BENGALURU: Garbage produced in thousands of tonnes, overflow the road sides of Bengaluru. The title of ‘Garden City’ is tarnished with the reek of garbage in the air. But in the midst of this stink and doom, a new trend has emerged as a breath of fresh air among the environmentally conscious. Many residents are switching to a zero-waste lifestyle where no trash makes it’s way to landfills. This minimal means of living requires decomposable, eco-friendly substitutes for everyday products. City Express speaks to owners of sustainable companies to understand the trend.
Goal in site
“It is not just about selling products. It is about encouraging an earth-friendly lifestyle,” says Sahar Mansoor, CEO and founder of Bare Necessities. Her company is first in the country to produce high quality, zero waste products such as compostable toothbrushes, lip balms, detergents, reusable straws.
They also provide consultation services to go zero waste for businesses as well as for personal and corporate events. Save Globe India uses raw-materials like bamboo, jute, coconut coir, rice husk, ridge gourd and other sources from nature to manufacture their products.
“We saw how plastic ruins nature, so we began our mission to educate people by conducting campaigns for corporates and apartments, on the availability of natural products that come from nature and go back to nature without costing our planet,” says Harika, co-founder of the company. Celebrations should not become a burden on the planet, says Pooja Dixit. Her company Spill Savers is the first of its kind in the city to rent out reusable cutlery for small events with an aim to reduce the number of disposables going to landfills. Since last year, Boondh – a social enterprise that provides menstrual cup for affordable prices, claims to have reduced 1,68,000 kg of non-biodegradable menstrual waste.
An upward curve
Awareness is the driving force for these startups. “All around Bengaluru, residents have taken the initiative to set up cutlery banks so that there is easier access to renting. We have a WhatsApp group of 13 people from various parts of the city for this cause,” says Dixit. A government enforced ban on plastic disposables compels citizens to switch to alternative, zero waste services. Companies too use such approaches to optimise operations and as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Save Globe India supplies cloth bags, food containers, and cutlery to major corporates like CCD, TAJ Group of Hotels, Sheraton, ISKON, and WWF.
Not without challenges
Lack of automation is a major challenge and results in limited production capacity. Harika explains, “The more automated the production process is, the more the carbon footprint”. The ubiquity of plastic makes it difficult to find alternatives. Not every plastic product can be replaced. For Spill Savers the challenge lies in logistics. “There are two trips while renting, one for the drop and another for the pickup. With Bengaluru traffic and transportation charges, sometimes the transportation cost is more than the rental cost,” explains Dixit.
Vision for future
Expanding the consumer base for zero-waste products will impel corporate giants to enter the market. “At the teething stages of the zero-waste menstruation economy, we hope with similar stakeholders to attempt to reach at least five per cent of India’s menstruating population in the next five years,” says Bharti from Boondh. The enterprises are less product oriented and more driven by social purpose. Mansoor says, “Bare Necessities seeks to change the narrative on waste in India.
In the future, we hope to become a place for policy analysts to work with local government on policy recommendations to manage our waste better, to reduce our waste. A place for behavioural economics, ecologists, researchers and consumers alike to build the ecosystem towards a circular economy.”