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Consciouscarma
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Showcase
  • Inspiration
    • Initiatives
    • Stories
    • Innovations
  • Travel
  • Features
    • Economy
      • Business
      • Nation
    • Environment
    • Living
      • Spirituality
  • Global News
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Monthly Archives

February 2021

transparent solar cells
EconomyInnovations

‘Transparent solar cells’ can take us towards a new era of personalized energy

by Team Conscious Carma February 28, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

Researchers from Incheon National University, Republic of Korea, and Michigan State University (MSU), USA design novel transparent solar cells

Solar power has shown immense potential as a futuristic, ‘clean’ source of energy. No wonder environmentalists worldwide have been looking for ways to advance the current solar cell technology. Now, scientists have put forth an innovative design for the development of a high-power transparent solar cell. This innovation brings us closer to realizing our goal of a sustainable green future with off-the-grid living.

Today, the imminent climate change crisis demands a shift from conventionally used fossil fuels to efficient sources of green energy. This has led to researchers looking into the concept of “personalized energy,” which would make on-site energy generation possible. For example, solar cells could possibly be integrated into windows, vehicles, cellphone screens, and other everyday products. But for this, it is important for the solar panels to be handy and transparent. To this end, scientists have recently developed “transparent photovoltaic” (TPV) devices — transparent versions of the traditional solar cell. Unlike the conventionally dark, opaque solar cells (which absorb visible light), TPVs make use of the “invisible” light that falls in the ultraviolet (UV) range.

Conventional solar cells can be either “wet type” (solution-based) or “dry type” (made up of metal-oxide semiconductors). Of these, dry-type solar cells have a slight edge over the wet-type ones: they are more reliable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective. Moreover, metal-oxides are well-suited to make use of UV light. Despite all this, however, the potential of metal-oxide TPVs has not been fully explored until now.

Researchers from Incheon National University, Republic of Korea, came up with an innovative design for a metal-oxide-based TPV device, consisting of an ultra-thin layer of silicon (Si). Based on the findings, the research team is optimistic that the real-life applicability of this new TPV design will soon be possible. As for potential applications, there are plenty, as Prof Joondong Kim, who led the study explains, “We hope to extend the use of our TPV design to all kinds of material, right from glass buildings to mobile devices like electric cars, smartphones, and sensors.” Says Not just this, the team is excited to take their design to the next level, by using innovative materials such as 2D semiconductors, nanocrystals of metal-oxides, and sulfide semiconductors. As Prof Kim concludes, “Our research is essential for a sustainable green future — especially to connect the clean energy system with no or minimal carbon footprint.”

Meanwhile, in the US, Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) originally created the first fully transparent solar concentrator in 2014. This clear solar panel could turn virtually any glass sheet or window into a PV cell. By 2020, researchers in the U.S. and Europe have already achieved full transparency for solar glass.

Photovoltaic glass is probably the most cutting-edge new solar panel technology that promises to be a game-changer in expanding the scope of solar. These are transparent solar panels that can literally generate electricity from windows—in offices, homes, car’s sunroof, or even smartphones.  The two major types of transparent solar panels include partial and full transparent panels. As these solar power windows can simply replace the traditional glass windows in offices and homes, the technology holds the potential to virtually turn every building in the United States and the world into a solar producer. 

Just the way solar roof panels are currently produced using different technologies, solar windows are also being developed using different techniques. 

The potential to generate renewable, clean energy from the sun is enormous with transparent solar panels, considering the number of skyscrapers and buildings already in existence or under construction with a massive amount of glass surface.

According to Richard Lunt, the Johansen Crosby Endowed Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at MSU, highly transparent solar cells represent the “wave of the future” for new solar panel technologies.

Lunt says that these clear solar panels have a similar power-generation potential as rooftop solar, along with additional applications to improve the efficiency of buildings, cars and mobile devices. Lunt and his team estimate that the U.S. alone has about 5 to 7 billion square meters of glass surface at present. (Just in the last 10 years, as much as 682 million sq. ft. of office space has been added in the U.S.).

With this much glass surface to cover, transparent solar panel technology has the potential to meet about 40 per cent of the country’s annual energy demand. This potential is nearly the same as that of rooftop solar. When both these technologies are deployed complimentarily, it could help meet nearly 100 per cent of the U.S. electricity needs if we also improve energy storage. 

