A new concept of resource conservation and environmental consumerism is emerging. In the last ten years, the Indian market has seen a continuous increase in demand for green products and processes. Advances in bio-renewables have the potential to create a significant impact in India, besides altering the sourcing landscape. A Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) has been set up, which solicits applications for funding environmental research and development projects.
Indian environmental entrepreneurs or ‘enviro-preneurs’ are providing a wide range of solutions in yield improvement and solvent recycling to minimise waste. Environmental startup Waste Ventures India, are working to avert up to 90% of waste from dumpsites and producing nutrient-rich organic compost. They sign multi-year contracts with local municipalities and employ waste pickers at their processing units to segregate waste. The Delhi-based startup, launched in 2011, has 44 projects lined up this year. Two of these have been kickstarted in Andhra Pradesh villages.
Chakr Innovations have designed the world’s first retrofit emission control device for diesel generators which emit large amounts of soot. The technology can capture over 90% of particulate matter emissions from the exhaust of diesel generators efficiently and right at the source, without causing any adverse impact on the engine.
Entrusted with a legacy of ecologically-sensitive civilizational values and armed with modern day innovation, India stands at a historical moment where it can definitively influence events towards environmentally sound outcomes.
