Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative

Monsoon brings much relief from increasingly unbearable summer heat, but it also brings along a lot of challenges for handling of waste. Especially in urban areas, where littering and the sheer volume of waste generated is a big challenge for waste warriors. The littered waste, if not picked up, gets carried away by rainwater into drains and low-lying areas causing blockages. Wet waste poses a serious problem as it decomposes faster leading to foul smell and mosquito breeding along with the clogged water. Plastic waste adds to the clogging and stagnation.  Flood water spreading across roads and neighborhoods is now becoming a common sight in urban cities across the world.  What can we do about it? 1.       Segregate Waste - While municipalities have a major role to play in waste handling, it is the individuals who can make a real difference. Waste segregation can solve majority of problems not just in the rainy season but all round t...

किफायतशीर,वजनाने कमी,टिकाऊ आणि वापरण्यास सोपे या सर्व गोष्टींमुळे  प्लास्टिक   हा आपल्या आयुष्यातील अविभाज्य भाग बनला आहे. मात्र  प्लास्टिक चा वापर जेव्हा चुकीच्या पध्दतीने केला जातो किंवा निष्काळजीपणाने त्याची विल्हेवाट लावली जाते,तेव्हा त्याचा नैसर्गिक परिसंस्था,वन्यजीव,समुद्र आणि अगदी मानवी आरोग्यावर गंभीर परिणाम होऊ शकतात. जागतिक पर्यावरण दिवस हा दरवर्षी 5 जून रोजी साजरा केला जातो आणि या दिनानिमित्त चांगल्या भविष्यासाठी शाश्वत पध्दतींचा अवलंब याच्या महत्त्वाबाबत जागरूकता निर्माण केली जाते.यावर्षीची संकल्पना एंडिंग  प्लास्टिक  पोल्युशन म्हणजे  प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण थांबवूया ही आहे. युनायटेड नेशन्स एनव्हायरमेंट प्रोग्राम (युएनईपी) च्या अंदाजानुसार दरवर्षी 19 ते 23 दशलक्ष टन प्लॅस्टिक कचरा हा नद्या,तलाव,समुद्र अशा जलीय परिसंस्थांमध्ये जातो. प्लास्टिक बाबतची मुख्य समस्या ही आहे की,इतर नैसर्गिक पदार्थांप्रमाणे ते जैविकरित्या विघटित होत नाही.त्याऐवजी सूक्ष्म  प्लास्टिक  घटकांमध्ये (मायक्रोप्लॅस्टिक) तुकडे पडतात आणि शेकडो वर्षे वातावरणात ट...

Our Oceans: Our Responsibility June 8th—World Ocean Day—is more than a day on the calendar. It's a time for reflection, a time for awareness, and most of all, a time for action. Our oceans cover over 70% of the planet's surface, support 80% of all life on Earth, and create over half the oxygen we breathe. They help regulate the climate, support billions of humans with livelihoods and food, and yield unparalleled beauty and biodiversity. And yet, the oceans are in crisis. The Current Reality: A Deepening Crisis Our oceans today suffer from alarming levels of pollution, overuse, and abandonment. Millions of tons of plastic trash are carried into rivers and oceans each year. Plastic bags and bottles to microbeads and fishing nets, this waste kills marine life throughout all levels of the food chain. Sea turtles confuse bags with jellyfish. Birds and fish eat plastic bits. Coral reefs are damaged by chemical runoffs. Worst of all, industrial effluent, raw sewage, agricultura...

Plastic has become an integral part of our daily lives due to its low cost, lightweight nature, durability, and convenience. However, when misused or disposed of carelessly, it poses a serious threat to ecosystems, wildlife, marine environments, and even human health. The World Environment Day is celebrated every year on 5 June and highlights the importance of adopting sustainable practices for a better future. The theme this year is ‘ Ending Plastic Pollution’ According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), an estimated 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems—rivers, lakes, and oceans—every year (UNEP). The core issue with plastic is that, unlike organic materials, it doesn’t biodegrade. Instead, it breaks down into microplastics that linger in the environment for hundreds of years. Single-use plastics—such as straws, bags, and food packaging—are particularly problematic. Used for only a few minutes, they persist in nature for cent...

APCCI had an opportunity to host three changemakers- Prof. Jayant Mahajan, Pradeep Kumar, and Priya Kumari who told about their remarkable journeys and the road ahead at the ‘Clean City Talks’. The  session was seventh in the series organised by Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative (APCCI). which aims to explore different aspects of leadership and what we all can learn to make our city better and more liveable. Mr.Krishnan Komandur, CEO APCCI, Mr. Malhar Karwande, COO APCCI, Mr. Aashish Marathe General Manager, APCCI and Mr.Sathya Natarajan, Lead Volunteer APCCI were present on the occasion.   Prof. Jayant Mahajan, a management professor, is currently on sabbatical and cycling across India’s borders and remote regions to raise awareness about environmental sustainability. Meanwhile, Pradeep Kumar and Priya Kumari are scaling mountains to advocate for reducing  plastic waste and improving menstrual hygiene. All three are part of Change before Climate Change...