Greetings from BSG Chairperson Mr. Vishesh Gupta

Dear Readers,
As the summer sun begins its gradual descent, September arrives, a gentle message for change. The ninth month of the year, commonly associated with the changing of seasons, invites us to transform and grow.

This month we bring the known but often overlooked waste crisis in the spotlight. From overflowing landfills to microplastics contaminating our oceans, the consequences of our unsustainable consumption habits are becoming increasingly evident.

The 5Rs – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover – have evolved from niche practices to global imperatives, driving a paradigm shift towards a circular economy. They offer a practical solution to reducing waste, conserving resources, and mitigating climate change.

In this edition of the ‘Sustainable’ Newsletter, we delve into the critical role of waste management in shaping a sustainable future. From innovative technologies to community-driven initiatives, we explore the diverse ways in which individuals and organisations are working to address the waste crisis.

Just as the leaves change colour and fall, so too can we shed old habits, beliefs, and perspectives, making way for something new and vibrant. By valuing waste, we can unlock its potential, create a circular economy, and build a more sustainable future for generations to come. Together, let’s clean up the mess.

Warm Regards
Vishesh Gupta
Chairperson, Bharat Soka Gakkai

The Weight of our Choices

As creatures of habit, each morning we take the milk out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic packaging and send it straight to the bin. It goes away, just like that. Except, it doesn’t. Plastic waste lingers for centuries. Think of your first toothbrush. You can still find it in a landfill somewhere. The first plastic water bottle you ever used? It still exists and is probably drifting aimlessly in our oceans.

Plastic waste, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. A sea of other pollutants also come into the mix. The 2024 Food Waste Index Report reveals a shocking disparity. Despite 783 million people struggling with hunger and a third of humanity facing food insecurity, households worldwide wasted one billion meals daily in 2022. Did you know decomposing food in landfills releases methane, a greenhouse gas significantly more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide?

In 2021, textiles accounted for a substantial 15% of the total dry waste (47,860.15 tonnes) produced by Indian municipalities, according to a 2022 report from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. This makes it the third largest dry waste after plastics. This waste overwhelms landfills and contributes to microplastic pollution, with synthetic fibres from clothing shedding into waterways and oceans, harming marine life and contaminating the food chain.

By embracing the 5 Rs of sustainability – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle, we can revolutionise our relationship with waste. Refusing unnecessary consumption and Reducing waste at the source, we can significantly minimise our environmental footprint. Reusing products whenever possible, we extend their lifespan and delay their eventual disposal. Repurposing materials from waste ensures that minimal waste is sent to landfills, fostering a closed-loop system that promotes a regenerative, waste-conscious future. Finally, Recycling transforms discarded materials into valuable resources, conserving natural resources and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

If society transitions towards a circular economy, we would have to grapple with waste less often. The circular economy is a regenerative system where materials are continuously cycled back into production, eliminating waste and promoting nature’s restoration.

Every object, no matter how seemingly discarded, holds potential. Before rushing to the trash, pause and consider: Can it be cleaned and reused? Can its function be creatively redefined? As a last resort, recycle it. But let’s not stop there. By learning from these experiences, we can make informed choices. Let’s reflect on which items become problematic and reduce our consumption of them. This mindful approach to waste management is the key to a cleaner road towards 2030.

We encourage you to continue exploring, learning, and adopting sustainable practices in your daily lives. And, we offer a tangible opportunity to make a difference – BSG members and residents of Mumbai can join the BSG Plastic Collection Drive 2024, being organised exclusively in Mumbai from August to October, and help us collect and recycle plastic waste. Together, let’s make future-conscious choices and minimise the damage wherever possible.

Do you know about the superpowers of Aluminium?

It would perhaps be safe to say that Aluminium stands out as a superior material for building sustainable products, surpassing plastic and glass in several key aspects. Its exceptional recyclability, lightweight nature, corrosion resistance, and ability to be recycled repeatedly without degradation make it an environmentally friendly choice, particularly when considering its lifecycle impact. In contrast, plastic poses significant recycling challenges, while glass, although recyclable, is heavier and requires more energy-intensive production processes.

Let’s dig deeper to understand what makes aluminium so special…

  • ★ Recycled Aluminium is THE MOST sustainable material:

➔ The choice is simple to make then! We all need to adopt sustainable human behaviour, start using aluminium cans more regularly over plastic or glass, and ensure that we send our aluminium cans for recycling.

Expanding our SDG Vocabulary
ees

Closed-Loop Recycling

Closed-loop recycling is a process where materials are recycled into new products of the same type, which can then be recycled again, creating a continuous loop. For example, a plastic bottle can be recycled into a new plastic bottle. This system aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible, reducing waste and the need for new resources.

