Waste management is one of the biggest challenges Bangalore or any urban area for that matter. All the waste ends up in landfills or gets collected in empty sites. We blame the authorities for the landfills and the tons of unattended waste lying around. 

We generate a lot of waste at home, all that we do is dump all the waste in large black garbage covers and leave it outside for the municipal guys to come and pick it up. It is practically impossible for the municipal guys to segregate the waste we produce and put it to good use. So ultimately we are the ones who are to be blamed for the ugly landfills and the pollution that it creates. 

The solution is definitely waste management at the grass root level, ie. At home.

How to manage your waste effectively at home?

Today we talk about the three major types of wastes that we generate at home. Organic, inorganic and electronic waste. 

Have two separate bins, one for organic waste and other for inorganic. 

1. Inorganic (Milk covers, empty tins, bottles, plastic containers, etc) waste can go in one bin which when full can go to your local junk buyer (Gujiri). Even if it fetches you a couple of rupees only you can be sure that it is going to be recycled and not end up in a landfill. Have a gujiri guy visit you periodically to pick up the trash. 

2. Organic (food waste, expired food, stale food, etc.) can go into another bin.  While leaving it out for the BBMP guys to pick up is just a secondary option, the best option is to put it to good use and convert it into compost. Dig up some info on composting and get started.

Daily Dump is one such organization you may want to check out. 

3. Electronic (cell phones, home appliances, gadgets, etc). We all want to have the latest technology at hand, but what about the old one that we already have. If you are looking at upgrading your appliances and buying the latest one, consider putting up the old one on classifieds at reasonable price. You could also look at donating it to your nearby old age home or a charity trust where it will be appreciated. 

With a little effort from every home, we are sure we can make a big difference to the waste management in Bangalore.