These Eco-stays in Uttarakhand will definitely make you conscious tourists

1 Comment / By Ishika Rawat

Eco-stays in Uttarakhand are paving the way for bio-conservation and restoration!

The majestic beauty of the hilly terrain of Uttarakhand is a source of joy for the residents and tourists that visit the state every year. The residents take great pride in the hordes of tourists that flock to their hills: some on a Char-Dham pilgrimage while others to experience the pleasing climate and culture. This inflow of people also brings them a constant source of income.

However, this inflow also ends up being a double-edged sword. The tourists visiting the bountiful hills are not conscious enough of the ecological harm they bring to the region with their detrimental habits of garbage disposal, energy usage and abuse of biodiversity habitats etc. The most evident example of this is the latest discussions on the extensive garbage pollution that the re-opening of Char Dham Yatra has brought about. Moreover, the natives are raising concerns about the damage the garbage will do to the ecology, especially in the landslide-prone areas (something they had experienced in the 2013 Uttarakhand Tragedy).

Fueled by their desire to protect their homeland from further degradation and restore the glory of the bountiful ecology of Uttarakhand, many residents have taken it upon themselves to work towards bio-conservation and condition the tourists to contribute to this goal too. One of their main steps for this purpose is establishing Eco-stays in various state regions.

What do we mean by Eco-stays?

An Eco-stay or Eco-lodge is ‘a sustainably designed and operated lodge that focuses on minimizing its impact on the environmental and local environment it is part of’. This ‘green hotel’ is intended to promote the harmonious existence of a man with nature through its various practices of conscious tourism, boosting the local economy, minimizing carbon footprints, etc.

These eco-resorts ensure that travellers act more responsibly when they visit as they experience the beauty of nature and learn about the local community and biodiversity that inhabit the place.

What are the different types?

With the common goal of bio-conservation and spreading awareness, several different types of eco-stays exist that emphasize distinct ways of striving for this goal.

Some Eco-resorts and hostels profess the use of clean and green energy. But on the other hand, there are farm and village stays. These offer activities that educate the travellers about eco-friendly practices, waste management, organic produce and local culture. In addition, there are specialised farm stays, like a Vegan Farmstead, where they highlight animal-free agriculture, which includes no animal-sourced fertilisers, etc.

A small part of these eco-stays also takes delight in departing valuable memories of the greenery as the travellers engage in adventure activities like parachute gliding, rappelling, river rafting, etc.

What makes these retreats in Uttarakhand Eco-stay destinations?

The fulfilment of the overarching mission of bio-conservation and restoration might be the defining factor of an Eco-stay. Still, there are a lot of smaller, distinct processes that make a retreat a sustainable eco-stay. Let’s take a look at some of these aspects:

Eco-architecture

Himalayan-hemp-eco-stay-eco-stay-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Himalayana Hemp Eco stay

Himalayan-hemp-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Himalayan Hemp Eco stay

Usually, plans for establishing any retreat start with designing and building the living space. Then, one would begin designing a ‘green building’ to make a place an Eco-stay.

The Eco-resort owners in Uttarakhand have taken great care to construct such a green building and forge a sustainable system to support it. Moreover, these eco-stay owners have laid a strong foundation for their bio-conservative plans, from utilising renewable energy sources like solar energy, and setting up a rain-water harvesting system, to using eco-friendly materials like carbon capture tiles.

A perfect example of such architecture would be the Himalayan Hemp Eco Stay of Pauri Garhwal, built with eco-friendly building blocks called “Hempcrete”. These blocks, made up of a mix of parts of the hemp plant, lime, fly ash, and more, make the buildings earthquake-resistant and act as a natural temperature regulator. Other eco-stays also offer their customers a chance to live in naturally constructed cottages of clay, mud walls, and stones.

Eco-Decor & Furniture

Onizni-eco-stay-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Onizni Eco-stay

Onizni-lodge-eco-stay-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Onizni Lodge

After erecting the exterior green structure and employing the sustainable support system, the following essential feature of an eco-stay is the place’s environmentally friendly interior decor and furniture. Eco-stays tend to proffer natural comfort, to go hand-in-hand with the outer modelling of the site, much like the ones we see in quaint little cottages.

Many, like Onizni Eco Lodge in Nathuakhan Village (Nainital), are home to accommodations that boast a wooden interior design, where the furniture is made of regional wood, and sometimes even wooden tiles line the inside of the place. Some eco-stays also tend to avoid the usage of modern equipment and appliances, relying entirely on natural coolers and local ways of living.

Zerowaste Lifestyle

fagunia-farmstay-eco-stay-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Fagunia Farmstay

fagunia-farmstay-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Fagunia Farmstay

Another vital mission that these eco-stays carry is the utilisation and propagation of a “Zero-Waste lifestyle”. This practice tests their strategic planning and implementation abilities, as they employ various ways to minimise the wastage of energy, water, resources, etc., from every activity of their retreat.