Closed-loop recycling not only conserves raw materials but also significantly reduces energy consumption. For instance, recycling aluminium cans uses up to 95% less energy than producing new cans from raw materials. This energy savings translates to lower greenhouse gas emissions, making closed-loop recycling an effective strategy for combating climate change. By closing the loop, we minimise the environmental footprint of manufacturing processes and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Another fascinating aspect of closed-loop recycling is its potential to drive innovation in product design. Manufacturing then focuses on developing products with their entire lifecycle in mind, creating goods that are easier to recycle and designed to be part of a closed-loop system.

However, there are still many roadblocks to making such a system thrive. While closed-loop recycling is promising, it’s crucial to focus on sustainable practices today. Thoughtfully consuming and reducing waste at the source will help us depend less on a closed-loop recycling system.

To Read

5 Composting Stories to Get us Started

“Life exists within waste”, says one of the composters in this compilation. Learn how the food waste from your kitchen can build a thriving garden.

Read here

How Sweden Sends Just 1% of Its Trash to Landfills

Composting, recycling and generating energy from waste are just some of the reasons why Sweden is trailblazing the path to a zero waste society.

Read here

5 Indian Entrepreneurs Earning Lakhs by Turning Trash into Treasure

The Better India article explores 5 success stories in recycling. These start-ups are innovative, promote sustainability and are profitable.

Read here

To See

Want to Save the Environment? Begin Segregating Waste

The video helps understand the ABCs of waste segregation and how to take the first step to recycling at home. It also effectively brings out the various benefits of waste segregation.


Watch here

Recycle for Life: Karaikal’s success in battling waste

Watch this 5 min long documentary on how Karaikal, Puducherry, could start seeing garbage as valuable materials.


Watch here

Bhopal Reclaimed 37 Acres of Wasteland by Clearing Legacy Waste

What can the rest of the country learn from Bhopal’s robust waste management system?


Watch here

To Listen

101 ways to go zero waste and introducing the idea to friends and family

It may feel even harder to change other people’s habits than to change our own. This podcast gives a guide on how to transform oneself and others.

Listen here

Questioning overconsumption and our wasteful fashion system

“We are being influencers all day, every day—we just need to recognize the value in that”, says Sarah – Jayne Smith, Founder of Magpies and peacocks, a nonprofit design house.

Listen here

To Play

Litter Critters – Learn to Sort and Recycle

Learn how to segregate waste through this game.


Play here

Recycle City

Step into the shoes of a city’s waste manager and implement various programs for waste reduction.


Play here

Stepping into a “Life-Sized” Paradigm

What we need is a cultural shift. Humans have a remarkable ability to sense and feel deeply. When we allow ourselves to become indifferent and don’t reflect on the impact of our actions, we lose touch with our own essence. In doing so, we may also hold ourselves back from fully experiencing the joys of being thinking and feeling individuals.

In the 2003 Peace Proposal, the third President of SGI Mr. Daisaku Ikeda writes: “The way forward, I believe, lies in developing a “life-sized paradigm” by which to understand our world and where we stand in it. By “life-sized” I am referring to a way of thinking that never deviates from the human scale–a humane sensitivity to life as a whole and also to the details of everyday human existence.”

Further he adds, “When we examine modern civilization from the perspective of our true human proportion, what we see is that our intellectual capacities have become grossly distended, and our sensual and affective capacities atrophied. This imbalance takes the form of a dulling of our natural responsiveness to life and the realities of daily living.”

Explaining the significance of leading with a “life-sized perspective”, he says, “This can but spur us to a deepened awareness, inspire in us a process of constantly reconfirming our recognition of who we are and what we are doing. We need to restore our sensitivity to life itself, our palpable awareness of the realities of daily living.”

The idea is to understand our role within the context of the whole. If each of us takes a moment to think about the materials we’re throwing away, and if they are toxic, placing them in a personal recycling or reuse bin, we live more mindfully and responsibly. Additionally, sharing our creative and thoughtful approaches to reducing waste can inspire others and provide them with a clear direction to follow.

In the 2015 Peace Proposal, Mr. Ikeda writes: “In order to respond to environmental challenges such as climate change, we must share experiences and lessons learned as we work to prevent a worsening of conditions and effect the transition toward a zero-waste society. Such efforts will be crucial in the achievement of the SDGs”.

We simply cannot give up – on the future, on each other, or on ourselves. The time to transform is now. A slight effort each day helps us transition from machine-like living to human-like living. Embracing this approach not only supports a more sustainable and compassionate world but also leads to a richer and more fulfilling life. By living intentionally and connecting deeply with our surroundings and each other, we enrich our own experiences and cultivate a sense of purpose and joy that transcends mere existence.

