CB BureauA host of sustainable practices can be implemented which will result in reducing carbon emissions to a great deal:
- Switch to alternate and clean sources of energy at home, work and school.
- Avoid the usage and consumption of non-recyclable items like plastic and opt for other sustainable options.
- Make recycling a part of the routine.
- Protect and nurture the trees in the community.
- Educate and increase awareness on climate change and sustainable living through discussions.
- Encourage use of locally-made sustainable products.
- Use rainwater harvesting in communities and cities.
- Increase the use of solar energy through portable solar products like solar battery chargers, solar lamps, solar rooftop at homes, etc.
- Avoid the use of motor vehicles for short distances.
…The lockdown period and the many don’ts that we continued to follow subsequently have been an eye-opener, telling us that less is sufficient and that we had merely got used to excess in most things. Imagine, we had even got used to air pollution! Faced with a stay-home-or-risk-your-life situation, many of us fell back on what we had all but forgotten – our creativity and our instinct to find joys in the little things. Sure, there was restlessness, worry and fear, but these happened alongside a different sort of unravelling of our minds which made us see things we had forgotten to notice. Rainbows for example, or rivers and blue skies. The music that happens in nature when the sound of traffic dies out. There were reports of sightings of animals in our otherwise urban jungles.
Maybe these were signs that it wasn’t too late yet. Too late for what, some may be wondering. Well, too late to turn back the clock on an environmental disaster that has been in the making through the decades of decadence and will someday choke us human beings out of existence. Sure, it’s not going to be you and me or even our children, but what about their children and their children’s children? Does the possibility of their existence in a cold world not disturb us, or does it sound dystopian, the stuff of science fiction… Read the full introduction to the series here.
In an effort to understand what leaders at various organisations are doing towards making a sustainable world a reality, CauseBecause reached out to them and asked what they can do to make sustainable living a way of life and how do they see their role as individuals as well as leaders in organisations. The participants include:
Anirban Ghosh, Mahindra
Gayatri Divecha, Godrej
Rajiv Williams, Jindal Stainless
Ramji Raghavan, Agastya International
Rashmi Soni, Vistara
Shalini Singh, Tata Power
Vijay Sethi, Hero MotoCorp
Vikram Gulati, Toyota Kirloskar Motor
We need to begin by respecting nature. We all need to contribute to protecting the rich biodiversity around us. It is the destruction of this biodiversity that is triggering serious climate disasters like floods and forest fires. The onus of protecting the flora and fauna that are on the verge of extinction is on us. By restoring the wildlife, we will be able to help balance the food chain in our ecosystem.
Our daily lives need to be adapted to incorporate sustainable activities. Small steps like carrying a cloth bag while shopping or switching to metal water bottles will have a cumulative positive impact for future generations.
Let’s also remember that the majority of the world population still lives in a rural setup. It is our responsibility to educate them on sustainable practices, with particular focus on providing affordable healthcare, basic education, and access to clean drinking water. With farming being one of the major occupations in the world, it is the need of the hour to encourage sustainable practices.
“As leaders/decision makers
Leaders the world over are doing incredible things to help communities. Covid-19 has dramatically changed the priorities for people. Livelihood and support to healthcare have been key focus areas for many leaders.
Covid-19 was an unforeseen event and therefore the changes we are witnessing are also drastic. It has definitely changed life as we knew it and our approach to things. A reduction in carbon emissions is definitely anticipated as a result of the travel restrictions imposed by various countries.
On the other hand, a boost in the local economy can be foreseen due to reduction in our dependence on foreign produce and greater interest in local markets. This can in turn boost the rural market and local entrepreneurs. Under Tata Power’s Dhaaga initiative, we have encouraged local self-help groups to produce garments and given them a platform to sell their products. With Maval Dairy, which is Maharashtra’s first and India’s second all-women dairy farm, Tata Power has had a very positive impact on the lives of these women.
We launched our e-commerce platform, Saheli World, during the lockdown with a focus on Covid essentials like reusable face masks and gloves, sanitisers and immunity boosters. Through Saheli World, we aim to provide a platform for women and rural entrepreneurs to sell their handmade products and other farm produces.
‘Care’ is one of the important values at Tata Power and is reflected in our efforts towards consumers and the community at large. Our employees across India and abroad clocked more than 1.70 lakh volunteering hours in FY20.
Shalini Singh is Chief”Corporate Communication & Sustainability, The Tata Power Company Limited
We are a responsible power-producing company, with more than 30% of our power generation coming from clean energy. Tata Power Club Enerji is one of India’s largest energy-conservation movements in schools. Through this initiative, we have not only managed to save energy but also organised plastic collection and beach cleaning drives.
All our stakeholder touchpoints and campaigns include our CSR messaging. We also provide volunteering opportunities to our customers and other stakeholders for our afforestation drives, beach-cleaning drives and other CSR-specific events.