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7 Traditional Ways & Beliefs to Kill Environment

Our traditions have given shape to our thinking and beliefs and have made the character of our nation. We are very proud of it. However, with newer challenges increasingly facing us,which in the times to come, would turn into gargantuan proportions, if we do not mend our ways and get our acts together. This write up is a light hearted take on our ways we address the problem of E Waste traditionally with our love for hoarding and the plausible justifications we may offer!

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

  1. Keeping Clutter traditions Intact: To the west, cluttering is supposed to reflect the state of mind, but to us in India, it is an art, and it is our tradition. Clutter is our way of life. And we wholeheartedly subscribe to Einstein view. “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?
  2. Now that great minds also affirm our way of life how can we empty our houses of clutter? Einstein or no Einstein, we known long before anybody could point us, right from our childhood that we are foresighted, and we plan ahead. We always save for the event when our clutter one day would rescue the need to go out and buy a new part or a spare. So clutters in our homes are for great reasons.
  3. Stick to Stacking: We have it in us, all programmed in our genes. Thus we stack. We stack up groceries before the budget is announced, we stack petrol at the midnight before price hike and we are known globally to stack up gold in shimmering million tones. Traditionally we have been a nation of stackers, stacking every banal item which has long lost its significance in our lives. Thus we have our natural reasons for what makes us what we are.
  4. Practice Utilitarian Creativity: To most of us it is sacrilegious to give away even our most unused dilapidated, several generations over, discarded house hold stuffs. We have honed the skills to turn them into utility, to fit inside our 20 X20 spaces. Our old refrigerators metamorphose into cabinets for scrap or raddi. Cables and wires become the stethoscopes in our children role playing acts, the batteries become paper weights. We turn the scraps into utility and at times into abstract art. Salvador Dali would have loved to be born as an Indian.
  5. Live the Present: For a nation wanting to long-jump into development, our advice is Stack before You Leap. Healthy life and environment clean air and Swachh Bharat are too distant ideal. We need to concentrate on the present, Stack Up for the Future!
  6. Belief in Our Karma: They tell us the earth is getting less green because we stack. Now can somebody tell us how our stacking lead to environment pollution? Our parents stacked, their parents stacked and for innumerable generations we have stacked. Nothing changed because of the hoarding, stashing and stacking. How then we still have good air to breathe ample water coming into our taps. Our Children then must stack. The environment if it is turning grey from green, it is ordained to be such. Our karma has resulted into our present living condition. If the fate of our children has something in store which is different than green then it would be to purify them from past karma.
  7. Philanthropy is good for Economy: We do our philanthropic bit by giving the kabbadi wala some of our stuffs. It becomes his livelihood. He has his small place where he burns the stuffs into something which the big scarp dealers buy from him. These Scrap dealers then do something which they pass on to someone and that someone passes on to some other one. So our philanthropic stuff makes money for all and adds to the economy. But whatever it does to the ecology is not our concern. By the end of the day we feel happy for the little kabaddi wala.
  8. All Merge into One: What the kabbadi wala cannot sell goes into his stacks or goes for burning or into severs or drains or rivers or rivulets. Or close to our cities for landfills. What we had extracted from the Earth goes back to the Mother Nature. For all things will eventually merge into her sooner or later. Our efforts seem small, polluting but it finally ends into the beginning. This is our belief!

Note: This post was originally published in June 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Repulsive face of Electronics: E waste facts

Do we realize that the devices with which we interact on a daily basis i.e. our possessed electronic devices are turning into an hideous image worldwide? E-waste or electronic waste is the new sensation in the market which aims in hindering the environment or for the layman’s sake, it is acting like a deep cancer in the ecological system. Yes, it’s a doubt wobbling in your mind, that how does a life heaping up on the technological track can affect nature? We are always guided by some or the other principles as designed for us. The law of conservation, recycling resources, water conservation, etc. Likewise, one latest factor we shall make up for is BUY ONE RECYCLE ONE.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

It could raise your concern, that why I need to do it? The hi-tech trash that includes cast-off television sets, monitors, CPUs, keyboards, scanners, printers, pocket computers, or anything electronic that is no more in use settles in the zone of electronic waste. In United States, 50 million tons of e-waste is collected in a year, and only 25% of the same is recycled safely. What happens to the rest of the trash? You must be horrified to know, that rest 75% goes directly to landfills. E-waste requires an organized dumping as it has certain toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium which is evil both for humans and the environment.

This rising cause is somewhere hidden in this avid society and a wake-up call is mandate now. While having some of the latest software and hardware developing facilities, the recycling sector in India is still medieval. The “high penetration in the replacement market” and the “higher obsolescence rate” make e-waste one of the fastest waste streams.