BSG’s SDG Champions Opening Up the Way!
Empowered by Mentor, Driven by Purpose: Reducing Waste, Enhancing Life Teena Dash | Women’s Division | Delhi

I joined Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) as a voluntary member in 2018. Studying the writings of Mr. Daisaku Ikeda taught me to approach every challenge in life with unwavering determination. I determined to base my life on the guidance and encouragement shared by Mr Ikeda, taking him to be my lifelong mentor, and joyfully began participating in various BSG activities, such as discussion meetings and study meetings. All of this helped me not only deepen my understanding of Soka humanism, but also helped me develop essential communication skills that are crucial in both work and daily life, which eventually led me to overcome various obstacles and transform difficulties into moments of victory.

I also took part in BSG’s peace, culture, education and sustainability activities. These initiatives opened my eyes to pressing global issues like environmental protection, women’s rights, among others, thus broadening my perspective. Inspired by this fresh awareness, I made a determination to work in the field of sustainability, and was able to secure a job as Assistant Manager, Business Development at a waste management organisation in Delhi. Our primary goal is to contribute to a circular economy by managing waste across Asia, with a major focus on India, where landfill management is a critical concern. The challenge begins with changing individual behaviours, as improper disposal of non-segregated and non-recycled waste greatly contributes to landfill issues.

My organisation has launched a venture called “Education to Action” (EdAct), which focuses on community engagement and behavioural change to address environmental challenges. The initiative aims to foster a sense of responsibility in students towards the planet and encourage them to adopt sustainability as a way of life. This aligns closely with my mentor, Mr. Ikeda’s vision of sustainability. Mr Ikeda has written: “We should think of the environment as our mother—Mother Soil, Mother Sea, Mother Earth. There is no crime worse than harming one’s mother. Nature is not something for human beings to use and exploit as they see fit, solely for their own interests. Both nature and humanity are one whole of the life of the universe.”

This venture aims to integrate waste management, sustainability, and academic curricula. It provides a simple yet effective way to reach the basic unit of society—a household. Students connect with their families, promoting sustainable living and better waste management practices. As part of the Business Development team, I have the opportunity to interact daily with students, teachers, and institutional leaders to raise awareness about the importance of leading a sustainable lifestyle. This not only helps them understand the value of conserving the environment but also inspires them to adopt sustainability in every aspect of their lives.

Through this work, I have fundamentally transformed my own lifestyle to be more sustainable. Many people are concerned about climate change but lack the knowledge to act on it. Simple steps include paying water bills on time, not wasting water, supporting community efforts to maintain clean sewer lines, and segregating plastic and paper waste at home to ensure it reaches proper recycling facilities instead of landfills.

Leveraging my work experience and connections, I collaborated with a plastic waste management organisation to collect plastic waste from homes in my residential area and ensure it was properly recycled. With support from the Resident Welfare Association, I also spread messages on how to manage waste at home and promote sustainable living. This helps raise awareness among those unfamiliar with the Sustainable Development Goals.

On a personal level, I strive to use minimal resources in my daily life, whether by carrying my own water bottle, using green energy-powered public transportation, eating modestly, or reusing clothes instead of buying new ones. While I faced challenges in incorporating these changes sustainably into my routine, the overall impact has been positive, with the added benefit of saving money.

Inspired by my mentor Daisaku Ikeda’s profound vision, I pledge to continuously empower myself and enhance my skills in soil science, becoming a leading force in supporting farmers and farmlands to improve soil quality. I also vow to actively inspire the youth, particularly school children, by personally guiding them towards embracing sustainable lifestyles, nurturing their commitment to environmental stewardship.

As a member of BSG, I fully recognize that our planet is not only beautiful but also sustains us in every way. As global citizens, we can make a meaningful impact by adopting small but significant changes in our daily lives.

From Inspiration to Action: My Personal Journey towards Achieving the SDGs Rohit Jethani | Young Men’s Division | Delhi

I work in the business of retail of electronic consumer durables on E-commerce platforms. My journey with the Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) began in 2008, introducing me to the transformative philosophy of Soka Humanism. The writings of Mr. Daisaku Ikeda, with their profound insights and ideals, have had a lasting impact on me. At the heart of Soka Humanism lies the concept of human revolution, powerfully summarised by Mr. Ikeda in these words: “A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind.”

Profoundly moved by the concept of human revolution, I realised the transformative impact one person can have. With this deeper understanding, I committed to living a purpose-driven life, focused on creating positive value for others and contributing meaningfully to the society I am a part of.

My commitment deepened when I learned about Bharat Soka Gakkai’s ‘BSG for SDG’ campaign. I was eager to contribute to this initiative and play a role in its success. Around the same time, I actively sought opportunities to make a positive impact and discovered the ‘Robin Hood Army’ (RHA), an NGO aligned with SDGs 2 and 4 – ‘Zero Hunger’ and ‘Quality Education’ – focusing on empowering the less privileged. I was drawn to their mission and wanted to support their efforts.

