Indore- India's cleanest city

Hi readers! Today, we'll be writing about Indore, a fast-growing city in India, which has emerged as a model for sustainable waste management practices.

Why and how is Indore so sustainable?

Indore, recognized as India's cleanest city for seven consecutive years, has made significant strides in sustainability through a comprehensive approach to waste management, including 100% source segregation, door-to-door collection, and waste-to-resource initiatives,robust waste management, promoting energy efficiency, and fostering community participation, setting a benchmark for sustainable urban living. 

Facts on Indore and it's environment;

1.  The city has resolved about 90% of its solid waste challenge!
2. 95% of households give segregated waste, Before, 80% of people would not segregate waste!
3. Indore's Municipal Corporation (IMC) partnered with non governmental organisations for an awareness campaign to change the behaviour of its citizens, contracted private companies to run some waste management operations, used technology, and improved municipal capacity to ensure the implementation of its waste management plan.
4. The central waste processing facility is built on what used to be Indore’s largest dumping ground.
5. Every night, 800 km of main roads are swept by machines, footpaths and road dividers are washed by a water mist. This uses 400 litres of water every night, most of it recycled water from the three sewage treatment plants set up by the IMC.

Littering at social events!

 Hi readers! Sorry for not posting so long, but we're back at it by writing about the problem of littering at social events.

Major music festivals and concerts can generate a significant amount of waste, including a large quantity of plastic, with some festivals producing up to 100 tons of solid waste. Around 9,000 kilograms of waste are generated by audiences, consisting mainly of plastic boxes, bottles, glasses, banned plastic bags, cups and straws, and cardboard food boxes.

Negetive effects

Littering at social events is a problem with many negative impacts like:

• Environmental Damage:
Litter pollutes the environment, harms wildlife, and can contaminate water sources. 

• Health Risks:
Litter can attract pests and create unsanitary conditions, posing health risks to people. 

• Aesthetic Issues:
Litter detracts from the beauty and enjoyment of public spaces. 

• Social Costs:
Litter can lead to a decline in property values and a sense of community neglect

But you can help! Here's how!

• Inform attendees:

  Spread awareness to remind people about the importance of proper waste disposal and the impact of littering. 

  
  

  Highlight the consequences:
• Emphasize the negative effects of littering, such as environmental damage and the creation of an unappealing environment.

  
  

  Promote responsible behavior: 

  Encourage attendees to take ownership of their waste and dispose of it properly. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

Our Visit To Vantara!

Hi readers! Sorry for not posting so long, but today, we're posting about our visit to Vantara, an animal rescue and rehabilitation centre.

Some information on Vantara:

• Vantara is located on Jamnagar, Gujrat
• It was founded by Anant Ambani in early 2024
• It is a 3000 acre sanctuary, filled birds, big cats(like panthers, jaguars, lions, tigers, etc, mammals(like elephants, monkeys, hippos, zebras), reptiles(like snakes, crocodiles, alligators) etc. You name it, they've rescued it!
• Every single animal there is rescued, whether it's a lion, or a wallaby!
• They care for injured, abused, threatened, or vulnerable animals.
• It aims to create a sustainable future for wildlife. 

Pollution problems in Delhi

 Hi readers. Sorry for posting so late, but we've all had a really busy weekend!

Delhi is one of the most air-polluted cities in the world. In January 2025, Delhi was ranked as India's second most polluted city.

Here are some causes of Delhi's pollution problem:
• Air pollution in Delhi is caused by road dust, vehicles, construction dust, industrial point sources, and domestic fuel burning. 
• Health effects: Exposure to high levels of air pollution can cause respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer. 
• Seasonality:Delhi experiences thick smog in the winter, which leads to poor air quality. 
• Vehicular emissions: About 40% of Delhi's air pollution is caused by vehicular emissions, with diesel vehicles being a major contributor. 
• Industrial point sources: Industrial point sources are a major contributor to PM10 and SO2 emissions. 
• Road dust 
Road dust is a major contributor to PM2.5 and PM10 pollution. 
• Construction dust: Construction dust is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. 
• Population density: Delhi's high population density leads to heavy traffic and significant emissions of pollutants. 

Your Carbon Footprint and how to Reduce it

 Hi readers! Happy New year! For our first post for 2025, we will be writing about how to reuce your carbon footprint, since we are learning about this in our ongoing Unit Of Inquiry. Enjoy!

What is a carbon footprint?A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) released into the atmosphere by a person, product, organization, or event. Some GHGs include carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane. The larger a carbon footprint is, the greater the strain on the environment. 

The carbon footprint of an individual can be affected by many factors in your daily life, including: Food consumption, clothing purchases, waste disposal, and more. 

Here are some ways to reduce your carbon footprint:

1. Reduce waste: Recycle materials, cut down on plastic, and reduce food waste.

2. Conserve water: Fix leaks, take shorter showers, and turn off the tap while brushing your teeth.

3. Use reusable cups, plates, utensils, bottles and containers.

4. Travel efficiently: Walk or bike instead of driving, and take fewer connecting flights. 

5. Reduce energy use: Turn off lights when you leave a room or your home, and replace old light bulbs with LEDs.

Some facts about your carbon footprint:

1. The average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world. Globally, the average carbon footprint is almost 4 tons.

2. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities are now higher than at any point in our history. In fact, recent data reveals that global CO2 emissions were 182 times higher in 2022 than they were in 1850, around the time the Industrial Revolution was underway.

3. Food Production Accounts for 83% of Carbon Emissions Each Year.

Just a post to inform you...!

Hi guys! This isn't a big post, we just wanted to inform you that we won't be posting till January, since most of us are travelling for the winter break! Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy NewYear!

Overpopulation (and how we spread awareness in our school!)

 Hi readers! Today, we'll be teaching you about overpopulation and how it harms the environment. This topic also connects to our ongoing unit, Sharing the planet, where we are learning about finite resources. In this post, we are also going to talk about how we inspired younger children in our school and spread awareness too! Let's start with that:

We were invited by out third grade teacher, the people who played a big role to inspire us to write this blog. We actuallly started our blog in third grade! We prepared a presentation, and in groups of two. We taught 64 children altogether about how they can help with environmental difficulties. This was an amazing opportunity, and we thank out past teachers for choosing us to inspire the young minds of the future.

Now, onto overpopulation and how it harms the environment:

- Overpopulation leads to an increased demand for housing, food, and resources, which can lead, among other things, to deforestation.

- This can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and other forms of damage that can have severe consequences.

- In connection to our unit, larger populations require more food, water, and energy, and consequently taxes the earth's ability to replace overused or misused resources.

- Overpopulation also depletes wildlufe to dangerously low levels

In summary, the fossils consumed, the resources depleted, the forests cleared, the heat produced, and the global warming caused are all repercussions of the fast-growing population.

Here are some images of when we were sharing about our blog: