With a mission to promote green livelihoods, city-based entrepreneurs Prashant Lingam and Aruna Kappagantula established Bamboo House India in 2008. Since then they have been going across the country and working very closely with the tribal communities and artisans across rural India from Tirupati to Tripura. They are also making treasure out of trash by recycling used plastic bottles into beautiful, sustainable, houses
Clean & green
For us green environment is one that has the cleanest and most efficient energy, transportation, and building infrastructure, derives its energy from renewable sources like solar and wind, made up of buildings that are energy efficient, conserve water, and reduce waste, is connected by clean and accessible public transportation networks and is biking- and walking-friendly, is healthier, more affordable, and more pleasant place to live.
Green city parameter
The term smart city is a utopia that cannot be achieved fully. It is just a overambitious buzz word and for sure all environmental norms would be floated if smart cities are to be achieved. Keeping that topic aside, when we compare Hyderabad with north, we can feel better but that doesn’t make us best as a green city.
On a personal note, we should have more parks, all around everywhere, as they are lung spaces. Encourage cycling and recycling programmes and products. Opt for solar lighting for public and personal lighting and systematic garbage collection. Preserving historical and natural assets and focussing on air and water quality. And last but not the least, catch children young about environment – make them aware to take the right decisions.
Sustainability
In a nut shell sustainability could be defined as an ability of something to be maintained. It’s about taking what we need to live now, without jeopardizing the potential for people in the future to meet their needs. If an activity is said to be sustainable, it should be able to continue forever. But I really doubt if there is anything sustainable in our day-to -day practices with regard to nature.
Practices without harm
As the subject is very vast and personally my knowledge is very less for such a big subject, I really don’t think much is happening on the environment front, except on paper. Besides abuse we hardly see anything, trees are being cut to give way to new buildings, forests are disappearing for new cities, aping the west for infrastructure will not help us in any way, we need to have our own practices without harming the environment.
To save environment
We just need to do very simple things that can be made part of our lives and will in turn will have a huge impact.
1) Stop using plastic where ever possible
2) Develop and invest in house gardens
3) Use CFL and conserve energy
4) Upkeep your vehicle
5) Use cycle or walk for shorter distances
6) Avoid lift
7) Don’t trash water streams
8) Use rechargeable batteries
9) Try to go for pesticide free food
10) Recycle
Five things we have adopted
1) Use bamboo where all possible. We have replaced entire house with bamboo
2) Recycle material for all our projects and house use
3) We do not use sand and wood for personal and professional use
4) All bulbs in our house are CFL
5) We consciously conserve water