Your road map to go green in Karnataka

I seem to be in demand mostly during this time of the year,” said a young Kuldeep Dantewadia, the moment he walked in at our office the other day. It was a power-packed punch line alright, delivered right at the beginning of our conversation at that.

If that statement had any trace of irony, Kuldeep explains that this yearly demand, around World Environment Day, only motivates him further in his quest to help people save their environment. Dantewadia’s work over the past year and a half has had to do with solid waste management and calculating carbon footprint for companies and then, laying out a map to help them go green.

“My interest in the issue began while I was in college. You could call it a culmination of various influences — parents, school, the environment as well as a personal interest,” says the youngster, who has been a part of the Tata Jagriti Yatra that made quite an impression on the early history of what I would like to refer to as the latest green revolution.

I say revolution — only because of the environmental consequences that seem to be simmering dangerously at the brim of our very existence. At a time and age when global warming is a threat that does not affect a majority of the population directly, there are a huge number of individuals who are environmentally conscious and are keen on going at least that one extra mile to do a bit more than expected; as long as they know what more they can do.

This is where efforts and initiatives by people like Dantewadia come to the forefront. His company, The Environment Group, has been working with environmentally conscious companies like the Mantri Mall, the Bangalore Club, the Karnataka State Pollution Board, and even, Christ University among others. “This has been the commercial aspect of the business.

We have calculated their carbon print and helped minimise and control their wastes. There are an innumerable number of ways to do so,” says Dantewadia.

However, it is what is coming up that seems to be a lot more exciting. “We are starting an NGO called Reap Benefit. The idea is to measure sustainability and track schools or companies that increase their level of self sustainability and then again, reward the individuals who have contributed to the positive change.

Again, here we will be providing the institute a road map towards change and also teach them how to calculate their carbon print,” he explains.

The NGO plans to work in tandem with the government as well, which, Kuldeep finds is doing all that it can to go green already. “But the government comes with its own limitations, so change here is a gradual process.

However, my research revolves around technology — which I am working on along with a team, including people from Stanford University. It is a chip that can find out if you have segregated your waste for the day or not. Therefore, this could prove to be beneficial for the government as well,” he reveals.

Sure, there are a lot of NGOs that have taken up the issue of waste management to a large extent. But Dantewadia points out, “It involves breaking stereotypes and bringing about a change in attitude. And that is definitely not easy.”