From implementing energy-conservative systems and appliances to composting kitchen waste and donating leftovers to the hungry to treating and reusing wastewater, the eco-stays carry out practices of a zero-waste lifestyle. For example, Fagunia Farmstay, located near Nainital, composts its wet wastes and uses its onsite recycling twin-pit system to convert its sewage waste into organic fertiliser for their fields.

Efficient waste management

Aahana-resort-eco-stay-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Aahana resort

Aahana-resort-in-uttarakhand-ecopurple — Aahana resort

Just as our Honorable Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, asserted in one of his latest speeches, one of the most significant steps needed for bio-conservation of Uttarakhand is to put in place a proper Waste management and treatment system.

‘This system he refers to is crucial for our state which is prone to landslides and erosions’, has been realised by the eco-stay in Uttarakhand, and so they are steadily remodelling their resorts and lodges. These eco-lodges are evolving to adapt to wastewater treatment systems, responsible garbage disposal, organic and vermicomposting, etc., to respond to the need of the hour.

Aside from Fagunia Farmstay mentioned above, many others, like Aahana Eco-tourism Resort of Corbett National Park, are tapping into sustainable waste management systems for composting and sewage treatments (the water from which is then being directed to their gardens and fields, etc.)

Bio-degradable materials are also being used to substitute plastic and carbon-emitting materials. These can be decomposed and utilised as organic manure, thus making solid waste management more efficient and eco-friendly. As a bonus, it helps minimise the carbon footprints of the retreat too.

Eco-stays also play an important role to empower local society and culture

Aside from the much-needed revenue generated by eco-tourism for the eco-stay owners, eco-lodges also contribute heavily to the empowerment of the locals’ quality of life. These stays provide sources of livelihood for various members of the local communities. For instance, organic produce is procured from local farmers. In addition, the local cooks prepare local delicacies for the tourists; trek guides assist in hiking activities; artisans sell handicrafts as souvenirs, etc.

The eco-stays bring awareness towards the region’s culture and natives aside from equipping their local economy and livelihoods. For example, in many eco-stays in Uttarakhand, guests are served Kumaon-Garhwali Himalayan food to give an authentic taste of the state’s culinary culture. Some retreats also use copper glasses and earthen pots to store and serve drinking water to promote health benefits. Some, like Aahana Resort, also hold cultural nights where the locals are invited to perform and even lead discussions on their cultural history and daily lives.

To deal with the ecological imbalance that the hills are experiencing, eco-stays in Uttarakhand have also initiated awareness programmes and activities for the visiting tourists, in addition to going green.

Eco-stays try to make their connection stronger with nature to enable the visitors to be more conscious tourists. This connection can be through leisurely walks in the nearby areas, yoga/meditation sessions early morning, or inviting them to partake in organic farming activities or even workshops for teaching the significance of waste management and garbage segregation. Campsites like Thath Campsite (Nag Tibba) foster a more harmonious existence with nature, where living right between the lush green trees of the hills and witnessing a breath-taking sunrise makes one realise the true beauty and boon of nature bestowed on humankind.

The fight to restore the ecology of the bounteous state of Uttarakhand to its former-sustainable state might be long and ongoing. However, the consistent atomic efforts of the established eco-stays and the local communities are slowly but surely contributing to the progress of the ecological battle.

Credits

This article is authored by Ishika Rawat, a patissier-in-training and a passionate writer who has worked for over three years to propagate and map Korean culture’s rise worldwide and in India. Hailing from Uttarakhand, she loves spending time being one with nature. While looking forward to growing as a writer and as an informed individual, she has picked up the vast theme of sustainability, which has piqued her interest recently.

Deepa Sai, the founder of ecoHQ, strategised and edited the article. The startup extends content consultations for Sustainability and Social Impact industries. Hailing from a background in Psychology, Social Work, Human Resources, and Communications, Deepa believes in Creative Advocacy. She is also a music enthusiast who consumes liberal amounts of coffee!

To learn more about communities working for environmental sustainability, click here.

Do individual efforts matter? Here are my two cents

Do individual efforts matter?

When it comes to climate change, do individual efforts matter? This is something I ponder upon every time I do something positive for our planet. And every time, I come to the same conclusion – yes, they do!

There is a school of thought that believes in entirely blaming big oil and fossil fuel giants for climate change. This thought is valid, but only to a certain extent. We tend to demand systemic change but let’s not forget that the system is made up of individuals like you and me. Thus, behavioural change at both levels becomes vital.