The Robin Hood Army collects surplus food from various sources like weddings, events, and restaurants, and redistributes it to those in need, reducing food waste significantly and promoting ‘Zero Hunger’ in the community. Deeply moved by the RHA’s selfless mission and driven by a strong determination to create positive change, I began dedicating most of my weekends to volunteering with RHA, helping to deliver surplus food to the underprivileged and fulfilling my aspiration to lead a life of purpose, aligned with the vision of my mentor, Mr. Ikeda.

In addition to food distribution, the Robin Hood Army volunteers also dedicate time to empowering the next generation through education. Every weekend, they provide vital instruction in essential subjects like Math and English to underprivileged children living in slums, and support their enrollment in private and government schools. To further support this cause, I took the responsibility to organise the necessary stationery for these deserving students, contributing my part to their educational journey.

In addition, I’m passionate about promoting SDG 3, ‘Good Health and Well-being’, through my personal endeavours. As a regular yoga practitioner, I share my experiences and tips on social media, aiming to inspire others to adopt a healthy lifestyle and make physical activity a daily habit.

In 2023, BSG’s ‘Say No To Plastic’ campaign, which aimed to collect 25-tonnes of plastic, inspired me to adopt mindful consumption and disposal habits at home and in the workplace. By being more mindful, I successfully diverted approximately 1.5 kg of plastic waste from landfills and instead ensured its recycling through the BSG campaign. Even after the campaign concluded, I sustained this mindful approach to plastic consumption, making a personal contribution to achieving SDG 12, ‘Responsible Production and Consumption’.

I am determined to continue making steadfast efforts on a daily basis to add value in the life of others through my own example. Taking inspiration from the life of my mentor, I am determined to leave no stone unturned in making our society, our country a better place to live in for each living being.

SDG Tip for Daily Life

Turn Egg Cartons into Seed Starters!

While the ideal is to purchase products with minimal or no packaging, we can still creatively repurpose waste materials into valuable items. Before you toss out those cardboard egg cartons, transform them into handy seed starters for your garden. It’s a great way to recycle and give your plants a head start, supporting SDG 15: Life on Land.


How-to:

1. Prep: Cut apart the egg carton into individual cups.
2. Plant: Fill each cup with potting soil and plant your seeds.
3. Water: Keep the soil moist and place the carton in a sunny spot until the seeds sprout.
4. Transplant: Once the seedlings are ready, you can transplant them directly into your garden or larger pots.



Source: The Spruce: How to Use Egg Cartons for Starting Seeds



Need Help in Locating a Recycling Centre? Here’s a list of some


Bisleri (Plastic recycling)
Blue Planet Environmental Solutions (an integrated waste management company)
Recykal (waste management ecosystem)
Recycle with PickMyTrash (for Delhi region)
Vital Waste (for Kolkata)
Saahas Zero Waste (for E-waste management)

BSG Has Now Successfully Held Over 150 SOHA Exhibitions

The ‘Seeds of Hope and Action (SOHA): Making the SDGs a Reality’ exhibition has travelled to 150 destinations across the country, including: Amazon Campus, Hyderabad; J J International School, Anand; Moti Ram Arya Modern Public School, Panchkula; Police D.A.V Public School, Amritsar; Senior Study II, Amritsar; IIIT Hyderabad; Spring Dale School, Amritsar; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Seth MR Jaipuria School, Kanpur; Ajanta Public School, Amritsar; The Institute of Company Secretaries of India Institute, Kanpur.

Read more

BSG Forms 26th SDG Club in Gujarat Public School, Waghodia

As part of its mission to foster young SDG ambassadors in Indian schools and colleges, BSG established the 26th SDG Club in Gujarat Public School, Waghodia.

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BSG Volunteers Organise Workshop for Underprivileged Children

BSG volunteers worked together with children from the GyandeepGrowth Foundation and organised a series of workshops and practice sessions to help the children prepare a skit on ‘Gender Equality and the Future of our Nation’ for their Founder’s Day event on 14th August 2024.

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BSG’s SDG Clubs Organise Plantation Drives

In a powerful display of environmental stewardship, the SDG Clubs formed by BSG at Government College Sector 11, Chandigarh, and Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, successfully organised plantation drives on their campuses.

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Contact Us

Any queries or suggestions regarding the newsletter can be addressed to sdg@bharatsokagakkai.org

To know more about the ‘BSG for SDG’ initiative, visit the BSG for SDG website

Download the ‘BSG for SDG’ mobile app with the carbon footprint calculator