DATE- 20/04/21

Human brain organoids grown in

cheap 3D-printed bioreactor
(
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2
273694-human-brain-organoids-grown-
in-cheap-3d-printed-bioreactor/ )
TECHNOLOGY 6 April 2021

By Christa Lesté-Lasserre

An organoid grown in a microfluidic bioreactor

MIT and IIT Madras

It is now possible to grow and culture human brain tissue in a device that costs little
more than a cup of coffee. With a $5 washable and reusable microchip, scientists can
watch self-organising brain samples, known as brain organoids, growing in real time
under a microscope.
The device, dubbed a “microfluidic bioreactor”, is a 4-by-6-centimetre chip that
includes small wells in which the brain organoids grow. Each is filled with nutrient-
rich fluid that is pumped in and out automatically, like the fluids that flush through
the human brain.

Using this system, Ikram Khan at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in
Chennai and his colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have
now reported the growth of a brain organoid over seven days. This demonstrates that
the brain cells can thrive inside the chip, says Khan.

Culturing brain tissue in a laboratory would theoretically let scientists test how
individual patients’ brains might react to different kinds of medications.

Devices for growing brain organoids already exist, but because the dishes are sealed
shut to avoid contamination from microorganisms in the air, it is impossible to add
nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, salts and glucose or to remove the waste
produced by the cells. As a consequence, the cells usually die within a few days.

Read more: Mini-brains show why human brains grow larger than those of
other apes

To combat that problem, researchers have previously added tiny tubes to deliver
nutrients to the brain tissue. But the opaque design of these devices makes it
impossible to watch what is happening inside the dish – a significant problem,
especially if scientists want to know how the tissue reacts to drugs.

So Khan and his colleagues engineered a new, simpler device that combines a
growing platform, tiny tubes, drug-injection channels and even a fluid-warming
compartment all onto a single chip, which can be 3D-printed using the same kind of
biocompatible resin used in dental surgery. The bioreactors control the flow of
replenishing fluid and waste extraction through tubes in an enclosed incubator while
providing full visibility.

To test their system, the researchers placed human brain-differentiated stem cells in
the wells and programmed fluid flow through the chip. Using a microscope above the
platform, they could watch the brain tissue develop for a full week – essentially until
the organoids ran out of space in their tiny wells.

During that time, they saw that the cells multiplied and formed a ventricle-like
structure, similar to the cavities seen in real brains, says Chloé Delépine at MIT. The
ventricle was surrounded by tissue that appeared similar to that of the neocortex, a
brain layer responsible for higher-order functions like thinking, reasoning and
language comprehension.

Human brain organoids have reached such a level of development in a laboratory

before, but this marks the first time it has happened in a device that allows such good
visibility of the tissue, and so inexpensively, says Delépine.
“My goal is to see this technology reach people throughout the world who need access
to it for their healthcare needs,” says Khan, who has since created a start-up
company in India to realise this objective.

Journal reference: Biomicrofluidics, DOI: 10.1063/5.0041027

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2273694-human-brain-organoids-grown-
in-cheap-3d-printed-bioreactor/#ixzz6sdUCjj3e

Date ; 26/04/21

NATIONAL

Guwahati among 2 Asian cities in zero-

waste challenge
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
GUWAHATI:,  APRIL 25, 2021 14:17 IST

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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/guwahati-among-2-asian-cities-in-zero-waste-
challenge/article34406209.ece
Representational image.   | Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar

U.K.-based international NGO launched the challenge to find entrepreneurs

with innovative ideas to help reduce or recycle waste and create green
employment opportunities
Guwahati is among two urban centres in Asia — and three across the continents
— featuring in a zero-waste cities challenge launched by U.K.-based international
NGO WasteAid to find entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that help reduce or
recycle and create green employment opportunities.
The only other Asian city featuring in this challenge is Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City.
The third is Johannesburg in South Africa.
“The competition is part of a programme to encourage a circular economy and inclusive livelihood
opportunities in these cities. Two winners in each city will be awarded €10,000 and mentoring
support to help make their idea a reality,” WasteAid’s Michelle Wilson said.

Date- 26/04/21

Here are 5 STEM innovations by young girls across India

https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2021/04/stem-innovations-young-girls-social-
impact?utm_pageloadtype=scroll

By Anju Ann Mathew|25th Apr 2021 Quest Alliance and IBM conducted a Hackathon to inculcate the
STEM mindset among children, with the participation of over 90 students across four states in two
months. 274 CLAPS +0 According to a study published by Quest Alliance, a not-for-profit trust that
equips young people with 21st-century skills by enabling self-learning, women only constitute about
14 per cent of the 280,000 scientists and engineers in research and development institutes in India.
This number is an indication of the low participation of women in STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. So, in partnership with IBM, Quest Alliance is trying to
tackle this gender disparity by designing and organising programmes such as STEM for Girls
Hackathon, which saw participation from 90 students across Karnataka, Telangana, and Odisha in a
two-month-long process. The Hackathon, which was a celebration of ideas, design thinking,
innovation, and collaboration was goaled to embed the STEM mindset among the children. The
event engaged the students in ideating, innovating, experimenting, creating, and tinkering with
ideas, giving a stepping stone for next-gen leaders to take charge of their future. SocialStory lists a
few innovations by these students that can go a long way in making our planet sustainable and the
social space thriving. Sanitary disposal machine A prototype of the sanitary disposal machine by one
of the students Sanitary napkin disposal is a challenge in itself as incinerators release a lot of toxic
smoke. So, the students took to addressing the proper disposal of sanitary napkins. They designed
and built an eco-friendly machine as a prototype to burn napkins, thereby reducing toxicity and
releasing less smoke without a foul smell. Sign up for our exclusive newsletters. Subscribe to check
out our popular newsletters. To make it cost-effective and also to save electricity, the machine can
burn about six napkins at a time, and the ash released needs to be reheated to remove the toxins
that are harmful to us and our environment.  ALSO READ This innovative eco-friendly stove is
addressing sustainability issues in rural India Vacuum garbage collection A prototype of the garbage
vacuum cleaner Garbage on the roads is becoming a growing urban menace. The students were
challenged to come up with a solution to tackle garbage on the streets. They came up with a garbage
collection device called the ‘Garbage Collector’ that not only picks up garbage through a vacuum but
also separates it into dry and wet waste. ALSO READ This startup’s devices can help more than 20
lakh manual scavengers globally Destoner for rice Destoner prototypes by the students Students
observed that while mothers have to pick stones while cleaning rice, which is a time-consuming
process. After doing some user and background research, the team came up with an idea for a
‘destone’ prototype that separates the stones from the rice. The battery-operated machines consist
of a vibrating sieve which filters out stones from the rice. ALSO READ This Chennai startup is
recycling about 250 kg of plastic waste per day entering the sea Self-operated dishwasher Battery-
operated dishwasher The students were posed with a challenge to reduce the efforts of people who
were cleaning the utensils at home. While washing the dishes can be time-consuming, it is also quite
strenuous. After taking feedback from their parents, the students made a battery-operated spinning
scrubber that removes stains from the dishes by just holding the utensil against the scrubber. The
scrubber is cost-efficient and can be operated with the help of solar power to save electricity, and
adjusting the speed accordingly. ALSO READ This social enterprise is improving livelihoods and
empowering women with clean-energy products Hawa Hawaii The students working on this project
had to come up with a multipurpose cleaning tool for wet cleaning. During the lockdown, the
students realised that it was difficult for them and their mothers to do household cleaning, especially
cleaning wet floors. Their solution? ‘Hawa Hawaii’, a battery-operated machine that cleans the floor
and reduces the back pain for users while doing these household chores. This machine has a handle
that is connected to a scrubber to clean the floor and can regulate the amount of water that is
needed on the floor while cleaning. This allows them to use just the right amount of water enough
to clean that surface.

Read more at: https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2021/04/stem-innovations-young-girls-social-

impact?utm_pageloadtype=scroll
Date- 27/04/21

Four students of Gurugram’s Shiv Nadar school have created Postura, which has a
unique sensory mechanism that alerts individuals when they slouch and trains
them to correct their posture over a period of time.