If we look at it, we do share 50% of the blame. I say this because we have been, and continue consuming more than we need. We fall prey to the marketing gimmicks and end up buying stuff we can totally do without. Guilty as charged!

Excess of anything results in its overuse. We overconsume food, fashion, electricity, water, private vehicles, and whatnot! To sustain our lifestyles, we now need about 1.8 earths. It this habit to overconsume one of the culprits ruining the balance of our planet. Don’t you agree?

We have been taught through our formal education why we must protect the sanctity of our natural world and the environment. Yet, we haven’t learned anything and continue to exploit. Not to be cynical but every human being plays a villainous part in some or the other way. From an unbothered politician, a careless brand, an ignorant contractor, a banking model that funds planet-destroying mining firms, to a layman refusing to give up plastic, etc. We cannot just blame our leaders and not do anything ourselves. Governments will impose countless regulations, but those won’t help unless citizens show genuine support and follow protocols.

How do individual efforts matter?

As we march towards a sustainable world, there are two possible pathways. One is to reduce our ecological footprint. This is achievable with pro-active governance on both national and international levels to put an end to further exploitation of our natural and conserve what’s left.

The other pathway is to increase the ecological capacity of our world, which is possible with our participation. Let me give you an example. We have long endured the use-and-throw culture in our lives, which has led to a tremendous amount of waste. We have created so much trash that we have not only disturbed the ecosystem on land but also that of our water bodies. But how are we tackling this problem? By simply installing units such as ‘sewage treatment plants,’ the STPs. This is known as an end-of-pipe solution. But instead of an STP, what if we stop letting waste into our rivers and seas in the first place? Wouldn’t that help keep our water bodies healthy? Wouldn’t it reduce the spending of a tax payer’s money?

It isn’t simply about installing an STP, it is about every form of waste we create. If we’ll be mindful enough to control what we discard as waste from our homes, we can contribute in increasing the ecological capacity of our planet. The first week of Covid lockdown is an excellent example. We stopped creating pollution through our cars and factories, and boom! Air became cleaner and skies clearer. Just imagine what we can achieve if we implement deliberate and immediate measures.

We as citizens hold two big assets to make change happen. The first one is our ability to vote. The leader we vote for isn’t just responsible for developing our economy. We need to realise that our leader has to be conscious enough to develop a nation’s ecological capacity and quality of life for its citizen, alongside the economy. So when a government turns out to be incompetent, we share the blame.

The second asset we hold is the ability to vote with our wallets. As more and more individuals are going green, we now have brands coming up with sustainable alternatives. We are seeing this change happen. I do not need statistics to support this (in case you’re not convinced, check out this report by the WWF). Every time you purchase an eco-friendly service/product, you are voting with your wallet. So you see, what we chose to buy, changes the market. A change in the market helps in transitioning to a more sustainable society.

I understand that it would be complete ignorance at my end if I do not address the problem of equity in our society. Not everyone has the privilege of voting with their wallets. But this is not a problem with no solution. It is the responsibility of our authorities to provide every citizen with equitable access to resources. An equal starting point for each human makes development easier, again drawing attention to the importance of voting.

Today, multiple instances show how citizen action drives change. It was evident when the Dutch government sued Royal Dutch Shell. It is evident with the Riverfront development project in Pune kept on hold. It is evident with the price of a bamboo toothbrush coming down from once ₹150 to now ₹50! It is evident with countless options for vegans of today. It is evident with a brand like H&M, after receiving a lot of backlash, introducing “sustainable” clothing line. There are many more such instances.

So do individual efforts matter? Hell yeah! Perhaps the only differentiating factor is that the pace of change might be slow. But it is of value. The onus should not be on the government, nor should it be on individuals. It has to be a partnership.

Behavioural change has to be at both levels. Only a well-informed, aware, and educated person can take mindful decisions for his citizens and the planet. Similarly, only a well-informed, aware, and educated citizen will make mindful choices that support sustainability.

In conclusion, read this out loud: INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS MATTER! Never believe otherwise.

Ecopurple always intends to influence people to do more good for our planet. This opinion piece is one of those humble attempts.

Spirit of Youth – Appreciating the Inspiring Young Environmentalists

Young Environmentalists are Leveraging their Time and Social Media to make a Difference and I'm all for it!

Thanks to the climate crisis, environmentalism has long left the school textbooks and finally found its way into most of our lives today. A part of this progress is also due to the relentless hard work of activists all around the world, causing this much-needed push in the green direction. Delighted to witness that the younger generation is also participating in, even spearheading, the awareness campaigns in large numbers.

The young environmentalists are making sure their online presence is not merely about their food and travel adventures. Significantly, they’re also dedicating their time and effort to talk about issues that matter.