Story Source: Information is sourced from www.sciencedaily.com, www.solarmagazine.com

Note: Content has been edited for style and length

To check out more innovations, Click Here

February 28, 2021 0 comment
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MG Motors women crew
Initiatives

MG Motor rolls out 50,000th Hector in India: All-women crew makes it

by Team Conscious Carma February 27, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

End-to-end production of this MG Hector was undertaken by the crew. This included panel-pressing, paint job, welding and even the production tests. MG Motor aims to achieve 50% gender diversity in its organisation in future and pave the way for a balanced workforce.

MG Motor India has manufactured its 50,000th Hector with an all-women crew in Gujarat’s Vadodara. Women-only teams were involved in panel-pressing of sheet metal and welding to painting jobs as well as carrying out post-production test runs. 

MG said the initiative has created a new benchmark while celebrating `Diversity’ – one of the core pillars of the automaker – as women led the end-to-end production.

The automaker aims to achieve 50% gender diversity in its organisation in future and pave the way for a balanced workforce.

MG Motor India has its manufacturing facility in Gujarat’s Halol (Panchmahal district) which comprises a 33% share of women in its workforce across all business functions. If trained well, both men and women can handle the machinery with equal competency.

Rajeev Chaba, president and managing director, MG Motor India, said, “The rollout of our 50,000th Hector by an all-women crew comes as an honour to their contributions and hard work. It also demonstrates that glass ceilings no longer exist even in an erstwhile male-dominated industry such as automobile manufacturing. We believe that it will inspire more women to join the automotive industry in India and abroad.”

Source: ETAuto.com

To checkout more initiatives, click here

February 27, 2021 0 comment
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dhyan foundation bulls
Inspiration

SP, Indira Mukherjee from Jhargram, West Bengal saves bulls from Mafia

by Team Conscious Carma February 26, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

An act of bravery by the Superintendent of Police Indira Mukherjee posted at Jhargram, West Bengal. Her prompt action led to the recovery of bulls from armed goons early morning today.

A truck carrying 13 bulls to Dhyan Foundation Chakulia gaushala, Jharkhand was stopped and looted by armed goons in Jambani PS Limits, West Bengal.

dhyan foundation bulls

These bulls were earlier rescued from the cattle mafia by the Border Security Force at Indo Bangladesh border and handed over to Dhyan Foundation Kishanganj Gaushala for subsequent care. As the gaushala exceeded its keeping capacity, the bulls were being shifted to the NGOs Chakulia Gaushala, which is also the country’s largest Nandi Shala housing over 7000 rescued bulls and cows.

Enroute, the truck driver took a wrong turn and stopped to ask way at Podihati Village. In no time, the locals armed with weapons surrounded the truck, threatened the drivers and took away the cattle.

The drivers somehow managed to escape and enter Jharkhand and complained at Chakulia police station. Jhargram SP, Indira Mukherjee was prompt in action and very soon all the bulls were recovered. They are now safe at the gaushala.


The region is notorious for the activities of the cattle mafia. As per sources, many cattle are hoarded in the local masjid. A similar raid is required to rescue those cattle as well.

Address of masjid 

Parihati masjid, Bakhura district, Jamboni ps limits

About Dhyan Foundation: 

Dhyan Foundation is a spiritual and charitable body of volunteers and sadhaks registered formally as a trust in the year 2002. They teach advanced yogic techniques, mantras and meditation. As a precursor to these practices, Karmic Cleansing is essential. Hence the volunteers devote their time and effort for the service of humans, animals and the environment.

Thousands of people are fed daily through their country-wide food distribution camps. The Foundation run ‘Anand Vidyalayas’ to impart free education to underprivileged children and provide vocational training to empower women. Their work in animal welfare may be summed up as below,

35 plus shelters housing over 40,000 rescued animals including cows, bulls, buffaloes, camels, donkeys, cats, dogs, peacocks, goats, sheep and more. They have gaushalas in nearly every state of India – no milking cows, just bulls and old and infirm cows, all saved from cattle mafia and butchers

Feeding more than 50000 plus stray and wild animals including dogs, cows, monkeys, langurs, birds, squirrels and more through 500 plus feeding points across the country. 24-hour animal emergency helpline and 10 ambulances running round the clock in 6 cities, their efficiency can be judged from the fact that even the MCD directs rescue calls to us.