 POST AUTHOR:GOPI KARELIA

 POST PUBLISHED:APRIL 20, 2021
 POST CATEGORY:CHILDREN GURUGRAM INNOVATION

T his April, many students and working professionals across India complete around a year
of working from home (WFH). Body aches, and strain on the neck, back and hip, have taken
a toll on several people — all thanks to long working hours and incorrect sitting postures. 
Having experienced these problems firsthand, four students from Gurugram’s Shiv Nadar
School — Sparsh Jha, Gayatri Brijesh, Vihaan and Varnika Motwani — have developed a
multi-purpose, wearable and cost-effective device called Postura. The device, which comes
inside a pillow, helps correct the posture and also gives massages to the stressed areas of the
back. 
The Class X students came up with the battery-operated device as part of their school project
during the lockdown, after working for months. They spent a little over Rs 2,000 to make
Postura, and currently, it is at the prototype stage. The students, along with two school
teachers, are working to bring Postura to the manufacturing stage and bring down the cost to
Rs 1,000.
“Every year, the school conducts the Capstone Project, under which students are expected to
identify a problem and develop a tech-based solution that is both easily available and low-
cost. We collectively decided to address back problems, given that we would be able to test it
on ourselves and that the prices of massage chairs are high. Only one of us visited the school
to make the prototype in our laboratory, and the rest gave inputs on design, structure, etc via
video calls. Fortunately, we assembled everything in our first try,” Vihaan tells The Better
India. 
To understand the problems that came with WFH, the students conducted an online survey
where a majority of homebound people have been using improper DIY setups. Taking into
consideration the feedback, the group not only made a provision that alerts an individual
when their posture is incorrect, but also gives massages to relieve stress. 
The students also involved a physiotherapist to get an informal medical clearance for the
prototype. Meanwhile, testing was restricted to people in the house due to the spread of
coronavirus. 
More than a pillow 

Postura has a unique sensory mechanism that alerts individuals when they slouch and trains
them to correct their posture over a period of time. Designed using electronics and robotics,
the product measures the number of times the body tilts and the period it was in an incorrect
posture. This data is then synced with the device’s mobile app to provide users with
intelligence on their posture and overall improvement journey.
Using animation software, the students printed a 3D model and ordered material including
foam, battery, mortar, circuit and sensors online. The gyro sensors determine the improper
posture and send vibrations accordingly. The massager is app-controlled and can be switched
on by connecting Bluetooth. 
  All one has to do is place the pillow under the glutes and strap it to the chair, unlike other
devices which need to be fixed onto the body, often making it uncomfortable. 
“The device vibrates to alert you about your irregular posture. After the constant vibration
alerts, your natural posture will be so erect that you won’t need regular alerts. The pillow has
four buttons located on different sides, which alert you as soon as you deviate from the
correct posture. The massager needs to be charged with an Android charger for an hour which
can be used for five hours, ” says Gayatri. 
Date – 27/02/21

I Tried a 30-Day Zero Waste Challenge—

Here's What Happened
Food waste is a huge problem, but tackling it can be easier said than done. To put
my money where my mouth is, I tried not to create any trash for an entire month.
Read on to see how it went and what I learned along the way.

In 2019, 83% of Americans agreed that food waste is important to them. However,
like many topics related to sustainability, it's hard to back up good intentions with
action. I really wanted to do something to reduce my food waste and took it a step
further and tried not to create any garbage for a whole month. Here's what I learned
and my takeaways for kicking trash to the curb.

Related: 10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Food Waste

Rules of the Challenge

It turns out not creating any trash was not going to be realistic for me (and what is
the point of sustainability if it's not, well, sustainable?). So, I set some ground
rules. First off, I still recycled and composted things as I typically would, as
(ideally) those things are not truly wasted. If you are unsure if recycling is
available in your area, it is worth a Google or call to your local waste management
agency. Luckily for me, my landlord requires that we compost and has a bin set up
for us (check out our handy Composting 101 page to help you get started at home,
if you're not already).

There are still certain things that I knew couldn't be recycled or composted that
would inevitably be wasted during the month (looking at you, twisty ties and
rubber bands on vegetables). For this reason, I decided that while my dream goal
was no trash, I would limit my trash for the month to one old takeout container.
Just like that, I was ready to take on the 30-Day Zero Waste Challenge.

Don't Miss! 30-Day Sustainable Eating Challenge

Week 1: The Honeymoon Phase

Week 1, Day 1. How hard could it be? Well, apparently harder than I thought. I
forgot my flour container for the grocery store (I already buy most pantry staples in
bulk at our local co-op grocery store) and had to use a plastic bag. Recoverable, but
not necessarily off to a strong start. However, I was still feeling very optimistic and
was determined to adapt. Later in the week, I managed to remember a Stasher
Bag for bulk-bin dry rice and a mesh bag for produce. Keeping a stash of reusable
bags and containers in my car for spontaneous trips to the store was going to be
key.

The only other major hiccup in my week was Halloween candy wrappers (you can
probably see several Reese's wrappers in the picture below). While I can't resist a
classic peanut butter cup, I knew that there would be challenges to every season—
whether it was a vacation, out-of-town guests or another holiday. I just had to start,
be flexible and try my best.

On Friday of the first week, I spilled my coffee. To avoid a sticky desk for the next
25 days, I caved and used a wipe to clean it up. A co-worker reminded me about
the stash of dishrags we have in the Test Kitchen (next time). I realize I needed to
think quickly on my feet and also probably needed a small trash container for the
office. The next day I brought in a Mason jar. Like I said, no waste at all wasn't
going to be realistic, but I felt like I could hang my hat on a few small containers.
Not to mention, it would keep me honest.
Week 2: The Nitty-Gritty
Week 2 started with hosting a party over the weekend. However, on a high from
being 25% of the way there, I was careful to reuse my plastic cup and recycle it at
the end of the night (a glass would have been even better, but we didn't have
enough for everyone).

The next day, I went out for dinner with my boyfriend. It was a blast, until we had
to face the leftovers. I let him take them home so the containers weren't associated
with my no-waste challenge. To really go all in, I could have brought a reusable or
recyclable container from home to fill, but I didn't think that far in advance.

It was getting harder to reconcile my efforts with all the waste around me. I have
three roommates and a boyfriend with a pet. There would inevitably be some waste
that I was involved in creating, but did it count if they threw it out? Is that
cheating? Needless to say, the start of Week 2 got a little existential for me. I
resigned to be as mindful as I could about my waste and not stress about
controlling every potential source of trash for the month.

On Day 11, I picked up my first winter community supported agriculture (CSA)

pickup through our local Intervale Community Farm. I was definitely geekily
excited to be showered in so many veggies, especially in Vermont in November. A
CSA is a great option to cut down on food waste. Bring your own reusable bags
and, voilà, no waste while supporting local businesses and farmers. Even with
roommates to help me get through all of the veg, we only had so much freezer
space to save peels, pits and stems we wouldn't eat or cook with for making stock.
This made it clear that composting would be a crucial part of not creating food
waste this month.

Full disclosure, on Day 13, I cheated. The bathroom needed to be deep-cleaned

(did I mention I have three roommates?). So, I used two Magic Erasers and threw
them right in the trash. Yes, I felt guilty. But filling my containers to the brim on
Day 13 didn't feel like a great option either. After confessing to a few close
confidants, I decided to just move on. I have been really focused on food- and
kitchen-related waste, so this was a wake-up call that my house-cleaning methods
could use some greening up.

We are all human; it was bound to happen. Giving yourself the flexibility to be
more eco-friendly in a way that fits into your life is key, especially as you get
started.
Week 3: Autopilot
To kick off Week 3, there was a film festival at my climbing gym. It was a night
filled with food, drinks, friends, dogs and great movies. Much like the party last
week, I reused and recycled my plastic cup and used a compostable plate. You
could say, at this point, I was feeling like a zero-waste pro (barring a few setbacks
in previous weeks).

Halfway through the week, I splurged on a reusable salad container (I was feeling
inspired by the Best Meal-Prep Containers for Work Lunches; buy it
on amazon.com, $20). Though it is a super-cute container and I would go on to
use it regularly throughout the rest of the challenge, it got me thinking. How much
money was I going to spend on supplies, containers and compostable things so that
I could do this challenge? It's unfortunate that cost can be a barrier to entry for
people who want to pursue sustainable practices. However, there are plenty of cost-
free ways to pursue sustainability, from what you do with your food scraps to
what you eat in the first place. For more, check out How Your Food Choices Can
Help Fight Climate Change.
On Day 18, the batteries in my computer mouse died. They could fit in the jar, but
was there a way to reuse or recycle them? Turns out, they can be recycled but only
if you bring them to a specific recycling center that accepts them (at least in
Vermont). Lucky for me, the Test Kitchen already had a stash going that they were
planning to bring to the recycling center, so I jumped on the bandwagon (and
switched to rechargeable batteries, lesson learned).

Week 4: Going Forward

The last week flew by. Maybe this was becoming second nature, or maybe I was
just busier. As the last days of the challenge came to a close, I reflected on why I
set out to complete this challenge and what I learned from the process. I don't think
I'll continue to keep a Mason jar of trash at my desk (or in my kitchen), but this has
shown me that it is definitely not impossible to waste very little.
For me, I found that awareness was half the battle. With a little more planning, I
could have probably wasted even less, done it more cheaply and avoided a few of
my few slip-ups. Hindsight is 20/20, but it was eye-opening to see where my blind
spots were. Going forward, I will be more intentional about composting and
recycling the right way. By the "right way," I mean rinsing recyclables and
composting more than just food (paper towels, tissues, etc.) I know, this is kind of
a drag and takes more time, but it ensures that your efforts to help keep the planet
healthy are doing what you think they are.

Lessons Learned
As daunting as it sounded from the beginning, the 30-Day Zero Waste Challenge
felt like a success when it was all said and done. Though there were slip-ups and
difficulties, I came out of it with a few takeaways that will help me reduce the
waste I produce in the long term.

A little awareness goes a long way. I was able to cut down on a significant
amount of waste nearly immediately just by thinking about it.

Planning is crucial for success. Half of the battle was trying to be prepared

enough to avoid situations where wasting is common, like bringing lunch to work
or going to the grocery store. Now, I keep reusable bags and a few food-storage
containers in my car, and ask not to receive utensils or napkins when I order
delivery. Little tweaks may look different for everyone, but it is important to look
at what you are throwing in the trash, and when, for inspiration on how you can cut
waste.

