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With Earth Day right around the corner, we had the opportunity to host a workshop at Bangalore-based Maia Estates. The chosen topic, one that is the need of the hour - water conservation and we specifically focussed on the challenges faced by Bangalore.

With the wonderful opportunity to interact with the engaged audience, we took them through several pressing issues that Bangalore is currently experiencing. Kicking off the session with some interactive activities that allowed the participants to get to know one another better, while familiarising themselves with the topic at hand. 

Through the course of the session, we discussed the situation of drying water bodies such as our lakes and reservoirs, putting immense strain on freshwater sources and groundwater. Moreover, with treatment and pumping of water pulling significant energy, there is great impact on the environment. The consequences of the water crisis goes beyond human life, to severely disrupting ecosystems and harms plant and animal life.  

As famously said by the environmentalist, Leo Saldanha, while Bangalore receives a good amount of rainfall, exceeding 120 mm, the precious resource is wasted. Rainwater finds its way into drains, contaminates lakes and ultimately pollutes groundwater, creating a vicious cycle. 

We unpacked Bangalore’s unique water challenges, including severe water body contamination caused due to industrial pollution and lack of sewage treatment plants. Climate change further disrupts the natural cycle with rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns. All of these factors ultimately affect countless households and businesses that experience unreliable water access. 

Before we get caught up in a web of issues, it’s important that we look to possible solutions that we can implement in our daily lives. We did just that by discussing practical water conservation tips for daily life! From fixing leaky faucets to harvesting rainwater and installing aerators, we discussed all the go to recommendations that would help an individual cut down on their personal water consumption. 

Greywater is the wastewater from households or offices, that excludes toilet waste. Without letting it go to waste, the water can be used for irrigation, flushing toilets and laundry, further reducing our reliance on freshwater. Furthermore, we can contribute by switching to earth friendly cleaning and personal care products that do not harm the groundwater. 

A critical element in Bangalore’s water story is the revival of its lakes. Given that Bangalore geographically has no access to any large body of water such as a river or an ocean in close proximity, the city’s architects created sink areas to capture rainwater, thereby creating several lakes and a healthy aquifers. Owing to rampant concretisation and lake encroachments, we have lost several lakes over the years. We need to increase our sink areas to capture rainfall. Moreover, it requires a multi-pronged approach with strong policies focused on lake rejuvenation. Anand Malligavad’s work in reviving Bangalore’s lakes serves as a powerful example to show that individual action can make a mighty difference to the status quo. 

With fun DIY activities such as coffee body scrub and bio enzyme creation, we worked collectively to promote sustainable and eco-friendly daily practices. 

By understanding and acknowledging the challenges and adopting water saving methods at home and in our communities, we can all play a role in securing Bangalore’s water. 

And don’t just take our word for it, here’s what the team at Maia had to share about the workshop!

“Glad to hear that Mehul and Manoj [Bare Necessities Team] enjoyed the workshop, as much we did at MAIA!! We all had a fantastic time, and it was informative and engaging.”

Are you interested in hosting a workshop at your community or office space or school? We’ve done a bunch for a variety of organisations and we’ve totally got you covered. Hit us up on info@barenecessities.in and we can take you through our workshops and talks offerings :) 

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