Treatment of sick and injured animals including plastic removal surgeries, prosthetic limb replacements, vaccination drives, massage and physiotherapy and recovery under the personal care and attention of volunteers.

Emergency relief programs for calamity struck cattle. Some examples include Chitradurg (Karnataka, 2019), Rewa (Madhya Pradesh, 2018), Kollegal (Karnataka, 2017), Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh, 2017), Latur (Maharashtra, 2016), Dausa (Rajasthan, 2016 & 2017), Hingonia (Rajasthan, 2016)

Animal Awareness Programs in schools, colleges, institutions and MNCs. Reflective Neck Belt distribution to prevent stray accidents on roads. They produce and promote products made from cattle wastes to make the gaushalas self-sustainable under the banner of ‘Nandi Products’.

Since November 2018, they are working shoulder to shoulder with the border security force of India to rehabilitate the cattle rescued by BSF at the Indo Bangladesh border and have successfully transported and rehabilitated nearly 50,000 such cattle to date. According to the BSF, they are the ONLY organization that is working for this cause.

Dhyan Foundation is a recognized Animal Welfare Organisation registered with the Animal Welfare Board of India ((ND054/2019)). We are a member of the State (Delhi) Advisory Board for Animal Welfare and of the Goa Animal Welfare Board. We were awarded the 2021 Animal Welfare Protection Award (Jeev Daya) by Minister of Animal Husbandry India and AWBI chairperson; 2019 Goa State Leadership Award for Best NGO; 2018 Jenanne Marchig Animal Welfare Award by the Federation of Indian Animals Protection Organisation and the 2017 ICAR award for contribution towards local cattle germplasm.

February 26, 2021 0 comment
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pavitra apparel
LivingSpirituality

Pavitra bridges the online-offline gap in the field of spirituality and holistic living

by Team Conscious Carma February 25, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

Health and Wellness brand Pavitra bridge the online-offline gap in the field of spirituality and holistic living

Pavitra integrates spirituality, sustainability and holistic living into an individual’s daily life with an aim to create an ecosystem of socially conscious, natural and all-rounded wellbeing of the community. It is an e-commerce entity with a multi-dimensional focus on the wellness of the mind, body and soul yearning to promote a lifestyle change, one that is eco-friendly while taking people back to the purity of their roots.

Fostering this lifestyle, Pavitra offers products and services across several categories making it a one-stop-shop to purchase conscious jewellery, sustainable clothing, idols alongside Poshak (clothing), jewellery and accessories for all deities and end-to-end samigrihi for pujas at home. One can place an order for stunning artworks made by local artisans and painters while their product line extends to include home accents, beauty and wellness as well as conscious food.

Pavitra is known to organize rituals covering all milestones possible in an individual’s lifetime. From Nāma-Karaņ, Shudhi Karan, Mundan, Upanayana (Thread Ceremony), Vivah Samsara to Shradh, they are experts in planning conscious birthdays and weddings including pre-wedding celebrations as well. All this, in addition to other religious and festive occasions like Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, Laxmi Puja, Vastu Shanti, Paath and Kirtan among many revelries that can be executed seamlessly by Pavitra both offline as well as online through various virtual mediums. Being committed to an individual’s holistic growth, they offer one-on-one yoga, aura healing, counselling and sessions on Astrology and the Ayurvedic or Satvik way of life. They also organize group eco-retreats and customised pilgrimage trips for families and friends.

  • pavitra apparel
Pavitra Products

To encourage a more balanced and a centred approach to life, one can attend daily meditation classes, cooking workshops and transformational webinars by eminent speakers to help navigate the complexities on a daily. These webinars throw light on various spiritual and lifestyle topics, transforming perceptions and imbibing positivity in people’s overall outlook towards living.