Producers must be responsible for the entire life-cycle of their products. In developed countries, several initiatives have been made on this front. Several dozen cities in the states of California and Massachusetts, including San Francisco, have passed resolutions supporting ‘producer take back’ rules. India is quite back in the league as proper awareness is not reached to the people. We are bereft of this global issue which is gradually eating the entire system.

Aiming towards a cleaner and greener India, ZEROWASTE-“simplest way to dispose your Electronic waste”, is indeed making a mark. This has possibly open doors for a community towards safe e-waste trashing. You are just a call away, and the old electronic trash is picked right from your home, and caters you with the best possible service of organized dumping.

Shout out loud, it’s your environment and your efforts.

Note: This post was originally published in May 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Ankit Taparia — the ZeroWaste Quintessence

Ever on the lookout for engagement with passionate souls, ZeroWaste has the privilege of a proud association with Ankit Taparia an environmentalist and a leader of the next generation global citizens.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

Checkout: 2041.com

Singular passion for environmental sustainability

His exemplary devotion to the Earth’s sustainability has had the legendary Polar explorer Robert Swan picking him for the prestigious International Antarctic Expedition 2015 along with World Leaders, Environmental Experts, and Youth Ambassadors to understand the continent’s delicate ecosystem and monitor the impact of climate change on its unique wildlife and landscape.

Unlike the usual environment crusaders, Ankit is pragmatic in his approach and belief. He states “the need of the hour is to work and develop solutions to meet people’s requirement for energy while simultaneously preserving the health of our planet. We have to duly acknowledge the increasing global challenges of the rising demands & tightening supplies. Awareness has to be created all around us and people should be educated about climate change and the express needs of green initiatives in everybody’s life.”

His first hand experience of Antarctica’s changing landscape and the deep understanding of the reasons for it in the human wanton ways and lopsided development has emboldened his desire and purpose for making the country and the world E Waste free.

As an environmental crusader he leads the ZeroWaste’s volunteering efforts and has been the energy in rallying youth to the cause of ZeroWaste Mission of E-Waste responsible management.

Spreading ZeroWaste awareness

Driving the much required ZeroWaste campaigns at various schools, colleges of Jaipur, he has been able to bring in consciousness through his street plays (nukkad nataks), relaying the message to the newer generation & imbibing participation and practicing of responsible disposal of electronic waste.

Building ambassadors of change

As an ambassador for Swan’s new initiative — South Pole Energy Challenge — of sustainable development, Ankit Taparia, has pledged to make a difference and contribute to sustainability in his own small way by encouraging the newer generation to achieve their dreams. He inspires the youth and encourages them to follow their dreams and to inculcate a belief of being the best agents of change the world needs.

Hopes of the future

As a part of the global expedition Ankit has engaged meaningfully with the next generation of global leaders to take environmental responsibility, policy development, facilitate sustainable business generation and enable future green technologies.

Today, he is well poised to lead the efforts of ZeroWaste amongst the youth and to the International communities. Kindling hopes for a brighter future for us all.

Note: This post was originally published in May 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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4 things to know about your old mobiles

Now almost the entire humanity is using electrical and electronic gadgets and devices at homes or work places. They have become inextricable parts of our lives. The digital morning clock wakes us up, the geysers give us warm bath, we read our news on tabs, we communicate through our mobiles, food gets cooked in microwave, we manage our work on laptops, and watch favorite programs on the television before we go to bed. From the time we wake up till we say good night and in between electronic and electrical devices help us live comfortably. With time they wear down or with each technological upgrade we replace them with newer ones.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

When equipments become obsolete with disuse, breakage, and downgrade generally end up lying discarded at our homes and work places. In such state these are termed as E Waste. Here are three things you should know about these old damaged electrical and electronic equipments or E Waste.

  1. E Waste can be repaired: These discarded equipments, devices or gadgets can be repaired, refurbished for further use.
  2. E Waste can be reused: In their irreparable condition these can be extracted in whole or in part for elements that can still be to augment in the manufacture of other devices.
  3. E Waste need to be disposed off responsibly: The electronic and electrical appliances until their utility lives are pretty innocuous. However beyond their lives they start disintegrating into harmful compounds. In a condition where nothing can be salvaged these need to be carefully handled and disposed off with scientific methods and under the laws of the land for the proper care and well being of the environment.
  4. E Waste disposal solution: Appointed as an authorized E Waste handler ZeroWaste collects and sends old, dead and discarded electrical and electronic gadgets for recycle, reuse or dismantling perfectly in sync with our environment.

