The Samriddhi Foundation, along with the civic exnora, organised an awareness programme on ‘My waste is my responsibility’ at Vivekanantha Street in North T Nagar. The street’s residents, including the children, attended the programme on waste segregation and composting.

The senior-most member in the area, M Srinivasa Rao (92) was enthusiastic about the awareness programme. “Garbage disposal is a big problem not only in India but all over the world,” he said and added that every person at home is important in waste management. “Small things put together make a big impact in society.”

N Sriram, managing trustee of the Samriddhi Foundation, talked about the method of segregating garbage to ensure that they are recycled effectively or disposed of properly. “If organic waste doesn’t mix with plastic, the value of the plastic waste goes up. Segregation at the source of waste generation is the biggest service to society,” he said.

He also informed the residents that 60 per cent of waste generated in Chennai everyday is bio waste. “The Corporation spends Rs 2,600 per ton of waste to take it to landfills. We ourselves have to find a solution for waste management. If we take the steps, the municipality is ready to invest in it,” he added.

Meenakshi Sriram from Samriddhi Foundation explained the waste management techniques that she had implemented in her apartment. She demonstrated solutions for treating organic waste at home and simple methods of composting. “We will have to initiate the practice of waste management. The children will just catch on,” she said.

The Samriddhi Foundation is working with the government to set up community compost facilities in North T Nagar to put organic wastes to better use. For more details on waste management implementation, visit www.samriddhilife.com.