BENGALURU: At a subconscious level, we are aware of the domino effect of putting undue pressure on our natural environment. Yet, it takes a pandemic like COVID-19 to shake us out of our stupor and make us confront the consequences of our dysfunctional relationship with nature. For a metropolis like Bengaluru, famously called the ‘Garden City’, it’s important to reclaim the ‘green’ tag.
As the startup capital of India, the city has the resources to find sustainable solutions for a greener and healthier tomorrow. Earlier this year, when we launched our first completely plastic-free products – the Smart Sip Tender Coconut and Grated Coconut in a Coconut – we knew that it was a momentous step towards a plastic-free future. Imagine if more products could be sold in their natural green packaging!
As entrepreneurs, we have a social responsibility to cut down on our carbon footprint. That’s the reason I decided not to patent any of our environment-friendly products. I want people to replicate it, to get inspired, and come up with better sustainable alternatives. Because we all need to work together to bring real change. As I see it, innovation is nothing but understanding people and solving their problems, using common sense. So how do we innovate for smarter and eco-friendly packaging ideas? Today, our biggest challenge is to leverage the limited global resources in the most sustainable and responsible manner. Studies show that deforestation is increasing the emergence of animal-to-human diseases, stressing the possibility of future pandemics.
Now is the time for action. To change our old ways and seek new ways to adopt sustainability as a mainstream way of life. Something that is easily accessible and affordable to one and all. The challenge is to make sustainability good business. Solution: I believe that Bengaluru can spearhead the eco-friendly business innovation in India. We have the technology and the people, all we need is the spirit of collaboration and social consciousness. The post-pandemic world calls for a new world order where green business solutions will be the norm.