Written by Anna da Costa / 27 August 2010 /

“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.

Written by Anna da Costa / 26 August 2010 /

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.

Written by Anna da Costa / 13 June 2010 /

 "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

Written by Anna da Costa / 24 March 2010 /

“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.

Written by Anna da Costa / 24 February 2010 /

Do you know a solution to provide energy to India's poor?

Do you want to get a reward of USD 3,000?

Most of India's population has no access to affordable, let alone clean energy. Help us find in India and around the world proven, for-profit solutions that can meet some of the critical energy needs of India's poor. ennovent will invest up to USD 500,000 in the Solver to incubate or scale the winning enterprise in India and give a reward of USD 3,000 to the Connector.

ennovent invites you to participate in the Challenge by submitting Solutions and nominate Solvers online at http://www.ennovent.com
Deadline is March 31, 2010.

Written by Anna da Costa / 18 October 2009 /

Wild typhoons have raged, both literally and metaphorically across the world over the last few weeks. Not only have we seen flooding in Southern India and heavy storms in the Philippines, we have witnessed deep thunder cracks and sharp lightning bolts shock through the international climate talks as North met South, as expectation met reality, as hope met fear, and as a yawning gulf re-emerged between the global leaders negotiating our future in Bangkok.

Written by Anna da Costa / 23 September 2009 /

Yesterday evening was momentous. A day after the Global Campaign on Climate Change saw people take to the streets around the world and climate week was launched in New York, the Age of Stupid had its' global premiere.

India joined the army of 63 nations showing this groundbreaking film to more than 10,00,000 people - over two days. It shook us in our seats, waking us up to the imminent threat that climate change is already and reminding us that we still have the chance to salvage our common future.

The film tracks back from 2050, where a lone grandchild-less father sits in a deadened archive of world relics, elephants and antelopes in brine, and surrounded by all the data that ever existed saved on wind-power driven servers in a grey and dreary archive towering like a great iron mushroom above the sea. Climate change has escalated and humanity did nothing to prevent it. And there he sits, asking the question, how did we let this happen?

Written by Anna da Costa / 17 September 2009 /

Techfest is the annual Science and Technology Festival of IIT Mumbai. Each year, close to 60,000 young innovators and entrepreneurs participate from 1800 colleges across India. 

This year, they have launched a competition, Energize, which welcomes implementable clean energy solutions for India and beyond.

To meet India's challenges of energy security, rising emissions and a staggering 52,00,00,000 people still without access to electricity, innovate and make your submissions for a 1 lakh prize.

Written by Anna da Costa / 21 July 2009 /

Dance for the Planet?? That sounds familiar! 

Having spent the first five weeks of this year dancing from Chennai to Delhi to the solar beats of a New York band as we celebrated, created and communicated India's Climate Solutions, I was delighted to hear about an upcoming event in London aimed at raising money for a tree planting and livelihood generation project in India.

Written by Anna da Costa / 14 July 2009 /

Water and energy are increasingly scarce and valuable commodities around the world – whether we realise it yet or not.