Nothing in this world is a Waste , until you consider it to be one! -Manya Harsha
India has always been a home to many inspiring eco-warriors who are spreading the word and motivating the masses to join them in their movements for climate action.
Manya Harsha, a 6th grader at Vibgyor High BTM Bangalore, is one such sustainability influencer to gain inspiration and to learn, more about eco-friendly living.
Have you ever heard of Onion Papers? Papers made out of onion peels? Garlic peels? Potatoe peels? Peas? Corn? Here is a 10-year-old Young Recycler who is busy recycling every day kitchen waste into eco-friendly Paper each day!
As we all know India is a country with a huge population. Indian cuisine is the most appreciated for its spicy flavors. And when we talk of spices, Onions and Ginger-Garlic hit the lines. On average, every household in India generates around 300 grams of Vegetable waste on a daily basis. If this waste is properly utilized, we can do wonders!
We have all come across bio enzymes and compost. But this is something totally new! 10-year-old Manya’s idea to Generate A PAPER every day from your daily kitchen waste is something unique!
The 10-year-old Recycler strongly believes that “Nothing in this world is a waste until you consider it to be a waste! “ Manya successfully utilized her time in lockdown making Eco-friendly Paper out of daily vegetable waste.
As we all know that recycling a ton of paper we can save 20 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, and 30 kilograms of air pollutants.
Recycled paper reduces energy and helps stop deforestation.
India, With around 1.3 billion population, generates an average of 1000 gms of kitchen waste per day, if everyone starts recycling vegetable peels into paper, each one can contribute to the lessening of the Ecological crisis. Paper and deforestation is a very common problem the world is facing. If we could generate paper at home, from our kitchen waste, the paper shopping will definitely be cut down
8 trees are sacrificed for 1000 pounds of paper! Now with around 10 onion peels, I can make 2 A4 size papers. Just like every drop counts, every single bit of exo friendly products helps to combat the global ecological crisis. The impact may not be huge at the start, but definitely it ignites for a sustainable future.
A 1/2 kg of Peas husk can make 3 A4 size sheets! 2 -3 baby corn husk makes around 2 A4 size sheets! ( approximately)
These colorful vegetable papers are just like any other handmade paper. You can, write, draw, paint, fold and create art out of it.
All it takes is a responsibility, time, and patience. Most importantly the urge to do one bit for waste management.
Waste Management is one of the current crisis which every city, every country is facing. Especially in a country like India, with a huge population, Waste Management is an issue.
” Born and brought up in Bangalore, I see the beautiful Garden city slowly turned down by heap Garbage dumped on the roadside and how the quantity of waste is increasing every passing day has been a matter of huge concern. Especially during the festive season, the market is full of flowers, veggies, fruits, mango-banana plants. But post-festival, the market turns out to be a dump yard of leftovers! This scenario always had made me think for a permanent solution as to how the flower and plant waste can be utilized in an Eco-friendly manner, ” explains Manya about the reason for her innovation.
Manya has taken up a lot of unique initiatives towards the environment. One such being, creating paper from kitchen waste. Getting ideas that are unique such as making paper out of kitchen waste isn’t a common thing. Not every child can think so creatively and uniquely. This initiative could lead to a big service to society if scaled up. Every year millions of trees are cut for making paper. If this initiative to make paper from vegetable waste can be made a household activity for all children, we may be able to reduce the usage of papers manufactured from cutting Trees. The idea is just a beginning, it could become a huge revolution if encouraged.
If you closely take a look into this project, it’s a 0% investment. Instead, you are creating WEALTH OUT OF WASTE! The vegetable waste which was supposed to be dumped in the garbage yard is our raw material! I use totally organic materials in the making. Except for boiling and grinding, the usage of electricity is also less and negligible. With proper papermaking mesh frames, some water, here we come out with the ECO-FRIENDLY PAPERS! Homemade! No stinch of the waste, colorful and attractive!
Manya also being a young writer and a conservation volunteer promotes green living on her blogs. She campaigns for a sustainable future by living an example herself. She recycles and creates eco-friendly papers from everyday kitchen waste. As a young writer, her book focuses on an environmental or nature-inspired theme.
Nature our Future, The Water Heroes, Once Upon A Time in 2020, is the latest. Being honored with the title GRANDMASTER from Asia book of RECORDS, Manya has set the record as the YOUNGEST POET OF INDIA 2019, in Vajra book of RECORDS, India book of Records, Golden Book of Records, World book of RECORDS India, Exclusive world RECORDS, Karnataka ACHIEVERS book of RECORDS. Manya is the YOUNGEST KANNADA AUTHOR, with her books Neerina Putani Samrakshakaru and Ondanondu kaladalli 2020( lockdown nenapugalu) making a huge name among the readers.
Manya is very confident about her innovation and says, it can definitely turn out to be a startup at one’s home.
Each individual can produce their own paper at home.
” Instead of chopping trees for paper, let’s recycle the kitchen waste to ECOFRIENDLY VEGETABLE PAPER. Let’s all together join hands to RESTORE OUR EARTH”
-Manya Harsha
Apart from this, at a very young age of 8, Manya took the lead in raising awareness for saving water by calling for a kid’s walkathon in the local community. Manya has volunteered many #planttree Campaigns and recently called out for a virtual #EachOnePlantOne Campaign, through which she successfully inspired 46 people to plant trees and be a part of the Campaign.
She distributed paper bags to local vendors, so as to reduce the usage of plastic & raised awareness among the trading community regarding the ill effects of plastic on our planet.
Disturbed over the mess created by tourists visiting the Markonalli Dam water bed in yediyur, Manya along with her father embarked on a mission to clean the area. She has been urging people to use dustbins and not to throw garbage in the lake.” AT TIMES EVEN A SINGLE HAND CAN DO WONDERS as Every drop counts! “, says Manya. On this World Water Day, UN WATER has also lauded the young girl’s efforts on their official Facebook page.
She has been honored with THE WATER HEROES award 2020 by the Ministry of JAL Shakthi for her contribution to spreading awareness to conserve water.
Manya is also the young author of Nature themed books, Nature our Future, The Water Heroes, Once Upon A Time in 2020, being the latest. Being honored with the title GRANDMASTER from Asia book of RECORDS, Manya has set the record as the YOUNGEST POET OF INDIA 2019, in Vajra book of RECORDS, India book of Records, Golden Book of Records, World book of RECORDS India, Exclusive world RECORDS, Karnataka ACHIEVERS book of RECORDS. Manya is the YOUNGEST KANNADA AUTHOR, with her books Neerina Putani Samrakshakaru and Ondanondu kaladalli 2020( lockdown nenapugalu) making a huge name among the readers. Manya is also honored with the title YOUNGEST ANIMATED SHORT STORY MAKER, from India Book of Records for making animated short stories to spread awareness amongst the masses. Manya is also the Founder and Editor of the Digital kids journal SUNSHINE FORTNIGHTLY.
At such a young age these are no ordinary achievements. She is a motivation, not just for other students but also for us, adults.
She is a young achiever in all aspects and is a role model for society.
Article Credit: themagazineplus