Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative

नवीन वर्ष म्हणजे नवीन सुरूवात,नव्या आशा आणि नव्याने चांगले काहीतरी करण्याचा संकल्प घेऊन येते. स्वच्छ आणि आरोग्यदायी शहर घडवण्याची हीच एक प्रभावी संधी असून याची सुरूवात आपल्या घरापासूनच करता येऊ शकते. कचरा व्यवस्थापनाच्या सवयींमध्ये साधे,छोटे पण सातत्यपूर्ण बदल केल्यास प्रत्येक कुटुंब हरित आणि स्वच्छ भविष्यात योगदान देऊ शकते. काही सोपे उपाय देखील शहर स्वच्छ ठेवण्यात महत्त्वाची भूमिका बजावू शकतात. कचऱ्याचे वर्गीकरण करून सुरूवात करा : योग्य कचरा व्यवस्थापनासाठी कचऱ्याचे अचूक वर्गीकरण करणे गरजेचे असते. घरात कचरा जमा करण्यासाठी दोन किंवा तीन पेट्या ठेवा - एक ओला कचरा म्हणजे अन्नाचे उरलेले पदार्थ यासाठी,दुसरी पेटी कागद,प्लास्टिक,धातू व काच अशा प्रकारच्या सुका कचऱ्यासाठी आणि तिसरी पेटी बॅटरी व ई-कचरा यांसारख्या घातक वस्तूंसाठी वापरावी. यामुळे पुनर्वापर सुलभ होऊन कचरा वर्गीकरणावरील ताण कमी होतो. पुनर्वापरापूर्वी कचरा कमी करा : जास्त पुनर्वापर करण्यापेक्षा कमी कचरा निर्माण करणे अधिक चांगले आहे. पुनर्वापर करता येणाऱ्या पिशव्या व पाण्याच्या बाटल्यांचा वापर करा. एकदाच वापरल्या जाणाऱ्या प्लास्टिक...

आजच्या झपाट्याने बदलणाऱ्या जगात फॅशनचे नवनवीन ट्रेंड पाहता लोकांची नवी उत्पादने,नवे फॅशनचे कपडे,वस्तू घेण्याकडे व अद्ययावत राहण्याकडे कल दिसून येतो. परंतु आपण क्वचितच हे लक्षात घेतो की, जुन्या वस्तू टाकून देण्याची गरज नसते. या वस्तू पुन्हा दुरूस्त,पुनर्निमित किंवा पुनर्वापर करून आपण स्वत:साठी उपयोगात आणू शकतो किंवा त्याचे दान करून इतरांना त्याचा फायदा होऊ शकतो. हीच संकल्पना जागतिक स्वच्छता दिन 2025 (20 सप्टेंबर) चा मुख्य गाभा आहे.  यावर्षीची संकल्पना टॅकलिंग टेक्स्टाईल ॲन्ड फॅशन वेस्ट थ्रू सर्क्युलर फॅशन ही आहे. ही संकल्पना फॅशन उद्योगातून निर्माण होणाऱ्या कापड कचऱ्याच्या समस्येकडे लक्ष केंद्रित करते. या संकल्पनेतून नवीन कपडे घेताना शाश्वतेचा विचार करणे, पुनर्वापर करणे आणि स्वच्छ,अधिक शाश्वतशहरी वातावरण निर्माण करणाऱ्या शाश्वत पध्दतींना प्रोत्साहन देण्यावर भर देण्यात आला आहे. शाश्वततेचा विचार न केल्यास न वापरलेल्या कपड्यांचा कचऱ्याचा ढीग तयार होऊ शकतो आणि हेच आजकाल दिसून येत आहे,ही चिंतेची बाब आहे.जगात दरवर्षी सुमारे 92 दशलक्ष टन कचरा कपड्यांमुळे निर्माण होतो.साल 2000...

T heme: Repair, Repurpose, or Recycle Trends change fast, and many of us rush to buy new clothes or products. But old items don’t always have to be thrown away. They can be fixed, reused, or recycled so they keep serving us—or help someone else. This is the message of  World Cleanup Day 2025 (20 September) , which highlights the need to  cut down textile and fashion waste  through what’s called  circular fashion —a system where clothes are reused instead of ending up in landfills. Some interesting facts & figs. The world creates  about 92 million tonnes of textile waste every year . From 2000 to 2015, clothing production  doubled , but the average life of clothes  fell by 36% . Textiles and clothing now make up  11% of plastic waste , yet in 2023 only  8% of textile fibres were recycled .  (Source: UNEP) How can we contribute to the circular fashion Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:  Follow the 3R rule. Think before you throw:  Ol...