Dana Fisher, a sociologist studying activism rightfully said,

“Young people have been talking about climate change for decades. But the latest generation of protestors is louder and more coordinated than its predecessors. Young people are getting so much attention that it draws more young people into the movement.”

A global survey involving 27,000 people found that about 59% of gen-Z desire to live more environmentally-friendly. Not just gen-Z, even Millennials (55%) desire the same.

As you can see, not only does the youth cares for the planet they are also passionate about helping others and living a healthy life. Hence, it is safe to say that we are nurturing a promising and considerate set of future generations.

In 2018, too, it was a 15-years-old activist – Greta Thunberg, who garnered global attention to the climate crisis. Her powerful voice inspired millions around the globe, leading to the foundation of the ‘Fridays For Future’ (FFF) campaigns. FFF is a youth-led grassroots movement.

Today, every country has its own FFF groups set up to engage people in taking climate action. In India alone, almost every state, every city has its own FFF team. Almost all volunteers here are young environmentalists trying to mobilize the masses to take urgent climate action.

Even before Greta, young activists such as Autumn Peltier (Canada), Ridhima Pandey (India), Leah Namugerwa (Uganda), Xiye Bastida (Mexico), and more have paved the way for people like us.

It’s hard not to get inspired when you come across such dedicated young individuals, isn’t it?

Times are changing. More and more people are willing to make sustainable changes to their lifestyles. If you, too, are looking for some inspiration to start your eco-conscious journey, look no more.

Allow these young changemakers, who are leveraging their time and social media to push for a sustainable change, to guide you. Be sure to click that follow button for your daily dose of sustainability education and eco inspiration.

Inspiring Young Environmentalists and Sustainability Enthusiasts You Must Know

Talk Dharti To Me (TDTM)

TDTM is a team of youth educating people on pressing environmental and sustainability issues through their blogs and engaging online presence.

Their insightful content and webinars will convince you to start important conversations that our society needs to discuss today.

“Talk Dharti To Me emerged out of a pursuit to inspire and support the community, and a desire for conversations about sustainability. We seek to inspire people and communities to act for a better self-sustainable future.”

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Arushi Kaushik

Going by the username @green_fille, Arushi Kaushik is a student of environmental science and a passionate sustainability enthusiast.

She creates fun, engaging, and informative content for educating her audience on environmental sustainability.

Her posts will also keep you updated with the latest environmental issues, so that you realize why you must take action.

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Saniya Malhotra

With @didyousaykabaad, Saniya, an architect by profession, teaches how to live an eco-friendly life without having to change much of your existing lifestyle.

She offers content full of tips and tricks while making you aware of sustainable alternatives to conventional products.

She highlights sustainable businesses, posts easy DIY videos, and fun reels, all of which will help you live an eco-conscious life for sure!

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Tejas Talware's Nashik Ploggers

Tejas Talware’s @nashikploggers is a community that is on a mission to work for a cleaner Nashik.

While plogging is at the center of their initiative, that’s not all that they do. They also organize tree plantation drives and several other social awareness campaigns, which you, too, can be a part of.

Following up on their work and the initiatives they take up will certainly provide you a source of green inspiration.

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Vyshnavi Gudivada

Vyshnavi’s @theindianminimalist is a one-stop profile to know all about veganism, minimalism, low-impact living, and much more!

She’s a sustainability influencer and an entrepreneur, doing her best to promote an ethical and responsible lifestyle. In addition, Vyshnavi’s expertise in skincare is a bonus that might help enhance your self-care regime as well!

Follow her to know every good thing she does for the planet. Let that be an inspiration for you.

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Urvari

Urvari is yet another youth-led organization working for a better tomorrow.

Be it cleaning up beaches, planting trees, upcycling plastic waste, or donating food, these young changemakers have everything covered.

Know them, follow them, and join them in making a positive impact. You can also volunteer and work with the team to together make a difference.

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These are only a few of the many young environmentalists and youth-led organizations out there who are doing their bid for our beautiful world.

Only a responsible generation sows the seeds for a fruitful future. Considering the rise in youth participation in issues that matter, the future does look promising.

Both Gen-Z and millennials today are increasingly showing concerns for the future of our planet. We do not need statistics to prove this, as we can witness this all around us. We are no longer afraid of demanding systemic change and holding those who are accountable. May this momentum keep going and growing with each passing day. It’s about time we stand up for our future.

If you know some more young changemakers then do comment down below. Let’s acknowledge their efforts and empower them.

Also, to know more about such eco-conscious people and stories, click here.

Buy Sustainable Products with Brown Living

Shop Sustainable Products without Going on a Guilt Trip

Are you aware of Greenwashing?

To Greenwash someone is to fool them by claiming that a product/service is environmentally friendly. Brands make such bogus claims to attract customers looking for sustainable products.

Have you ever been Greenwashed yourself?

