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
