A Guide for Environment Lovers in Ahmedabad

Context

One can care about environment in many different ways. Ex: saving trees, caring for animals and birds, trying to reduce pollution, promoting reduce-reuse-recycle culture, using eco-friendly consumer products, saving energy and so on. One can also display the affection towards environment by just exploring and appreciating what nature is offering. So, how can one contribute or learn more in this regard? Exactly what opportunities/options are available?

As the heading of this blog article highlights, I am focusing on Ahmedabad in this article, and this is based on my limited stay in this city, that too within IIM-A campus.

Hope the details and the pointers given here help you get a head start and help you save the environment in better fashion!

Table of Contents

Activism

·         Ban on Plastic Carry Bags

·         Save Birds during Kite Festival (January – Uttarayan)

·         Sustainable Campus Initiatives within IIM-A

·         WAY – World Around You

·         The Ugly Indian

Learning and Education

·         CEPT University (Center for Environmental Planning and Technology)

·         CEE – Centre for Environment Education

·         Working with IIM-A professors

Exploring/Appreciating Nature

·         Bird and Wilflife Watching

Industries/Organizations

·         AMC - Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (Learn about Solid Waste Management)

·         Excel Industries Limited (Learn about Organic Waste Converter)

·         Truegreen (Learn about biodegradable bags)

·         Daily Dump (Learn about managing organic kitchen waste from your home)

·         SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions)

·         Parikrama (Nature and Adventure Lovers)

·         Asha Foundation (Help suffering animals and birds)

Groups

·         Facebook Groups

·         Yahoo Groups

·         Google Groups

·         Groups within IIM-A

Activism

Ban on Plastic Carry Bags

In Feb 2011 Indian Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has notified that no carry bags shall be made available to consumers for free & has also banned carry bags below 40 micron thickness.

Ahmedabad Municipality is one of the few administrative bodies who have tried to implement this in real sense. Recently i.e. in Jan 2012 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has intensified its war against plastic bags by increasing minimum price for carry bags (Small: Rs.2, Medium: Rs.5, Jumbo: Rs.10). Moreover, AMC has announced various kinds of fines and actions against violators (producers/distributors/vendors).

So, is that all? How is the implementation/enforcement? What are the challenges? What you can do? You can read few things about this in following blog, and then decide your next course of actions.

http://krishnashastry.blogspot.in/2012/01/ban-on-plastic-carry-bags.html

Hope this information is helpful. All the best for you in the war against plastic.

Related Industry: Truegreen

Save Birds during Kite Festival (January – Uttarayan)

Every year in January thousands of birds become victims of the glass coated threads during Uttarayan Kite Festival; some get killed and many get permanently disabled and cannot fly forever.

Two days of fun of the human beings gives a life imprisonment to these feathered friends. You can save them by spreading awareness, by volunteering to help injured birds and/or by donating money.

Quick Tips: If you find injured birds

·         Keep the bird in a properly ventilated carton, box or basket

·         DO NOT provide food or water

·         DO NOT spread water on them

·         DO NOT apply local medicines

·         Contact NGOs who can come and provide more help

Related Organization: Asha Foundation

Sustainable Campus Initiatives within IIM-A Campus

Every year interested students and student spouses get involved in various environmental friendly activities within the campus. Students being a continuously changing population, these enthusiasts help in continuing green initiatives that are already started and also start some new things, wherever possible.

In case you are going to become or already are a resident of IIM-A Campus and would like to know more about this, feel free to contact me. I can direct you to right contacts.

Also read about `Prakriti’ under Groups section or click here.

WAY – World Around You

This is an environment initiative started in Dec 2009 to educate school children about importance, beauty of environment and need for preservation.

http://www.wayworld.in/ (This website is still under construction)

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ahmedabad-finds-a-way-to-healthy-environment_1324230

If you wish to join their Facebook group, please check under Groups section or click here.

The Ugly Indian

Few determined people in Bengaluru felt really bad about lack of civic sense among Indians in general. They decided to do something about it; they themselves started transforming the dirty streets around their area. And the result was phenomenal, and inspiring.

Visit their website: http://www.theuglyindian.com/

Visit their youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/theuglyindian1/videos

At least watch the first 18 episodes to get an end to end idea about their work.

Join them in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ugly-Indian/123459791046618

Note: Currently there is no Ugly Indian activism in Ahmedabad, it’s a golden opportunity for you start one and start contributing towards cleaner Ahmedabad streets. There are many “ideal” spots in Ahmedabad too that a true ugly Indian will like!

Learning

CEPT University (Center for Environmental Planning and Technology)

·         It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the areas of natural and developed environment of human society and related disciplines

·         There are part time courses, and even e-courses along with full time programmes

CEE – Centre for Environment Education

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, CEE was created in recognition of the importance of environmental education in India's overall environment and development strategy. The result of a unique partnership between government and a non-governmental institution, CEE was established as a Centre of Excellence in 1984, supported by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India.

Please do visit their website for more details: http://www.ceeindia.org

Working with IIM-A professors

There are three resident professors in IIM-A whose subjects are related to saving environment in some way. You might get an opportunity to work as research assistants under those professors.