I know I have. But I have learned from my mistake, and just so that this doesn’t happen with you, I want to highlight a green community that promises to provide a range of trustworthy sustainable products. Since I have invested in them, I can vouch for their service 🙂

Let’s get to know them.

Brown Living

Chaitsi Ahuja, the founder, or how she likes to call it – ‘Entrepreneur of Sustainability’, is an environmentalist at heart. She, along with the support of her peers, established Brown Living – an eco-friendly shopping website dedicated to sustainable products. Their objective is to support brands and small businesses who design products pertaining to a circular economy.

What’s in store for you?

From clothing to bathroom essentials, hair care, kitchen essentials, home decor, etc, the store provides a myriad range of products. The plus point is, all of these are crafted in such a way that they support the health of our environment.

Brown Living not only provides sustainable choices but also the ones that are vegan, organic, and of course eco-friendly. You can shop guilt-free!

What I find impressive is...

The plastic-free packaging! Isn’t it a bummer when you order an eco-product only to find it in a bubble wrap, and the packaging sealed with a plastic tape?

via GIPHY

For years, packaging and the use of plastic have gone hand in hand. We all have witnessed and performed this practice. And this is something that deserves a better alternative.

Understanding this issue and to stay in tune with the promise of plastic-free packaging, Brown Living says,

“We require that all shipments to Brown Living and to its customers to come 100% Plastic-Free (that includes bio-based or compostable plastics as well).”

They even use water-activated paper tapes and plant-based glue to seal the overall package. Hence, plastic-free.

Brown Living’s work ethic is in alignment with the UN’s Goals for Sustainable Development while supporting afforestation, slow and mindful living, fair trade and ethical sourcing, and more green ethics.

The Brown Lens

With an intend to avoid greenwashing, the team studies the framework and application of the sustainable products they feature. Before showcasing a particular product, the Brown Lens ethic is used to determine how it’s made, the source of materials, the environmental impact, and the functionality.

Thus, if you wish to save yourself from getting greenwashed, Brown Living is here for you!

Conclusion

Brown living is a safe place for you to pin your faith and make a green investment.

Here’s an easy tip to save yourself from getting Greenwashed:

Check for legitimacy, certifications. Look for testimonials, an elite media coverage, multiple reviews. This will help you to better understand the product and the brand manufacturing it. Don’t fall for the description as soon as you read it.

Something we as consumers should take care of:

No matter how much a brand or a community extends a contribution in living green, we as consumers, too, should take responsibility. Even if it’s a sustainable product, ask yourself a question – Do I really need it? Shop for necessity rather than for luxury.

Be mindful. Be conscious.

Comment down below and tell me if you are aware of any such green community 🙂

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How to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle

1 Comment / By Sharayu Mishal

What do You Understand by the Word – Sustainability? Or a Sustainable Lifestyle?

For me, these terms define 2 things:

To practice measures that are earth-friendly and
to make use of long-lasting products that have the least environmental impact.

Today, most of us have become educated enough to understand the human effect on our planet. Our current lifestyle and the source of economy is more linear than circular.

To put it in simple words, our actions are harming the environment. We are aware of the problems and also the solutions, but we lack the urge to do something about it.

Having said that, breaking a habit and adopting a new way of life is not easy. You need to commit. You need to understand the importance of why should you do it. If you care for the resources and expect them to sustain, these are enough reasons to take action. The fact that you are reading this article, says a lot in itself.

If you wish to contribute to make our world a better place to live in, here’s what you need to do: Adopt an ethically Sustainable Lifestyle.

There are plenty of ways to make green efforts for the betterment of our planet. I want to discuss just them. And to provide you a genuine set of methods, I asked a few of my friends to help me out. I asked them about their sustainable practices, and the following is a compilation of their responses.

You may find some suggestions basic, while some may be extreme. Try to incorporate the ones you can. If you find something repeated, then maybe it is important and worth considering.

Response #1:

Manage your Basic Waste Disposal - Suvin Mayekar

“Adopting a sustainable lifestyle, I guess is a much-needed solution today. The execution is not easy though; we cannot start big. We have to start small from the bottom and work ourselves up. So for the problem at hand, this start should begin with you. And to do so, you need to feel the urge, the importance of it. Then, you may plan out how to make your household earth-friendly.

You can start by managing waste. Here’s how you can maintain a sustainable workflow:

Do not litter (basic!)
discard waste the right way by segregating garbage into dry and wet wastes,
discard the sanitary waste separately in a paper bag,
limit the use of non-biodegradable, use-and-throw products/practices, and
promote and educate others.

Following the above simple guidelines, one can achieve a green routine. And, if every citizen is responsible enough, a sustainable lifestyle Take one step at a time.”

