Articles by Grace Madigan

Bengaluru's waste problem is worsening by the day. According the to city's draft Master Plan (RMP 2031), over 10,500 tonnes of waste will be generated everyday within BBMP limits, by 2031. But each of us can easily reduce waste if we purchase consciously. This was the concept behind a flea market organised by the volunteer group Second to None, in collaboration with Citizen Matters, last Saturday. Second to None is an online community that helps connect citizens across Bengaluru to buy and sell used, recycled and upcycled products. They also organise flea markets where you can buy these products in…

One of the things I had thought about before coming to Bengaluru was how I’d be seen as a Chinese American woman. The blogs I had read—mainly by white travelers—described the awkward staring that they experienced. Just a couple months before coming to India I visited a friend living abroad in Ireland. I stayed in a small sea-side town with her and her roommates who were all Irish. While her fair skin that I always teased her for and red hair made her blend in seamlessly, my black hair and tan skin stuck out like a sore thumb.  Being from…

Everyone has a role to play in reducing the amount of waste Bengaluru generates. But when bigger entities like businesses commit themselves to the cause, the impact may be greater. Take Bengaluru’s teenage-led initiative to reduce water use in restaurants. Garvita Gulhati, a 19-year-old student, had started the 'Why Waste?' campaign in July 2015, calling on restaurants to only half-fill water glasses and to ask customers if they needed water at all. The campaign has reached out to over one lakh restaurants by partnering with organisations like the National Restaurant Association of India. 'Why Waste?' estimates they've saved two lakh…

Bengaluru has found a love for microbreweries that brew their own beer on small scales, thanks to the influx of well-traveled young tech workers. Known as the pub capital of India, the city now has an estimated 60-plus micro breweries. What you may not know, is the amount of water needed to brew a pint of beer in these craft breweries. On average, it takes seven litres of water to brew a litre of beer. That number becomes many times higher when you factor in the entire water footprint of beer, including water required to grow the grain and water…

Dirt covered cricket fields sprinkle Bengaluru. The sign of any football field—goal posts or otherwise are nary in sight. The lack of grass fields means footballers can get their fix by booking turf fields that have been planted in the midst of the busy city. Netting surrounds all sides of the field as cars, scooters, and autos zoom past the outdoor arena. The lights only went out twice during our field time and by the end of the two hours, I felt like I had found a bit of home amongst the craziness of India.  Since coming to the city…

I should have known better. After exchanging $70 I had in cash that I had received as a graduation gift less than a week ago, I handed over half of that to a man to help me get to my hotel from the airport. Unbeknownst to me, I had paid about four times as much as I should’ve for that car ride. But I was too distracted by the constant honking and what felt like at the time, one near-death traffic manoeuver right after another.  My plane dropped me in Bengaluru around midnight, Friday—I had started my journey from Seattle,…