From clothes swapping to plogging, and building more EV charging points, Bengaluru, and Karnataka, are taking baby steps to a greener future. Here are a few eco-highlights:

Plogging

Bengaluru hosted its first ‘plog run’ on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi. Organised by Go Native in collaboration with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), United Way Bengaluru, Namma Nimma Cycle Foundation, and Let’s Be The Change, the objective of the event was to eliminate the use of plastic in the city, and build a community of ploggers who promote a plastic-free lifestyle. Over 5500 people were known to participated in the run, which was conducted in 50 locations in the city. The organisers also tied up with BBMP’s dry waste collection centres for the same.

Volunteers take part in a 'plogging drive' launched by the Tiruchi Corporation to inculcate the habit of picking up of litter. | Photo Credit: M. Moorthy

Renewable Energy

Karntaka became the leading Indian state in renewable energy capacity, by adding 5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity this year. That means nearly half to state’s energy capacity is renewable; it can currently power over 10 lakh homes with the 12.3 gigawatts of capacity that it now has. Among the renewable sources, solar energy comprises 5 gigawatts, wind energy comprises 4.7 gigawatts, and hydro, biomass, and, other sources, comprise 2.6 gigawatts. After beating Tamil Nadu to this position, the state also overtook countries such as Denmark, and Netherlands.

First Climate Change Lab in Karnataka

The Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, sanctioned the ‘Establishing/Strengthening the state climate change centre/cell’ under NMSKCC (State Climate Change Centre-National Mission for Strategic Knowledge on Climate Change). The lab was inaugurated by R Shankar, minister of forests, ecology, and the environment, at the Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute (EPMRI), near JP Nagar, in July. The lab is set to provide technical support for research, training and capacity building in climate change programmes. As part of this initiative, the government has also set-up permanent preservation plots in the Bannerghatta National Park to record changes in species diversity, composition and growth pattern owing to climate change over a period of time.

Clothes Swap

Bengaluru hosted its first major clothes swap event this April organised by Dhawal Mane, in collaboration with US-based organization Global FashionExchange(GFX), an international platform promoting sustainability in the fashion industry through inspiring forums, educational content and cultural events, as well as Fashion Revolution, a not-for-profit global movement. Fashion Revolution has designated the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh as Fashion Revolution Day. The goal of GFX, he says, is to swap 5,00,000 kgs of clothing in 2018. If the number of times a garment is worn is doubled, on average, its Carbon footprint would be 44 per cent lower, said Dhawal. “Clothes swap is a popular Western concept where people bring their used clothes and swap them with others who bring similarly used clothes," he explained. Dhawal works with a clothing brand as a sustainability specialist. This is his personal initiative.

EV Charging Points

Early this year, Ather Energy launched its first network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations called AtherGrid in Bangalore. It planned to instal 60 EV charing points in the city by the end of the year. Following that, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) called for tenders to set up 11 more stations in the city after it set up the first charging station at its headquarters in KR Circle earlier this year.

Caption: BENGALURU, KARNATAKA, 21/05/2018 : Ather Energy charging point at a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday : photo G R N SOMASHEKAR | Photo Credit: SOMASHEKAR G R N

Plastic-Free Nurseries

They also plan to install electric charging vehicles stations in shopping malls and commercial complexes. Rydsalready has 50 charging stations in Bengaluru, which includes fast charging and slow charging stations, at tech parks and other locations apart from its hub in Banaswadi. Recently, Magenta Power also set-up its first EV charging station in Bangalore for the Mahindra Treo Electric 3-Wheeler.

The Karntaka Forest department resolved to make its nurseries plastic-free, following a circular from the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, asking state governments to stop using polythene bags in its nurseries while exploring alternatives. Karntaka’s nurseries presently use over 6.5 crore plastic bags of all sizes, every year.

FOR UDHAGAMANDALAM 20/12/2018: Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Deepak Srivastava (left), surveys the newly inaugurated native plants nursery at the Keystone Foundation campus on Thursday. Also seen are Shiny Miriam Rehel, Programme coordinator for the Biodiversity Restoration Programme at Keystone Foundation (center) and Pratim Roy (Right), Founder Director of Keystone Foundation PHOTO:HANDOUT_E_MAIL | Photo Credit: HANDOUT_E_MAIL

Farmizen

With the intention of brining consumers closer to their food, Shameek Chakravarthy, his wife Gitanjali Rajamani, and Sudhakiran Balasubramaniam launched Farmizen, that allows Bengalureans to rent out a piece of land on a farm (for ₹2,500 per month) and choose what they wish to grow through an app (quite like a real life Farmville). The 600 sq ft patch of land will be split into 12 raised beds, where you can plant up to 24 different varieties of vegetables. You can even choose the type of manure you want to use on the app and track the progress of your mini-farm. The produce will be grown by farmers and on weekends, subscribers can drive down on weekends to check on their produce or work on the piece of land. Founded in Bengaluru, Farmizen (launched in June) has apread to other cities: Hyderabad, and Surat, and is about to be launched in Chennai. Their other goal is to help stabailize farmer incomes. Farmizen, which also promotes organic farming, holds weekly markets for organic farmers in Bengaluru.

River Rejuvenation

The Art of Living has been working to rejuvenate rivers since 2013 and has revived 33 dying rivers across four States — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, benefitting 3,000 villages so far. The Kumudavathi River is all set to supplement 20-30 per cent of Bengaluru’s water needs through city reservoirs such as Thippagondanahalli. The river used to met a signification portion of the drinking water needs of the city, till recently.