OVERVIEW

Objectives of GAW 2023

1. To address unsustainable Consumption patterns among target groups (audience).
2. Encouraging use of natural resources, reducing energy consumption and conserve resources and promoting sustainable alternatives.
3. Supporting sharing community efforts to promote sustainable consumption patterns leading to adopt energy efficiency practices among consumers.

What is sustainable consumption?

Sustainable consumption is the use of products and services in ways that minimizes impacts on the environment. For several years humans have been behaving irresponsibly especially with nature and putting future generations at risk. Everything human does affects nature. The United Nations Environment defines sustainable consumption as the use of material products, energy and immaterial services in such a way that it minimizes the impact on the environment, so that human needs can be met not only in the present but also for future generations. Preserving the planet is not only the responsibility of an individual but requires a collective effort and therefore Sharing Community is so very important. A crucial part of sustainability is that sustainable consumption must enable socio-economic justice for everyone involved in the supply chain, as much as it addresses consumer and environmental concerns.

Current Challenges

India‘s rapid economic growth and urbanization has resulted in the challenge of unsustainable consumption patterns among its population and is an urgent need to address this. Consumer education is crucial to adopt sustainable and responsible consumption practices that minimize environmental impact and ensure a greener future through a sharing community.

With a rapidly growing population and a growing economy, the demand for energy in India has skyrocketed in recent years. At the same time, India is also grappling with severe environmental issues caused by fossil fuel-based energy systems, such as air pollution and climate change. India has a relatively high energy intensity, indicating the amount of energy required to produce a unit of GDP. As per 2019 data India’s per capita energy consumption equals 0.6 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) as compared to the global per capita average of 1.8 toe. In Indian households appliances such as fans, refrigerators, ACs, microwaves and lighting contribute to significant energy consumption. We will be focusing on unsustainable consumption patterns of consumers in various sectors and promote sustainable practices through sharing community efforts.

STRATEGY

In our Green Action Week (GAW 2023 Campaign) we will promote responsible use of natural resources through energy efficient practices, and exploring sustainable ways of living will be encouraged through sharing community efforts. This will contribute towards reducing resource depletion, minimizing waste generation and creating a more sustainable and greener future for the society.

A workshop with consumers along with energy efficiency expert, environmentalists focusing on:

• ways leading to energy efficiency and conservation
• renewable sources such as solar cooker, switching to energy efficient LEDs, using star labelled products
• dissemination of information of various energy efficiency schemes

A workshop with women & young girls focusing on:

• promoting various ways to reduce energy consumption
• promotion /finding natural resources (example using mud pitcher as a water coolant and chik/bamboo usage in houses as a coolant in homes).
• demonstration of using available natural resources /upcycled products for energy efficiency purposes such as rainwater harvesting, collecting rain water to water plants, flushing toilets.
• using up-cycled packaging material, finding creative ways to reuse packaging materials can contribute to reduce energy consumption and waste.

Workshop with Children & Youth- Encouraging Children & youth:

• to adopt sustainable energy saving practices,
• promote public transportation, pooling of car etc. Encouraging them to manage wastage etc.

Workshop with Children & Youth- Encouraging Children & youth to explore and document different visions of a future world. The goal is to capture the many ways in which people see consumption in this future world, and to inspire change worldwide.

The workshop’s objective is to delve into the concept of sustainable consumption in the future. This will be accomplished by engaging in visioning exercises that capture diverse perspectives on the future. By analyzing and contrasting these varied visions, we aim to craft a comprehensive report accessible to all, intended to spark inspiration. Moreover, our goal is to drive transformative change. Drawing from the success of envisioning alternate futures in futures studies research, we recognize the potential for these workshops to propel us towards positive advancements.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

• Through community efforts we will promote sustainable patterns and by adopting these patterns consumers can contribute to environmental sustainability, energy conservation and transition to a more sustainable future.
• Strengthening VOICE of Women -As women play an important role in running daily household activities, strengthening their voices and educating them is very crucial to promote sustainable patterns of energy consumption and to promote energy efficiency.
• Promoting sustainable way of living for greener future – Sharing community efforts will lead to strengthen the bond among various groups /stakeholders and entire community will be benefitted while tacking environmental problem.