It can get expensive. This is an unfortunate consequence of sustainable, waste-free

choices not being as mainstream (yet). Investing in reusable bags and containers, is
just that, an investment. Ideally, these items will last you for years to come, even if
they are a bit more expensive up front. To slash your spending, skip the fancy
glass, state-of-the-art food containers or buy them on sale. You can also repurpose
to-go containers from restaurants, so long as they are reusable.
You don't have to be perfect, nobody is. My biggest takeaway from this
challenge is that change comes from a lot of people imperfectly pursuing what they
care about. There are bound to be things you did not expect or failures along the
way, but all you can do is your best. Even cutting out one plastic bag a day can add
up over the course of the year, especially since the average American goes
through over 1,500 annually. Hopefully this inspires you and gives you
permission to take a step, no matter how small, toward keeping our planet cleaner,
healthier and happier.

Keep Reading: 5 Ways to Stop Wasting Food & Start Saving Money on Food

Date – 27/04/21

Zero Waste Challenge: How to Go Zero

Waste for 7 Days
A beginner's guide to reducing waste in your kitchen

799
Save
Julia Stephan
Senior Food Editor at Kitchen Stories
A wrinkled cucumber, soggy salad in a plastic bag, some stale bread, and
three open packages of yogurt: That was only a tiny part of my last “Let’s
clean the office fridge” haul a few weeks ago. And sadly, this is a well-
known problem in fridges all over the globe—from the office to your very
own home. Every day, we produce tons of waste, and not only in the
kitchen. According to this factsheet by the University of Michigan,
an average U.S. citizen generated 4 ½ pounds of trash every day in 2018.
So it’s not really surprising that there’s a countermovement—one that’s
been gaining traction. The Zero Waste movement has made its way into
mainstream society with a wide range of blogs, books, and cookbooks on
the subject that offer both information and inspiration. But the movement
can even already celebrate its first successes: From 2021 on, disposable
plastic products such as straws and plastic cutlery will be banned
throughout Europe. It’s only one of many steps we’re facing, but everything
counts—including what you, me, and everyone else can do in our own
homes.

Although I’ve already try to reduce waste in my everyday life, I never really
went in all or nothing. This is why I devoted 7 days to the topic to see what
my personal challenges really are and where there is room for
improvement. Read this article to hear how my week went and arm
yourself with 10 beginners tips to tackle a Zero Waste week.
Save

What does Zero Waste mean exactly?

The core idea to the Zero Waste movement is to eliminate any and all kinds
of trash. No resources should be wasted and as little waste as possible
should be produced. The idea doesn’t only apply to plastic packaging, but
also to any kind of food waste. The approaches to Zero Waste living can be
quite diverse: from a general refusal of consumption of certain things to a
more selected purchase of sustainable products, even trying to recycle
your belongings instead of always buying something new.

The Zero Waste lifestyle covers all areas, from food to cosmetic products
and even electrical appliances. However, for my 7-day experiment, I
decided to concentrate on the kitchen, which includes cooking just as much
as grocery shopping.
Save

7 day Zero Waste challenge: Here’s how my week went

Day 1: Saturday
My Zero Waste week started with one of the biggest challenges: grocery
shopping. But before going to the market, I sat down, planned in advance,
and wrote out a shopping list. It might seem like it’s not worth the time or is
redundant, but it’s actually a great starting step to wasting less. If you know
what to eat during the week, you most likely won’t make any spontaneous
and unnecessary bulk purchases. To buy less, more consciously, and
already have a plan for how to use it all up—that was the name of my
game.

My shopping situation is quite comfortable—I’m spoiled with the options of

several supermarkets, organic shops, and even some farmer’s markets
nearby. Nevertheless, laziness often wins and that's why I tend to end up in
the supermarket right around the corner. The supermarket that’s the
closest, also offers the largest variety of products, but, as tempting as it is,
when it comes to Zero Waste living—these are the spots that are often the
worst option. Still, since it’s also the only choice for some people, and most
convenient for me, I still decided to take a look and see how to reduce my
waste there.
Save

Today, fruits and vegetables are on my shopping list, and there’s at least
one advantage of big supermarkets: In their spacious fruit and vegetable
departments, you do find the ones packed in plastic, but you also find some
plastic-free options to choose from. In my supermarket, bell peppers,
tomatoes, grapes, apples, and herbs can all be grabbed plastic-free. Even
though some loose products are a bit more expensive, you then also have
the opportunity to buy just as much as you need. If you have several
supermarkets in your area, it’s also worth comparing their selections and
going grocery shopping in two places to get everything on your shopping
list and without extra plastic packaging.

At the checkout line, there’s the next challenge waiting for me: plastic bags.
This, however, is one of the easier problems to solve. Instead of going for
plastic bags, just come prepared with your own fruit and vegetable nets or
reusable linen bags to transport your purchases. Some supermarkets have
even banned plastic bag themselves and there are already positive
outcomes. In Germany, there was an average of 45 plastic bags consumed
per person in 2016. In 2018, it was reduced to 24 plastic bags. Even
though this is a good thing, at the same time, the use of thin, single-use
plastic bags available for free in the vegetable department, increased. So
there’s a bit of bad with the good, it’s okay—just try your best to avoid
plastic bags at all!

Save

If you even have a market nearby, I highly recommend shopping for your
fruits and vegetables there. The fresh produce is usually never packed in
plastic, plus it’s typically both regional and seasonal. Still, just don’t forget
your own shopping bags, okay?

What I’ve learned today: You can avoid a lot of plastic by planning
your shopping in advance. Buy less, with purpose, compare the
selection of different markets in your area, and always go for loose
produce. Also, I’ll always have my linen bag with me from now on,
just in case.
Save

Day 2: Sunday
When I stored my groceries yesterday, another idea came to my mind: It’s
time for a fridge inspection! Right now, there are still some foods in plastic
packaging in there, but throwing them away would be exactly the opposite
of what I want to achieve this week, right? So instead, I plan to use them up
and also will think about ways to reuse the packages. Jars are an excellent
way to transport my lunch and condiment bottles can be refilled
with homemade sauces.
Save

I always store fruits and vegetables in the lower section of my fridge, but to
make sure they last as long as possible, it’s important to know how to store
them right. Tomatoes, for example, mold faster if you store them in the
fridge. If you read our bi-weekly ‘In Season’ articles, you’ll always find the
relevant information. And still, if some of your fruits or vegetables have soft
spots or start to wilt, you can still blend them into smoothies and soups that
can even be frozen from there for later use.

However, the biggest fridge mystery, for me, is the best-before date.
Although the term already indicates that it’s not an expiry date, many
people tend to throw everything away that has exceeded the given date on
the package. But in fact, the best-before date only indicates when a
manufacturer guarantees the highest quality of your food—and we all know
the quality of food just doesn’t just go from “perfect” to “inedible” in the
course of one day.

Instead, when properly stored, your food will last much longer than what
the best-before date says. Even if you already opened a container of
yogurt, trust your instincts more than a number. Look at it, smell it, and
taste it–that’s the simplest way to find out if you can still eat it. And by the
way, there actually is an expiry date on foods that spoil quickly, like ground
meat. In these cases, you should consume it before the best-before date
passes, as there’s a risk of dangerous germs and bacteria afterwards that
you can’t see or smell.

What I’ve learned today: The best-before date is not an expiration

date. Proper storage ensures that food stays usable for as long as
possible.

Save

Day 3: Monday
I’ve spent the first two days of this challenge in my own kitchen, but now it’s
time to go back to work where the next challenge is waiting: the office
lunch. When it comes to office lunch (or breakfast or snacks), there are big
waste traps. Since a regular office kitchen doesn’t provide more than a
microwave, you easily end up at the salad bar of a nearby supermarket or
buy some ready-to-eat microwavable lunch–both options which mostly
come in plastic packages. Ordering food is also no real alternative as it too
comes with an immense amount of (plastic) waste. But even if you decide
to cook a fairy simple dish, such as pasta with pesto, you’ll most likely not
use up all of the pesto. So what happens? The half-full jar ends in the office
fridge where it will most likely will be forgotten and end up in the trash a few
days later.
Save

Which brings us to the simplest solution: Meal prep! If you cook your lunch
at home, you’ll more than likely serve yourself a healthy, tasty dish. In
addition, you can use up all the food you just bought, or even reuse
leftovers: Turn your leftover dinner rice into a lunchable fried rice. Need
more inspiration?

✖ Here are some tips and recipes for Meal Prep beginners.
✖ We asked our colleagues what they usually eat for lunch.
Save

While I was prepping my meals for the next few days, I noticed the small
pile of food scraps next to my cutting board and asked myself two
questions: First, since I’m going Zero Waste this week, I can hardly just
throw them away without a second thought, right? Secondly, could I even
reduce this organic trash?

Let’s start with the latter question. There are some foods where you know
the deal–you eat the apple unpeeled, but you peel the onion. Most of this,
we learned when we were kids. Growing up we didn’t question this
knowledge and still think that we have to peel most of the fresh ingredients
because that’s where the dirt is, right? But if you’re buying organic
products, your vegetables and fruits are already less polluted. And even
conventional products often only need to be thoroughly washed (a
vegetable brush helps) to remove most of the possible contaminants that
can settle on the outside. After doing a bit of research, I came up with this
list that’s now sticking as a post it on my fridge.