Response #2:

Say No to Fast Fashion - Sakshi Vichare

“Instead of falling for the brands who produce fast fashion, try to stitch your clothes with the help of a tailor. This can help curb the pollution caused by textile waste – a major contributor to landfills.

Fast fashion promotes the use of cheap fabric that does not last long, and thus creates more fabric waste. A lot of freshwaters are also polluted due to textile treatments and dyeing. Moreover, most of the time, the craftsmen work in unethical environments and do not get their due. While these are only a few factors influencing textile waste, there are ways in which we can tackle it.

Start by making small changes. Contribute towards a circular economy, and ultimately to sustainability.

Learn the advantages you get when you choose to stitch your clothes,

You select the fabric of your choice – which is of good quality, durable, and will last for years and years to come.
You know the background of your local tailor which will assure you of the ethical workplace.
You can customize your clothes the way you want. The clothes we buy most of the time have some or the other issue in the fitting. Here, you can get the perfect fit.
You get a variety of options in the patterns and designs of your choice. Think about the various possible outcomes you can have!

The fashion industry is the 2nd most polluting field. We can control this waste by opting for stitched clothes and avoiding fast fashion. Your small effort in practicing a sustainable lifestyle will be of great help.”

Response #3:

When I asked my friend, Ruta Pendse, she came up with 5 helpful ways to go green and I could not be more thankful.

"1. Veganism

Animal-based products account for about 60% of Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. So we can prevent climate change by going vegan which in turn also contributes to animal welfare. Thus, try to follow veganism and vegan diets as much as possible.

2. Waste and Composting

Manage your in-house biodegradable scraps by creating a mini compost. You can also grow your vegetables or herbs on a small scale in your apartment if possible. Buy local produce as much as you can. By reducing the use of processed and packaged foods, you can have a sustainable lifestyle. And even if you happen to buy them, throw the trash mindfully in recycling/waste bins.
Practice waste segregation. Ensure proper disposal of sanitary waste and try switching to biodegradable sanitary napkins or menstrual cups. Regular pads contain plastic which takes around 500-800 years to decompose. Whereas, compostable pads take around 5-6 months.

3. Prevention

Use Public transport when you can. Try to live a minimalistic lifestyle by buying and using only what is needed. Recycle or donate extras to charity.

4. Clothing Waste

About 70% of clothing waste ends up in the landfill. So buy limited, necessary clothing, and donate what you don’t wear to charity or people who can repurpose it.

5. Try to Upcycle

Craft best-out-of-waste. Turn your old garments into aprons, cloth wipes, scrunchies, etc. Or, use the single-use plastic bottles for mini plantations. The famous ‘5 min Crafts’ handle on Instagram will show you amazing hacks.

These are 5 of the many ways to practice sustainability. Start small. You need to commit and not make excuses. Earth is ours to protect.”

Response #4:

Practicing sustainability is no doubt a profitable solution. But awareness for the same still lacks while building a foundation. And by foundation, I mean our education. Here’s what my friend, Raj Kodare has to say about it:

“’Explain in brief about Pollution’ to ‘Use of green Technology in Chemical Industry’ in my undergraduate days, the education system made sure to have one environmental subject. This is to make students aware and to educate on how to deal with the problems related. But has it served the purpose? Or do we take the subject for granted, and answer “EVS hai re, woh toh aata hi hai!” (It’s environmental studies! It’s easy). We do, don’t we?

This proves that our academic assignments do not drive us to work for nature. And unless one feels the ‘need’ to do so, he/she will most probably not contribute. This may be because our education system has always kept EVS a secondary subject when it deserves to be mainstream education.

It’s high time we realize the upcoming crisis and begin to work on an individual level. We should not care about the certificates or tax exemptions from social activities. Let us do our part, not for the sake of it, but because it needs to be done!”

My personal advice:

Lead by Example

My friends have pointed out some great ways in guiding you to adopt a sustainable lifestyle. However, only learning and educating others is not enough. You need to present yourself as an example so that you can inspire your peers the right way and not be a hypocrite.

Show your concerns. Use your resources to promote your beliefs, and join hands in reducing the human impact.

Our environment, the natural resources, deserve better. Take a step in making that happen.

Let me know if this helped you.

Also, comment down below how you practice sustainability.

10+ Best Sustainable Fashion Brands in India

2 Comments / By Sharayu Mishal

Sustainable Fashion - A New Trend for the Future Nay, Today!

Did you know that the level of CO2 emitted by textile industries is almost equal to that released by automobile industries?

With changing lifestyles, and seasons, we often find ourselves within new fashion trends. We enjoy incorporating the latest trends into our style statement, because why not?

