Month: June 2020

BETTER TOMORROW

Does food require so much thought?

preetymundhra

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 352

Ramya came to city to meet her friend.

In the city she saw how easy it was to order any food delivered online and it was delivered at home- be it cooked or uncooked.

At the same time she saw that it was a normal for people to leave the food half finished in their plates. Ramya wondered unless the bad was not edible, what could be the reason that when so many children had to suffer malnutrition and many people hunger; how was it so convenient for people to just throw the cooked edible food.

She asked her friend who said it’s okay, there’s plenty. But will this plenty continue forever. And are we realizing the real cost of air, water and land contamination which we are taking for granted.

Hard work and the effort of the entire community which brings it to us the growers ( facing the risk of both drought and floods) to all in supply chain.

And finally where does all this waste end up in – dustbin>>> Garbage Collection >> Either composting or Landfill or lost & mixed in transit.

If there is so much at stake then how can we think about wasting any cooked food.

What should Ramya tell her friend ?

Hunger    I    Malnutrition I Health

Drought   I    Flood

Agricommunity  I Supply chain

Wastage   I Resources   I  Water    I   Landfills

Advertisement
BETTER TOMORROW

Why Food waste is priority vs Plastics ?

preetymundhra

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 353

Most types of plastic are a serious environmental challenge. Then why focusing on kitchen and food waste ?

Answer : Relationship which food has with each of us is rooted deeper. Even if that is true, thats is not the answer you would want to listen.

So lets put it this way- Lot of plastic journey is very closely linked to the food journey. All the packaging we get from fruits and vegetables to all packed stuff.

For me, it all started with concern on

  • How to manage with limited resources for long time in lockdown ?
  • What if garbage with food waste being 50% of that is not collected?
  • Even if collected, it is not treated/ disposed in the appropriate manner ?
  • The hazards of disposing it and effects thereof.
  • At the same time the need to know what are the other uses which can help optimally utilize the resources and create minimal waste.

The supply chain thankfully kept running after initial hiccups in lockdown for most of us but this was a great learning for appreciating the entire food value chain to leftover treatment value chain.

It is quite interesting to learn that so much can be done on this:

  • Food usage itself- All peels are not to be thrown.
  • Leftovers as cleaners – Got introduced to #bioenzymes.
  • Remaining as food for FOOD we eat- making #compost.

Contd..

Link to previous day 354 : https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/21/why-only-18-practice-composting/

BETTER TOMORROW

Why only 18% practice composting?

preetymundhra

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 354

  • Is the #composting process complicated and time consuming?
  • Is there lack of information available on composting?
  • Is it practically not possible to practice in cities with limited space?

The answer is NO. It’s all in mind till we get started on it.

Do I really need do it at individual level ? Does it make a difference ?

The answer to both of this is YES

Is there a better way to do it at larger society levels where it can be looked at ?

The answer is YES to this also but considering the level of #waste which ends in #landfills, it needs to start from self.

Link to previous Day- 355 : https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/18/which-18-you-want-to-be/

BETTER TOMORROW

Which 18% you want to be?

preetymundhra

Race to -1 : Day 355 ( Link to previous Day- https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/16/race-to-1-day-356-first-step/)

Small survey on “zero waste” done brings the below insights:

  • 86% respondents felt strongly on adopting #zerowaste.
  • Ranked it 8 or higher on a scale of 1-10.
  • Paper- reduced use & recycling came as common form of #wastereduction practiced followed by no to plastic.
  • 60% know about #composting, 18% practice.
  • 13% respondents actively involved in practicing #zerowaste, 50% doing it in some or other way and another 18% know about it but do not practice currently.

In some way if you too believe in being part of Better Tomorrow series, please do contribute by participating in another survey and  share your thoughts on the subject. Below is the link, takes less than a minute.  

https://forms.gle/zBnaZWcqwGnwut2W9

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 356 -FIRST STEP

preetymundhra

Do we really care about a Better Tomorrow? 

Most of us would say yes but then do nothing about it.

We are so much engrossed in daily living that we hardly give any thought in making this world a better place.
Isn’t it ironic, that we expect all the comforts and convenience in future but are not willing to do our bit for this.


That’s something to really think about.  The lockdown provided me some time to introspect on my role to make a better tomorrow.


When I really thought about it , I took my first step towards “Better Tomorrow”.

I focussed on how to use each resource optimally so that waste is reduced.