“The concept of Pavitra is not just about encouraging a conscious way of living but also to provide people with products and services that allow families to adopt such a lifestyle. We are a unique e-commerce platform that believes in women empowerment and our mission is to be inclusive while uplifting various sections of our society. Our process involves training underprivileged women from neighbouring villages, providing employment by involving them in our manufacturing process while ensuring that a percentage of profits on every sale goes towards welfare programs for these women. For us at Pavitra, nothing is more important than bolstering women from all walks of life to reach their maximum potential, becoming self-sufficient and self-reliant. Together we want to build a sustainable community, one that we can proudly pass on as a legacy to future generations”.

said Radharani Priya, Advisor, Pavitra while talking about their ideology .

The brand is also a frontrunner in organizing fundraisers for various causes including women empowerment, children’s education and treatment for cancer patients. Pavitra aims to build a spiritually aware and enlightened community with a vision to integrate natural and eco-friendly products into their daily lives while partaking in holistic programs, interactive seminars and wellness discourses.

To Browse more products of Pavitra, Click Here

February 25, 2021 0 comment
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IONIQ 5 car
Economy

Hyundai unveils IONIQ 5

by Team Conscious Carma February 24, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

Hyundai unveils IONIQ 5, first model based on its own EV platform

South Korean auto giant Hyundai Motor on Tuesday, Feb 23, 2021, unveiled the IONIQ 5, the first model embedded with its own electric vehicle (EV) platform, as it strives to morph into a future mobility solutions provider.

The IONIQ 5 midsize crossover utility vehicle is the first model equipped with Hyundai Motor Group’s own EV-only electric-global modular platform (E-GMP), Hyundai said in a statement.

Hyundai said that it will launch the IONIQ 5 in Europe next month, in Korea in the second quarter and in the US and other markets later this year.

“The production of the IONIQ 5 begins in Hyundai’s Ulsan plant next month. The company aims to sell 70,000 units globally this year, including 26,500 units in the domestic market, and 100,000 units next year,” Hyundai Motor President and Chief Executive Chang Jae-hoon said in an online press conference.

The all-electric car is priced at 50 million won to 55 million won ($45,000-$49,500). With government subsidies, it can be purchased for around 40 million won.

Among other features, the E-GMP’s flat battery and long wheelbase allow for a more spacious and customisable interior for passengers and cargo, unlike crossovers with internal combustion engines and conventional steer-by-wire systems, the CEO said.

The IONIQ 5 is available in two versions:

The long-range model with a 72.6 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery and the standard model with a 58 kWh battery. The long-range version can travel up to 430 km on a single charge and charge 80 per cent of the battery capacity within 18 minutes, the automaker said.

The all-electric model boasts “user-friendly” functions such as the gear selector located behind the steering wheel, the sliding centre console which offers passengers more flexibility in front seats and the vehicle-to-load (V2L) function which serves as a charger on wheels. The V2L function allows customers to charge electric devices such as coffee machines and electric bicycles, reports Yonhap news agency.

It also comes with advanced safety features such as lane-keeping assist, blind-spot collision avoidance, safety exit assist and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist systems.

The IONIQ 5’s signature design elements include Parametric Pixels, the smallest unit of digital imaging. The company plans to apply the design language to future models to be released under the IONIQ battery electric vehicle brand.

Hyundai said it will receive pre-orders for the IONIQ 5 from Thursday in the domestic market.

To strengthen its presence in the eco-friendly vehicle market, Hyundai also plans to introduce the IONIQ 6 midsize sedan in 2022 and the IONIQ 7 large SUV in 2024. It will begin using alphanumeric names like its bigger rivals, such as BMW, whose models are named Series No. 1-8.

Hyundai’s independent Genesis brand also plans to launch an all-electric model this year and will eventually fill its lineup with zero-emission models in the future.

Source: IANS

February 24, 2021 0 comment
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ReTuna shopping mall
Global News

ReTuna – the World’s first recycling Mall in Sweden

by Team Conscious Carma February 23, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

ReTuna Återbruksgalleria is the world’s first recycling mall, revolutionizing shopping in a climate-smart way. Old items are given new life through repair and upcycling. Everything sold is recycled or reused or has been organically or sustainably produced. 

