The Urban Ocean program, run jointly by Ocean Conservancy, Resilient Cities Network and The Circulate Initiative, is actively combating plastic pollution using a blend of upstream and downstream strategies. They collaborate with stakeholders from diverse sectors including construction, technology, education, environmental management, and the informal waste sector. Launched in 2020, the program partners with 12 cities across Asia and Latin America, aiming to pioneer effective solutions to the global challenge of plastic pollution.

During the Urban Ocean Conclave, held from June 18 to 20, delegates from countries as far as Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Thailand and Indonesia participated, apart from domestic representation from Karnataka, Mumbai, Pune and Surat.

On June 18, The event was graced by Supriya Sahu, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Environment Climate Change & Forests). She explained the various efforts taken by the government of Tamilnadu to protect the environment: Green cover mission, Coastal mission, Climate change mission, Wetlands mission etc.

On June 19, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Dr.J.Radhakrishnan, IAS, appreciated the efforts of the Urban Ocean programme and stated that such summits were essential to brainstorm and come up with ideas to combat plastic pollution. “Despite the concept of reduce and reuse, there has been an increase in the per capita garbage generated in the city from 500 gms in the year 2000 to 750 gms per household now. It is time to look for holistic integrated waste management systems to combat these issues and I am sure that we can come up with such ideas in such summits,” he stated.

On both days, experts shared their experiences and the possible way forward. Representatives also showcased their best practices that have yielded results and the challenges that need addressing. The key highlight was, however, the pilot visit to the neighbourhood of Kasturba Nagar, held on June 20.

Residents of Kasturba Nagar Association (ROKA) has collaborated effectively with Okapi Research and Advisory (IIT Madras incubated) to spearhead comprehensive waste management initiatives, through the We Segregate Project. Together, they have implemented innovative strategies to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility within the community. Their partnership not only addresses waste management challenges but also educates residents on the importance of recycling and reducing their carbon footprint. By fostering community engagement and leveraging expertise from these organisations, ROKA continues to make significant strides in creating a cleaner and greener environment for all residents of Kasturba Nagar.

The day began at the KNRA hall with the nearly 40 delegates welcomed with flowers and kamarkattu. After a short introductory video highlighting the local area, providing context for our visit, the visitors explored the locality to understand its sustainable waste management practices. The visit aimed to foster knowledge exchange and inspire similar initiatives in different urban settings facing similar challenges.

The delegation got to see the different types of lane composters installed in the locality. Visitors were impressed by the meticulous maintenance of the composters and the collaborative efforts of the community. Their enthusiasm stemmed from observing how these methods effectively managed organic waste, fostering admiration for the cooperative spirit and dedication to sustainable practices within the vicinity. They also visited several apartments in the neighbourhood to experience a terrace kitchen garden and understand effective techniques to implement source segregation. 

The ‘Punch the Plastic’ (PTP) initiative was implemented as the plastic component of the We Segregate Project. The concept involves installing sharp curved hooks on apartment walls specifically designed to collect low-grade single-use plastic waste. “It is a challenge for each household to collect sufficient quantities of such plastics and give it to an aggregator. With the PTP initiative, we can collect in bulk and give it directly to the aggregators,” highlighted P.Saranya, Treasurer of ROKA. 

As the event concluded, the participants were served regional delicacies in steel cutlery and asked to wash their hands rather than using tissue paper, making it a zero-waste event. To ensure a lasting impact, everyone also participated in a fun sustainability quiz, so one might ponder on the choices we make every day towards saving our environment.

During the feedback session that followed the visit, representatives from other cities expressed genuine admiration for the management practices observed. One of them stated, “Having visited last October, I’ve seen significant improvements since then. I’m quite envious but eager to implement these techniques in my own country.” The event served as a platform for mutual learning and inspiration, fostering a sense of solidarity in tackling waste management issues through practical and innovative solutions. ROKA can be contacted at roka.drives@gmail.com.

• An online session on the topic ‘Gender Responsive Drought Resilience’, by guest speaker Dr.Anushya Jagannathan, a research scientist, who elucidated sustainable practices.
• A flower garden was set up inside WIA’s premises at R.A.Puram, by the President and members. 
• Yellow cloth bags were distributed to the public at T.Nagar with the insistence to replace plastic bags.
• An online essay competition was conducted and cash awards were given to Keerthana, Mishra, Esther Monica and Shanmuga Priya.
• 500 people participated in a signature campaign and pledged to not use any kind of plastic. The signatures will be handed over to the Minister for Environment, Tamil Nadu with a request to stop the plastic production.
• A 2 km walkathon was organised highlighting the theme ‘Our Land Our Future’.
• A human chain was formed, at Adyar, to create awareness of plastics and zero landfills.
• A seminar was conducted with the theme ‘The need to protect our land’.
• A seminar was conducted at MGR Home and Hr.Sec School, for 60  teachers and B.Ed teacher trainees. Dr.Sudhakar – Director of CPR Environmental Education Centre explained about the state of our environment and key issues like environmental degradation, depletion of resources etc. 
• A waste collection drive was arranged along with ROKA (Residents of Kasturba Nagar Association) to collect e-waste, plastic, paper and clothes. Approximately 360 kg of waste was collected.