 As we usher in the new year, it’s an ideal moment to reassess our daily habits and embrace practices that benefit not only ourselves but also our planet. Earth is at a critical tipping point, where environmental challenges demand immediate attention and action. Adopting meaningful New Year’s resolutions can set the tone for impactful change. One resolution with far-reaching benefits is committing to keeping our city clean—a cleaner environment fosters community pride and improves quality of life for all. The Importance of Waste Segregation Proper waste segregation is a cornerstone of effective waste management. By separating waste into biodegradable, recyclable, and non-recyclable categories, we can achieve the following: 1.     Reduce Landfill Waste:  Only non-recyclable items are sent to landfills, decreasing the strain on these sites. 2.     Facilitate Recycling:  Segregated waste simplifies the recovery of materials, reducing ...

Marathons are becoming an integral part of Pune's fitness culture. Some participate to clock records while many stand ready at the starting point for fitness. The fact is that these events are getting a huge response with tens of thousands participating in each event. The participation that is being seen is upwards of few hundreds to thousands or more for larger marathons. To add to it Pune and surrounding areas offers a beautiful topography from city roads to hills and lake sides. It is a beautiful mix for events like marathon which traverse long distances.  From running groups to corporates, hospitals and other institutions everyone is promoting some social cause along with fitness through these marathons, cyclothons and walkathons. This is great and must only get better from here !  But with this comes one more challenge and that is of waste management . At a time when the climate crisis is a reality and waste management is becoming an important factor for sustainabilit...

  प्लास्टिक हे आपल्या दैनंदिन आयुष्यातील एक भाग झाला असताना,पर्यावरणाला हानी होऊ नये हा दृष्टीने आपण सजग ग्राहक व वापरकर्ते होणे आवश्यक आहे,असे मत रिचरखाच्या संस्थपिका अमिता देशपांडे यांनी व्यक्त केले. अदर पूनावाला क्लीन सिटी इनिशिएटिव्ह  (एपीसीसीआय) तर्फे शाश्वततेचे विविध पैलू जाणून घेण्यासाठी सुरू केलेल्या क्लीन सिटी टॉक्सच्या चौथ्या सत्रात त्या बोलत होत्या. याप्रसंगी एपीसीसीआयचे मुख्य कार्यकारी अधिकारी कृष्णन कोमांडूर, मुख्य कामकाज अधिकारी मल्हार करवंदे, लीड  व्हॉलेंटिअर सत्या नटराजन यांसह एपीसीसीआयची ऑपरेशन्स टीम आणि स्वयंसेवक उपस्थित होते.स्वच्छता उपक्रमात सातत्याने सहभागी होऊन योगदान देणाऱ्या भूमी या स्वयंसेवी संस्थेच्या सदस्यांचा याप्रसंगी सत्कार करण्यात आला. व्यवसायाने आयटी अभियंता असलेल्या अमिता देशपांडे यांनी अमेरिकेतील आपले करिअर सोडून भारतात परतल्या. प्लास्टिक कचऱ्याचे धाग्यात रूपांतर करून पिशव्या,बॅग्स,बास्केटस,मॅटस, घराच्या सजावटीसाठी लागणाऱ्या वस्तू अशी अनेक सुंदर उत्पादने तयार करण्याचे त्यांनी त्यांचे ध्येय साध्य केले.या उपक्रमाला लोकांकडून च...

In today's world where plastic has become an integral part of daily lives, it is important that we become conscious consumers and use it in a way that does not cause any harm to the environment. Ms. Amita Deshpande, Founder reCharkha was interacting as a part of ' Clean City Talks ' by Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative( APCCI) . The session was fourth in the series 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. Sathya Natarajan, Lead Volunteer, APCCI along with the operations team of APCCI and volunteers were present on the occasion.Members of Bhumi NGO were felicitated at the hands of dignitaries for their active participation in cleanliness activities . An IT Engineer by profession, Ms.Amita Deshpande left her lucrative career in the US to come back to India. Her mission of upcycling plastic waste into yarn a...

In an era where everybody is discussing about nature conservation and environmental sustainability, it has become even more important to understand the importance of waste management and cleanliness. For a healthier and sustainable planet, time has come to develop strategies for shaping a healthier planet. Every year 28 th  July is observed as ‘World Nature Conservation Day’ and gives us an opportunity to highlight the importance of responsible waste management practices and supporting conservation efforts and understanding the synergy and intersection of these two subjects for laying down future paths. Effective waste management reduces the adverse effects of waste on human health and the environment. It helps conserve resources, save energy and provide economic benefits by creating jobs in waste management, recycling and other sectors. Nature conservation involves the protection, preservation, and restoration of natural environments and biodiversity. These two aspe...

