Can you follow zero-waste living in India?

Ever since growing up, both Kavya and Sangeeth had an inclination toward sustainable living. They credit this to their upbringing as they come from a farming community in the small village of Nhangattiri, Kerala, where they were immersed in practices that connect them to nature – composting food scraps, reusing containers, and growing what they ate.
Farming wasn’t just a profession in their village; it was a way of life.
Kavya is a 29-year-old M-Tech graduate while her partner Sangeeth, 29, holds a master’s in Business Administration, so when these high school sweethearts eventually got married, they moved to the bustling city of Bengaluru, but soon the couple realised that it was like moving to a different planet.
“We worked in Bengaluru for more than five years,” says Kavya. “The fast-paced city lifestyle made us realise the importance of keeping sustainable practices alive,” she adds.
Living in the city, they were bombarded by convenience – fast food, single-use plastics, and waste at every corner. The more they saw, the more they missed their simple, waste-conscious life back home.
So, after five years of living in the city and saving enough, the couple decided to shift back to their small village and start their own sustainable way of living.
Today, Kavya and Sangeeth dream of making the planet more sustainable and greener. According to Kavya, she is doing her part by teaching dairy farming practices in remote regions of India through workshops and direct interactions with farmers. The couple, along with Krishna Mines, also plans to plant 100,000 native trees across India in the coming year.
Their commitment to sustainable living and striving for a zero-waste lifestyle has made them more conscious while travelling, as they seek sustainable ways to travel.
Furthermore, they have designed their home in such a way that, according to them, it costs them ‘zero rupees to live’. They produce everything at home, from alcohol to electricity (solar), making their house a zero-cost-of-living household. They also compost all their waste, ensuring they come very close to a zero-waste life.
Social media have also played an important role in the couple’s journey, they believe. Kavya believes that their way of living can inspire others, which is why they share as much as possible on social media. And how are Indians reacting to such content? Here’s what she has to say:
“A single video on our lifestyle reached more than 15 million people, and it has inspired many to work towards sustainability, which we’ve learnt through the enquiries and discussions we are receiving on the subject.”
She adds that social media have played a great role in spreading the word globally and helping people realise that a ‘normal person can make that [sustainable] choice’.
But, zero-waste living is something the couple still dream of fully achieving one day.
Aditya Shivpuri, an environmentalist and the founder of the HENDS Foundation trust, which aims to plant 1 lakh trees, tells India Today, “Zero waste living is simply a lifestyle that aims to minimise waste production. It involves making conscious choices to reduce, reuse, and recycle items, and to avoid single-use products.”
Aditya says zero-waste living aims to divert as much waste as possible from landfills and create a more sustainable future.
“It doesn’t mean you’re not producing any waste that is not practically possible, but depreciation is possible,” he adds.

Zero-waste living aims to divert as much waste as possible from landfills. Photo: Unsplash

Today, various regions across the globe follow or try to achieve zero-waste living. For instance, Iceland is highly sustainable, particularly in the realm of renewable energy, as nearly 100% of its electricity and heating needs are met through geothermal and hydroelectric power.
It has made great strides in reducing waste and promoting recycling. Iceland also produces much of its own food, such as lamb, dairy, and seafood, and uses geothermal energy to grow some vegetables in greenhouses.
In India, we have Auroville, an experimental township in Tamil Nadu, which is deeply rooted in principles of sustainability and community living. It has successfully implemented organic farming, renewable energy sources like solar and wind, and widespread reforestation efforts, transforming a once barren landscape into a green haven.

Auroville has made impressive strides in sustainability, with a focus on ecological living and harmony with nature. Photo: Unsplash

Aditya says that more and more Indians are becoming curious about attaining sustainable living.
“I have a lot of friends and relatives who practice sustainable living by producing the least waste possible. I am a minimalist, so I can guarantee that living a zero-waste life is not as big a task as it seems,” says Aditya.
Giles Knapton, the lead designer at Mayamataya, which helps Indians design sustainable houses, also agrees. He credits this growing interest of humanity in zero-waste living because ‘sustainability’ is becoming a ‘buzzword’.
“Every one of us has a responsibility to take a conscious approach to minimising the impact of our lifestyle. I believe that after the pandemic, we might have seen a shift in thinking toward a more sustainable culture,” he adds.

Simple yet effective steps can be taken to make one’s house more sustainable. Photo: Unspalsh

Social media also plays a significant role in raising consciousness and creating more awareness around zero-waste and sustainability, as people like Kavya and others are creating content to increase awareness among the public.
Giles says he has also helped many Indians who are trying to take a conscious approach when designing their homes to make them more sustainable. This includes using materials that are truly sustainable, such as coconut, or structural skeletons with longevity, such as stainless steel.
“A building designed to last for hundreds of years is much more sustainable than one designed for fifty,” he adds.
Living in a sustainable environment comes with various mental and physical benefits.
“Producing our vegetables and grains organically has proved greatly beneficial for our health and well-being. Apart from being safe from pesticides and chemically treated products, the process of working in the fields and being close to nature is something we enjoy and love to do. It gives a great sense of fulfilment and joy. Being able to grow things and provide for animals around us in a healthy ecosystem is surely a great way to improve our mental health,” says Kavya and Sangeeth, for whom sustainable practices have greatly improved their quality of life.
However, we know that it is not possible for everyone to live a zero-waste life, especially for people living in metro cities. Hence, we asked experts to give practical tips to reduce carbon footprints.
Dr Narendra Shetty, chief wellness officer at Kshemavana Yoga and Naturopathy Centre, Bengaluru, says that being aware of our carbon footprint is the first step. He suggests practising mindful transportation by opting for carpooling or public transportation.
“Automobiles are a major source of carbon emissions in the environment. If more people choose buses, trains, or shared transport systems over private vehicles, we can reduce emissions,” he says.
Aditya agrees. He further explains that carbon footprints are generated in most of the activities we do daily.
“If we wash our clothes and dishes, bathe, cook, or iron our clothes, even these basic activities produce a carbon footprint. Although it’s impossible to go completely carbon-zero, we can try our best to reduce our carbon footprint by being environmentally conscious in every activity we do,” he adds.
He gives a few other practical tips to reduce carbon footprints :
Energy consumption
Waste reduction
Diet and consumption
Water Conservation
Now, we know that zero-waste living is still a long way to go, but experts believe that small steps like this can help us become more sustainable.
“Greater awareness and conscious decision-making as a species are required for real change and a lasting positive impact. Fortunately, many people and organisations are taking this subject [zero-waste] very seriously, and I believe India is at the forefront of that process. However, it can’t happen fast enough; we need the minority who currently think consciously to become the majority,” Giles concludes.