Reuse the Past, Recycle the Present, Save the Future
Waste management is today a critical issue including a number of procedures such as its collection, transport, and disposal in compliance with public health. Huge piles of garbage seen on the outskirts of Delhi NCR are unsightly and generally quite unpopular with the local populace. The decomposing organic waste not only alters the natural landscape, but it can also leave a bad odour in the air. Additionally, the cost of managing landfill sites is extremely high.
Most often we don’t even realise how much waste we produce on a daily basis and how it is managed once it leaves our home. But surprisingly, a few kids in our Utopia complex were quite aware of the menace we are creating by mixing all types of waste and not even bothered about the same. Online shopping of almost all kinds of stuff has added more to it.
In order to Promote Behaviour Change for Strengthening Waste Segregation at Source and reduce the amount of mixed waste going out of the complex, Hari Koshish in collaboration with a dry waste management enterprise launched a new campaign, ‘सृष्टिपदृष्टि’ at Eldeco Utopia in the month of March, 2023. It was focused on creating a door-to-door awareness about waste segregation within households. As a responsible member of the community, we believe it’s our responsibility to take care of the environment and promote sustainable practices.
Young children, ranging the age group 8–15 years, volunteered to spread awareness on the most critical issue today under the leadership of our young environmentalist Naman Sonpar, founder of ‘Hari Koshish’ – youth group aiming towards a brighter, better and a greener tomorrow. The members of the waste management company were a huge support to run the campaign successfully. The company is committed to responsible waste management and ensures that all the waste collected is recycled/upcycled/down cycled and nothing goes into landfill.
Most residents welcomed the idea and praised the efforts made by the kids, while few others were a bit apprehensive about it.The door-to-door awareness drive provided insights into the challenges being faced by the people in segregating the dry waste and then keeping it for a weekly disposal. About 50% households were touched in the first attempt. Our aim is to further extend our campaign across all the flats of Eldeco Utopia and take our model to all societies in Sector 93 and beyond.
We are extremely proud to share that in the past month we have had 158 scheduled pickups, collected over 510 kg of dry waste, averted 1725 kg of carbon dioxide and also saved over 742 litres of oil.
Dr Yogendra Saxena was present in a briefing session, when the kids went door-to-door creating awareness. Dr Saxena is an expert in Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility and former Group Chief Sustainability Officer in Tata Power.
The ‘Green Champions’ include: Vania Kapoor, Avika Daga, Paridhi Raheja, Drishika Raheja, Aahan Chaudhary, Aanya Chadhary, Adhrit Chaudhary, Myra Jain, Aarya Awasthi, Rudransh Awasthi, Amaya Raj Mehra, Aryav Chugh, Garv Chaturvedi, Manya Singhal and Vikramaditya Ghosh.
(Inputs by Naman Sonpar)
by Lata Agarwal (Eldeco Utopia, Sector 93A; 8527272266)