On the concluding day (June 8), nearly 104 women participated in the event, where four women who were committed to keeping the land clean and green, were honoured. Dr.Muthukumar – Programme Officer (Department of Environment and Climate Change), was the chief guest. He insisted all to grow plants to improve biodiversity and reduce temperatures.

President Padma Venkataraman honoured the green warriors of Chennai and also insisted that everyone focus on the micro change that everyone can bring in to save the Earth – from saying no to plastics and aiming for zero landfills. WIA can be contacted at 91769 28485, 94442 51013.

The founders said, “We saw that many students of our age tend to exhibit less concern for our environment, partly due to our overall cultural prioritisation of academics over growing up to be a well-rounded citizen. We hope that, through this club, we will inspire our peers and others to do their part in protecting our environment.”

The club has frequently collaborated with the Annets Club of RCMC (Rotary Club of Madras Central), to build their volunteer base, to clean up the beaches of Chennai. The club is currently 70 members strong (mainly 10th and 11th graders) and we’re looking to grow further. Check out more about them on their Instagram handle: @shore.guardians. Email: shoreguardians.chennai@gmail.com.

Prakruthi, a 44-year-old renowned environmental awareness institution, launched a significant campaign with SPARK, a popular civic organisation, on June 8, followed by an interactive coastal awareness on June 9 at Injambakkam Beach.

The campaign was aimed at finding solutions for safeguarding the coastal system that affects both ECR and OMR. The launch coincided with World Oceans Day on June 8 and World Environment Day on June 5.

The symposium had a brainstorming session with Dr Deepak Samuel – Scientist from the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Dr Shekar Raghavan – Director of Rain Centre, Prof. Anuradha Menon of MEASI, and was chaired by Dr T.D.Babu, Founder of SPARK and Knowledge Proliferator of Prakruthi.

“Familiarity with the concerns nagging the settlers in the catchment areas and flood plains of OMR is our focus as we observe environment and oceans days, with coastal restoration and thoughts on mitigating floods. We brought onto one stage, an audience of knowledge seekers, people who determine Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) and scheme out Blue Flag Beaches, who have insight into the problems of floods and droughts and who can influence town planners to look into habitat management, while planning the expansion of Chennai, alongside reserve forests and innumerable lakes and streams,” introduced Dipankar Ghose, Founder and lead mentor of Prakruthi.

The resultant campaign from the two-day event was launched by Kamakshi Subramaniyan, the nonagenarian Co-founder of SPARK, and octogenarian Dr. Giri Rengaswamy – Dean (CSR) of Aarupadai Veedu Institute of Technology (AVIT), Paiyanur.

Concerns that echoed throughout the two days were the detrimental impact of skyscrapers on the coast and water bodies, vulnerabilities of Blue Flag Beaches and the perilous state of aquifers and groundwater levels, making it more important to consider existing natural habitats in town planning. “The inherent risks posed by high-rise developments in flood-prone areas such as the ECR and OMR underscore the urgent need for rainwater harvesting to mitigate these challenges,” said Dr Shekar Raghavan, who further stressed, “Urbanisation, characterised by the proliferation of concrete structures, is a key factor in the strangulation of aquifers and the creation of artificial drought conditions as there is no space for the water to flow through from the surface.” 

Continuing the dialogue on June 9, T.D. Babu and A. Srinivas of Prakruthi, orchestrated an interactive session with nature, ‘Time to Ponder’, at Injambakkam beach. Students of AVIT, professors from AM Jain College and residents from Besant Nagar to Akkarai participated. Together, they explored the current conditions of the coastal environment, and tried to understand the different types of beach creepers that contain medicinal properties and serve as indicators of coastal health.

The program’s main motto was ‘Sensitise, Rationalise, Actualise’, capturing the need for informed decisions and forming good attitude. “We must leverage our influence in requesting policymakers in the quest for environmental stewardship. Together, we can make a difference in safeguarding our coastal regions for future generations,” urged Sona Prakash – Community Social Responsibility Influencer.

As the curtains were drawn on this remarkable initiative, a sense of optimism prevailed, buoyed by the collective commitment to a brighter environmental future. In the heart of Prakruthi’s resolute endeavour lies the promise of a greener tomorrow, inspiring hope and action among all who share in the vision of coastal preservation.

Rtn Saiseshan Chairman Literacy RID 3232, Inspector M.Thankaraj (L&O), Sub-inspector V.Rajendran (Traffic) were the chief guests. Students and early morning walkers at Elliot Beach participated in planting saplings. Bluewaves aims to create a green canopy at Besant Nagar.

The Environmental Foundation of India (EFI), an NGO working on the conservation of water bodies, organised several engaging workshops in May, highlighting various ways in which the environment can be conserved. These workshops, focusing on various topics of environment and sustainability, engaged the crowd through interesting activities and gave the participants an opportunity to express their creative side. 