Save

Need to be peeled: citrus fruits, melon, onion, garlic, pineapple, mango,

banana, papaya
Can be peeled: cucumbers, eggplants, carrots, potatoes, parsnips,
beetroot, sweet potato, kiwi
Yes, you read correctly: The listed fruits and vegetables do not need to be
peeled categorically, but you’re still allowed to do so. Let’s say, you’re
cooking mashed potatoes, you might want to get rid of the peel. But is this
a reason to throw them away? No way!

Most vegetables scraps can still be used. As for the scraps next to my
cutting board, I could compost them at home (this article tells you how to do
it), but I’ll save these to make a homemade vegetable stock at the end of
the week. Let’s come back to this on Friday to see how many scraps have
come together.

What I’ve learned today: Almost every peel is edible. And even if you
can’t or don’t want to eat them, there are several ways to use them
instead of throwing them away.

Save

Day 4: Tuesday
Even though I’ve been busy with Meal Prep this week, there are still some
vegetables left in my fridge. I can add some of them to my dinners, but if
there will be leftovers, what then?
I’m pretty sure my grandmother would give me the answer in no time.
She’d probably look at me with wondering eyes and ask why I don’t freeze
or pickle vegetables all the time. Drying, preserving, pickling, and freezing
food are some of the easiest ways to avoid food waste. What was essential
for survival in the past, is now seen as an almost nerdy thing to do. Living
in a luxury world where there’s an overflow of everything, we just tend to
buy things instead of valuing what we have. Check out our How-tos to find
some instructions to begin with:

Supported by product placement

Easy pickled chili peppers

 01:47 min.
 45.7K views

Supported by product placement

How to preserve fresh herbs

 01:52 min.
 26.8K views

We also have articles dedicated to freezing and pickling food, plus a

collection of recipes for big batch cooking:

✖ 8 Foods You Can Freeze in an Ice Cube Tray

✖ 5 Recipes Ideal for Big-Batch Cooking
✖ An Introduction to Pickling, Plus How to Make Pickles at Home

What I’ve learned today: Grandmas just know best!

Day 5: Wednesday
After I bought all my fresh produce on Saturday, it’s time to go grocery
shopping again to buy all kinds of ‘un-fresh’ ingredients. And this is when
the plastic madness really starts. From pasta and rice to cereal or baked
goods, there’s almost nothing that doesn’t exist in plastic packaging.

Luckily, we have so called ‘unpacked stores’ in Berlin, where you can bring
your own containers and fill them with all kinds of dry food. I love this idea,
because on the one hand, it obviously reduces waste to a minimum, and on
the other hand, it also allows you to buy smaller quantities than in a regular
supermarket. There are already many of these packaging-free
supermarkets all around the world – here’s a compiled list to search for one
that’s near your place. And if you’d rather shop online, there are some
online retailers that offer plastic-free shopping. It’s best to ask for it,
because even if they don’t do it yet, you just increased the demand.
Save

I think the biggest challenge of going plastic-free is when you’re buying

processed food. But here are two ideas to reduce waste: 1) Look for
alternative packaging, e.g. made from glass or carton. 2) Do it yourself
instead of buying it! Anyone can cook, right? With just a little time and
effort, you can cook most processed food at home, even pantry staples.
Just take a look at our How-to section and find yourself the first DIY project!

What I’ve learned today: There are possibilities to avoid plastic

packaging for every situation.
Day 6: Thursday
My day was quite relaxed and plastic-free until I started to do the dishes
after dinner and noticed that there’s a part of my kitchen that I didn’t think
about yet. Most of my cleaning supplies and some other kitchen utensils
are definitely not following the Zero Waste approach. So I sat down and did
some research.
Here are sustainable alternatives for 10 of the most common kitchen
utensils:

✖ Instead of plastic straws: use metal straws

✖ Instead of parchment paper: use a silicone baking mat or reusable
parchment paper
✖ Instead of plastic wrap: use beeswax wrap
✖ Instead of freezer bags: use silicone bags
✖ Use jars for storage and transport
✖ Use a paperless coffee filter
✖ Instead of teabags: use a tea egg
✖ Instead of plastic bags: use fruit or vegetable nets or bags
✖ Instead of plastic utensils: use utensils made from wood or metal, e.g. a
wooden rolling pin, cutting boards, cooking spoons, etc.
✖ Instead of paper towels: use washable cloths made from bamboo

If you’re looking for more plastic-free tools to eat or drink on-the-go, here
are some tips from the Kitchen Stories team!

Save

Now, also my cleaning supplies could do a Zero Waste makeover. Instead

of throwing away the dish soap that I still keep in my kitchen, I’ll use it up
and probably even keep the package to refill it with some natural cleaning
ingredients. Thanks to my research, I’ve learned that dish soap can be
made with lemons, apple cider vinegar, water, and salt. Instead of using
pipe cleaners, next time I’ll solve the problem with baking soda and vinegar
which works just as well. And from now on, my oven will be cleaned with a
paste made of baking soda, salt, and water. Luckily, there are tons of
‘recipes’ for cleaning utensils that I found online on Zero Waste blogs.

What I’ve learned today: Darn, there’s plastic everywhere!

Day 7: Friday
It’s the last day of my Zero Waste challenge and I’ve already learned so
many new useful tips. Do you still remember my vegetable scraps project?
Let’s see how much has come together by now.

Save

To reuse these scraps and make a homemade vegetable stock, all I need
to do is to transfer them to a pot and cover with water until the scraps start
to float. You can add more seasoning to taste, e.g. cloves, herbs, or bay
leaves. Let the mixture simmer for approx. 30 minutes, then drain through a
sieve and save all the broth in jars to use within the next few days. To keep
the broth for a few months, you can also freeze it in ice cube trays.

Making a homemade vegetable broth from scraps is a great idea but it’s not
the only thing you can do to reuse what’s often called organic waste. Some
herbs and vegetables can regrow on your windowsill, such as scallions,
basil, or lettuce.

Following the mantra ‘Leaf to Root’, it’s important to see every fruit or

vegetable as a whole ingredient and not only use some parts of it. Most of
what we throw away can actually be eaten. The leaves of radishes, carrot
greens, and stems of fresh herbs can be mixed into pestos, smoothies, or
salad dressings (the stems of broccoli, Swiss chard, and kalecan be eaten,
too!) Dry celery leaves, then ground them into a powder, mix with salt, and
enjoy homemade celery salt! Use the pits of apricots and peaches to infuse
desserts, turn melon peels into jam, and dry citrus peels instead of buying
them. Your bread turned stale? Then finely grate it into breadcrumbs! The
list goes on and on and on.

What I’ve learned today: There are endless possibilities to use what
we think of as kitchen waste. Process your food as a whole and cook
creatively!

Save

The result:
Even though I’ve already known about Zero Waste before, I still learned so
much more about it and got inspired in all kinds of fields! I learned about
some horrible statistics but at least I got the feeling that there are a lot of
people out there trying to tackle the problem! Yes, it's hard to change your
lifestyle overnight, but there are a few small steps that everyone can make
—and together, those will make a big difference.
Here are even more helpful articles on the topic:
✖ 11 Ways to Generate Less Waste
✖ Food Safety 101
✖ 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Food Waste

Few Good Robotics Forums - Arduino Forums:

https://forum.arduino.cc/ RobotShop Community:
https://www.robotshop.com/community/
Robotics StackExchange:
https://robotics.stackexchange.com/ Society of
Robots: http://www.societyofrobots.com/
Adafruit Community:
https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to...
----------------------------------------------------------
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DATE : 29/04/21

INNOVATION: IIIT-H develops

unique charging solution for
electric bikes
Researchers have proposed a unique design and fabrication of charging
equipment specifically for e-scooters.

 IANS
 

 April 22, 2021, 08:14 IST

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Hyderabad:
Researchers at the International Institute of Information Technology,
Hyderabad (IIIT-H) have designed a unique charging solution for e-scooters.
Dr. Aftab Hussain, who heads the Processes, Architecture and Technologies
Research in IoT (PATRIoT) division at IIIT-H and his team has designed a
complete end-to-end charging solution from the electronic hardware
components that are sturdy and safe enough for outdoor deployments to the
software that contains an appropriate processor to control all input and output
devices of the system.

In a paper titled, "Compact Electric Vehicle Charging Station Using Open

Charge Point Protocol for E-Scooters" that has been presented at the 2021
International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Future Electric
Transportation, Dr. Hussain and his team of researchers proposed a unique
design and fabrication of charging equipment specifically for e-scooters

Leveraging on the core strength of the lab which lies in flexible electronics, the
researchers have used a flexible, inexpensive membrane for the keypad with
a longer lifespan than a mechanical keypad. Much like the interface at an
ATM, the user has to swipe an RFID card that authenticates her before she
enters the amount for which charging has to be done. Safety features such as
emergency disconnection of AC power supply in case it goes beyond a
minimum threshold, or in case of hardware faults have also been
incorporated.

Deeksha Devendra, the lead author of the paper, cites the compact nature of
the charger that makes it possible to deploy it in densely populated urban
centres where a need for such chargers is most felt.

