The story of garbage is being written in every home and every street corner. An everyday drama where everyone is an actor! If you take any other issue, say corruption, one may flick it away with a ‘No! I have never
taken or given a bribe. Not my concern’. But is there anyone who can say I
produce no garbage at all? Maybe because everyone is responsible,
we tend to think that someone else will do something about it!
When you exert even the slightest of mental effort, you’ll find that
this isn’t some kind of rocket science. There’s a simple solution as has been
demonstrated so many times - Segregate, Recycle, Compost. I even heard a
development scientist remark that all the research that needs to be done on
solid waste management has already been done. So, why then are our streets
still in this state? Why hasn’t all that research translated into action and
results for the common man? With all these thoughts bubbling within me, I
decided that instead of just cribbing, I should actually do something
about it. Living in a block of apartments, I wanted to talk about this to the
residents. I wanted to at least find out what people thought about this, if at
all they thought. Some insights gleaned were the issue of time. When there’s so
much to juggle - work, family, children’s education, where is the time to think
about this? Some were so busy that they shut the door in my face as if I were
just another annoying salesman. Some people did welcome me, but they too filled
me with their tales of cynicism and everything else that was wrong in the
place. Many also said yes and they would be willing to work on this. But still,
there is a stepping back, a lack of drive when it asks for more than just words.
While the challenges of confronting minds are many, it’s heartening
to observe that the floods have lit a flame of passion in people. Many have
this burning intensity to do something about this. Maybe because they worked
from their hearts selflessly during the floods for strangers or maybe having
analyzed in their minds that the destruction caused by the floods was because
of human action, they want to change this. I find there are many who want this
but they know not how. At the same time, inertia and the comfort of not doing
anything is pulling them back. It would take a lot of confident and strong
hands to get them to the fighting side.
Many such hands have been and are at work at attacking this problem
from angles many. Here are a few that I learnt of...
In the Past…
How can we forget the fervor initiated by street welfare
associations of the 90s? Starting in 1989, the organization branched all over
the city with the goal of making it green and clean. But why has their presence
diminished? Even on their website, there’s hardly any activity since 2013. Have
we changed as a city? Have they not been able to keep up with the dynamics of
this internet driven world? Any organization working on this problem now needs
to look at where this organization went and what they learnt, to continue to
make a difference.
This was an action research organization, which conducted and
produced a lot of meaningful results for Chennai. Their research, maps and
articles on solid waste management contain a wealth of on-the-ground data and
strategy for tackling this issue. They have closed operations as of 2014 but some of
the team members are continuing their work through the Citizen Consumer andCivic Action Group.
At the moment…
A social enterprise that focuses on the ‘Recycle’ segment of this
cycle and attempts to connect the customers to the nearest recycler. Their
aesthetically well done website exudes the freshness of youth and the promise
of hope. Their upcykle store is yet to open but it seems the right fit for our
artists aspiring to elevate things from the domain of dirt to the realm of art.
Especially impressive is their research and mapping abilities which holds the
promise of extending it not just to recyclers but also to all other
stakeholders involved.
An initiative started by The Hindu, which aims to bring out the
various infrastructure problems in the city. As of now, there are more than 500 stories
and 1950 activists listed on the site. This forum needs to be appreciated for giving
a space for citizens to tell the world what's wrong around them. I only fear
that people may become satisfied with simply ranting and not bothering about
taking constructive action. While that could happen, this also holds the promise of ensuring accountability if ways are found to expand beyond
reporting towards action.
Whenever I talk to people working on this area, this name keeps
popping up. I have come to learn that they are a group of activists working on
various environmental issues towards inspiring citizens to act for their
environment.
Ask the Neighbors…
Siru thuli (a little drop) is an environmental NGO from Kovai, which
works towards changing Garbage to Green and is helping communities to close in
on the gap to zero waste.
Daily dump is a start-up in Bangalore that focuses on the ‘Compost’
segment of this cycle. They produce composters for various needs as well as
offer services to install the same in households and apartment complexes. They
have outlets and franchises in Chennai. The Dailydump site and Youtube channel
have many videos and links that makes you say, ‘Oh, that seems so easy!’
Sowing seeds of awareness…
Chennai Trekking Club
A group that is well known for its annual Chennai coastal cleanup initiatives.
A group that is well known for its annual Chennai coastal cleanup initiatives.
Environmental Foundation of India
They focus on reclaiming the rivers and lakes, among other awareness programmes.
They focus on reclaiming the rivers and lakes, among other awareness programmes.
The Ugly Indian
A quirky initiative which believes in doing and showing by example. Cleaning a street, changing the look of a place, literally illustrating that change is possible.
A quirky initiative which believes in doing and showing by example. Cleaning a street, changing the look of a place, literally illustrating that change is possible.
In addition, there are pockets of neighborhood activists who have
been or are attempting to implement effective waste management even as I write
this. An MRC Nagar community, CleanKotturpuram Campaign, Shanti Ulhas from
Mahalingapuram are some names I have come across, who make hope burn brighter.
No doubt there are many more doing this silently in their homes and apartment
complexes. A salute to each and every one of them! You may climb the Everest,
you may even fly to Mars but the ultimate challenge lies in changing people’s
minds. These organizations and communities need something to feed their
passion. What will we give them? Our time? Our money? Our minds? Our efforts? A
question each one must ask of oneself, if we want to move to a different
tomorrow.
Of our future…
Although the trajectory of today isn't exactly heading to a clean and green future, can we try to reimagine a different tomorrow? Isn't it still possible to conceive of a day when...
As you fly into the city, green smiles at you from every
rooftop;
Laughing children fill the groves of what were once the landfills in
Perungudi and Kodungaiyur;
IT employees turn farmers too, all in a day’s work.
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