Offering several opportunities ZeroWaste gives Cash in exchange of the E Waste and it also offers Smart Credits to purchase new electronic items under its ‘But One, Recycle One’ program.

Contact ZeroWaste today for all your E Waste lying at your home and work places. It is the ‘Simplest way to dispose your electronic waste’.

Note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Leaders of tomorrow partner with ZeroWaste to make India E-Waste Clean

In its attempt to get rid of our homes and work places of hazardous E-Waste and to create the right atmosphere ZeroWaste is roping in the next generation people and converting them into change agents. In yet another feat of sorts Young Leaders are responding to the clarion call and joining to take ZeroWaste “Make India E-Waste Clean” Mission forward.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

Indeed the mission is onerous and the goal is high, to #MakeIndiaEWasteClean. #ZeroWaste understands to achieve such a goal and to sustain the endeavour for long a concerted effort has to be put in based on professional lines. ZeroWaste believes unless the right people aren’t involved the task would only remain arduous and limited in its approach. Therefore the leaders of tomorrow have to be made part and inducted into the processes.

Aiming for an ongoing success ZeroWaste has partnered with leaders, appointed franchisees and collection centres which in due course of time would give the required impetus to the efforts.

Since it is running on professional lines a well thought out strategically laid out system has been put in place. A series of training sessions and workshops are being conducted to impart the necessary understanding, skills and zeal, turning the cause into a viable social entrepreneurial programme.

Continuous trainings and workshops are the fundamental steps meant to be hand holding exercises for the inductees to turn into change agents working independently and supporting the system in their own ways.

ZeroWaste today boasts of a growing list of collection centres and franchisees which have joined and not only benefitted from the programme but also have seen the economic viability of the social entrepreneurship.

The training programs are carried out at regular intervals who have enrolled themselves to be the social entrepreneurs. ZeroWaste encourages individual set ups and businesses to partner with it.

Connect today with #ZeroWaste to know more at

info@getinstacash.in |www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Me, My Gadget and our E-Waste

One of the exceptional attributes which shines through out our lives as humans is the innate desire to make, stay and grow in relations. Curiously this emotional aspect to bond and attach does not just hold good only for our kin, fellow beings or pet animals but also grows for our material possessions.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

Our lives today are so wired to be continuously working day in day out the long mundane schedules. In an effort not to be completely sucked we try all we can, not be drawn being ordinary. We try to keep our identities intact. Fighting hard for it we seek our own private little spaces. Giving our personal touches these become our own alter ego. Our cherished gadgets devices fill it and become our own extensions suggesting our desires to be unique. We thrill in the possession of our first computer, smart phone, tab our gaming consoles. We guard them, care for them as we see our own reflections in our gadgets.

As long as they stay with us they are source of our happiness. At times when they have troubles functioning we treat them and get them repaired. As all things with lives, these too have a predestined jolly good time with us. They do die out too!

However have you ever wondered what becomes of our lovely buddies at the end of their lives?
Most of us who get much attached, we just stack them up at one of the corners in our homes or offices as a remembrance of our once great camaraderie. After sometime when more and newer things come into our lives we just throw them up or sell these to one of the scrap dealers offering to take these away.

Little do we know that the scrap dealer who has never ever had any relationship with it shreds them out with acid, burns them in the open, throws their little remains in the ponds, rivers and landfills in the remote corners of our cities. Their cries pollute the waters and fill the air. They come back to us haunting our and our kid’s health and the environment we live in.

As a special member they do deserve a proper last rite. They require a final and honorable goodbye as a mark of respect for their happy association with us. As responsible human beings we need to take them to their proper stages of getting respectful ‘merging with elements’. We need to hand them to authorized handlers to get them recycled or refurbished if still some life stays in them so that they can stay worthwhile in other forms. They can be disintegrated with scientific and lawful ways to be in sync with nature.

Whatever ways we adopt these would suggest our own responsibilities towards our emotional partners.
As efficient and authorized handlers ZeroWaste ensures the most proper last stage rites of your old, discarded and dead electronics and electrical appliances.

You may get in touch with us to get your once prized electronic and electrical gadgets get the fitting final goodbye!
At ZeroWaste We Care!

Connect today with #ZeroWaste to know more at

info@getinstacash.in | www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in April 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Do I have E-Waste at home?