ReTuna was set up by Eskilstuna’s local government and implemented by its subsidiary Eskilstuna Energi och Miljö (EEM) in 2015. The mall has grown into an international success story and reached SEK 11.7 million in sales for pre-owned products in 2018. Moreover, the mall has generated 50 new jobs in a city that has been struggling with high unemployment rates and a drain of young people.

The mall is called ReTuna. “Tuna” because that’s the nickname for the city where it is based – Eskilstuna, an hour’s train journey west of Stockholm – and “Re” because the goods on sale have been recycled or repurposed.

The case of ReTuna is a strong example of a city acting as a circular catalyst. The strength of the recycling mall is that it makes sustainable shopping much easier and less time-consuming. Second-hand stores exist everywhere in the world, but ReTuna enables you to do all your circular shopping in one place. In addition, unlike many traditional second-hand shops, the stores in ReTuna have a diverse range of products, such as sportswear, furniture, fashion items, or toys. 

In addition, ReTuna has been successful in developing a self-sustaining system at local level. All goods that are being sold in the stores as well as the staff members of ReTuna are sourced within the region. The mall is located next to Eskilstuna’s recycling centre where citizens come approximately once a month to discard their used products. The initial selection of what is usable and what is not is performed at the centre by the staff from AMA (the resource unit of the municipality for Activity, Motivation and Work). Afterwards, the goods are transported to the mall where they are sorted and distributed to the shops by the mall’s staff members. Many shops have a workshop corner where they renovate or upgrade the used items before sale.

The success story of ReTuna provides some important lessons, which should be taken into account in similar future projects or initiatives:

  • It is important to keep in mind that consumers are influenced by the shopping environment and the aesthetics of pre-owned products.
  • It is important to brand secondary products and to put efforts in how both the store and its products look.
  • There is a need for educating citizens on the value of waste materials and products.
  • A city government plays a crucial role in the initiation and facilitation of circular initiatives. In addition to providing financial support, a city government should take action to lower implementation barriers, such as legal barriers around waste transportation.
  • ReTuna shows how re-using, repairing and upcycling of discarded items can be organised effectively to attract consumers at a local level and simultaneously spur local business development and generate new jobs.

Source: https://www.circularcityfundingguide.eu

February 23, 2021 0 comment
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sonam wangchuk
Initiatives

Sonam Wangchuk builds Solar heated tents for Army Personnel at freezing Galwan Valley

by Team Conscious Carma February 22, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

The man with the intellect and the guts, Sonam Wangchuk, has built solar heated military tents to keep the army personnel at +15 C in the freezing Galwan Valley which has a temperature of -14 C.

“SOLAR HEATED MILITARY TENT for Indian Army at Galwan Valley +15 C at 10 pm now. Min outside last night was -14 C, Replaces tons of kerosene, pollution climate change. For 10 jawans, fully portable all parts weigh less than 30 Kgs”. #MadeInIndia #MadeInLadakh #CarbonNeutral, he tweeted.

SOLAR HEATED MILITARY TENT
for #indianarmy at #galwanvalley
+15 C at 10pm now.
Min outside last night was -14 C,
Replaces tons of kerosesne, pollution #climatechange
For 10 jawans, fully portable all parts weigh less than 30 Kgs. #MadeInIndia #MadeInLadakh #CarbonNeutral pic.twitter.com/iaGGIG5LG3

— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) February 19, 2021

Appreciating his efforts, Anand Mahindra, the chairman of Mahindra Group, said,” Sonam, you’re the MAN! I salute you. Your work is energizing, even this late in the evening…”

More about Sonam Wangchuk :

Born on September 1, 1966, Sonam Wangchuk is an Indian engineer, innovator, and education reformist. He is the founding director of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which was founded in 1988 by a group of students who had been in his own words, the ‘victims’ of an alien education system foisted on Ladakh.

He is also known for designing the SECMOL campus that runs on solar energy and uses no fossil fuels for cooking, lighting or heating.

He has also invented and built a prototype of the Ice Stupa which is an artificial glacier that stores the wasting stream waters during the winters in the form of giant ice cones or stupas and releases the water during late spring as they start melting, which is the perfect time when the farmers need water. 

