“Zero emissions, zero garbage, zero carbon footprints: That ought to be our goal for India 2020.”
How many times has the neighbourhood dump yard disgusted you? How often have we crossed enormous heaps of litter? Truth is India is generating a lot of waste, enough to cripple the disposal system. The tons of garbage generated is enough to overwhelm the existing system right at the collecting areas which have become permanent pockets of dirt, stink and a host to disease carrying organisms.
Statistics place India as the 5th most waste generating nation of the world. And for a country that is yet to be wholly urbanised, that’s no good news. The waste from our homes and businesses has already created huge mountains of garbage on the outskirts of every city of the nation. The situation seems grim, worsening everyday as the monstrous mountains grow higher and higher. The scenario darkens when we take into consideration the industrial wastes, toxic chemicals, poisonous fumes and dumps of factories.
So is there a solution to any of this?
With the amount of waste rising every single day, Is there nothing to do about the rising hazard?
How is the world preparing to handle the enormous wastes being generated with the rise of consumerism?
Traditionally there are many simple tools that can equip us to handle this situation. The first concept is to eliminate waste as close to its points of creation as possible. When waste as we call it is collected from its source and carried away in truckloads, it is an attempt to cover up. Instead of tackling the problem at its roots & origin what we tend to do is ignore it and drive it out of sight. This has lead to dumping yards & landfills which only worsen the situation. The best way to utilize waste is to tackle it right where it originates, to decentralize the disposal system.
The second basic ideology is the 3R: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. This stands true for nearly all environmental issues. While reducing the usage in this age of consumerism remains a dream, reuse and recycle methodologies are quite simple to put into place. Sustainable solutions like composting, preparation of bio-gas, rain water harvesting etc have been in practice, but in isolation. Hence they have not optimally been yielding results, for greater successes these methods have to be adopted by larger parts of the population.
Technology further enhances these age old principles. Hi-end technologically powered solutions are now designed not only to eliminate waste but also to turn it into a useful resource. There are examples across the globe of homes that use their own waste to produce power and run their lights, of societies that have lush green parks watered round the year through effective water management systems.
Technology based on simple principles of Zero Waste, give a high returns on investment. Such a set up is affordable, can be easily accessed and monitored. These systems provide a sustainable, long term solution to environmental hazards. All that’s awaited is the rise of the collective conscience, awareness and the will to fast pace India on a journey to Zero- waste.
While the concepts of zero waste is a huge fad in parts of the world and nations have begun reutilizing upto 70 percent of their waste, India has yet a long way to go. Lets begin today, Lets begin right away: Get in touch to know more and take your journey to zero carbon footprints!
