reuse

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…

Spearheading the World Environment Day (June 5th) celebrations, by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board is the Recyclathon Awards, an initiative aimed to award communities practicing sustainable waste management.  Conceived and conceptualised by Jain Group of Institution’s Radio Active CR 90.4 MHz, a community radio station, this program is conducted by the Solid Waste Management Roundtable (SWMRT). Award categories Citizens of Bengaluru are encouraged to take part by applying for the awards. Awards will give given in the following categories:  Outstanding College /University Recycling Program Outstanding Community Recycling Program - RWA Outstanding Community Recycling Program - Apartments [Categories: Less than…

Repair Café is organising its 5th workshop on March 19th 2016. It is being hosted by The Green Path situated at Seshadripuram, from 11.30 am to 4 pm. Apart from repairing and upcycling, other highlights of the workshop include Talk show on Water Conservation by Aditi Hastak from Biome Workshop on basics of Kitchen Gardening Screening of a documentary film, Economics Of Happiness So what is Repair Café?  Repair Café is a community gathering where repairers, volunteers, visitors come together for the purpose of repairing household articles. A repair man busy at work. Pic: Purna Sarkar Since our first Repair…

Bangles made out of leftover woollen threads and plastic flowers. Earrings made from old silk sarees and paper chips. Cute Indian breed puppies for adoption. Stalls full of second-hand clothes, bags and shoes for reusing. The West calls it the yard sale, we call it - ‘Reuse and Recycle mela’!After a successful fourth edition of the flea market, the fifth edition turned out to be even better. AICOBOO Grounds in BTM 1st Stage saw large participation from the buyers as well as the sellers. Around 50 sellers participated while the mela saw over 700 visitors during the day.  Upcycled wine…

Most of us dutifully place the garbage bag outside the front door every morning or night and rush back in to line the dustbin with a fresh plastic bag. With this, we think we have done our job with waste disposal and the rest is a headache better dealt by the local municipality. Later in the day, when we see overflowing bins, garbage strewn all over the roads and pavements, we criticise the corrupt bureaucracy without losing an instant. It doesn’t even cross our minds that we too are to be blamed for the sordid state of affairs. Digest this:…

We often have things we do not require and look for someone to give it away. Some of us donate clothes to  domestic help or charity groups.But when it comes to things like books, an exercycle, a tabla or tailoring machine,  one cannot throw it on to a garbage truck or sell it to the raddiwala. Gayathri works part time as an auto driver to take care of her family and at the same time continue her education. She was able to get books for her course through the Bangalore Reuse group. Pic: Poornima Dasharathi This is where a networking…