Delhi: She takes your waste, gives you a plant
Do you know India still has 40cr newspaper readers? But, a newspaper loses its value at day-end, and after a month, 6kgs of garbage stare at you, which you sell for a measly amount to a junk-dealer. How would it be if you could get a potted plant in exchange of your pile of newspapers? Noida resident Sudha Singh does exactly this. Here's her story.
The right push: Dearth of proper waste management, green cover
Sudha started Wasteroots as a social enterprise in 2016 after sensing the dearth of proper waste management in her apartment: there was no waste segregation. "I tried broaching this issue multiple times with concerned authorities but all I ever got was clumsy and disinterested responses," she narrates. Moreover, the lack of green cover around her pushed her all the more towards this initiative.
Killing two birds with one stone: Sudha's strategy
Sudha always wanted to do something for the environment, so while on a break from her career to raise her son, she toyed with ideas. Plastic waste got chucked out because of the complexity involved, newspapers became her next focus. Suddenly, she thought to kill two birds with one stone: Collect newspapers and other paper wastes in one place and pay the seller with a potted plant!
Word spread like wildfire and her venture got consolidated
She started out in a small way. She used up an area in her apartment terrace, where plants got nurtured by a hired-gardener. For collecting newspapers, Sudha didn't hire anyone but did it herself. The idea caught up with Noida locals and through word of mouth, her venture got consolidated. Wasteroots soon got registered as a company and by December, it had its website.
After an anonymous ad, Sudha realized Wasteroot's potential
Sudha knew Wasteroots will not give her profit, but the satisfaction was immense. But after someone posted an ad in various newspapers mentioning Sudha's initiative and her phone number, she realized the potential of her venture. She was inundated with calls from Bengaluru, Gurugram and Pune. "Whoever the person was, in a way, helped in getting Wasteroots a lot of traction," quips Sudha.
After 2 years, she deposits 6-7tonnes of paper for recycling
Her path was not devoid of challenges. Her relatives and friends were apprehensive about her venture, but she stuck on. Now, she caters to over 4,000 people, in and around Noida and manages to deposit 6-7 tonnes of paper to recycling mills per month. Her volunteers spread her mission by following the clause of motivating ten more people to opt for this system.
