In first of its kind research, the SWMRT commissioned climate change experts NO2CO2.in to calculate the annual amount of CO2 emissions that had been prevented by the recycling of domestic waste. Looking at the SWMRT’s monthly collections of paper alone (see note 1), which is estimated to make up nearly 24 percent of recyclable household waste, just over 916 tons per annum were recycled, saving a staggering 4,633 tons of CO2 emissions. In climate change terms, this equates to the planting of 18,532 (see note 2) trees and neutralizes the negative climate change impact of 2,895 average Indian citizens (see note 3).
Sandya Narayanan, SWMRT member and resident of Bengaluru for 35 years, says: “These statistics are testament to the commitment shown by SWMRT members over the last year in relentlessly pursuing one shared goal - to make Bengaluru a cleaner place to live. The knowledge of SWMRT members coupled with the enthusiasm and passion of the communities we work with reflects in these great first year results.”
These statistics will also be shared with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) at the SWMRT’s second presentation at the Lok Adalat this Saturday (23rd October, 2010).
The SWMRT comprises a group of like-minded organizations and highly skilled individuals who have been working to build awareness of and promote the adoption of best practices in waste management at houses, apartment complexes, corporations, schools/colleges, and public offices across Bengaluru.
Myriam Shankar, SWMRT member, adds: “The vision of the SWMRT is to bring the Municipal Waste Management Rules 2000 and its recommendations to life in Bengaluru by promoting the all important basic step of segregating waste at source and adoption of the 3R’s - reduce, reuse, recycle. A simple change in mindset can curtail and drastically reduce the amount of garbage that needlessly makes its way into landfills or worse still, onto our city’s streets.”
Anyone wanting to convert their home or workplace towards zero waste management can call 99161 02848, email swmrt.bengaluru@
Notes to Editors:
1 Time period of analysis was August 2010 during which time the SWMRT processed 132.5 tons of Compostable Waste and 320 tons of Recyclable Waste.
2 A Carbon Footprint of 1 ton of CO2e can be thought of as requiring the planting of approximately 4 trees to ‘neutralize’
3 The average Annual Carbon Footprint of an Indian Citizen (based on 2004-2005 National GHG Inventory data) is estimated to be 1.6 tons of CO2e/year.
For more information, please contact:
Julie McGuire
Myriam Shankar
No2co2.co.in
NO2CO2 is a climate change-research, advocacy, outreach and leadership body that elevates climate change from a narrow environmental issue to a human rights issue of the severest magnitude. It aims to empower, galvanize and channel the individual and his radial congregations into a state of responsibility, accountability, solutions awareness and participation in the pursuit of limiting global temperature rise to two degrees centigrade by 2100.
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About SWMRT:
The SWMRT was formed in October 2009 by a group of like-minded organizations and highly skilled individuals who have been working to build awareness of and promote the adoption of best practices in waste management at houses, apartment complexes, corporations, schools/colleges, and public offices across Bengaluru.
The vision of SWMRT is to bring the Municipal Waste Management Rules 2000 and its recommendations to life in Bengaluru by promoting the all important basic step of segregating waste at source and adoption of the 3R’s - reduce, reuse, recycle.
The SWMRT believes that everyone needs to exercise their responsibility, be it social, corporate, or otherwise, and start managing waste from the point of generation, whether in houses, apartment complexes, corporations, schools/colleges, or public offices.