"Current EV charger designs are bulky, requiring land usage rights, whereas
this device can be mounted on a street lamp," she said. The USP of the
system though lies in the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) that it is based
on. With this, charging stations are no longer vendor specific.

"Our design scores over others' as it allows users to roam between the
charging stations irrespective of the vehicle manufacturer, whether it is an
Okinawa or a Hero e-scooter," said Deeksha. "It's the OCPP which makes the
entire system reliable, both in terms of data security, as well as compatibility
with the entire national infrastructure," said Dr. Hussain, adding that their
system is ahead of the curve.
The team started working on the solution as the charging infrastructure for
two-wheelers is yet to catch up.

The Professor said that the lack of non-standardised charging points for e-
bikes in particular is going to be a problem for the country in the foreseeable
future. "The current problem with e-scooters is that they can't be charged just
about anywhere. The existing charging systems are specifically tailored for
each make of such vehicles. Users are typically tied to charging their e-bikes
at home. And this again is tremendously inconvenient," said Dr. Hussain.

With residential housing societies yet to ramp up their parking lot infrastructure
with charging points, one needs to unplug the scooter battery - a tedious
process in itself - physically carry it home, charge it and reconnect it before
the next ride. To repeat the sequence of events on a regular basis is a
dampener on the path to electric mobility.

Date : 01/05/21

IT-M Startup Builds India’s First 3D Printed

House, Cuts Construction Cost by 30%
Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions, deep tech startup founded by three IIT Madras
alumni, has created history by constructing India’s first 3D printed house. The
single-storey, 1BHK project inspires hopes for India’s affordable housing project.

T vasta Manufacturing Solutions, a deep tech startup founded by three alumni of IIT
Madras in 2016, has created history by constructing India’s first 3D-printed house.
Constructed on campus with a built-up area of about 600 square feet, this single-storey home
consists of a single bedroom, hall and a kitchen.

According to the company, “Tvasta’s ‘Concrete 3D Printing’ is an automated manufacturing

method for constructing three-dimensional real-life structures (at all realisable scales). The
technique utilises a concrete 3D Printer which accepts a computerised three-dimensional
design file from the user and fabricates a 3D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by
extruding a specialised type of concrete specifically designed for the purpose.”

Developed in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in
Shelter, the ‘Concrete 3D Printing’ technology employed has multiple advantages:

-Potentially reduces overall construction cost significantly

-Order of magnitude difference in overall construction time
-Brings down the related carbon footprint
-Increases productivity of labour involved
-Offers raw material flexibility/utilisation of eco-friendly materials.

Speaking to The Better India, Adithya VS, the CEO of Tvasta Manufacturing Solutions,
gets into the details about their indigenously developed technology.

“Tvasta’s 3D Printing technology is built to bring digital technological advantages to the

realm of construction. The focus is to make the process available to all sections of the
construction industry, including affordable housing and large-scale infrastructure building.
The reduction in overall time required for construction involves an order of magnitude
change. What would require months to build can be built in days. Currently, the capability is
to print the superstructure of a house that would require 4 to 5 months to build conventionally
in about 5 days. The technology has also been designed in such a way that it is sustainable
and green. The material used contains industrial waste and recycled material. This reduces
the overall carbon footprint of the structure during construction,” notes Adithya.

But the technology goes beyond that. The houses built using 3D Printing are customised for
geographical and climatic conditions that exist in an area. As a result, any additional heating
or cooling requirements—mostly cooling in India—are very minimal for the structure. This
will ensure that the energy consumption of any structure that is built will be very minimal,
claims Adithya.

“We’re currently studying the carbon footprint that the structure reduces over its lifetime
along with IIT Madras. Also, the construction cost of a house or any large-scale structure
depends on several factors. It depends on the design of the structure, the city or geography in
which it is being built, soil properties, number of structures in a specific project, etc.
Considering the nature of the current projects, we are estimating 20-30% savings compared to
conventional construction in our projects. We are working with several institutions to make
this technology even more affordable in the construction domain,” he says.
Inside India’s First 3D Printed House at IIT Madras Campus.

How does 3D Printing reduce construction cost and save time?

Adithya explains, “The cost reduction is achieved by increasing the productivity of workers
who are involved in the construction process. A structure that would take months to build can
be done in a matter of a few days; this contributes to tremendous savings on the time and cost
of capital. There is also a saving on the amount of material used as 3D Printing reduces
wastage and the total amount of material required to build a structure. The saving on time is
primarily brought in by the employment of robotics and automation technologies.”

He adds, “Construction is one industry where precision automation has still not taken root,
unlike the automotive industry. Through the actions of a 3D Printer that can receive
instructions to build a large-scale structure in the form of a 3D Virtual file, a large-scale
structure can be built without formwork or molds in a very short period through layer by
layer manufacturing.”

This structure was built to show the research, development, and manufacturing capabilities
that exist in India, although there are plans to use it as a conference centre at IIT Madras.

It took about 21 days to 3D print this particular structure due to COVID-related restrictions.
Currently, the company has the capability to 3D print such a structure in about five days.
“The company is currently working on scaling up this technology to make it available
throughout India. For this, the company has partnered with several large-scale construction
companies and institutions. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also given wings
to the project by providing support through the ASHA Incubator programme under the
Global Housing Technology Challenge launched by the Prime Minister,” says Adithya.

The material used for construction is a proprietary 3D Printable Mix developed by the
company. Having said that, materials such as mud and other natural solutions can be used for
construction. Adithya goes on to claim that the company has plans to introduce such green
materials into the construction space in the future.

Lauding the work done by the Tvasta, Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, says,
“This technology is the first to be beneficiary-led in the construction industry. The machine
for constructing this house can be rented, like borewells rented by farmers. It provides for
large-scale, high-quality and also, price assurance for the customers.”

Meanwhile, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told media persons attending the
launch of this home, “India definitely needs such solutions which do not require much time.
This technology enables building a 3D-printed house in 5 days. With the Prime Minister’s
goal of ‘Housing for All by 2022,’ we have a huge challenge before us. A huge challenge of
meeting that deadline and making sure that people who need houses get it at an affordable
price. Conventional housing requires timing, material, logistics, transporting of material, and
so on. But if this technology can produce houses in different locales at five days per house, it
would not be a big challenge to build 100 million houses by 2022.”

Date : 01/05/2021

Ministry of Education
 IIT Bombay shows how to solve Oxygen
shortage by converting Nitrogen Generator
into Oxygen Generator

A simple and fast solution to Oxygen crisis

Institute ready to help pan-India adoption of

the solution
Posted On: 29 APR 2021 2:15PM by PIB Mumbai

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has come up with a creative and
ingenious solution to addressing the shortage of medical oxygen for the treatment of
COVID-19 patients in the country. The pilot project which has been tested
successfully relies on a simple technological hack: conversion of PSA (Pressure
Swing Adsorption) Nitrogen Unit to PSA Oxygen Unit!
Initial tests done at IIT Bombay have shown promising results. Oxygen production
could be achieved at 3.5 atm pressure, with a purity level of 93% - 96 %. This
gaseous oxygen can be utilised for COVID-related needs across existing hospitals
and upcoming COVID-19 specific facilities by providing a continuous supply of
oxygen.
How can the nitrogen unit be converted into an oxygen unit? " It has been done by
fine-tuning the existing Nitrogen Plant setup and changing the molecular sieves from
Carbon to Zeolite" says Prof. Milind Atrey, Dean (R&D), IIT Bombay, who led the
project.
"Such nitrogen plants, which take air from the atmosphere as raw material, are
available in various industrial plants across India. Therefore, each of them could
potentially be converted into an oxygen generator, thus helping us tide over the
current public health emergency", he added.
The pilot project is a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay, Tata Consulting
Engineers and Spantech Engineers, Mumbai, who deal with PSA Nitrogen & Oxygen
plant production.
A PSA Nitrogen plant in the Refrigeration and Cryogenics Laboratory of IIT was
identified for conversion, to validate the proof of concept. To undertake this study on
an urgent basis, an MoU was signed between IIT Bombay, Tata Consulting
Engineers and Spantech Engineers to finalise a SOP that may be leveraged across
the country.
Spantech Engineers installed the required plant components as a skid at IIT Bombay
for evaluation using IIT Bombay’s infrastructure at the IITB Nitrogen facility at the
Refrigeration and Cryogenics lab. This setup for the experiment was developed
within three days, and the initial tests have shown promising results, as mentioned
above.
Prof. Milind Atrey acknowledges and thanks Mr. Amit Sharma, Managing Director,
Tata Consulting Engineers; along with Mr. Rajendra Tahiliani, Promoter, Spantech
Engineers and alumnus IIT Bombay (1970); Mr. Raj Mohan, MD, Spantech
Engineers; and their passionate team members for their collaboration and
partnership on this project.
Congratulating the teams on the successful pilot in a timely manner amidst several
constraints, Mr. Amit Sharma said: “We are delighted to partner with IIT Bombay and
Spantech Engineers, and contribute towards an innovative solution for emergency
oxygen generation using existing infrastructure towards helping the country tide over
the current crisis. Such partnerships between industry and academia can accelerate
our vision towards the Atma-Nirbhar Bharat.”
Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director IIT Bombay, congratulated all the involved
parties and said that such partnership between academia and industry is highly
desirable and essential for the growth and success of our nation.
Contact info :
Prof. Milind Atrey, IIT Bombay
(email:matrey@iitb.ac.in)
(phone:+91-22-25767522)
Or
Tata Consulting Engineers, Mumbai.
****
PIB Mum Release (DJM/DL) / IIT-B PRO.
DATE :04/05/21
Four start-ups at 16: How this Delhi-based teenager became
a 'serial entrepreneur'
He is only 16, but Ojas Batra is already worthy of the title – serial entrepreneur.
Batra is the Founder and CEO of Hive Group of Companies, and just published his
first book, Teenage AF. 