The more I started reading, understanding and implementing; I realized that every single step makes a lot of difference.

As a start. A small survey was conducted to understand on practices and priority placed on the concept of “zero waste” across few friends and acquaintances. I will share the key insights tomorrow.

In some way if you too believe in being part of Better Tomorrow series, please do contribute by participating in another survey and  share your thoughts on the subject 

Below is the link, takes less than a minute.  

https://forms.gle/zBnaZWcqwGnwut2W9

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’: Day 357-BETTER TOMORROW

preetymundhra

“Zero waste” and 3/5/7 R’s

“Environment friendly”

“Minimalism”

“Sustainable”

If you are already somewhere on the journey on above, thanks to you for what you are doing for others and the planet.

All these terms may have different philosophies but ultimate objective is to create a “Better Tomorrow”.

Which one you have already chosen or plan to choose?

Link to Day 358 : https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/13/race-to-1-day-358/

Let’s Begin. Talking is easy. Doing is also easy when we get started.

 

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 358 -WEEKLY RECAP

preetymundhra

It’s been a week since I started writing this series. Let me now share the thought behind ‘-1’.

Race to ‘-1’ is a 365 day journey towards a better tomorrow. This can be done with either Reducing/Reusing/Recycling/Rot.

One step, which can be made into a daily habit. Less is more, at least to get the process started.

Lot has already been said and written in last 3 months on the relationship of our past actions and nature’s reaction in present. 

Among health, safety, food and utilities, one critical aspect which has played a silent role is by Garbage collectors and disposal infrastructure- Waste Management.

This 365 day journey to ‘-1’, the route planning is in making.

I invite you, to join this journey with me and see which ‘-1’ you can adopt ? 

For those who missed the last week’s series, below captures those 7 days:

Day 358NewA

Day 358NewB

 

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 359

preetymundhra

In this new opportunity where each of us can exercise the power of one which is myself/yourself; what can we do to reduce the waste. Reduce it in such a way that you can do it today, for next 21 days and forever going forward.

So how do we reduce the GARBAGE which goes from each of our houses everyday picked up by thanks to people who are helping on this everyday.

I have added few facts ( which will differ from web to web but will converge to something like the second column) on our 50% of the waste:

Yesterday Today
Cooked and Good Food that goes to waste ~ 1/3 current global food production.

Some people are able to waste food, others do not have enough.

Estm time in which Earth will run out of food : 29 years

 
Cooked and not Good
Uncooked and spoiled
Uncooked and not spoiled

 

 

Contd……

Day 359: Let’s Begin. Talking is easy. Doing is also easy when we get started.

Link to previous day- https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/09/race-to-1-3/

Day 365 : Role Reversal

Day 364 : Making the Choice

Day 363 : Netflix and YouTube break

Day 362 : One individual

Day 361: Click-Repeat-Reduce- 3 days

Day 360 : Pareto in Bin

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’ : Day 360

preetymundhra

Imagine in the normal tomorrow of role reversal for those having received option 2 where GARBAGE which is not less, needs to be handled.

If you have got ideas on what to reduce or what is repeating; its action time now of one individual and one end user for 21 days.

If not yet found let me share what is generally found. Around 50% of that pertains to kitchen waste:

  • Cooked and Good
  • Cooked and not Good
  • Uncooked and spoiled
  • Uncooked and not spoiled

Feel free to write back if you found something different.

Contd……

Day 360: Let’s Begin. Talking is easy. Doing is also easy when we get started.

Link to previous day- https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/08/race-to-1-day-361/

Day 365 : Role Reversal

Day 364 : Making the Choice

Day 363 : Netflix and YouTube break

Day 362 : One individual

Day 361: Click-Repeat-Reduce- 3 days

BETTER TOMORROW

Race to ‘-1’ Day 361

preetymundhra

What can one individual do in this role reversal and would it make any difference?

If you have already got some thoughts GREAT. If not why not click a photo and see it after 12 hours what part of the GARBAGE or WASTE could have been reduced.

Its okay if you don’t find any such thing today. Try at least 3 days.

You will either find something which you can reduce or something which you cannot reduce found that particular item repeating on all these days.

Contd……

Day 361: Let’s Begin. Talking is easy. Doing is also easy when we get started.

Link to previous day- https://preetymundhra.com/2020/06/07/race-to-1-day-362/

Day 365 : Role Reversal

Day 364 : Making the Choice

Day 363 : Netflix and YouTube break

Day 362 : One individual