Q. What sparked your passion for environmental conservation, and how did you become involved in this field?
My journey into environmental conservation began at the age of 13. In 2015, deeply affected by India's severe water crisis, I founded Why Waste? with the aim of transforming public attitudes towards water and developing practical solutions to address global water challenges. This initiative has since evolved into India's largest youth-led organization dedicated to effective water conservation.
Q. What are your thoughts on the progress made in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and what challenges still need to be addressed?
While there has been notable progress in improving access to clean water and sanitation, significant challenges persist. Issues such as water scarcity, pollution, and inefficient water management continue to hinder the achievement of SDG 6.
It's crucial to implement innovative solutions and foster behavioral changes to promote sustainable water usage. Through Why Waste?, we've developed initiatives like the #GlassHalfFull movement and Why Waste? app to encourage individuals and communities to conserve water effectively.
Q. What inspired you to create Why Waste, and what led you to focus on water conservation?
The inspiration for Why Waste? stemmed from witnessing the severe water crisis in India in 2015. I realized that a significant amount of water was being wasted daily, particularly in restaurants where water left in glasses contributed to substantial wastage. This led to the creation of the #GlassHalfFull movement, which partnered with over 500,000 restaurants and reached 6 million people, successfully prevented the wastage of more than 10 million liters of water.
Q. How can we work towards reducing water pollution in India’s rivers?
Water bodies all over the world are connected to each other. It is a hard nexus to fix. However, we can start with few ideas - Reducing water pollution in India's rivers requires a multifaceted approach, some of them we have already started to implement and slowly scale.
Strict Enforcement of Regulations
Implement and enforce stringent pollution control laws to ensure industries treat wastewater before discharge.
Investment in Infrastructure
Develop and upgrade sewage treatment facilities to prevent untreated sewage from entering water bodies.
Community Engagement
Educate and involve local communities in pollution prevention and river conservation efforts. Push people in urban communities to understand their water footprint and curb unnecessary consumption.
Promotion of Sustainable Practices
For example - Encourage and invest in agricultural practices that minimize runoff of pesticides and fertilizers into rivers.
Regular Monitoring and Assessment
Conduct regular water quality assessments to identify pollution sources and take corrective actions promptly.
By implementing these among many more strategies, we can work towards restoring the health of our country and the world’s rivers and ensuring sustainable water resources for future generations.
Q. Can you share a personal challenge you faced in water conservation and how you overcame it?
Getting people to listen to a young person - who should "ideally be studying". Faced immense resistance from folks around not wanting to take ideas/advice from a young person. Key was to never stop till someone listened!
Q. If you could inspire one million people to take one environmental action, what would it be?
Would encourage individuals to adopt daily water-saving practices. Simple actions, such as turning off taps while brushing teeth, fixing leaks promptly, and using water-efficient fixtures, can collectively lead to substantial water conservation. Our Why Waste? app provides users with practical tips and tracks their water-saving progress, making it easier to incorporate these habits into daily life.
Bio
Garvita Gulhati, known as India's Water Girl, founded Why Waste? at 13 to tackle the water crisis. Her organization has partnered with 500,000+ restaurants to prevent 10M+ liters of water waste.She developed the Why Waste? App, reaching 100,000+ users by partnering with UNICEF and also published The Sustainability Stories to inspire young readers.
Garvita has been recognized as one of the 17 Youth Climate Leaders for the UN in India, Forbes 30, Under 30 Asia-Pacific list for Social Entrepreneur and National Geographic Young Explorer (2022).Through Ashoka, she initiated the Lead Young program, impacting over 800 schools and 2.5 million students across India.
She champions SDG6 - Clean Water and Sanitation, engaging youth in change-making through global collaborations.
Interviewed By Irene Elina Eldhose
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