The young lad dropped out of school at 10 after he felt that the education system
was not equipped to impart him the life skills he needed.

How did your parents react to you dropping out of school?

My parents were sceptical, but gave me an opportunity to rationalise my decision. I

worked out my plan of action for the next few years, detailing my interest in 3D
design and VFX that I wanted to turn into my career. I came up with a backup
plan, and only then, I presented it to them like a business deal, telling them if none
of these plans worked in three years, I would return to formal schooling.

Don’t you think going to school is important?

For social well-being, it is to some extent extremely important. But moving on to

experience other practical skills that interest you is also critical as schools mostly
teach theoretical, traditional knowledge and lack executional skills.

When did you set up your first venture, and what was it all about?

I was 14 when I started my first venture. It was an edu-tech startup that provided
skill-based learning at an affordable price and a great deal of practical exposure. I
launched it with the intent to give back to the community all the skills and practical
knowledge I had acquired in the four years of being away from school. The start-
up was for students who were keen to learn, but lacked the opportunity to drop out
of school and pursue their interest in marketing, coding, game development, etc. It
was structured and made available online so that the students could access it
anytime. This start-up got acquired in less than a year.

Tell us about the four companies that you set up.

Three of these start-ups fall under the Hive Group of Companies. The first is Teen
Hive that helps teenagers develop a growth mindset, learn life skills like time
management, communication, decision-making, etc. and build a career roadmap
towards success. The second is Skill Hive, a skill identification and training
institute where we help individuals identify the skill and career path meant for
them and then mentor them. The third is Talent Hive, in its MVP (Minimum
Viable Product) stage, is an initiative to help skilled individuals who are inclined to
learn, but lack resources. The fourth venture is Advengers, an automation-based
web development and marketing agency.

Tell us about Teenage AF, your debut book. How did you find time to write?

Teenage AF is semi-anecdotal and targetted at teenagers. Every stage of teenage

life is covered in the book like age gaps and relation with them, stability and
sustainability of relationships, mental health issues, academic career and role of
technology, etc. I believe in time management, so I always try to maintain a fixed
schedule. Also, I automate and delegate various tasks.

Date : 04/05/21

These teenagers are showing the world

that you can be a changemaker at any
age

With the hustle culture well established in India, these teenagers

are proving that age is not a barrier to achieving goals in life.
Age is just a number and technology the big equaliser in the modern age. In this
digital world, what you need is grit and determination to carry your ideas through. 

Teenagers are making the most of the opportunities available to them, and are
starting up young is no longer limited to men and women in in their 20s. They are
also breaking other barriers and stereotypes and excelling in fields of their choice.

We profile some teenagers entrepreneurs, who may be early starters in business,

mountaineering, or the arts, but are raring to go

Avantika Khanna, 17

Seventeen-year-old app developer Avantika Khanna founded India

Story which tells the intriguing tales behind Indian monuments. 

A student of humanities of Shri Ram School, Aravalli Campus in Gurugram,

Avantika was initially awestruck by the well-preserved beauty of Fort of
Edinburgh. Wanting to preserve the historical monuments of India as well, she
started curating detailed stories in audio format.

In order to enrich the app with content, she brought together a team of 30 history
lovers and students who work as writers, marketing experts, photographers, and
programmers to collaborate in the project. 

She also faced a fair share of challenges including neglect from investors
and many naysayers but soon secured funds from the Indian Angel
Network. 

More recently, the young entrepreneur presented the app to the Deputy

Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism and received guidance on app
development. Currently, she is working to incorporate religious tourism as well.

Apoorvi Bharatram, 17

Apoorvi Bharatram grew up seeing her sister battle with clinical depression. While
she understood the importance of counsellors and psychiatrists, she noted that
access to quality mental healthcare was a problem, especially in government
schools.

This led her to start the Happiness project which follows a three-step model

which helps gauge the happiness quotient of students in government schools and
trains teachers as para-counsellors as well. It assesses students in areas of
depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and body image issues.

In an earlier interview, Apoorvi told YourStory that the management, teachers, and

students are more aware of mental health related issues.

Selected as an Ashoka’s ‘Everyone a Changemaker’, Apoorvi will be pursuing her

studies in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. 
Kaamya Karthikeyan, 12

Twelve-year-old Kaamya Karthikeyan grew up listening to stories of an expedition

to the Himalayas from her father S Karthikeyan, a commander in the Indian Navy.

Soon, he started teaching her the basics of mountaineering and started taking her
on treks to Lonavala, in Pune at the age of three and Roopkund in Uttarakhand by
the time she was nine-years-old.

Today, she is the youngest girl in the world to summit Mt Aconcagua, the highest
peak in South America. A student of Navy Children School in Mumbai, she scaled
the 6962 metres mountain on February 1 and hoisted the Indian flag at the peak. 

Some other peaks she has scaled are Mt. Kilimanjaro which is the highest
peak in Africa, Europe’s highest mountain Mt. Elbrus and Australia’s tallest
mountain, Mt. Kosciuszko.

Ayushi Poddar, 19

Shooter Ayushi Podder grew up wanting to become a dancer or model and got
trained in classical dance. However, at 14, she picked up a sports rifle at her
father’s insistence and there has been no looking back since then. 

Her father Pankaj Podder was a professional shooter running an academy and
Ayushi underwent rigorous training under his guidance in the evenings after
school. In 2014, Ayushi emerged as a state champion. 

The young shooter, who is part of the junior Indian shooting team, believes that
success takes time but will happen. She won the silver medal in the 50m rifle 3
positions team event, in the Asian Championships at Doha. 

In an earlier interview with HerStory,  Ayushi shared that she wants to challenge

herself and excel in all three events - 10m, 50m prone and 50m positions. 

Harshita Jain, 16

At 16, Harshita Jain has founded a tea startup called Necessiteas that specialises
in making bubble tea. A student of American Embassy School in New Delhi,
Harshita had her eureka moment during a Young

Entrepreneurs Academy class where they came across a story involving bubble
tea. 

Her own love for bubble tea aside, she noted that quality bubble tea was not easily
available in India and took the plunge to start up.

Today, some of the flavours like Tapioca Pearl for the venture are being imported
from Taiwan.  Currently, the tea is being produced at her house with the support of
her family and Harshita plans to open pop-up stores soon. 
Growing up listening to the stories of her grandfather who is an entrepreneur,
Harshita always wanted to start something and found that chance in bubble tea. 

DATE : 05/05/21

CoEP StartUp’s orthopedic plaster granted Indian

patent
The plaster brand FractoAid provides early and
instant immobilization to the fractured limb and
prevents further chances of worsening the injury.

Pune-based StartUp MediAsha, working on developing orthopedic plaster, incubated at

College of Engineering Pune (CoEP) has been granted an Indian patent on April 30.
The plaster brand FractoAid provides early and instant immobilization to the fractured limb
and prevents further chances of worsening the injury.
The makers have claimed that the plaster best suits and can be handy in first-aid kits
facilitated at sports academies, healthcare centres, schools and colleges, paramedics,
emergency service, adventure sports groups, sports training centres, public transport and
disaster management kits.
Mayur Sanas, a research associate in Biomedical Engineering and Technology Incubation Centre
(BETiC) at the Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Industrial Management, CoEP, along
with BB Ahuja, director, CoEP, Arati Mulay and orthopedic surgeon Dr Ashish Ranade worked on
developing ‘Orthopedic Hybrid Plaster Splint’, now known as FractoAid.
The project was among the three select projects to receive the BIG grant given by BIRAC of
the Department of Biotechnology.
\

Date : 15/02/2021

Fashion-designing students from Surat showcase clothes made from waste

materials
Arushi, a faculty member at IDT said that it took around one month to design these garments.

The students of Institute of Design and Technology (IDT) in Surat, used jute bags, plastic
spoons, chips and wafer packets, straws, electronic wastes and other non-biodegradable
products.(ANI)
With the theme 'Whatever you throw, comes back to you', fashion-designing students in
Gujarat's Surat designed and wore garments made from waste products to create awareness
on reusing of such material. They showcased these garments on Saturday in the market area
of the city.
The students of Institute of Design and Technology (IDT) in Surat, used jute bags, plastic
spoons, chips and wafer packets, straws, electronic wastes and other non-biodegradable
products which can be recycled or reused to design the garments.
Arushi, a faculty member at IDT said that it took around one month to design these garments.
"Around 30 students were designed the garments in teams of two," Arushi said.
"We want to create awareness among people that to safeguard the environment, the waste
materials should be reused and recycled," she added.
Arushi further said, "On this Valentine's Day we should pledge to love our city by keeping it
clean."
A student of IDT, Anjili Mishra said, "The waste material, if not recycled or reused, comes
back to us in form of pollution."

