Founder Speaks

As I sat in my window garden, surrounded by blooming flowers, I realised that I found solace in the little Sustainable choices that dot my surroundings. Repurposed old paint cans, now cheerful marigold planters, and a corner table made from recycled Tetra Pak cartons stood as a testament of my appreciation for nature's beauty. As I reflect on our journey to make waste a resource and the impact we have strived to make, I am inspired by the serene nature around me.


After graduating from Stanford University at the United States of America with a Master's in Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, I returned to Mumbai, uncertain of how I would make a difference. Becoming a mom of two beautiful daughters, kindled my connection to our environment. Bothered by air pollution and piling piles of waste as I traveled to our farm motivated me to make a change. Starting with a waste audit at home and learning the art of composting, I discovered the magic of composting when a musk melon grew in my window from the homemade compost. This ignited my passion for recycling and the seed was sown. This led to the birth of my initiative, RUR: Are you Reducing, Reusing, Recycling?


Joined by kindred mothers, we formed a grassroots group dedicated to green living and raising awareness. The urgent need to decentralize waste recycling pollutants was reinforced on our visit to Deonar, Asia's largest dumpsite which was a true eye opener for me and I realized the magnitude of the problem of waste.


With the invaluable support of the Unltd ( www.unltd.org) Mentor program, our vision began to take shape.


During the hours we spent researching on waste recycling, we became aware of a persistent technological gap. It stood as an obstacle in our path to make recycling easy and efficient for people to adopt.


With a focus on Sustainable design, we innovated a bio composter that could recycle kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost at the source. This innovative in-vessel technology solution replicated the forest's way of composting, producing nutrient-rich organic compost. In 2020, our RUR Greengold Aerobic Biocomposter was granted an Indian Patent. The idea was to bring a simple solution that would help individuals and communities make nutrient rich compost on-site, which could be used to grow more food, bringing the circle of life together in a decentralized manner and contributing to food security.


Driven by sustainability and the principles of the circular economy, RUR Greenlife now operates more than 300 decentralized and Sustainable waste management sites throughout India. We have become role models in various sectors, conducting community workshops, and empowering individuals with waste management skills. By creating dignified livelihoods for those working with waste, RUR promotes the principle of "My Waste, My Responsibility," offering a long-term, circular, and Sustainable solution. As per the Solid Waste Management Laws 2016, every gated premise generating more than 100 kg of wet waste is expected to carry out segregation and composting at the source. We have developed an extensive framework of services through people partnerships in alignment with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals, including eco education, holistic decentralized waste management approach including biocomposting, CSR initiatives, EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility), and zero waste shops.


Successful collaborations with Tetra Pak, Sahakari Bhandar, and Reliance Fresh stores have resulted in impactful recycling campaigns of used beverage cartons into garden benches and school desks. The smiles on children's faces when they use the recycled school desks and pledge to go green are my "Aha!" moment! Support from corporates and organizations such as H T Parekh Foundation, Godrej Properties Ltd, Klenzaids, Purecotz Eco Lifestyles, Atos Ltd, Kalpataru Foundation, and more, have helped create eco-consciousness through their CSR projects. We have tailored these projects to align with their CSR values and our core principles of the 3Rs. We have been fortunate that our solution is adopted by government bodies, including Lucknow Junction Railway Station, and industries such as Siemens have placed their faith in our cutting-edge biocomposting technology.


Our work aligns with the Swachh Bharat mission and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and I feel blessed that sustainability is now embraced more than ever worldwide. In the face of growing eco-anxiety, people are awakening to the healing powers of nature and the importance of being kinder to the planet and themselves. Hundreds of volunteers and green champions have joined the RUR family and supported the cause selflessly over the decade to motivate me and help me in my vision manifestation. I extend an invitation to you to join our journey towards eco-consciousness by connecting with us through our website and social media platforms. Together, let us forge a path towards a cleaner, greener future.


Growing Greener,


Monisha


Founder and CEO