REDUCTION OF CARBON FOOTPRINT VIA SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT AT IIPH HYDERABAD

The Sustainable Waste Management project at the Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad (IIPH-H) aims to significantly reduce the institute’s carbon footprint by shifting towards sustainable waste management practices. Key components include replacing disposables with reusables, substituting plastics with eco-friendly alternatives, and composting food waste from the canteen. Additionally, the project focuses on spreading climate change awareness through social media, conducting workshops to educate staff and students about sustainable practices, and training housekeeping staff on the importance of waste segregation. Despite challenges such as limited support from housekeeping staff and difficulty convincing higher authorities, the initiative strives to lower the institute’s ecological impact.

The project successfully reduced the carbon footprint of the Indian Institute of Public Health Hyderabad in several impactful ways. By composting food waste and organic materials like vegetable peels and dry leaves, the project minimized waste sent to landfills, preventing the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The replacement of single-use disposables with reusable items such as steel plates and cups cut down on the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing and transportation. The switch from tissue papers to electric hand dryers further reduced carbon emissions by minimizing the resource-intensive production of paper. Sustainable use of organic material for composting also sequestered carbon in the soil, enhancing its fertility. Through workshops and training sessions, the project educated staff, students, and housekeeping personnel, fostering long-term behavioral changes towards sustainability. This, along with the reduction in energy use from eliminating disposables and cutting financial expenditures on waste management, significantly contributed to lowering the institute’s carbon footprint.

TEAM MEMBERS

• Dr. Aayushi Jaiswal
• Dr. Jameela
• Nandini Sannala
• Dr. Sowmya Konyala