Rack brain for best green ideas

Rack brain for best green ideas
TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Often in the hurly-burly of events, a pressing issue gets pushed to the sidelines — the urgent need to save our environment and, indeed, our planet. The Times of India has,
however, constantly sought to bring it back into the frame through periodic campaigns, and now a special weekly page that appears on Friday.
To involve our readers in this movement, we are now launching another campaign. Here’s how. Readers are invited to send their green ideas in six key areas: water conservation and pollution, energy generation and conservation, recycling and waste management, transport and vehicular pollution, heritage and culture conservation, and biodiversity and greening.
Under this initiative, ‘Take Care, Take Charge’, jointly launched by The Times of India and Garnier, for every idea received we will buy 10 kg of paper for recycling. And if your idea is selected by an expert group, it’ll be recommended to the government for development, and you will be part of a select green corps.
India has traditionally been a green society. Citizens have actively worked on eco-friendly causes, green activism a core of community charters. From large-scale missions such as the Chipko movement in the 1970s and the Narmada Bachao Andolan, to rainwater harvesting and solar-power innovations at local levels, alert and responsible community groups have kept tabs on, and directed, India’s green quotient. We will also bring thought leaders and innovators from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata on a shared platform to pool their ideas.
You can post your idea on the website www.takecaretakecharge.in. The ideas will then be judged on robustness, scaleability, ease of implementation and cost. Ten ideas per city will be finalized by the reputed Centre for Environment Education. One idea per city will finally be chosen by a panel of judges. Our campaign will culminate on June 5 — the World Environment Day — with a special edition of The Times of India. ‘Take Care, Take Charge’ initiative off to a start Mumbai: ‘Take Care, Take Charge’ was launched here on Wednesday by former Miss World Diana Hayden and actor Kunal Kapoor at The Times of India office by planting a sapling in a symbolic gesture for nurturing new green ideas.
Speaking on the occasion, Hayden said, “Through this initiative anyone can come out with an idea and make a difference.’’ Kunal Kapoor agreed, saying, “The youth can come forward and be heard because they’ll have fresher ideas.’’
Kartikeya Sarabhai, director, Centre for Environment Education (CEE), the knowledge partner in this initiative, jointly launched by The Times of India and Garnier, explained that the ideas can be simple. “We will take the best ideas per city, and along with experts choose the best idea.’’ Vismay Sharma, director, consumer products division, L’Oreal India, also spoke.