Wangchuk was instrumental in the launch of Operation New Hope in 1994, a collaboration of government, village communities and civil society to bring reforms in the government school system. In 2014, he was appointed to the Expert Panel for framing the J&K State Education Policy and Vision Document. Since 2015, Sonam has started working on establishing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives. He is concerned about how most of the Universities, especially those in the mountains have become irrelevant to the realities of life.

In 2016, Wangchuk initiated a project called FarmStays Ladakh, which provides tourists to stay with local families of Ladakh, run by mothers and middle-aged women. 

Following tensions between India and China, the Ladakh-based educational reformer had appealed and asked Indians to boycott all Chinese companies.

In a tweet, he asked people to boycott all Chinese products to stop Beijing’s “bullying” in Ladakh and liberate 1.4 billion bonded labourers in the country.

In May 2020, in response to the India-China border skirmishes, he appealed to Indians to use “wallet power” and boycott Chinese products. This appeal was supported by various celebrities and following the Galwan Valley clash on 15 June 2020, there were calls across India to boycott Chinese goods.

Sonam has many awards and honours to his credit. He is the recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the award is given to Asian individuals achieving excellence in their respective fields, Global Award for Sustainable Architecture, International Terra Award for best earth building, Governor’s Medal for educational reform in Jammu and Kashmir and Ashoka Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship, etc.

Checkout Sonam Wangchuk’s Twitter account to know more about his initiatives

February 22, 2021 0 comment
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coca cola paper bottle
EnvironmentGlobal News

Coca-Cola Plans To Launch Paper Bottles To Prevent Plastic Pollution

by Team Conscious Carma February 21, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

Beverage Giant Coca-Cola Plans To Launch Paper Bottles To Prevent Plastic Pollution

Nearly 50% of the plastic we use is single-use plastic. Rising plastic pollution around the globe has been considered to be one of the biggest environmental threats, with an estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste escaping into the oceans from coastal nations, according to National Geographic. The report further stress that plastic waste has been the root cause of the death of millions of animals every year, from birds to fish to other marine organisms. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, have been known to have been affected by plastics.

As the charity initiative ‘Break Free From Plastic’ in its annual survey last year named industry giants like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestle as some of the major pollution polluters after plastic bottles, caps were found around the beaches, which led to a massive uproar on social media.

Amidst this scenario, the announcement by the beverage giant Coca-Cola about their testing of new paper bottles that are environment-friendly and sustainable is a welcome move.

They released the video of the bottle prototype created in collaboration with a Danish startup The Paper Bottle Company (Paboco). The bottle is not entirely made of paper, there will be a thin lining of plastic underneath the porous paper that would prevent the paper from soaking up the carbonated-drink, but the company assures that the bottle prototype is 100 per cent recyclable after one use.

Coca-Cola will run its first test with the innovative bottles in Hungary, before rolling it out in other countries. Coca-Cola has set a goal of producing zero waste by the year 2030. (Click here to read it on their official website)

The post on their official Twitter handle: “We’re continuing to deliver sustainable packaging solutions around the world. Our paper bottle prototype in Europe is an exciting example of innovation and partnership as we work toward our World Without Waste Goals”

We’re continuing to deliver sustainable packaging solutions around the world. Our paper bottle prototype in Europe is an exciting example of innovation and partnership as we work toward our World Without Waste goals: https://t.co/YVwTB6BblE https://t.co/2Fw8S7DARz

— The Coca-Cola Co. (@CocaColaCo) February 12, 2021
February 21, 2021 0 comment
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plastic recycling
Campaigns

Is recycling plastic harmful?

by Team Conscious Carma February 20, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

Like many before me, I’ve always wondered why recycling plastics is not as common as it should be. Why are they manufacturing more plastic? Why can’t plastic just be reused again? But before we get into that, I would like to define three terms; upcycling, downcycling, and recycling.

When the value of the re-made product is greater than the original product, it is said to be upcycled. If the new product has a lesser value, then the product is said to be downcycled. Recycling is just a general term used for converting waste materials into new objects; upcycling and downcycling are their types.

How plastics are recycled?

When we ask, “How plastics are recycled?” the first answer we get is that it’s melted and recast. But it’s not as simple as that. Only certain types of plastic (called thermoplastics) can be melted. Others are called thermosetting plastics and cannot be recast.

