E-newsletter 3

GREEN BRIGADE

·         Newsletter No. 3

What Samarthanam Trust does with the waste it collects

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled has been working since 1997 to empower visually impaired, disabled and underprivileged people. The Trust provides quality education, accommodation, nutritious food, vocational training, and placement-based rehabilitation to help them achieve personal independence. The Trust works towards creating an inclusive society which provides opportunities without any discrimination.

Samarthanam Parisara is a waste management programme that was initiated in 2003 by the Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled. It has emerged as a waste management partner for individuals, apartments, educational institutes and corporate houses in Bangalore.

The aims of Samarthanam Parisara are in line with those of leading recycle companies authorised by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. The Samarthanam Trust has also set up a paper recycling plant at Peenya Industrial Estate in Bangalore.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, or the Three R’s as they are known, is the mantra that Samarthanam Parisara is trying to popularize among big companies, residential units and financial institutions to make them aware of the huge benefits of donating their dry waste.

For the past few years now, Samarthanam Parisara has been collecting dry waste from many corporate houses and apartments, including Brigade Gardenia, and recycling it through safe, scientific and eco-friendly methods.

We at Brigade Gardenia have donated more than 2,500 kg of dry, segregated waste since November 2009.

Remember YOU are making these children smile when you donate your dry waste because the money earned goes directly towards helping visually impaired, disabled and underprivileged children being cared for by Samarthanam Trust. All the revenue earned through this effort is used for these children’s education, health and future. In the Samarthanam Parisara programme, around half the staff are disabled. So you are also contributing to their livelihood.

For more details, go to http://www.samarthanam.org/

Next Issue: What are the different categories of dry waste? What goes into each bin/bag?

·         FOR MORE DETAILS, CONTACT: 1. Geeta Suresh (Mobile-9845572363 , email id- sugelav@yahoo.com ) 2. Chandrika Prabhu (EXTN-6478, Mobile 98441-67998)

e-newsletter-2

Genesis of waste management in Brigade Gardenia

WHY IS WASTE MANAGEMENT IMPORTANT?

Scene 1: You cringe at the sight of garbage that has been dumped in the open, you hold your breath because the stench is unbearable, and you tread carefully around the mess to avoid being run over by passing vehicles.

Scene 2: You are in Kodaikanal and you’re transported to another world as you enjoy the scenic beauty of Coaker’s Walk. But, suddenly, you are jolted back to reality — right below the railing on which you’re leaning thinking pleasant thoughts is a heap of rotting garbage.

Scene 3: It’s the monsoon season and Bangalore is experiencing heavy rains in the evening. You are worried about your spouse and children being unable to get home. Why? As usual, the storm-water drains, choked by garbage, have overflowed and the roads and pavements have been submerged.

Haven't we all gone through this some time or the other?

THE IDEA OF SEGREGATION

Hence the idea of segregating, or separating, waste came up and started with about 20 families in Brigade Gardenia in November 2009.

Segregation of waste has to happen at “source” because once wet and dry wastes are mixed they cannot be recycled. (Only dry waste is being considered here because wet waste requires separate infrastructure for composting.) Since paper and plastic form the majority of waste we divide dry waste into three categories:  PAPER, PLASTIC, and METAL/OTHER/E-WASTE.

WHO CLEARS THE COLLECTED WASTE?

We got in touch with other apartment complexes in Bangalore that have waste management schemes in place and we then contacted an NGO, Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, which takes care of waste clearance under its Parisara (Environment) project.

Next Issue: What is Samarthanam Trust and what does it do with the waste?

• FOR MORE DETAILS, CONTACT: 1. TISHA BANERJEE (EXT- 6661, tbhaduri@hotmail.com)  2. VASANTI RAVI (EXT-6438, vasanti.ravi@gmail.com )