“With these activities, EFI aims to educate people about environmental issues and the actions that can be taken to combat them. We want people of all age groups to be curious about their surroundings, and this is a great way to welcome them to that journey. Our hands-on fun-filled workshop activities help in the retention of the awareness that we aim to propagate,” said Diksha Mahesh, one of the organisers of the workshop.

‘Bag It Right’ – an eco bag-making workshop, was the first in the series, aimed to promote sustainability. The volunteers actively engaged in making paper bags by upcycling old newspapers. “This workshop aimed to provide a practical demonstration of sustainable practices and inspire the participants to incorporate eco-friendly habits into their daily lives,” added Diksha.

Their next workshop, ‘Bottle Bling’, used glass bottles collected from the beach cleanup activities undertaken by EFI, across Chennai. These items, which would have otherwise been thrown in the trash, were upcycled into beautiful colourful works of art by the participants. The workshop concluded with the screening of ‘Lakes of Chennai’, a documentary that is part of EFI’s latest project, ‘Hydrostan’. The project highlights the stories of every lake, river, and stepwell and spotlights ‘Hydro-warriors’.

In view of World Bicycle Day (June 3), they conducted the ‘Eco Wheels Escapade’ on June 1. The participants indulged in an eco-tour on bicycles, around the streets of Besant Nagar, learning new and interesting facts about the flora and fauna around them. The event aimed to engage with our environment which has been casually glanced at for many years, and get to know it in greater depth. 

To know more about EFI, their workshops and to volunteer, contact 89258 58058, 89258 58059. https://indiavolunteer.org/.

During the event, the awardees shared their best practices, highlighting their dedication and innovative approaches to waste management and environmental conservation. The awardees are:

• Mr. Kuppan (Zone 11) spoke about his consistent practice of segregating waste and home composting, along with the advantages of maintaining a terrace garden for sustainable living.

“These shared practices not only celebrated the residents’ achievements but also inspired others to adopt similar eco-friendly practices in their daily lives. This initiative aligns with Urbaser Sumeet’s mission to foster a cleaner, greener Chennai and underscores the importance of community participation in achieving this goal,” said Urbaser Sumeet. Urbaser Sumeet’s senior management, including the CEO, attended the event.

Vanaja Krishnamurthy is a resident of Besant Nagar. Her services have been in an individual capacity, through Rotary International Dist 3232 and the Women’s India Association, of which she is a member.Urbaser Sumeet honours Green Ambassadors

Venkatadri delivered a lecture on ‘Pioneering Sustainability: Bridging Tech and the Environment’, emphasising innovation and sustainable technology. Tata International and CSIR-CLRI signed an agreement for ‘Genocorium’, a regenerate leather technology. The ceremony also saw the launch of software on the Contractual Document Information Retrieval System and the premiere of a film on environmental sustainability. Scientists who transferred the technologies successfully were honoured.

I am so proud to be part of this Adyar neighbourhood. I truly am! It is a neighbourhood that is suffused with people concerned about the environment. From doing everything to save the beaches and water bodies, save the eco-systems (like saving the turtles, advocating rainwater harvesting systems, opposing stormwater drains near the coast etc.), implementing and expanding the concept of source segregation by conducting waste collection drives and thrift sales, to get the community together to resolve the issue of dog poop on the road, resident’s concern for the environment and their ideation has more than often blown our minds. 

While it is impossible and unfair to name all the people making / trying to make an impact in their quest to save their environment, Adyar Times would like to give a shout out to the youngest and the oldest residents championing the cause.

• Kamakshi Subramaniyan: This nonagenarian is a go-to person if you want to understand what, why, how and when of anything in our neighbourhood. Despite her age, if you tell her of any issue impacting the environment, she will be the first person to come and stand with you. “I don’t know where the world is heading and I am so concerned about it. My blood boils when I see people not having civic sense and disregarding nature,” is her most common statement; and I try to tell her that she shouldn’t get her blood boil as there are many more fights to come!
• Bhuanya Bharath: This eight year old champion has been advocating the cause of source segregation since she was about four! When I asked her what inspired her to the cause, she quips, “My name means ‘blessed daughter of Mother Earth – Bhu + Anya’ so it is my duty to take care of her.” Bhuanya has been associated with waste aggregator Wasted 360 Solutions, since then. She doesn’t miss any waste collection drive that happens in the neighbourhood. She personally goes to each house in her locality, collects the waste items and brings them to the nearest drive.

Adyar Times, through its articles, hopes to inspire many more people to take up the cause of the environment in some way or the other. Age is after all just a number, but time and effort is what matters. This World Environment Day, before forwarding messages wishing everybody about the occasion, we request our readers to associate themselves to any cause for the environment and dedicate time for Mother Earth. “We do not inherit our Earth from our ancestors; We borrow it from our children!”, is the Truth.

Kamakshi Subramaniyan is a resident of Besant Nagar and can be contacted at 99400 61810. Bhuanya Bharath is a resident of Thiruvanmiyur and can be contacted at 99625 84517.