Often, we observe people grappling with the dilemma of how to dispose of waste generated during household activities or ongoing projects. Similarly, there seems to be a general lack of awareness regarding the appropriate handling of garden waste, such as fallen leaves accumulating in or around garden premises. Consequently, many resort to burning such waste. The act of burning waste has emerged as a significant issue, particularly in urban areas. Faced with the staggering daily influx of waste and a dearth of knowledge regarding proper disposal methods, individuals often opt for the quickest solution: incineration. However, amidst a global climate crisis, one of the simplest yet most impactful steps individuals can take to aid the environment is the proper management of waste. Segregating waste into its various categories—wet, dry, or otherwise—facilitates its processing and recycling, thereby transforming it into reusable materials. However, this necessitates the implem...

Each year, over 2.1 billion tons of municipal solid waste are generated by households, service providers, and small businesses. It's undeniable that this figure is expected to surge in the future as urbanization and consumption continue to escalate. The spectrum of solid waste includes paper, plastics, food scraps, textiles, packaging materials, yard waste, household e-waste and cleaning products. Shockingly, the United Nations reports that 2.7 billion people lack access to proper waste collection, with the majority residing in rural areas. Without urgent action, this municipal waste is projected to balloon to 3.8 billion tons annually by 2050 ( https://www.unep.org/events/ un-day/international-day-zero- waste-2024 ) . Improper waste management poses serious threats to human health and the environment. The sheer scale of untreated waste presents one of the most significant challenges not only for the future but also for the present day. The ' International Day ...

The’ Global Recycling Day ’ is celebrated every year on 18 March. This year the theme is ‘ Recycling Heroes ’ which means celebrating people and their initiatives which are promoting recycling.    Our mother earth is shedding out natural resources faster than ever before and the day may not be far away when we might run out of these resources. Water, minerals, oil, coal, gas, metals and others are primary resources under threat, Rapid economic progress and urbanization leading to increased consumption is adding to this challenge which has grown to humongous proportions. Whatever is consumed if thrown away is adding to the mountains of waste.  The current state of dumping and accumulating waste is not helping anybody. It is affecting natural habitats, animals and human activities and livelihood. The temperatures are increasing, icecaps are melting faster than we ever thought, forest fires are becoming a new reality and weathers are getting more extreme. Our ...

Adopting a sustainable mindset and transitioning to a zero-waste lifestyle can come with challenges. One common hurdle is the convenience factor. Disposable products are often more convenient and readily available, making it tempting to choose them over reusable alternatives. However, by planning ahead and being prepared with reusable items, we can overcome this challenge and make sustainable choices. Another challenge is the pressure from societal norms and expectations. It's important to remember that every small step towards sustainability counts, even if it doesn't align with the mainstream. Focussing on own progress and inspire others through actions will go a long way in contributing to a better planet . By leading by example, one can create a ripple effect and inspire others to join the zero waste movement. There are numerous resources and tools available to support the journey towards zero waste living . Online communities,  blogs , and social media platfo...

The term 'Net Zero' has gained prominence, particularly in the sphere of policymaking aimed at mitigating climate change. As nations convene to deliberate on targets for net zero carbon emissions, what does it signify for individuals and the general populace? In truth, every global citizen holds a pivotal role. Simply put, the critical concept of Net Zero entails attaining equilibrium between the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and their removal or offsetting. Its objective is to restrict global warming to levels substantially below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. Net zero doesn't entail eradicating emissions entirely; rather, it involves reducing emissions to a point where any residual emissions are counterbalanced by the removal of an equivalent volume of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. While the notion of achieving net zero might appear daunting, it's imperative to acknowledge the potency of incremental changes...

From laptops to smartphones, wearables, and gadgets, electronic devices have seamlessly integrated into our day-to-day lives, amplifying our dependence on them. However, the swift pace of technological advancement has substantially reduced the lifespan of these devices, giving rise to a burgeoning problem known as E-waste. Effective E-waste management is now an urgent necessity to curb its adverse environmental and health impacts. Improper disposal of E-waste carries severe environmental consequences. When electronic devices end up in landfills, they release toxic substances into the soil and groundwater, resulting in the contamination of ecosystems. The hazardous materials present in E-waste can also leach into nearby water bodies, thereby polluting rivers and lakes. Additionally, the incineration of E-waste releases harmful gases, contributing to air pollution and climate change. E-waste poses significant health risks to both humans and wildlife, a situation further e...

ESG takes center stage in organizations all across … The entire world is talking about climate change, reducing carbon footprint, environment and sustainability and in recent times the concept of ‘ESG’ is taking center stage in all businesses and organizations. In simple terms ‘ESG’ or Environmental, Social and Governance is a measure to access practices and performance of organizations taking into consideration various environmental and ethical aspects? Although the regulatory framework might be different in different geographies, the major three pillars on which this assessment is done are Environmental, Social and Governance. And Waste Management is one of the major elements in Environmental indicators of ESG. Although some elements in these three pillars like ethics, sustainability are considered to be a non-financial, they are equally important as they bring more accountability in processes which have a social and environmental impact. Waste Management - a key co...