busters shall assist and guarantee for the Ecopreneur to get this amount as loan from a Micro Finance Bank.
Rainwater Harvesting Mandatory in Karnataka State, including Hotels
By Marianne de Nazareth
It's good to hear that Karnataka has made RWH mandatory in the state, but what's more interesting is that hotels have been made responsible for their waste water management as well. At last when the spectre of no fresh water looms high in Karnataka, the government has placed policies in place which will force the hands of the wasters.
People don't have water to drink and cars and gardens are watered with fresh water. That's a crime. We also have to educate our servants about conserving water, as they are the biggest offenders in the home.
They are unable to understand that yes, its bore-well water, but that's decades of saving by Mother Earth, that we are just wasting and once its over, then what?
Waste water is excellent for the garden. I saw the huge difference in using waste water and fresh water in The Serai's coffee estates. It's time we realised that and forced big MNC's to use that water for their massive, manicured lawns. Not fresh water which is the birth right of all.
Water to Earth Campaign Launched in Mumbai
“Each of you can be environmental soldiers, and together we can form a green army” said Vinod Shetty, Director of the Acorn Foundation, to a group of cheering children at the launch of the Water to Earth Campaign this Monday in Mumbai.
Organized by the Acorn Foundation and the American Centre at Mahim Nature Park, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation amongst students in Mumbai. It brought together children from the Kamraj and Sant Kakaya Muncipal Schools in Dharavi and RBK International School, Chembur.
To bring the message of water conservation and protection to life, singers Shankar Mahadevan and Suneeta Rao wowed the kids with water songs.
Mumbai, like many parts of India, has been facing acute water shortages in recent years; with last July’s shortages reported to be the worst since 1966. In fact, city residents were asked not to play Holi this March year in respect of the shortages.
Launching a Community of Care in Khan Market
After months spent discussing with restaurants, students, NGOs, and wastepickers who work in the high-profile Khan Market of Delhi, we are finally ready to launch a waste management and composting project to manage the more than 300 kilos produced each day by restaurants, florists, and other vendors in this marketplace! All compost generated will be sold directly to consumers and used to build community gardens in schools and parks and rooftop gardens in the market itself! It's a great chance to showcase the true potential of decentralized community waste management!
Jammu & Kashmir Solutions Fair!
The Kashmir valley, often referred to as Paradise on Earth, is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape; in recent years though, Kashmir has seen rapid environment degradation. These changes have taken place due to various reasons such as deforestation, melting glaciers, and the depletion of snow cover. This has lead to problems such as shrinking water supply, shrinking water bodies and wetlands, soil degradation, etc. Further, J&K also faces problems such as under utilization of funds, technology inadequacy, lack of education and awareness on environmental problems and lack of government support.