 Articles

OVERVIEW

CAMPAIGN FOCUS

Fighting plastic pollution and building a sustainable environment through sharing community.

Objectives of GAW 2022

1. To create community sharing where citizens are going to put their efforts for society through action-oriented activities.
2. To train and sensitize various stakeholders such as consumers, vendors, women etc through youth volunteers and influencers, environmental activists, consumer activists on various aspects to fight plastic pollution, inform them about current laws, finding sustainable alternatives and adopt sustainable options in their lives.

Plastic Pollution and its harmful effects

Plastic has its own use but not without harming the environment and our planet. With plastic being used everyday, it is actually choking our planet. To just highlight the severity of the problem, while you are taking a minute to read this, one million plastic bottles are being purchased around the world. Today we produce almost 400 million tonnes of plastic every year. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Report (2019-20) stated that 3.5 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are generated in India annually. 

Single use plastic products like water bottles, shampoo bottles, milk packets, food packets, cutlery etc which are now an integral part of our lives is harming the environment. Most of us use these everyday without even thinking where they might end up to. The plastic waste which eventually lands up in oceans and seas are major contributors to ocean pollution and harming the marine life. Plastics do not undergo degradation and therefore stays in the soil for several years thereby affecting the soil fertility. Improper plastic disposal also block the pipes and the drains causing waterlogging.

Addressing the Problem

STRATEGY

Environmentalist led action oriented workshop to sensitize and educate people on :

1. Existing laws on single plastic usage and which products comes under single plastic
2. Use of sustainable products in our day to day lives
3. Green labelling in India and the products that fall under it

Young volunteers led action oriented workshop will :

1. Disseminate information about single use plastic and other products harmful for environment and how to choose sustainable, green products.
2. To Clean plastic from nearby surroundings and reaching out to vendors to make them aware about laws on single use plastic and provide alternatives to customers and also how to disseminate information to customers not to use plastic ,use alternatives

Women led action oriented workshop will :

1. Help women find out sustainable options in their kitchen and to replace single use plastic or by using existing resources to contribute to sustainability.
2. Demonstrate recycling of plastic and turning them into useful product using available resources.
3. Inform them about various recyclers and how they are contributing to environment.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

• Sensitized and informed consumers will be contributing towards environment.
• Sharing community efforts will lead to strengthening the bond among various groups and stakeholders and entire community will be benefitted while tacking environmental problem.
• Responsible disposal and recycling in safe way contributing to environment with trainers, environmentalists, consumer activists, practicing entrepreneurs who are recycling the products using sustainable alternatives.
• Vendors and consumers both will be sensitized to opt for alternatives and contribute towards environment through sharing community efforts.

Loading

Watch Video ...

Use of sustainable items in Indian Wedding

Can you imagine an Indian wedding that is organized utilizing sustainable items? Watch the video featuring Ms. Nalini Kolipaka from Telangana who sets an example by organizing an eco-friendly wedding of daughter. Take a step forward to a sustainable tomorrow by switching to alternatives and reducing plastic from our lives.

Watch Video ...

Let's fight with Plastic Pollution

An interactive workshop was organised with children to take joint actions against plastic pollution.Participants joined the activities to make planters through upcycling of plastic bottles and cans.Cloth bags were distributed to children to encourage them to switch to sustainable alternatives.

Watch Video ...

Let's Join hands to fight Plastic Pollution

An Interactive workshop was organised  at Jahangirpuri Delhi  on plastic pollution with women and young girls.Demo to upcycle  the plastic bottles for plantation purposes was done. Women also  planted using upcycled bottles.They also shared ways to stop plastic pollution.Cloth bags were distributed to encourage them to switch to sustainable alternatives.