Namma Bengaluru leads the way when it comes to civic initiatives towards solving problems. You cannot see this level of awareness among citizens in any other city in India. This amazing city, which is a melting pot of activism and civic action, is constantly changing, with its proactive citizens bringing up various initiatives. This series will track such initiatives in Bengaluru, that arise hope and inspire people.
Featured below are some of the initiatives in Bengaluru that have showed the way in how waste can be managed better or made use in better way. They follow focussed, simple ways to make use of everything productively, and teach about how each one of us can contribute in managing the city’s waste better. Some are small, while some are big and provide good employment too.
Daily Dump
Started by Poonam Bir Kasturi, Daily Dump has various composting pots / products, meant for homes and apartments. The products are improved over time, depending upon feedback from the users. The website answers all queries that might bother the users. When she started home composting units, Poonam was alone in her fight for a cause, but today she has inspired many others and has a good company. The products help manage your waste in style.
A post of compost. Pic: Vani Murthy, Daily Dump
USP: Compost your kitchen waste
Website: Dailydump.org
Facebook group: Daily Dump
Organic Terrace Gardening
This is an amazing group of urban gardeners who grow vegetables on terrace and other urban spaces available. Every quarter these urban farmers meet in a get together called Oota from Your Thota, exchange knowledge, seeds and joy. Database of the farmers is maintained. Be it an unknown seedling coming up in your pot which you need to identify, or tips on how to handle pests, every help is available here from fellow gardeners. For these, vegetable gardening is a way to connect to nature and not waste anything, including their wet waste. Wet waste composting is a popular initiative here.
Purslane, Amaranthus grown in a terrace garden. Pic: Laxminarayan Srinivasaiah, Organic Terrace Farming
USP: Grow your own food!
Facebook page: OTG
Hasiru Dala
None of us likes to see people scavenging through waste to find valuables. But then, none of us know what can be done about it. The NGO Hasirudala has a unique way: Train them up, and provide them good working conditions, make them earn their living decently.
The NGO has successfully rehabilitated more than 5,000 ragpickers by training them and providing a dignified workspace. The rag pickers run Dry Waste Collection Centres in various places in BBMP limits. The autos that collect both wet and dry waste separately from houses sell the dry waste to Hasirudala DWCCs. Hasirudala staff also engages with apartment communities to manage their waste responsibly. The dry waste thus collected is further segregated by the staff and sent to recycling / reuse. Even the lowest quality plastic rejects go to tar mix used for asphalting. This way very little waste goes to landfill.
Pourakarmikas emptying dry waste into big jumbo bags. Pic: Hasirudala
USP: Empowering waste pickers and running dry waste collection centres through them
Website: hasirudala.in
Facebook page: Hasirudala
Saahas Zero Waste
Born as a non-profit organization in 2001, Saahas is now a registered private limited company providing professional, scientific, waste management services to apartments, companies, communities, industries and schools. Saahas too makes use of the informal sector in managing the waste.
Saahas waste collection centre at the NDTV Greenathon at Cubbon Park. Pic: Saahas .org
USP: Give your waste to us, we will take care
Website: saahas.org
Facebook page: Saahas
EarthaShastra
With the slogan ‘STOP ANARTH.. HEAL MOTHER EARTH!’, the team Earthashastra has begun its work, slowly connecting to communities in various parts of Bangalore. It aims to work for a greener, cleaner and healthier environment, and “to work towards maintaining the balance of ecosystem.”
This enthusiastic bunch of working professionals are exploring various disposal options for various types of waste, and wants to promote them in all areas. Waste crafts to community composting units to sanitary waste disposal, they want to advocate best practices to all. The volunteers spend their time in weekends reaching out to various communities.
A simple, create way to reuse water bottles. Pic: EarthShastra
USP: Waste nothing!
Facebook page: EarthaShastra
Stitched to Save Nine
A stitch in time saves nine – an old adage everybody has heard of. But who wants to keep old clothes? 
Most of us throw them away. But this community gives new lease of life to them by re-designing and stitching them to form various utility items like handbags, gloves, backpacks. This initiative is nearing the milestone of 1000 upcycled grocery bags in circulation, that have decreased the use of polythene bags to that extent. A small, but neat way of helping reuse clothes and reducing carbon footprint!
Bags of good cheer. Pic: Stitched2Save9
Facebook page: Stitched2save9
What do you think? Comment below the post. Share details of similar groups or if you know about more such initiatives.
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