DATE : 05/05/21

‘Paper sensor’ developed by IIT Madras

could help detect & monitor
antimicrobial pollutants
Developed in collaboration with UK researchers, the low cost,
paper-based sensor could help tackle antimicrobial resistance
that is becoming a worldwide health crisis.
New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras,
along with researchers based in the United Kingdom, have
developed a paper-based sensor which can detect antimicrobial
pollutants, particularly those which cause antimicrobial resistance
in water bodies.

The sensor, which is ‘low cost’ and ‘field deployable’, is expected to

be a viable tool for environmental surveillance and detecting
pollutants in water bodies. Coming at a time when the scientific
community has raised concern over antimicrobial resistance
becoming a worldwide health crisis, the sensor, researchers have
suggested, can be used for environmental monitoring, food safety
analysis and healthcare monitoring.

According to the World Health Organization, antimicrobial

resistance “threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an
ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites,
viruses and fungi”. It occurs when microbes like bacteria, viruses
and fungi no longer respond to medicines, making these infections
harder to treat.

Water bodies, especially, have emerged to be a source of

“dissemination and transfer” of antimicrobial resistance. The
research also suggested that “periodic monitoring” of these
pollutants will be key in assessing the status of antimicrobial
resistance in India.

‘See-and-tell’ mechanism of sensor

Funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government
of India, in collaboration with the UK’s Natural Environment
Research Council and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research
Council, the research for the sensor was led by Professor S.
Pushpavanam, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Chemical
Engineering, IIT Madras.

The sensor has been developed on the basis of a ‘see and tell’
mechanism which makes it logistically efficient, ensuring wide
implementation.

In a press release issued Tuesday, Dr. T. Renganathan, Associate

Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, said,
“We have used these fabricated devices [the sensor] for the
detection of antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, biocides such as
triclosan and heavy metals such as chromium, copper and lead.
These devices can be used for antimicrobial resistance surveillance
in water bodies.”

(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)

Date : 06/05/21

Engineer’s Bio-Organic Fertilizers Yield 20% More

Produce At Rs 65/Litre, Benefits 400 Farmers

Dr Salim Channiwala, a mechanical

engineer and former director at Sardar
Vallabhai National Institute of Technology
in Surat, has developed a bio-organic
liquid fertilizer made from slurry and 16
micronutrients.
A round 2012-13, Dr Salim Channiwala, an engineer who worked as a director at
Sardar Vallabhai National Institute of Technology in Surat, was left deeply impacted
when he lost four relatives to cancer. Reports suggested that the illness had been
triggered by a heavy dose of chemicals and pesticides in vegetables.

Moved by the incident, Dr Salim, who had been in this profession since 1981, decided
to address the issue of food toxicity. He vowed to work towards a cause that would
benefit the health of the masses, and decided to ensure that no chemical substance
is used in agriculture. And making an effective organic fertiliser was a feasible move.

Despite being a graduate in mechanical engineering from IIT-Bombay, Dr Salim put years of
research and study to conceive a bio-organic liquid fertiliser made from biogas slurry, which
is more effective than its chemical counterpart. He says the organic feed for plants provides
20% more production, and sells at 20% cheaper than chemical fertilisers in the market. So
far, 400 farmers from Gujarat, Maharashtra and neighbouring areas have benefitted from the
same.

Recalling his journey with The Better India, Dr Salim says, “Watching my relatives
struggle and then ultimately losing them pained me. After learning about the role that
toxic chemicals had to play in their deaths, I decided to bring a healthier solution for
both the soil, as well as humans.”

He read scientific journals, and referred to research material to understand the

fundamentals of organic fertilisers and plant nutrients. “I had no background in
environmental science and soil health. I learned the concepts of nitrogen fixation, the
importance of potassium, role of microbes and other aspects responsible for a
healthy life in the soil,” he says.

Salim adds that he learned about biogas, slurry and the valuable nutrients in them. “I
realised that slurry is rich in nutrients, but it lacked concentration of certain
micronutrients required for the growth of the plant. Hence, I focused on enriching the
nutrition value in slurry,” he explains.

“I kept looking for organic substances that were easy to digest by plants and soil.
Moreover, all the nutrients needed to be in the right proportion and work effectively
and at par with chemical fertilisers. I experimented with 49 different nutrients
between 2017 and 2020, and narrowed it down to 16 micronutrients,” he says,
adding that the micronutrients, when mixed with biogas slurry in the right
proportions, yield a high performing, nutrient-rich liquid bio-organic fertiliser.

“It contains around 9% of organic carbon, microbes and minerals including

magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. The field trials proved this. In the latest
report, the vegetables grown with the bio-organic fertiliser showed an absence of
263 toxic chemicals,” he says.

Dr Salim worked on the formula with a biogas plant owner in Surat, and
commercialised the product. “The businessman was generous in letting me
experiment and patent all the research work and technology for setting up the plant
and producing the bio-organic fertiliser,” he says.
The bio-organic fertiliser is available as Glow Green Biotech – Glow Liqvitonic, at Rs
65 per litre. Sanjay Bhor, a Nashik-based farmer, says he has been using the liquid
bio-organic fertiliser for almost a year now. “I grow beans, lemon, tomato,
cauliflower, broccoli and peas. I saved around 30% on my input cost. The quality of
vegetables and productivity also increased significantly,” he adds.

Sanjay says that earlier, he practised farming with chemical fertilisers and switched
to organic methods after feeling convinced about the product. “Now the workers do
not complain about skin irritation as they did with chemical fertilisers. The soil
remains soft and retains more moisture than before,” he adds.

Dr Salim, who retired in 2019, has also successfully attempted to create solid
fertilisers from the biogas residue and slurry. “I have innovated technology that filters
slurry and other biogas waste through 120 membranes. The residue is processed
with other nutrients to produce solid fertiliser. I am in the process to finalise the
product and commercialise it,” he adds.

“I want more farmers to shift from using chemical fertilisers to organic farming. It is
the sole reason the product is offered at a cheaper rate than the chemical ones. The
profit margins are negligible, and I want to keep it that way. The health of the masses
is more important than monetary gains,” Dr Salim notes.

To order Glow Liqvitonic, call 9712993552.

Edited by Divya Sethu

Date : 06/05/21

Waterproof & Fireproof Paper Homes? Here’s

How This Jaipur Architect Duo Does It
(
https://www.thebetterindia.com/211037/water
proof-fireproof-paper-homes-heres-how-this-
jaipur-architect-duo-does-it/amp/ )
Building a home entails all sorts of investments—money, time, labour and
patience. We all want that ‘forever home’ we have always dreamed of and
hence, we strive for perfection. But, in all this, we tend to forget that the
gestation period puts a drain on not only your resources but also pollutes
the environment with the kind of building materials we use.

How wonderful would it be to be able to reduce the construction time and

at the same time, have a house that is friendlier to the environment?

Well, Hexpressions, a startup based out of Jaipur, has a solution to these

problems. The start-up’s ready to assemble green homes take about two
weeks to install and what’s even better is that the walls of these houses are
made from recycled paper, making your house a sustainable structure. And
fret not! These houses are fireproof and waterproof!

Founded in March 2018 by architect husband-wife duo Abhimanyu Singh

and Shilpi Dua, Hexpressions has built six homes in total in Bengaluru and
Jaipur using their sustainable technology.

“Since we use recycled paper, the carbon footprint of our structures is 80

per cent less than that of conventional ones,” informs Shilpi, in
conversation with The Better India (TBI).
Hexpressions and Their Special Building Techniques
The most interesting aspect about the houses of Hexpressions is that they
are built using composite honeycomb sandwich panels and one sq. ft of
these panels can withstand upto 100 kgs of load! That is how strong they
are. Each of these panels are constructed using strips of sturdy recycled
paper which are folded in a hexagonal shape and arranged like cells.
 These hexagonal-shaped cells are sandwiched between two panels
made from plywood or cement fiber boards. They use galvanised iron
channels on the four edges of the panels to maintain shape and structure.
Iron hollow pipes in rectangular and square shapes are also used in the
installation. These pipes provide structure to the homes and the panels are
slid onto.

“The triangle is the strongest shape if you look at it in construction terms as

it holds its form. Now, a hexagon is actually made up of six triangles
making it very sturdy. This technique has also been used in the case of
commercial aircrafts using aluminium sheets as it makes the structure light
but durable. It does the same for structures we build using this technology,”
explains Shilpi.

The firm gets these panels made locally. These structures are sound proof,
shock absorbent and since these panels are very light, they can be
assembled quickly.

Hexpressions’ structures can be between 190 sq. ft to 400 sq. ft. at the cost
of about Rs. 6 lakhs to Rs 10 lakhs and can go up depending on the size of
the structure.

Customers and Queries

Sixty Six-year-old Kultar Singh is a retired SBI banker based in Jaipur who
had bought a 2700 sq. ft plot with the idea to construct some small shops
and rent them out.

“I already have six shops in the plot and there was enough space to
construct one more. However, since this plot of land was near the main
road, the construction process had to be quick as it would have blocked a
section of the road otherwise. Which is why I started researching
companies that would quickly construct the shop,” explains Singh.