E-waste is relatively newer term in India. An average Indian would be very oblivious to the term E-waste, leave alone the proper understanding of the harm these cause to our health and environment.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

There has been little or no effort from the Government and the concerned authorities to create awareness about the nature and magnitude of E-Wastes. The Government can be forgiven for its apathy whence it promulgates rules about E-Waste and makes responsible the stakeholders like the producers and handlers of e-waste to create awareness on the issue. Since it is the lives and common future of all citizens at stake we need to make efforts to educate ourselves and create awareness amongst our social circles.

What is E — Waste?

To contain the grave issue we need to know first what constitutes an E — Waste and other important terms associated with it.

E-waste is the waste electrical and electronic equipment, whole or in part or rejects from their manufacturing and repair process, which are intended to be discarded.

Orphaned Products — Non-branded or assembled electrical and electronic equipment produced by a company, which has closed its operations or has stopped product support.

Electrical and electronic equipment means equipment, which is dependent on electrical currents or electro-magnetic fields to be fully functional.

The Environment Ministry brought in the E — Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 which became effective from May 2012 in India. These rules have brought in its purview categories of electrical and electronic equipment which contribute to E-Waste.

These categories can be enumerated as under:

IT and telecommunication equipment:

  • Centralized data processing; Mainframes, Minicomputers; Personal computing; Personal computers (Central processing unit with input and output devices), Laptop computers (Central processing unit with input and output devices), Notebook computers, Notepad computers, Printers including cartridges, Copying equipment, Electrical and electronic typewriters, User terminals and systems, Facsimile, Telex, Telephones, Pay telephones, Cordless telephones, Cellular telephones, Answering systems

Consumer electronics:

  • Television sets (including sets based on (Liquid Crystal Display and Light Emitting Diode technology), Refrigerator, Washing Machine, Air-Conditioners excluding centralized air conditioning plants.

If you have any of the above at home or work place kept in a discarded form you have an E-Waste at home. It is very important for you to separate these and hand it over to an authorized E-Waste recycler like Zero Waste in your city.

You may find a Zero Waste Store near you where you can sell them profitably and also become a responsible citizen. To know more Connect with us today at info@getinstacash.in | www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in February 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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E-Waste — the Toxic Legacy of our Digital Age

Countries, developed and developing alike, are faced with the flip side of development. Societies have adapted to technologies in big ways however the requisite awareness and legal framework needs to be spruced up in consonance with the fast pace fallout of technological residues that we are leaving behind. Some years back, the waste wasn’t much and was thought to have been easily assimilated in the environment. Today it poses a great challenge. The rapid penetration of the electronics and electrical gadgets in the huge markets of developing world and the steep pace of technological innovations making yesterday’s latest devices obsolete in the developed world. This has led to the problem of disposing off the e-waste responsibly in sync with the environment we live and for the future we look at.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

The innocuous looking gadgets that we use in our daily life contain elements and compounds which are very harmful to our well being. A broad categorization of these substances inimical to our health can be done as Halogenated Compounds, Heavy & other Metals and Radio Active substances.

Halogenated compounds like CFC (Choloroflourocarbon) PCB (Polychlorinated biphenyls) are present in Cooling units, insulation foams, cable insulations, fire retardants for plastics, condensers, transformers. Heavy metals like Arsenic, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Lead, Lithium, Mercury, Nickel, Zinc Sulphide, and Selenium etc are found in CRTs, LEDs, rechargeable batteries, toners, power supply boxes etc. Radio Active substance like Americum is an integral part of medical equipments and fire detectors.

Today we find ourselves awfully placed. As we are making our lives easier and comfortable with the modern electrical and electronic gadgets yet on the other hand we are leaving a toxic legacy. If we do not wake up now, the future will not forgive us for our past. Join ZeroWaste movement in making a healthy and beautiful future.

Note: This post was originally published in February 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Phone-throw and junk-dunk: Games to fight E-WASTE

How far can you throw your old mobile phone to save the environment?

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

Throwing away old and unused electronics as rubbish or scrap is the beginning of the e-waste problem. It’s a big problem. How do you tell everyone that throwing is bad? Simple. Get them to throw their old and unused mobile phones for a good cause. That’s precisely what Jaipur based startup ZeroWaste did with their “Phone Throwing Championship” and “Junk Dunk” Tournament at the recently concluded tech-fest PLINTH 2015 at LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur.

Phone throwing is simple. ZeroWaste asked participants to bring their old/unused phones and throw them as far as they could or as uniquely as they wished. For safety while throwing the phones were wrapped up tightly with Cellotape so that they wouldn’t shatter and litter the ground. Winners were chosen on the basis of maximum distance thrown (just as in any athletic competition like discus, shot put and javelin or the old school favourite –cricket ball throw).

