GoGreenGuru: Sustainability in Action Ananya Guru Sangameshwar

What if there was a way we could menstruate using products that are healthy, safe and comfortable and do not add to the landfills? What if we could empower ourselves to make a choice that works for us?

Join us in demystifying sustainable menstruation in this warm and friendly conversation with Dr Lata Ghanshamnani, co-founder, RNisarg Foundation and host Ananya Sangameshwar. We explore the what, why and how of sustainable menstruation, discuss menstrual cups and cloth pads and address fears, doubts and concerns in an open and empathetic way. Listen to the story of RNisarg Foundation and Project Sakhi, to empower women with the right knowledge.

Resources
Subscribe to and explore resources on menstrual hygiene and menstrual cups, with simple, science and practice-backed explanations https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBCtrYQ-HPP4qMJMur6O1xg

Choosing a menstrual cup - a collaborative compilation of menstrual cup reviews from real users https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l97nAMSRhoHiEe3RBlitOYzMwdP_VZErGDw3oORDUug/edit

Register here to take up a free short training course to be certified as a menstrual educator with Project Sakhi with AMOGS (You may also sign up for waste-management related trainings here) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4QuLkCIF69Eaj57lJyrtVdZQ8WScidQTczK8Vk8KuNLVk9g/viewform

About our guest 
Dr Lata Kamal Ghanshamnani is a practising opthalmologist and eye surgeon with more than 2 decades of experience. Over the years, she became concerned about the amount of waste generated at home, work and her city - Thane and how it was not managed effectively, leading to piling unsanitary landfills. Thus she co-founded RNisarg Foundation with fellow medical practitioners who resonated with her cause. She has been actively involved with environmental awareness and community engagement. She is a recipient of multiple prestigious awards and fellowships including Woman of Substance Award from Know your Thane, Covid warrior award, Swachhta Saarthi fellowship under Wealth to Waste initiative and is a Women4Climate Mumbai 2021 cohort member.

About RNisarg Foundation
RNisarg Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization committed to environmental sustainability and social impact. Founded by Dr. Lata Kamal Ghanshamnani, Dr Leena Kelshikar and Mrs Veena Angadi, RNisarg Foundation operates at the intersection of climate change and waste management, with a particular focus on addressing critical issues related to menstrual waste, pharmaceutical waste, and biomedical waste.

Driven by the belief that sustainable solutions are essential for safeguarding the planet and promoting community well-being, RNisarg Foundation implements innovative programs and initiatives aimed at raising awareness, driving behavioral change, and fostering sustainable practices. Through strategic partnerships, education, and outreach efforts, RNisarg Foundation empowers individuals and communities to take meaningful action towards building a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.

To learn more about RNisarg Foundation and join the movement towards environmental stewardship, visit www.rnisargfoundation.com.
Connect with RNisarg Foundation - support@rnisargfoundation.com
Volunteer with RNisarg Foundation - a...

How can we answer that call to service and grow as a person?
How can we stir that fire and put it to good use?
What if we could have a space to be more human together?
HaiJalo, which means, "we will find a way", in Kumaoni, is finding a way to make this happen…

Volunteer cultivator, mother of ideas, youth mobiliser, toilet cleaner - Bombil Ruth does what needs doing at HaiJalo, the community service collective she runs along with local Pahadi youth in Champawat district of Uttarakhand.

This conversation, with some deep stuff and some light-hearted stuff is for those wild souls, who are bursting with questions and are on the path of seeking, of rethinking ideas and lifestyles we take for granted. If you are on this path of exploration towards more conscious and centred living, this episode may have a little something for you.

Connect with Team HaiJalo 
https://haijalo.org/ - Explore volunteering and financial supporting options here 
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hai.jalo/
Email - haijalo.bal@gmail.com
Connect with Bombil Ruth - 9769955596 

How do we combat water scarcity on one hand and floods on the other? The solution is the same - integrated, inclusive water management, with rainwater harvesting. As citizens and communities, this is a simple, economical and effective practice we can adopt to ensure we have water for our needs, today and in the time to come.

This World Water Day, reimagine the way you think about water. In conversation with Vishwanathan S, founder-trustee Biome Environmental Trust, we discuss the why and how of rainwater harvesting, understand the approach we can take and the design and implementation of rainwater harvesting systems at a home and community level. We address some questions and concerns citizens may have on this journey. Along the way, we reflect on water from the lens of individual, community, need, livelihood, gender, culture, economics, equity, justice, policy, practice and more.

Activity shared by Vishwanath
Go to a nearby lake or well and spend time there; look at the ecology and the livelihoods. Participate in a cleanup activity. You will start to build a sense of ownership with the water body.

Biome Environmental Trust, a thoughtful do-tank based in Bengaluru, is doing phenomenal work with ecological architecture, water management and community engagement. Through their multi-stakeholder approach, they bridge the gap between practice and policy, driving real change in land use and water management. Their Million Wells campaign was awarded the Transformative Cities Award in 2022.

