If you are an environmentally conscious person, yearning to give back to Nature and the planet that sustains us, here is an opportunity in Chennai for you to know more and actually move towards translating your plans to action: the Reciprocity fest scheduled for the coming weekend (February 10-11th).
Reciprocity concerns holistic sustainability, thus indicating that everyone is an affected stakeholder. Considering the steady rise in the mounds of waste in the city, the Reciprocity fest reiterates the need for citizens to join hands and do something to reduce and recycle waste. Seminars and discussions would be held on the ways of sustainable living, including use of khamba pots and recycling electronic waste.
Last year, the festival had organised a unique initiative whereby residents could exchange plastic covers with a cloth bag. Recollecting the impact, Rasika Ramesh, programme catalyst of the Reciprocity Foundation, said, “The 300 kilos of plastic collected through the festival was handed over to Adyar zonal officials who recycled it and used for road construction.”
Sheila Sri Prakash, a renowned architect and founder of the Reciprocity Foundation, which is spearheading the fest said, “Reciprocity Foundation raises awareness, engages minds, builds networks, shares successes and motivates action to build sustainable cities. Reciprocity Fest celebrates sustainability through music, art, workshops, ‘green’ products and practices for refined living and high thinking.”
Also, a member of the Natural Resources and Environmental Security Group, Sheela is a strong believer in citizen participation as an agent of transformation.
The fest will put strong emphasis on sensitizing children, who are the future saviors of planet earth. “Since sustainability is not just about the environment, but also about leading a healthy and quality lifestyle, we are introducing a slew of events for children,” said Rasika.
An application based game called Fooya, developed by an US-based company, helps children develop healthy habits, besides working on their behaviour. An experiential workshop to reduce, reuse and recycle waste would be conducted through puppetry and stories to the children.
In yet another initiative, the Foundation is collaborating with domestic and international organizations including the Confederation of Indian Industries – Young Indian Group to recycle electronic waste.
When is it happening?
February 10 and 11, 2018
Who can attend?
Entry is free. Anyone who is concerned about the environment and believes in sustainability can participate.
What is the goal?
To spread the message of reciprocity through engagement and networking, leading to participation and collaboration, in order to re-establish balance on planet earth.
Why is it important?
Chennai, like any other metropolis, is struggling to find a comprehensive solution for waste management. By roping in citizens in the practice, a significant impact may be witnessed.
Details and venues of the programmes can be checked here.