Waste management is crucial for the sanitation goals of any country, especially one with the population that India has. For the health of the people and to preserve nature, many companies are stepping up and taking waste to turn a profit, even if some experts say that the pursuit of continuous sustainable growth is a fantasy.
Plastic to Planet: Ecokari
Multi-layered plastic is difficult to recycle, if not impossible, in most circumstances. And yet, not everyone has access to bulk-stores and package free options. Plus, recycling plastic can have health consequences too. This is where Ecokari comes in. They take such packets and as safely as they can upcycle them into bags, wallets, and other products which need to be made of plastic, to keep them waster-resistant. While this can’t be an excuse to overconsume plastic, their work reminds us of the important role plastic plays as a durable and reusable material. Moreover, Ecokari teaches us that we can make the most of plastic, and empower woman while at it, since for India’s sustainable development, women empowerment is a key step.
Waste to Wealth: GrowDisel
GrowDisel is a biofuel company that takes industrial and other waste and turns it into fuel alongside other by-products. While some biofuels have seen some debate on how sustainable they’re since they take farmland which could be used to grow food or be reforested and use it to crops for fuel, GrowDiesel instead uses organic waste and an aerobic digestive system to ensure the most sustainable product they can make, essentially bypassing the need of organic fodder for the biofuel.
Yes, the product release a dangerous and highly potent greenhouse gas known as methane but it’s used as natural gas and not simply released into the atmosphere. This company is a great way to start the transition towards a cleaner economy while simultaneously reducing waste. Yet, it all hinges on remembering that we are conscious consumers who avoid unnecessary excessive burning that is detrimental to environmental and human well-being.
Upcycling agricultural waste isn’t only done as fuel, we can even get cool notebooks out of it.
Bluecat Paper
Companies like Rescript recycle waste paper and keep it in circulation for as long as possible but that too requires new virgin fibers be added at a point. Hence why baggese paper made from sugarcane waste is becoming the go to, alongside FSC certified paper. Yet, if you want more options, BlueCat Stationary and Paper are a good place to go to, as they take various types of agricultural waste from elephants poop to cotton, hemp, and linen waste to paper currency waste to make new paper. And they’re women-owned as well!
WearEqual and EvenHomes
Another woman-owned brand on our list is WearEqual, a sustainable intimate-wear brand focused on feminine products, like bralettes, scrunchies, and underwear. They upcycle scraps of organic cotton material and for hygiene bio-wash it to make these products. While organic cotton requires less fertilizers, it needs more land to grow and hence the need to keep it in circulation is high. To ensure that happens, WearEqual has a take back program for used products that no longer work for you and hygienically BioWare and the upcycle or recycle them into stuffing for jackets and home decor etc. for their sub-brand EvenHomes.
While companies like Tamarind Chutney reuse their own surplus, and circularity in fashion is taking off with brands like No Nasties, a recent craftsfair introduced us to several small brands working on their own ways of reducing waste, one of which is our next name.
The Shady Company
From lamps to bookmarks to coasters, the folks at The Shady Company, take repurposed wood, and smoothen it into useful and decorative art pieces and home items such as mobile stands and more.
Miracle Enzymes and Jaevindia
When we speak of waste to treasure, we must look at Bioenzyme companies. Bioenzyme are a product made from fermented organic waste that can serve as cleaner and plant fertilizers. While there isn’t much research or legislation or checks on them, climate advocates on social media have shared that they’re 99% effective at cleaning surfaces. Many have started to make their own Bioenzyme at home, using their food waste, and teaching these techniques are people like the founder of Miracle Enzymes and the folks behind Jaevindia.
Deklutter Groups and Thrift Stores
A non-profit, these are WhatsApp groups found in many major cities of the country, where people can share items they’ve a surplus of in their lives or simply no longer find use in. Yes, the concept of second-hand shopping or thrifting, found on gamified platforms like Freeup, or thrift stores like Swap Fashions and Love Me Good. Many also advocate for smaller thrift stores run by local vendors who also sell factory discards, and others prefer social media stores.
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PadCare
Sustainable menstruation is complicated. While there are low-impact options like period panties and menstrual cups, they are not without problems, whether those be financial or cultural or sometimes, even environmental. What suits one menstruator might not work for another, and given that genuine biodegraded pads options aren’t widely known or available, disposing of sanitary waste in an eco-friendly manner is a matter that needs to be addressed. This is where Pad Care steps in, and helps societies, schools, offices and more, responsibly discard of their sanitary waste, which is then turned back into raw material, that is used to make books, planters, and more.
These companies and stores, whether they be Forest Enzymes or WearEqual are taking what others think of as useless and trash and then showing the world the value still inherent in these items. A circular economy does exactly this, whether that’s by repair, repurpose, thrifting or upcycling. Not only are they removing waste and what would take up landfill space and create air pollution but they’re reducing the extraction and use of new resources, changing how we think of trash entirely. To know more about the new India, stay tuned to NB News.
Disclaimer- The author previously worked with GrowDiesel, is an affiliate for Ecokari, and is working with WearEqual.