But, what do you do when the outfits are not trendy anymore, or more naturally when you grow out of them? In Desi families, clothes usually get passed on to our younger siblings, which is a good option. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as most of the fabric waste often gets trashed. Fashion industries themselves contribute a lot to this pollution. Which is why today we are in dire need of sustainable fashion choices.

With fast fashion trends, sustainable clothing (slow fashion) is yet to gain popularity. However, we do have quite a few homegrown sustainable fashion brands in India. And to your aid, Ecopurple has curated a list of a few of the many brands crafting green fashion. Let’s take a look, shall we?

Please note that the following list is in no particular order of preference; the idea is to promote and acknowledge their work.

1. Adah

Adah, founded by Leesha Agarwal, a conscious earthling cum a talented fashion designer, is an ethical, zero waste, and a handloom fashion brand. It is a fashion house that truly loves their fabrics, the makers, and the colorful dyes that make it beautiful.

On experiencing the aftermath of fast fashion firsthand, Leesha decided to make a difference and so, led to the foundation of Adah. Here’s everything that is good about this sustainable fashion brand:

The team sources each piece of fabric directly from the hardworking weavers, not allowing any middlemen to participate. This helps in ensuring that the weavers are paid what they deserves.
The environmental quotient is taken care of by repurposing/ recycling/ and upcycling all kinds of fabric scraps into diaries, wallets, scrunchies, headbands, earrings, etc. The tags, too, are made using recycled tetra packs, adding to their concern for the environment. Adah also refrains from the use of plastic.
The skilled tailors, who craft the elegant garments for Adah, are given their rightful credits. You will get to know who made your outfit, a wonderful way to honour the efforts of the maker and also empower them.

For both and women, Adah is one of the affordable fashion brands out there. One must check-out their outfits as they’re not only aesthetic but also sustainably made.

2. SUI

This women’s fashion brand from New Delhi, found by Mahima Gujral, is on its way to help pave the way for green clothing.

Sui crafts conscious apparels and accessories, such the environmental impact is low. How?

They prefer working with durable and anti-bacterial fabrics such as hemp. Use Organic cotton that is GOTS certified, and other sustainable materials.

Nowadays, about 60% of fabric fibers are synthetics made from fossil fuels; this makes it hard to decay. Hence, the choice of raw material matters.

Sui uses herbal dyes to pigment their clothing; and recycles the wastewater in the process.
The team makes use of recycled packaging and upcycles the leftover fabric waste as well.
Following a sustainable work ethic, SUI also partners with the NGO – Women Weave. The women in this NGO contribute to the weaving of handspun home fabrics. They practice conscious activities that need less to no electricity. Thus, save energy.

3. DOODLAGE

The brainchild of Kriti Tula – Doodlage is a recognized eco-fashion house set in New Delhi. The brand creates fashion outfits and accessories by recycling and upcycling fabric trash. The toxic after-effects of the fashion industry led to the foundation of Doodlage.

Doodlage collects surplus of defective or stained fabric scraps from textile manufacturers. They even collect the leftover apparel scraps from the garment factories.

From the fabric waste of their own, they create wallets; laptop bags; accessories; and notebooks.
Ditching the plastic, they recycle the fabric waste into paper for their packagings.

Needless to say, Doodlage is doing its best to achieve zero waste production. And by all the efforts that they’re making, the team is bound to succeed.Moreover, Doodlage also presented their collection in the Lakme fashion week of 2019.

You know they’re good when even Lakme supports them.

4. NO NASTIES

Vegan gang, this one’s for you! Based in Goa, No Nasties has been in the business since 2011, creating outfits for men, women, and kids. They design outfits made out of fair trade, organic, and vegan raw materials.

GOTS ✔️

Peta ✔️

Fair Trade ✔️

Impressive right? But wait, there’s more. To add to their green efforts, No Nasties offers plastic-free packaging. The team makes use of drawstring bags and recycled cardboard boxes instead. The effort doesn’t end here. With the “Buy One – Get Tree” program, No Nasties has been planting trees to negate their carbon emissions. You make a purchase and the team plants a tree, as simple as that! Thus, it’s safe to say that No Nasties is one cohesive sustainable fashion brand.

5. RENGE

Renge is a sustainable fashion brand that offers beautiful clothing options for women. Found by Sheena Uppal, they create conscious apparels keeping the fashion quotient intact.

What makes Renge an ethical brand?

They use a surplus of fabrics from factories that follow strict social and environmental standards.
The artisans dye fabrics in Creative Dyeing & Printing, which is Oeko-Tex certified.
The team works in tune with Hemla Embroidery, which is Sedex certified.
Both factories are within a 3km radius, this reduces carbon emission due to logistics.
Also, a part of their factory runs on solar energy!

While creating sustainable fashion, Renge also extends support for other critical issues. Learn more by clicking here.

