Ever heard of the popular saying? Change begins at home.

In many Indian cities, for a large number of us, home is an entire society. So naturally, the biggest pivot to sustainability comes when societies come together to implement plans that benefit everyone, help preserve the environment, and also reduce costs.

Many people feel a sense of commitment to their neighborhood and are actively involved in activities to improve the quality of life there.

Here are some apartment complexes and resident associations in India that are making ground-breaking changes for their community. 

Rainwater Harvesting 

In the summer of 2018, five borewells of Metropolis Gurukrupa, a residential apartment complex in Begur, Bangalore, ran dry. The option, then, was to buy tanker water like most of Bangalore does. Needless to say, that would mean poor quality of water and added expense to residents. 

That was when one enterprising resident – Ganesh Shanbag took matters into his own hands. 

To provide a steady supply of water to the residents in his apartment, he decided to tap into a readily-available source — rain. 

After spending only Rs 3 lakh, the complex installed a Rainwater Harvesting System designed by Ganesh. Today, they save over Rs 55,000 for purchasing water and save water in 4 tanks of 50,000 liter capacity each. 

Plantation drives 

The Resident Welfare Association (RWA) of DLF City Phase 1 H block, organized a plantation drive in support of DLF. 

Over 150 saplings of Gulmohar trees were planted at a common park of H block, DLF Phase 1. More than 50 residents came together to contribute their bit to the environment. 

Given the monsoon season, it is the most appropriate time for plants to flourish. Hence, the saplings of Gulmohar trees were planted as they form a large canopy and have the potential to proliferate. The drive was followed by co-curricular activities such as dance and yoga performed by the girls of Sarvam Shakti.

The plantation drive was attuned to DLF’s commitment towards sustainability, enhancing and managing biodiversity within property management activities, design, and construction of new developments, in parallel with an expansion of operational footprint.

Solar power 

Around six years ago, the residents of MSR-Olive Co-Op Housing Society Ltd in Dattanagar, Pune, were spending close to Rs 1.6 lakh per month. The housing society, which has 216 flats spread across seven wings, was consuming massive amounts of electricity. 

He adds that alongside the enormous electricity charges, the colony was also paying large sums for other monthly maintenance aspects. In 2016, the 216‐flat housing society installed an 80 kW solar panel on their terrace, which generates 70,0000 kWh of electricity per year. 

Though the initial installation costs were Rs 30 lakh, the panels have reduced their electricity bills to Rs 4,000 per month from Rs 1 lakh per month, saving them Rs 10 Lakh a year and more than paying back the investment in just five years.

Waste segregation

The 6000 residents of Orchid Petals generate 1,900 kg of waste every day. With such massive waste produced, sorting and sifting it was proving to be an enormous challenge for the municipal authorities. 

When society decided to do something about it, it produced amazing results in just seven months. 

Today, they segregate 95 per cent of waste at the source. Three bins are kept, one each for wet waste, dry waste, and domestic hazardous objects. The wet waste is transferred to an on-site composting unit and used in the garden. The dry is recycled as much as possible, and the rest the municipality handles.