India is a young nation and a big fraction of youth studies in college. If we make our colleges eco-friendly , then not only it will affect the environment on a large scale but also will bring a sense of awareness among youth.
This task requires no government support or a large amount of investment, instead it can be easily done by little efforts of the college administration and the students.
Being an engineering college student , whatever I felt I am expressing it through this article.
Firstly we’ll understand that what we actually have to do ,to make an eco-friendly college. Secondly , we’ll understand that how it can be done, or from where shall we begin.
To make an eco-friendly college campus we need to work on three main points :
(A) Water management
(B) Energy conservation or reducing energy consumption
(C) Solid waste management
Now, in a little more detail or water management we will have to work at three levels :
1 . Rainwater harvesting
2 . Wastewater treatment
3 . Reducing current water consumption by scientific means.
This way, colleges can be made self reliant regarding their water needs. This will not only check the rapidly falling groundwater level, but also colleges will no more depend upon other water bodies for their water requirements.
If we talk about energy consumption, then we will have to reduce our dependency on traditional electricity. We will have to make our campus such that we can use natural light. Also, we will have to learn better management of solar energy. Along with this, we will have to link our campus to the local geographical and environmental conditions. The infrastructure should be in accordance to the climate of that particular place. We will have to immediately stop following Europe and West blindly . This way traditional energy usage can be reduced.
Now, let us talk of solid waste management. The solid waste obtained from the college, if manage properly, then not only it will benefit us economically, but it can also lead us to a zero waste campus. The first and foremost thing to be employed in solid waste management, is segregation. If, organic wastes, inorganic waste and hazardous wastes are segregated from the very beginning by using different dustbins, then their management becomes very simple.
Organic waste is used in making compost, whereas the other wastes, are recycled . Now, the question arises that how should we begin all these? If we talk of water management, then the college students and administration can easily manage the water conservation.
The vacant places in colleges can be utilised. In engineering and technical colleges, this task becomes even easy, because there are students in such colleges,who study these topics in their curriculum. This can be a better method of acquiring practical knowledge for them. For example if in any college, students of civil, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering can be allotted this job as a common task.
In present, the study of engineering has been reduced only to books. Today, when students are only aware of theoretical knowledge, this method in addition to benefiting environment, can also become a revolutionary source of practical knowledge.
This method can also be employed for waste water treatment. By using very simple methods of water treatment, water can be cleaned and can be used for purposes like gardening, cleansing etc. Today, when knowledge is losing its connection to implementation, notebooks are being filled in form of assignments, MS Word files are made and PPTs are given, why can’t we collectively allot a group of students to perform the task of wastewater treatment.
After all learning by doing, is way better than learning by reading. Because, in future, practical knowledge is what actually benefits students. The same methodology can be used in reducing water usage.
We can reduce current water consumption, by employing better techniques and modifying them according to our needs. For example, the waste water released from RO can be utilised for variety of tasks.
We want to reduce the energy consumption, then we will have to link the college campus to nature. In majority of colleges across the nation, meaning of study has been reduced to a classroom and desk-bench. We need to change this way of study. Why can’t we take some classes of ours outside the classroom? Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore has written a lot about this. He has not only written but also demonstrated this. Tagore founded the Shanti Niketan, where classes were taken in accordance to weather and climate. For example, on a sunny winter day, it is much better to take a class in open sunshine as compared to sitting in class room with AC or heater. In monsoon, when fresh and cold breeze is blowing, then it is better to study in outdoors to escape the heat and humidity in classroom.
Along with it, facilities like open library or open study room can be provided in colleges and hostels. This will reduce our dependence on electricity in favourable weather. We also need to change or techniques of construction. The building material should be chosen according to our environmental conditions. Apart from this, construction should be made in such a way that natural light and fresh air can enter the rooms.
We also need to focus on the proper utilisation of solar energy. There are great possibilities in field of solar energy in a major part of country , and these possibilities can be utilised easily. If we talk of engineering colleges, then, this task becomes even more easy because many students linked to the subject can be used in making colleges energy-efficient.
Now, let us talk of solid waste management. This task is very easy for colleges, because majority of students in colleges are well educated and understanding. If they are provided with dustbins for segregation at every needed place , then waste management will become easy and waste will easily be divided into organic, inorganic and hazardous. This can be done with the help of official and unofficial societies of colleges. For this college societies need to come out of bookish things. Instead of focusing on read and learn, focus should be made on do and learn.
We will have to take responsibilities of such things in our college, in our own hands. If we only manage the composting of organic waste, then it is in itself a big thing. This doesn’t require a lot of technical knowledge. Our college societies need to learn such things. We will also have to learn, a bit of gardening, so that the vacant lands in college campus can be utilised. If there is availability of land in college campus, then we need to learn organic farming , so that we can produce useful edibles for our college canteen and mess.
Today, when youth is day by day getting bored of technology. Today, when technical advancements are drifting us apart. Today, when our bond with nature is getting weak continuously. Today, when things like depression and stress are becoming common among youth. Then, it is the time, when we should redefine our bond with nature. We youngsters will have to do this work.
I would like to finish my article, by quoting great writer Leo Tolstoy,
“One of the first condition of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.”
