ENVIRONMENT
Small changes can go a long way in making a big difference when working to reduce the environmental footprint.
At Sumadhura Foundation we are working to do our bit to the environment, with promoting practices that safeguards our environment by investing in programs that help reduce waste creation, resurrecting water bodies, infrastructural support for reducing water pollution, water reuse and recycling projects, contribution to urban green spaces, work on appropriate waste disposal, utilization, recycling, upcycling etc.
ONGOing projects
Million Seed Ball Campaign
Year: 2020-21
Where: Seed ball making at Sumadhura Projects. Dispersal location to be finalised
Objective:
A million seed balls campaign is proposed as a systematic, engaging campaign that can be spread over a five-year period for making seed balls engaging communities and employees.
Project Details:
Sumadhura Foundation would spearhead the seed ball making and dispersal initiative, engaging the residential communities along with the larger Whitefield community. Seed balls are an efficient way of forest regeneration, creating awareness on native tree varieties.
Read More..The project is carried out in different phases,
Phase I – Preparatory Phase – In the preparatory phase of the project, we will interact with the forest department to let them know of the activity and identify the different locations ideal for the seed ball dispersal.
During this phase, we will plan all the activities to be taken up for the entire project, involving all the stakeholders. To identify and source all the necessary materials required for the seed ball making. An MoU with the forest department, to start the work.
Phase II – Campaign and mobilise volunteers – As the seed ball making activity will be planned at the Sumadhura projects, we mobilised the resident welfare association and the facility managers for their support to engage the residents to participate in the activity. Organise meetings and send mailers to finalise the activity. All the required material for the campaign organised.
Phase III – Seed ball making & storing – The seed ball making activity is planned at the identified Sumadhura projects, every month involving the residents, Sumadhura employees and other volunteers.
Seed balls once made are sun dried and are carefully stored in cardboard boxes.
Phase IV – Dispersal of seeds – Once the desired number of seed balls are made and ready to be dispersed, with the help of the forest department we carry out the dispersal activity.
Deliverables:
To make good quality seed balls involving the Sumadhura community, help regenerate green cover.
Intended Impact:
Environmental impact – increasing the green cover, engaging the community in a fun filled way.
Completed projects
Seed Ball Campaign
Year: 2018-19
Where: Seed ball making at Sumadhura Projects. Dispersal location – Makali Durga forest range, Bangalore.
Objective:
To organise a seed ball campaign -(making & dispersal), engaging Sumadhura employees and residents from Sumadhura communities.
Project Details:
During monsoon, Sumadhura Foundation along with the employees and the nearby communities took up a seed ball programme and spread 15000 seed balls in Makali Durga Forest Range along with the support of the forest Department.
Read More..The process involves making a small ball-sized mixture of clay, seeds and compost, and scattering it in suitable places for the seeds to germinate and grow into trees. The composition of seed balls makes it self-sustainable and favourable for germination in most environments.
Delivered:
Good quality seed balls, community engagement, regenerate green cover.
Intended Impact:
Seed ball is one of the many initiatives to improve green cover and is widely used for ecological restoration.
Environmental impact – increasing the green cover, engaging the community in a fun filled way.
Waste to Energy Plant
Year: 2017-18
Where: adjacent to Sumadhura Eden garden, Bangalore.
Project Details:
As part of the Swachh Bharat Initiative and an innovative way to eliminate waste completely, Sumadhura Foundation has invested in a Waste to Energy plant in Whitefield suburb of Bangalore. It is a clean and low-cost technology that transforms organic waste to renewable energy. In addition to getting rid of the local solid waste, and generating electricity, this helps save carbon emissions too.
Read More..Sumadhura has a large number of projects in Whitefield and wanted to close the loop of waste getting generated from all the properties. About three tons of wet waste is generated per day from the Sumadhura Community in Whitefield. With the set up of this plant, we generate about 420 units of electricity every day or about 1,50,000 units every year.
We save about 1100 tonnes of wet waste from going into the landfills. This is one of the first projects by any real estate developer and is aimed at creating awareness to the inhabitants of these communities.
Delivered:
Waste to energy plant, generating 420 units of electricity every day. As a by-product from the plant, good quality liquid manure or compost (300 kg per day) is obtained. This waste to energy plant helps us in annual GHG emission mitigation of more than 1120 tons of CO2eq/year.
Intended Impact:
Environmental impact – Swachh Bharat initiative.
Create awareness among the residents.
Advocacy against plastic usage
Year: 2017-18
Where: Sumadhura office & Project sites.
Objective:
To ban plastic water bottle usage in Sumadhura offices and project sites.
Project Details:
Prior to 2018, Sumadhura Infracon used plastic water bottles in their offices and project sites for employees and visitors. With the ban on single use plastic across the country, we decided to make a change in the plastic water bottle usage in our offices too. And has since banned the use of plastic and switched to glass bottles that are washed and reused.
Read More..Delivered:
To give a glimpse of what we achieved by implementing plastic water bottle ban:
Our spending on plastic bottles:
Annual expenditure on water bottles (bisleri): Rs.10,36,800, with monthly consumption of average number 14,400 bottles (250ml).
Annually, the number of plastic bottles (Bisleri) used : 172,800; which after use may get recycled or ends up in landfill.
With the plastic ban in place, we are now using about 2000 number of glass bottles annually.
The total annual expenditure on drinking water use has come down to Rs.92,000, and we are rest assured that we did not contribute any plastic to the landfill.
Intended Impact:
Environmental impact – plastic ban, Swachh Bharat initiative.
Create awareness on use and throw of plastic.
