‘Go Green’ is often easier said than done — this is one of the statements we hear frequently.
Recently, Casa Grande Pavilion, a 18-acre township consisting of over 291 villa and row houses and three acres of garden and landscaping, in Thalambur, which is just 1.5-kilometre from Navalur junction on Old Mahabalipuram Road, discovered the full meaning of this statement.
Waste segregation sounds new to households that are so accustomed to packing all the waste into one bag and throwing that into a common bin. So, to help these households understand the concept easily, 15 management Committee members and over 30 volunteers (all of them residents) organised separate training sessions for residents, helpers and house-keeping staff.
To steer this programme, a self-driven organising committee was required. Members of this committee evaluated different composting methods, including composting pits, instant composter, automatic composting options and Aaga.
They had visited a couple of gated communities — Ceebras Belvedere, L&T Eaden Garden — where composting is being practised. They also paid a visit to the composting pits set up by the Panchayat. On the basis of what they saw in these places, they finalised Aaga composter for Casa Grange Pavilion.
The enthusiastic volunteers went on door-to-door campaigns, distributing paper handouts on how waste segregation can be carried out with colour-coded bins. Such bins were then distributed to residents over a weekend.
Garbage collection carts were procured and the house-keeping staff were trained in the collection process.
When the collection has been done, the waste is weighed and placed in community-level segregation bins for re-use or composting, as applicable.
On the “Go-LIVE” day, there was once again enthusiastic participation from residents.
The managing committee walked alongside the collection team.
Residents would cheerfully whistle when the cart reached their street.
(Managing Committe, Casa Grande Pavilion.)