6. BASICLLY

Basiclly is yet another option to make a sustainable fashion choice for women. Their mantra? ‘Comfort, Ease and Familiarity’ while practicing Fair Trade.

Located in Noida, Basiclly is a fellow supporter of slow fashion. The brand crafts livable clothing to make them durable and long-lasting.
The team makes use of 100% organic fabrics with reusing and upcycling the fabric scraps. This way, they avoid the use of synthetic materials.
Basiclly makes sure to have their fabric manufactures and the production factories close. Thus, minimizing the environmental impact therein.

7. SPARROW

Sparrow was born with an aim to provide sustainable clothing at affordable prices. The team believes and contributes to a circular model of fashion.

Craftsmen at Sparrow stitch outfits using breathable fabrics sourced from ethical resources. From designing sustainable clothing to plastic-free packaging, deliberate conscious efforts are being made.

“To bridge the gap between consumers and sustainability, we strive to bring you ethical garments in affordable prices. So that your online shopping takes a conscious step towards the environment.”

8. UPASANA

This team led by Uma Prajapati works with the traditional technique of Handlooms. Upasana takes absolute pride in crafting fabrics through this concept that helps save electricity

As opposed to the artificial dyes, the team works with natural ones. Such as, Natural Indigo, native minerals, and herbs like Sandalwood and Tulsi.
To make the garments safe to the skin, Upasana infuses the same herbs with organic cotton. The medicinal properties of these herbs help provide a sense of healing to the wearer.

“Our mission is to create conscious sustainable fashion where we are taking care of our environmental cost and not passing it on to the future.”

Upasana’s work is here for you to choose a sustainable fashion alternative.

9. B LABEL

Belonging to the slow fashion tribe, B Label, powered by Boheco, takes a green route to fashion. Their star fabric? Hemp.

This sustainable fashion brand spuns Hemp into a variety of quality outfits. Why Hemp? Because,

It is Carbon negative
It repels UV rays
It resists mold and mildew
Is one of the strongest fabrics
Hemp is Anti-bacterial
It can grow with less water, etc

What more reasons do we need? B Label is one to pin our faith for a responsible fashion brand.

10. NICOBAR

Nicobar, too, belongs to the slow fashion bandwagon. Their philosophy is to make products that are: long lasting, not trend-driven, inspired by natural materials, and influenced by the culture we grew up in.

The above collage is only a gist of what Nicobar has to offer.

Apart from their products, the most exciting one is their option for customers to Gift Trees. Nicobar has partnered with the “Grow Trees Foundation.” With this, a customer can choose to plant a tree in the name of his/her gift recipient. They plant the trees in the Sundarbans of West Bengal to protect the habitat of our Royal Bengal Tiger.

Thanks to Nicobar, now I know what to gift my loved ones!

11. RIMAGINED

Rimagined is an ethical brand from Bengaluru producing sustainable fashion and upcycled products. They manufacture products right from sarees to furniture. Understanding the increasing garbage crisis, Shailaja Rangarajan led to the establishment of Rimagined.

The team works with both pre and post-consumer waste.
They craft their sarees from the pre-consumer cotton yarn waste. This is the leftover yarn during and after the weaving. They weave this yarn in the traditional Charkhas and then dye it with beautiful colors.
Rimagined also works with denim, wood, glass and rubber waste. They’re upcycled into furniture, bedsheets, decors, and other accessories.

Their aim is to divert waste from the landfills into a sustainable and valuable object of use. And they achieve this by working hand in hand with handloom weavers and tribal artisans.

CONCLUSION

These are a few of the many sustainable fashion brands in India who are working to maintain a circular economy.
Fashion waste is mainstream pollution. With a growing maturity and awareness, one has to consider ways in which he/she can limit their impact. We need to control our unnecessary contribution to the landfills.
Yet, if you happen to buy something that belongs to fast fashion, make sure you find a way to repurpose. One sustainable action goes a long way.

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According to a report by the Financial Express,

It can take 2,700 litres of water to produce the cotton needed to make a single T-Shirt. As per World Resources Institute, 5.9 trillion litres of water are used each year for fabric dyeing alone.
Around 20% of industrial water pollution in the world comes from textiles. Also, about 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used to turn raw materials into textile.
As per another report, about one garbage truck of textiles is either burnt or landfilled. This happens about every second!

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Seach ActionChecklist

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Checklist 1

Checklist 2

Checklist 3

What do You Understand by the Word – Sustainability? Or a Sustainable Lifestyle?

Response #1:

Response #2:

Response #3:

"1. Veganism

2. Waste and Composting

3. Prevention

4. Clothing Waste

Response #4:

My personal advice:

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Please note that the following list is in no particular order of preference; the idea is to promote and acknowledge their work.

What makes Renge an ethical brand?

CONCLUSION

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