Going Green: The Garbage Guru's Revolutionary Ideas

chillibreeze writer — Aparna Shekar

PPT info-snippets on India Trends Buy the Green Energy in India PPT Water in India PPT Electricity in India PPT Solar Power in India Solar Radiation Map of India in PPT Read our blog on sustainble living in India.

Jyoti Shah is a diminutive woman. With henna-dyed, bright orange hair and a visage that has weathered many a milestone, she could be the proverbial aunt in your neighbourhood. Yet, true to her name (which happens to mean light), there is something that shines through, setting her apart from the pack.

“I am the garbage guru,” she claims with an infectious smile and a toss of her short wavy hair.

As I climbed the rickety stairs to her first floor modest apartment, I had no idea that Jyoti would be like any other housewife— maintaining a spotless home, making cloth bags for vegetable shopping out of torn sarees and bed sheets, whilst offering refreshments and shooing her help away.

As we engage in small talk, Jyoti and I ascend one more flight of stairs and there, standing resplendent, is the verdant garden patch that sets Jyoti apart from the rest of her ilk.

>> Read more >> Check out more such India-centric e-books and reports

11 years ago when the bio bug bit her, Jyoti, threw in her trowel to help the ‘go green’ movement and has not looked back ever since. On her terrace, (there is not a spot of seepage in her apartment below for all the watering her plants demand every day) mango, guava, drumstick and pomegranate trees vie for attention, welcoming us with weighed down branches.

Brinjals, amla, chiku, pumpkin creepers and succulent green peppers and chillies, pregnant with their proud burden, blend harmoniously with hibiscus, marigolds and roses. The terrace is a profusion of colours and fragrances. I stop in wonder beside the 5 year old mango tree, as I shade my eyes to look up at the drumstick tree. Jyoti chatters on with quiet pride.

The brainchild of a Professor Natarajan from IIT, Powai, the catalyst for this terrace garden is a 5 gm pack of enzyme mysteriously labeled Biosanitiser. Mixed with an equal amount of regular top soil, it becomes manna for 7 plants for life. All that the happy plants then need are a good helping of kitchen waste (be it peels, bones, eggshells, even human hair!) once a week and a palmful of water daily and voila! you have a green revolution in your garden that puts even shrinking violets to shame.

Today, Jyoti is on a mission— that of spreading this awareness all around Pune, free of charge. While other cities beckon, our crusader has decided to restrict her attention to the burgeoning metro of Pune.

Jyoti’s other projects are as revolutionary as her first love…she has transformed the garden in an orphanage in Koregaon Park, with biowaste made from (hold your breath...) soiled baby diapers! If the profusion of greenery and the cooing of a variety of birds are any indicator, our lady has sure struck pay dirt.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.

Read more on sustainable living in India

How to buy solar products in India
Solar & Wind Energy
Renewable Energy Sources: What will work for India?
What are we doing for the Environment in India?
Going Green: The Garbage Guru’s Revolutionary Ideas
Green Belt Movement

 

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

---

—About our writer: Aparna says, "My name should have been 'Curious', as this would define my many interests. I love travelling, writing, reading equally. I am passionate about baking and trying out world cuisine. I was a classical dancer and singer, both interests still brewing strongly. I have done voiceovers in regional languages for ads and movies, which I loved. I teach marketing management at a local college and 'addas' with my students are my lifeline. My favourite mantra is Robert Frost's, "miles to go before I sleep..."

 

 

 

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:

1. Articles related to Content and Outsourcing
2. NRI and Expat Articles
3. Potpourri
4. Travel Writing
5. Book Reviews and Interviews

More resources for Writers on Chillibreeze.com Chillibreeze offers Indian writers the opportunity to work on customer projects. We are also India’s biggest writer network and a one-stop shop for Indian writers and editors. The writers’ section on Chillibreeze offers freelance writers and editors a variety of tools to advance their careers. Resources for writers include: Assessment of your writing, editing and proofreading skills Writing courses Expert Feedback on your article An opportunity to promote yourself on our website Top websites for Indian writers Tips and resources for Indian freelancers Book Publishing services And more……………….. Explore our writers’ section using the links on our left-hand side menu.