Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Enabling communities to take up the mantle of environmental stewardship

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As the Goodeebag steps forward to transform garbage management and encourage environmentally friendly living, we have the founder Abhishiek Agarwal, sharing about their sustainability movement, their programs, and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
As the globe struggles with environmental issues, Goodeebag steps forth as a trailblazer determined to transform garbage management and encourage environmentally friendly living. It was founded with a deep vision and steadfast dedication, and is a movement that speaks up for the voiceless people and creatures impacted by toxic waste, including our planet, animals, and the air we breathe.
The founder, Abhishiek Agarwal, is a visionary leader guiding this toward meaningful and sustainable trash management. With a degree from Hyderabad’s G. Pulla Reddy Degree College, his journey demonstrates his spirit of entrepreneurship! “Our sustainability movement was born out of a deep-seated desire to solve the urgent problem of waste management in our neighbourhoods in Hyderabad and across. Having seen the harm that traditional garbage disposal techniques cause to the environment and public health, we were motivated to come up with a novel solution that reduces waste while also promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Our approach to garbage management mixes convenience, community involvement, and environmental conscience, setting us unique from traditional waste management options. We want to bring about a paradigm change towards responsible waste management practices by offering educational activities, and doorstep rubbish pickup services.”
The goal, he says, is to lead the sustainability movement and speak for the voiceless. Informing all the citizens about the dangers of plastic and simplifying the disposal of waste by raising awareness and providing a digital platform is what the founder is trying to do. Beyond waste management, their vision looks forward to a day when people understand that their garbage can be used as a valuable raw material by industry! “Through community-focused programs, we elevate the voices of those impacted by toxic waste and are translated into concrete actions. By means of seminars, awareness campaigns, and collaborations with grassroots organisations, we proactively involve ourselves with local communities, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and resources to address waste-related issues. Furthermore, we put inclusion first by making sure that underserved communities have fair access to our resources and networks of support, which encourages a feeling of community ownership and shared accountability for environmental stewardship.”
Passionately, Abhishiek ventured into the waste management industry in 2022, hoping to reach important milestones in his mission to teach one crore families about sustainability! “There were several obstacles,  such as cultural quirks to overcome when we decided to expand from Hyderabad to other major cities. However, we were able to overcome these obstacles and reach important benchmarks by using flexible management techniques. We collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, including public and corporate organisations, through advocacy campaigns, policy discussions, and cooperative collaborations. To solve systemic difficulties in waste management, we encourage information exchange, resource sharing.”
Goodeebag, which is now having a big impact in Hyderabad, plans to expand to three major cities in the next eight months. To meet its ambitious target of gathering 2000 tons of plastic, they hope to have an impact on the lives of at least two lakh families by 2024. “As part of this, a proprietary mobile application will be created, allowing users to plan waste pickups, monitor their recycling efforts, and access instructional materials. We also use data analytics and will soon be using IoT devices to track recycling trends in real-time. To further our goals and increase our impact, we have formed a number of alliances. These associations, which involve talks and are almost finalised, are with government agencies, businesses, non-profits, and educational institutions. They are in different phases of development. We want to increase our influence, share resources. Our continuous collaboration with the Vidya Jyothi Institute of Technology (VJIT) to advance waste management research and teaching is one noteworthy example. We can empower upcoming sustainability leaders and reach new people by forming such coalitions.”
Although there have been few official reactions from the government, private organisations recognise the importance of the program. The challenge is not so much in comprehending the issue as it is in turning aspirations into concrete action! The organisation is unfazed and continues to pursue it’s goal of bringing about significant change. “We use a combination of community empowerment, and educational programs to solve behaviour change obstacles and encourage eco-conscious behaviour. This includes distributing educational materials, launching campaigns to alter behaviour, and setting up incentive schemes for people and groups who embrace sustainable lifestyles. In order to promote positive behaviour change and establish a sustainable culture, we also use peer-to-peer learning networks, gamification components, and social norms marketing strategies.”
As they look to the future, they want to revolutionise waste management on a broader scale and spark a fundamental shift toward sustainable living patterns! In addition, they hope to enable communities to take up the mantle of environmental stewardship. In the end, they see a time when trash is seen as a precious resource that can be recycled, repurposed, and reused within the framework of a circular economy, rather than as an issue that needs to be controlled.
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