It is important to understand that plastic is not classified as a hazardous material. International regulations do not cover plastic recycling because of this. This means if someone does not recycle plastic, by law, it’s alright. No harm is done. Some states, in some countries, have enforced recycling. But there is no international law, or national law in India, that requires businesses to recycle.  Needless to say, that makes things a little more complicated.

Melting plastic to recycle sounds good in theory. But it has its fair share of adverse effects. Melting plastics can release fumes, volatile organic compounds, that are proven to be harmful to plant and animal life.

Once it affects plants and animals, it inevitably travels through the food chain. Over and over again. Human waste has been tested and found to have microplastics. The food you eat, the water you drink, it has plastic. The fumes are toxic and play a role in global warming.  I think you get the point, melting plastic is harmful.

Plastic, when melted and recast, is downcycled; because upcycling requires more plastic, hence more hazardous to the environment. So, when a downcycled plastic box and a plastic chair turn up, it is competing in the market against new, “fresh” plastic chairs; those of clearly better quality. It’s not hard to say that recycled products are not customer favourite.

But what happens after recycled plastic does its time?

Well, once downcycled, most plastics cannot be recycled again so they end up as waste in dumpsters, their inevitable doom. Recycling does not give plastics an immortal life as we are led to believe. It just delays the day it ends up as a landfill.

It’s hard to say if the plastic is a good invention or not. It has proved to be useful. But it cannot be used for all eternity without being harmful.

Recycling is good, it’s amazing. But it is not a solution to our problem with plastics. If there are no regulations for plastic disposal as a hazardous material, then nobody will take it as seriously as it should be taken. We need these rules and we need that change. Those steps start with spreading information about how recycling plastics are harmful too.

By Change Makers Society (CMS)

About Change Makers

Changemakers activates a global network of social entrepreneurs, innovators, business leaders, policy makers and activists to build an Everyone a Changemaker world.

Reflecting on Ashoka’s three decades of work with social entrepreneurs around the world, we recognize that progressive entrepreneurs and organizations mobilizing locally is what propels systemic change.

Changemakers works to build this movement by searching, selecting and supporting entrepreneurs, delivering ground-breaking analysis, accelerating company intrapreneurship, and creating strong partnerships that will drive the movement forward.

February 20, 2021 0 comment
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Kaleen india living room with rug
AccessoriesConscious Products

Kaleen India unveils Pure Life, 100% natural rugs

by Team Conscious Carma February 19, 2021
written by Team Conscious Carma

At Kaleen India, every rug brings to life an old craft, while fitting perfectly well into the spaces of today. In the 21st Century, Sustainable and healthy ecosystem is the major responsibility of the current generations. Keeping the thought in mind, Kaleen’s team of experts gave birth to the “Pure Life” collection of Area & broadloom rugs.  As the name suggests, these rugs are 100 per cent natural – from the utilisation of non-toxic chemicals to the all-natural wool to eco-friendly dyeing process and latex. Inspired by the growing need for sustainable and environmentally conscious products, this line of rugs is made on handlooms in India to reduce the carbon footprint during their process of creation. Each rug in the series is biodegradable as well as hypoallergenic in nature.

PureLife rugs are from the green product category and Kaleen’s purposeful design projects. They reflect the philosophy of conscious living and holistic development of man and nature. Moreover, the colour palette of PURE LIFE collection is all-natural wool, mostly shades of white, grey, brown depending on the breed of the sheep. In addition to that, there is no use of oils in the production of this broadloom, no harmful chemicals, and all-natural glue. Some rugs are dyed in GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) approved organic colour with a rich texture refined pattern.

“Non-toxic and re-purposed products lower the impact on the planet and fits perfectly well with the well-being of the home & living environment. These cosy, warm rugs are a conscious choice towards sustainable living, something that we all want to contribute our part to Mother Earth”

says Radhe Rathi – Director, Kaleen India.
Kaleen india living room with rug

About Kaleen India:

A passion-driven rug company that finds its origin in a 50-year-old textile family business. It is counted amongst the global pioneers in manufacturing and distribution of multi-category floor-coverings. The brand works with 3200 + local artisans in its birthland India to create thoughtfully designed and carefully handcrafted area rugs and broadloom.

Availability: www.Kaleen-India.com

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