ZW collected all the phones used by the participants, paid cash rewards for theirold phones and made a 5 min presentation on how a simple decision to exchange your waste/unused/old electronics items for cash at an authorized ewaste collection outlet (ZW has 30+ centers) can make a huge difference to the fight against e-waste in India.

About 500 participants tried their hands at Phone Throw and 3 winners were chosen in each Men, Women and Freestyle categories. While the winners were rewarded with Goodies and T-Shirts, poor performers were “dared” by spectators to do something embarrassing, wacky, funny or all three!

Since E-Waste is not just about mobile phones, ZW invented a unique game called Junk-Dunk. Basically it is Basketball with 4 baskets that we made out of Junk washing machines. Each team had two baskets to shoot at and two to defend. Small tinkering with rules and people went crazy, playing for hours without break.

Participants pledged to join hands with ZeroWaste in making Jaipur the first E-waste free city in the country. Student delegate from Brazil, Pedro Rorato, admitted that like India, Brazil is also lacking the required e-waste recycling ecosystem and public awareness is the key to ensure 100% recycling.

Indians currently generates about 1.5 Million tonnes of waste electronics annually and it will rise exponentially as India bridges its “Digital Divide”. Sensing higer demand for cheap consumer electronics, companies are flooding the market with “designed to dump” products having shorter life and low-grade plastics.

ZeroWaste is upbeat about spreading the word of “buy one recycle one” to millions of Indians who enjoy the fun of modern electronics and technology upgrades but are clueless when it comes to understanding how the ewaste problem is a time bomb ticking under our very noses.

Says Prateek Goel and Sunil Saradhna, founders of ZeroWaste, “We hope to organise a state level and then a national phone throwing event in the coming year and generate huge awareness about responsible e-waste disposal especially among teenagers and youth.”

Way to go !!

To know more Connect with us today at info@getinstacash.in | www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in February 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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6 Responsibilities of Electronic Brands you should know

Cheap mobiles and electronic devices have caught the fancy of us all. Coming in various sizes and shapes these offer unbelievable features at most astonishing prices. Though very attractive yet some of them remain unguaranteed not only in their materials being used and also in safety features. Until now Indian markets were dumped with goods which could have played with our lives and environment.

“Update: ZeroWaste is now InstaCash”

As a growing nation we need to guard against electronic and electrical items getting into our lives and becoming hazardous to our very existence. The only way to do it is to be aware of the roles and responsibilities of Electronic and Electrical producers and remove any deleterious products getting entry into the markets.

To safe guard the environment and ensure proper disposal of E-Waste, Government has brought in the concept of “Extended Producers Responsibility” under “E-Wastes Rules 2011”. All producers of Electronic and Electrical Equipment in India who manufacture and sell are made responsible for their products beyond manufacturing to ensure environmentally sound management of their end of life products.

Let us understand who are Electronics and Electronic Equipment Producers and their responsibilities.

The rules define an EEE Producer as any person who, irrespective of the selling technique used, undertakes the following actions

  • manufactures and offers to sell electrical and electronic equipment under his own brand; or
  • offers to sell under his own brand, assembled electrical and electronic equipment produced by other manufacturers or suppliers; or
  • offers to sell imported electrical and electronic equipment;

Responsibilities of Producers

  1. Collection of e-waste generated from the ‘end of life’ of their products in line with the principle of ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR), or generated during manufacturing of electrical and electronic equipment and channelization of such waste to registered dismantler or recyclers.
  2. Setting up collection centers or take back systems either individually or collectively
  3. Financing and organizing a system to meet the costs involved in the environmentally sound management of e-waste generated from the ‘end of life’ of its own products and historical waste available on the date from which these rules come in to force. The financing arrangement of such a system shall be transparent.
  4. The producer may choose to establish such financial system either individually or collectively by joining a collective scheme.
  5. to facilitate return of used electrical and electronic equipment by providing contact details such as address, telephone numbers/helpline number of authorized collection centers to consumer(s) or bulk consumer(s)
  6. creating awareness through publications, advertisements, posters, or by any other means of communication and information booklets accompanying the equipment, with regard to:
  • information on hazardous constituents as detailed in sub-rule 1 of rule 13 in EEE
  • information on hazards of improper handling, accidental breakage, damage and/or improper recycling of e-waste
  • instructions for handling the equipment after its use, along with the Do’s and Don’ts
  • affixing a visible, legible and indelible symbol on the products or information booklets to prevent e-waste from being dropped in garbage bins

Next time you buy an electronic item be sure you buy from a complying producer who respects the environment, law and your health. Let’s be a little #Responsible ourselves.

To know more Connect with us today at info@getinstacash.in |www.getinstacash.in

Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.