Thursday 21 July 2016

ARS @ TEDx Bangalore on 16th July 2016

AR Shivakumar @ TEDx Bangalore on 16th July 2016

Water is one of the most important components of all living beings.
We use around 100 to 150 litre per person per day directly.
Virtual use is as high as 11,500 litre per day per person - 37 lt for 1 lt milk, 2500 lt for 1kg sugar, 100 lt for 1 unit of electricity....which looks scary..



I do not buy the statement that there is water scarcity in this world.
There is plenty of water to fulfil all needs, not only human but for all other living creatures on this earth. Unfortunately we have not been able to keep up a sustainable and equitable distribution of clean and safe water for all.
We moved from decentralised and sustainable to centralised and unsustainable and may be to -water as a commodity..
Water on this earth has remained same in quantity for ages - not a drop less not a drop more. Water we use is the same water molecules what dinosaurs drank. water cannot be manufactured nor destroyed. Can anyone destroy a drop of water or bring a fresh drop of water to this earth - NO. Have you heard of a factory or a mill to produce water anywhere in the world.

Water is a wonder fluid which occurs naturally and rain is our only source for purest form of water. All other source / forms of water are derived from rainwater.
Living with nature and making nature to work overtime for you - not to abuse
All our needs can be met from the gifts of nature around us

Here is an example - doable and also sustainable:
Sourabha my house in Vijayanagar, Bangalore derives most of the daily needs from nature. Built during 1994, has sustained by harvesting rainwater for all our needs including drinking water for over 20 ecofriendly years. We do not have city - BWSSB water pipe connection to our house, we have not paid a rupee water bill in the last 20 years.
Rainwater from the roof of our house is filtered at four locations and stored at various levels in tanks and underground sumps. We have 45,000 litre total storage capacity and we use around 400 litre per day for our family. Studying 100 years daily rainfall data, I found out Bangalore has only around 100 dry days between two good successive rains. For 100 days 400x100=40,000 litre is good enough and we have 5,000 lt extra making it 45,000 lt storage of rainwater. In a plot of 2400 sqft (40ftX60ft) around 2,20,000 litre can be harvested in Bangalore. Around 1,50,000 lt is harvested from roof for storing and the rest is recharged in to the ground for a social cause. This way not a drop of rainwater flows out of Sourabha.
Though we have plenty, we reuse used water in our house - washing machine discharge soap/detergent water is used to flush toilets, kitchen wash water is used for watering plants and trees around the house, plants are healthier with vitamins and mineral rich organic kitchen used water. Around 20 to 30% of water is reused each day.
All organic waste is treated on site - earthworms convert all the organic garbage into manure  for hundreds of plants and trees around Sourabha. We have not contributed to the city garbage collection other than recyclables and rejects like plastics, glass bottles and metal cans.
Tons and tons of organic garbage for years is now beautiful green plants and trees around the house. Fresh and clean air encapsulates our house and also keeps the environment cool. We do not use air conditioners nor fans even in deep summer (except rooms on first floor). The green curtain of plants and trees not only provide fresh and clean air but also home to number of chirping birds, colourful butterflies, insects, bees and many more. Sourabha looks like their home and we are guests of nature inside Sourabha.
Sun is the provider of energy through solar water heater, solar electricity for lighting and natural light through sky lights.
Rattrap design of walls to keep the house thermally insulated, bright whit painted roof to reflect solar radiation and keep the house cool, water bodies around the house to add moisture to the air and also home for aquatic life like lotus, fish, turtles and many more. Water bodies on the roof as bird bath and to provide water to a number of birds. Coconut husk and shell as pots for plants and many orchids. A micro environment to fill nature to our life at Sourabha in the central district of Bangalore city.

These are doable and simple concepts for each one of us to adopt.

The bottom line for a nature friendly sustainable living in an urban environment - 400 lt of water per day per family, around 100 units of electricity per month to fulfil all our luxury, one gas cylinder to support cooking for 75 days and most important only 2.5 kg of dry / recyclable waste per WEEK.
Several of these water conservation and rainwater harvesting concepts are now policy guidelines provided from my organisation KSCST at Indian Institute of Science and are being implemented by the Government for a better tomorrow. Two help desks, one at IISc campus and other at Jayanagar 5th block supported by BWSSB are providing training, awareness and consultation for individuals, institutions and corporate houses.

Hundred thousand Bangalurians are harvesting RAINWATER, why not you?

Your HOME a Science lab - “Bring out the Scientist in YOU”
Get your voltage stabilizer to set curd and ferment batter
Thin Silver sheet gives you zero bacteria drinking water - no electricity, no chemicals
Switch the refrigerator door left to right and save 28% electricity
No entry to cockroaches inside your house!
Back to basics: Paint the roof (and the city) white to save power 30C
Sky lights at the roof and Mirror, mirror on the wall...no more artificial light during daytime

Allow the scientist inside you to think... 
Be the change you want to see
Practice what you preach
Each one of us can be the ambassadors of positive change in our society
Harvest Rainwater and a Host of Benefits... Thank you.
(supported by 45 slides)

AR Shivakumar 

rainmanskumar@gmail.com                                                                                                                       Saturday, 16 July 16