This is when Singh came across Hexpressions. Upon consultation, they

informed him that they could install the 9 ft by 13 ft shop within three or
four days.

It has been over one and a half years now that the shop was constructed.
Singh spent somewhere between Rs. 80,000 to 90,000 in getting the shop
built and gets a rent of Rs. 12,000 from that shop every month.

“If I had opted for conventional structure, it would’ve taken a lot of time
and also more money in terms of labour and materials. I am very pleased
with the shop as until now, I haven’t faced any kind of difficulty in terms of
maintenance,” says Singh.
When clients approach the firm, they come with a lot of queries.

House made of paper? Economic Viability? Durability? Are some of the

queries that Shilpi comes across often.

“People expect these homes to be economical and feel less convinced of the
construction techniques. But, what we try to explain to them is that if you
look at the time taken and the cost that one would save on labour and other
construction materials, it is comparatively cheaper,” says Shilpi.

Another concern that people raise is regarding the durability of the homes
since it is made of paper. “But again, they don’t understand that there is no
oxygen between the cells which prevents it from catching fire. However, we
waterproof the panels by dipping it in plant based water resistant resin.
And, to fireproof it, we fill up these hexagonal cells with residues like fly
ash,” states Shilpi.

“Another good thing about these materials is that due to their lightweight,
they can be easily transported across states and we send in our trained
professionals who install these homes or shops,” explains Shilpi.
Founders and How they Stumbled upon this Idea
Shilpi and Abhimanyu received their architecture degrees from the Aayojan
School of Architecture in Jaipur in 2008 and have known each other since
2003.

Shilpi then went on to pursue her Master’s from the School of Planning and
Architecture in Delhi. While, Abhimanyu finished his Master’s from the
National Institute of Design (NID), Bengaluru. During this time, they
developed a deep interest in using waste and recyclable materials in their
line of work.

This was also the time they first learnt about composite honeycomb panels.
“There was a man who had come to the NID campus and discussed its
merits vis-à-vis conventional construction materials. He even urged us to
visit his factory where these panels were being manufactured,” recalls
Shilpi.

After working in several firms, the couple started their own firm, ‘Shilpkaar
Designs’ in September 2011 which works toward developing prototypes of
different design products while experimenting with and researching on
novel materials. During this time, they also came up with ‘Studio Unzip’—a
sort of guiding school where aspiring architects would learn ways to crack 
entrances exams for B.Arch.

“In 2015, we realised that implementing our design and architecture among
people living in Jaipur was a little difficult. We wanted to learn new designs
that would appeal to the masses and also learn how to easily scale them,”
explains Shilpi.

Studying in Milan really opened our eyes to design as the city itself has that
environment. We wanted to stay in Milan for a while and see, live and
breathe design which we ultimately did through the course and outside,”
reminisces Shilpi.

While in Milan, Shilpi noticed refugee communities and saw where they
lived. Her PhD topic revolved around this subject and she started exploring
different ways in which they could provide affordable and efficient housing
for these communities.

This was the starting point of Hexpressions and their experience and
knowledge about composite honeycomb panels led to the founding of the
startup when they returned to India.
Recognition and Awards
They started out their venture by winning a grant after they applied to the
Green Summer School’s business incubator programme in Germany in
2017. Later, the startup also received support and guidance under IIM-
Bangalore’s incubator programme where about 100 women were selected
and Shilpi was one of them.

Later, Abhimanyu Singh won the “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” at the
Tie global summit held at New Delhi on Nov. 2018. Recently, they were
selected for “Leaders in Innovation Fellowship” #LIF by Royal Academy of
Engineers, London and represented India in the cohort in January this
year.

So, what do the duo hope to achieve in the future?

Now, Shilpi is very excited about the furniture line that the duo launched a
few months back. And, they want to use other green materials in their
construction process.

“In the next five years, we want to build 500 houses across the country. We
want our future generation to live in greener homes and reduce our carbon
footprint,” she says signing off.

(Edited by Saiqua Sultan)

10 Step Guide to Making an Ecobrick
( https://www.ecobricks.org/how/ )
Ecobricks can be made by the young, the old and everyone in
between — no machines, special skills or experts required! 
However, there are important guidelines to follow to ensure
the quality and usability of your ecobricks.
Be sure to start ecobricking right— this is a long-term life habit that
you, your household and community are beginning.  Likewise, your
ecobricks will set the example for everyone around you.  Sub-standard
ecobricks will compromise the quality of furniture modules,
constructions and the social spread of ecobricks while, well-done
ecobricks can be put to good, safe use and will secure plastic for
centuries.  We’ve put this 10 step guide together to help you on your
journey of making great ecobricks.

Dr. Binish Desai’s Innovation

Converts Recycled Medical
Waste Into Bricks
By

 ecoideaz

Author – Keerthana Muralidhar

The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has drastically affected all of our
healthcare, economic and environmental systems. We are well aware of the
state of economic slowdowns, unemployment, and failing health
infrastructure in our country. Both mainstream media and social media
platforms are flooded with the opinions of experts and novices discussing all
of these socio-economic factors. 

But, it’s high time to think of the waste management system – the huge
amounts of solid medical waste being generated, such as masks, gloves,
hand sanitizers, containers of medicines, PPE kit, and other single-use items
being disposed of by medical institutes. 

Rising burden of managing medical waste

India’s medical waste management system is at a high risk of damaging the
environment and its 198 common bio-medical waste treatment facilities and
225 captive incinerators available are already stretched. While the PPE kit
waste is disposed of and recycled, the high volumes of smoke produced by
medical incinerators harm the nearby communities and the environment at
large. 

For context, Wuhan, the epicenter of the Covid outbreak reported six times
higher burden on its medical waste disposal system in 2020. To tackle this
environmental burden, Dr Binish Desai, a 27-year-old doctor from Gujarat,
has innovated a process to recycle PPE kit waste into bricks. 

Image source: The Logical Indian

Being a Ph.D. holder in environmental science and technology, Binish has

worked on waste management for almost two decades now. Now that might
come as a surprise as to how a 27-year-old has been working on waste
management for over two decades, right? He is known as the ‘Waste Warrior’
and ‘Recycle Man of India’, and started his journey of environment-friendly
innovations at the young age of 11! 
At the age of 11, Binish introduced the idea of making bricks by recycling
wastes. Later in 2016, he turned his idea into a reality by developing bricks
made out of waste produced by paper mills. Binish believes that the concept
of ‘Waste’ does not exist in nature, waste is only generated by human
consumption, Thus it is our duty to sustainably get rid of it.

With this aim, Binish founded a social enterprise named Eco Eclectic

Technologies to work on his eco-friendly innovations. And at 27, his latest
invention Brick 2.0 has shot to fame. He currently has 150+ eco-products
under the EcoEclectic Technologies banner in India. He is a Padma Shri
nominee and has received many national and international awards for his
contributions. 

What led Binish to Brick 2.0?

In April 2020, when the nation was under lockdown, Binish was immersed
inside his home laboratory. “Initially, everyone was talking about how the
lockdown had helped reduce pollution, but I could only think of what the
rising demand for PPE suits and masks would lead to,” the young innovator
said. He collected a bunch of used masks from his own family and started
studying the material they were made of, checked their tenacity and
explored various combinations of binders with small prototype experiments.
He decided to create a brick with a ratio of 52% PPE + 45% paper waste +
3% binder, Binish concluded after his prototype experiments

Process of making Brick 2.0

As a first step, he planned to create ‘Eco Bins’ and install them in public
places like hospitals, police stations, salons, etc. with the help of the
municipal and local bodies in Surat and Valsad. After proper sanitation and
disinfecting protocols, the material collected from Eco Bins will be shredded
and added to the industrial paper waste procured from paper mills and mixed
with a binder. This mixture is then kept for 5-6 days and later poured into
moulds to set. As the last step, these bricks are naturally dried for 3 days
before it is made available for use. 

It is crucial to follow the safety and hygienic protocols when dealing with
recycling medical waste. So Binish says for the process of making Brick 2.0,
they adhere to the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control
Board. Since the PPE kit waste has to remain untouched for 72 hours before
disposal, the Eco Bins are opened 72 hours later and the waste collected will
be washed and disinfected thoroughly. 

Binish Desai had earlier worked on creating ‘P block bricks’ – made out of
specially formulated gum base. These P block bricks made out of industrial
wastes were used to build around 1,000 toilets in Gujarat, Hyderabad, and
Pali in Maharashtra in order to empower women. These P block bricks are not
only eco-friendly, but are also cost-effective when compared to regular
bricks. They are priced at INR2.8 per brick versus INR4 for a regular mud
brick.

Dr. Binish Desai has received many national and international awards for his
contributions such as being the youngest person to be awarded the “Rotary
International Alumni Humanitarian of the Year” award for South Asia, Forbes
30 Under 30 Asia 2018 list of successful social entrepreneurs, etc. 

At a time where every move we make, every habit we form is significant to a

better future, Binish’s innovation of recycling medical waste management
initiative definitely needs to reach larger masses.  

Mumbai gets 62,010 kg of trash back

from the sea
The sea brought garbage back to the city during cyclone Tauktae

( https://www.cntraveller.in/story/juhu-marine-drive-chowpatty-62010-
kg-of-trash-comes-back-to-mumbai-from-the-sea/ )