Source to Sink

Nature "recycles" in its own timeline. Sadly, human use and throw of resources have "junked" the planet, including the huge gyros of trash in all our oceans killing avian and fish life while destroying/ choking land fertility for crops while polluting water and air.

Sources: All human activity: Agriculture (including dairy industry), Industrial (including mining), Civic (including hospitals, schools, market places/ malls, eateries, construction, transportation, homes/ neighborhoods, places of worship and pilgrimage centers, tourism etc.)

Steps towards solutions: 1. Each source needs to have an environment impact report submitted to the government (in India, all licensing of business should be based on this vital report being part of the application/ renewal process; even at the level of homes, property tax needs to be linked to how the household disposes of its trash- recyclable/ garbage- proper bills from recyclers- kabaadiwalas etc. can be made as documentary evidence)

2. The impact report should also have a section to show concrete steps that can be measured in a timeline to move towards a 10% reduction per annum, the ultimate goal being total elimination at source. Total elimination means that all the "waste" generated is handled at the source and completely recycled or incinerated (without air pollution) or decomposed with the help of bacteria or other biological means.

3. Given India's history and general trends in civic participation/ keeping clean, levying fines and having a "cleanliness police" will not be very effective. Indians tend to work best under coaxing and "following a role model"- like a film star or cricketeer or now, the new "star", Shri Modi ji. Even our independence was won with Mahatma Gandhi's coaxing methods than some heavy handed fighting.

4. Reports on rural poverty and urban malnutrition show Indians choosing less healthy choices over healthy foods even if healthy is cheaper. This mindset of "aping the West" is still prevalent in so many spheres that it needs to be kept in mind while going through the process of solid waste management.

5. Waste management should be shown to be "cool"- movies and TV serials can have comedy tracks that show characters trying to follow directions to sort trash and messing up etc.

6. Just as some states in India used public transport like buses, trains, taxis and autorikshaws to spread the message of literacy, female child, family planning etc., the same can be used to campaign for Swacch Bhaarat.

7. Cool jingles and ad contests can be organized across the country in all languages to promote the idea. Essay competitions for school children and white paper submissions from college students with impact analysis and solutions with timelines for implementation can be part of it.

8.Summer internships to develop a village or urban plan, implementation can be made part of the curriculum for environmental Science, civi eng. majors and other related fields.

9. India is a free country. There is more heart than logic. Appealing to the emotions than to the head will work in getting the country cleaned up. Surat cleaned itself up in days after the threat of plague. Strong emotional forces like that have greater impact than threat of "fines"- Indians have always found a way around it through corruption.

Together, we can do it. Where there is a will, there is a way and India has always come up to scratch when we absolutely need to, be it winning a world cup or electing in assembly polls in spite of violent threats. more