Visit biometrust.org and urbanwaters.in for contacts, case studies, comics and resources on water management and communicating with people about water.
Follow @biometrust 

Vishwanath S is the founder of Rainwater Club, Director of Biome Environmental Solutions, and Trustee of Biome Environmental Trust. He is a Civil Engineer from Mysore University and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from CEPT, Ahmedabad. He holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Urban Environmental Management from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. A member of the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance, he is also an Ex-Secretary General of the International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Azim Premji University, and has been a columnist at the Hindu since May 2007 (‘Waterwise’ in Property Plus on Saturdays). 

Connect with Vishwanath - @zenrainman 

Connect with GoGreenGuru - @gogreenguruss or contact@gogreenguru.com
Connect with host Ananya Sangameshwar - @ananyagscreations 
 
Additional resource for understanding groundwater patterns and aquifers across India - https://cgwb.gov.in/ 

Could the collective power of citizens be the key to safeguarding our natural world?

The movement to save the Banyans of Chevella in Hyderabad, is a story of hope. Citizens from diverse walks of life, came together with one shared love for nature, to save 900 heritage banyans and thousands of other trees from being chopped or translocated for a highway expansion project. They asked, can we find a way to build the road without disturbing these trees and their thriving ecosystems?

For years, they fought tirelessly through campaigns and legal battles. A breakthrough: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) offered a refreshing judgement in favour of the Banyans of Chevella -paving the way for the first-ever Environment Impact Assessment for roadside trees!

Join host Ananya Guru Sangameshwar in conversation with Sadhana Ramchander, Kobita Dass Kolli and Tejah Balantrapu, from the Nature Lovers of Hyderabad group, to uncover the story of the campaign and why it matters. 
...
Deepen your connection with nature: Activities for you!
Listen. Listen intently to any sounds from the natural world. Listen to what they tell you and make you wonder.Hyderabad and other metro cities are made up of migrants. But humans are not the only migrants. Can you imagine trees as migrants too?Explore and observe. Go to the same space at different points in time and notice how there are so many changes within that space, how it all unfolds....
Connect with the Chevella Banyans campaign
Sign the petition on Change.org
 
Website - https://www.savechevellabanyans.in/

Facebook -   / savebanyansofchevella  

Instagram, X - @chevellabanyans

How can we really adopt green habits that last and work towards a sustainable lifestyle with ease?

Our guest, Mrudula Joshi, zero-waste practitioner, guide and entrepreneur, candidly shares stories, insights and practical eco-friendly tips from her 4+ years of experience transitioning to a low-waste lifestyle and helping other people on their journey.

This episode is for you if you are a beginner on the zero-waste path, or if you are attempting this lifestyle, but are struggling with eco-anxiety and other challenges that people don’t really talk about openly. Be it the social struggle to say no to single use disposables, or the nagging feeling that you are not doing it perfectly - we have your back.

We hope you find a shift in your approach to sustainability and feel more empowered to build eco habits in a way that feels joyful and natural to you.

Actionable Challenge #WatchYourWaste
Collect your cleaned dry waste items like wrappers and boxes in a bag for a week. Then examine your waste and reflect on it, using the prompt shared below. Hand in your collected dry waste for reuse or recycling at a kabadi/recycling centre. Check out the resources shared towards the end.

Journaling prompt
When using or buying anything, try to question - Where does this come from and where will it go? How much value is it really adding to my life? What else could I do with it after its use rather than throwing it away?

This will be a great baby step to start thinking in a zero-waste way. Have fun!

Share your experience with us. Connect with us at gogreenguruss on Instagram/Facebook or email us at contact@gogreenguru.com.

About our guest Mrudula Joshi:
Mrudula Joshi, a fashion designer by training, stumbled upon the concepts of minimalism and zero-waste living, finding practical and financial sense in adopting these habits as a young adult. Inspired by her journey, she launched ullisu.official on Instagram, an authentic and relatable journal chronicling her transition to zero waste living, which blossomed into a supportive community hub. Mrudula curates resources and workshops on circularity and a zero waste mindset. She launched ullisu.com, an online marketplace supporting eco-conscious brands. As Strategic Partner at Wasted360, Bengaluru, Mrudula champions circular waste solutions and the thriving second-hand economy.

Connect with Mrudula Joshi on Instagram - @ullisu.official

Visit ullisu.com - for curated resources and media recommendations for helping you think zero waste. Kindly note that the Ullisu store is not functional now.

Access the Package Free Map - https://ullisu.com/pages/the-map-project - a community resource with zero waste stores, recyclers, repair services pinned. Mail your location contributions to volunteer.ullisu@gmail.com.

Utilise Wasted360 services to start off a pickup drive in your community, school or office for old items and dry waste.
Visit indiawasted.com and follow indiawasted on Instagram.
Contact Wasted360 Bangalore - a...