·         Prof. Amit Garg

http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/faculty-and-research/faculty-profile.html&user_id=22

·         Prof. Anil Gupta

http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/faculty-and-research/faculty-profile.html&user_id=25

·         Prof. Shukla P R

http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/faculty-and-research/faculty-profile.html&user_id=74

Exploring/Appreciating Nature

Bird and Wildlife Watching

Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary

This is situated around 64 km from Ahmedabad. For more details you can visit following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nal_Sarovar_Bird_Sanctuary

http://www.indiawildliferesorts.com/bird-sanctuaries/nal-sarovar-bird-sanctuary.html

http://www.mapsofindia.com/gujarat/wildlife-tours/nal-sarovar-bird-sanctuary.html

http://wildlife-tours.tourtravelworld.com/wildlife-adventure/bird-watching/nalsarovar-bird-sanctuary.htm

Thol Wildlife Sanctuary

This is around 25 km from Ahmedabad. For more details you can visit following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thol_Wildlife_Sanctuary

http://wildlife-tours.tourtravelworld.com/wildlife-sanctuaries/thol-wildlife-sanctuary.htm

Industry/Organizations

AMC – Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation

Solid Waste Management department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation is making a good progress. In general AMC is working towards making and maintaining Ahmedabad as Clean City and Green City. Please check the below presentation to know more on AMC’s Solid Waste Management.

Solid Waste Management Practices of Ahmedabad

http://egovamc.com/swmc/SWM_AMC_POWERPOINT.pdf

AMC’s SWM department is actively involved with 2 private companies – Excel Industries Limited and Truegreen; these are green solution providing companies. More details on these companies are mentioned below.

Excel Industries Limited

This company is mainly into crop protection chemicals. They are also into Solid Waste Management and bio-pesticides.

Their Organic Waste Converter or OWC is something that might interest you – it helps in converting organic waste into manure in accelerated fashion and thus helps in getting “Wealth from Waste”.

Check out more details in their website.

http://www.excelind.co.in/

Truegreen

This company cares about sustainable future; they offer a unique range of environmentally friendly solutions, including Biodegradable and Compostable products, waste disposal solutions and waste-to-fuel products.

Read more in their website: www.truegreen.in

If you would like to ban plastic carry bags in your area and provide biodegradable bags as alternatives, this company can help you in this green transitioning. You can contact following person:

Hardik Thakkar, Sales Manager (hardik@truegreen.in, 9099934313)

If you would like to discuss bigger plans/projects, you can contact following person:

Manish Pathania, Sales Director (manish@truegreen.in, 9925045007)

Daily Dump

This is an upcoming organization which has presence in multiple cities across India. This org helps you in becoming a greener citizen by helping you manage your organic household waste.

Details about their Ahmedabad chapter can be found here:

http://www.dailydump.org/cities/ahmedabad

SRISTI (Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions)

SRISTI is basically into grassroot innovation, but many of their activities are tied very much with environment, directly and indirectly.

Prof. Anil Gupta at IIM-A is one of the prominent persons leading this unique organization.

http://www.sristi.org

Highlight of Sristi:

Shodh Yatra: http://www.sristi.org/cms/shodh_yatra1

Honey Bee Network: http://www.sristi.org/hbnew/

Parikrama

PARIKRAMA NATURE ADVENTURE AND SPORTS INSTITUTE, AHMEDABAD is one of the leading and outstanding institution engaged in Adventurous activities, imparting nature and environmental education, forest conservation and wildlife protection.

Check out their website for more details: http://parikrama.maninagar.com/

They also have a yahoo group; please check under Groups section for more details or click here.

Note: This information is just taken directly from their website; I haven’t personally interacted with this institution. If any of you want to share more details about any of these, feel free to send me the details so that I can add.

Asha Foundation

This is a NGO that tirelessly works to reduce pain and suffering of stray animals and birds, and to give them a new and healthy life. Though there are few more such NGOs, these people apparently have some unique services including 24*7 service, throughout year.

Please do visit their website for more details: http://www.ashafoundationindia.org/

What you can do for them?

The foundation is doing very good ground level work, but it can use your help in case of documentation work, marketing etc.; you can help them in transforming to something more sustainable and long term success. If you speak to “Lalu Bhaiya” (the founder) in person, you can better understand their needs and limitations.

Groups

We all can learn from each other and also sometimes fight against a common cause too, in order to save environment. So, groups are essential and useful. Here is some information on various environment groups.

Facebook Groups

Ahmedabad Eco Club:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/201006046664121/

This space is created for all people in Ahmedabad who care about environment. Kindly promote this group among your friends, whoever might be interested in joining this group.

It would be great if you could keep aside few min and help this group get more life by initiating discussions/activities, participating and adding your friends who might be interested. I just started the group, which is no big deal; it is up to all of us to keep it alive or let it die.

WAY – World Around you

https://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Around-You-WAY/146123812101171

Please also check information about them under Activism section or click here.

Yahoo Groups

Green Amdavad:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Green_Amdavad/

Parikrama – Nature and Adventure Lovers:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/natureandadventurelovers/

Please also check information about them under Industries/Organizations section or click here.

Anala:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anala/

Note: I am not part of any of these yahoo groups; discovered them bit late. However, I am trying to get people in these groups in Facebook group. If any of you want to share more details about any of these, feel free to send me the details so that I can add.

Google Groups

None found so far.

Groups within IIM-A

Prakriti:

IIM-A has a SIG (Special Interest Group) called Prakriti. It is a student community group that strives to sensitize the management students to environmental issues.

Please check following link for details on Prakriti:

http://www.iimahd.ernet.in/institute/campus/student-activities/clubs/prakriti.html