eco-friendly solutions

Hyderabad-based Pavani Lolla understood that while organic waste was a problem, it could also be turned into an opportunity. In 2020, she came up with an innovative composter that not only solved the everyday dumping of organic waste but also aimed at making composting people’s daily routine.

From reviving forests to reimagining cities, sustainability in India is being redefined by bold, everyday action. As part of Optum Presents The Better India Showcase, supported by the M3M Foundation, here are five changemakers leading the way.

‘Waste Is Gold’, a waste management company, has arrived at a unique technological solution to address the waste management concern. This technology turns waste into nutrient-rich compost in just 8 hours

At Srinagar's iconic Dal Lake, a silent transformation is underway. Maninder Singh and his startup CleanEffentech are turning stubborn lake weeds into organic gold—fertiliser that fuels farms. In the process, they're not just cleaning a polluted lake, but creating a model for sustainability that blends innovation with local impact.

What happens to all the plastic waste we throw away? Delhi’s Mohd Suhail found a way to give it new life. Through his company, Athar Packaging Solutions, he has recycled 200 tonnes of plastic into sustainable packaging, proving that small businesses can create big environmental change.

BG Seetharaman, Vinay Kumar, & Rajeeva Deekshit have pioneered an end-to-end machine that recycles difficult-to-process paper waste.

Using materials ranging from discarded plastic bottles, old sarees, arecanut sheaths as well as the Sun, trust us, these options won’t burn a hole in your pockets.

Kollam native Mohan Kumar has completely phased out plastic bags from his store and only uses cloth bags and now, he wants to take it further.

Devotees visiting the Gangadhareshwara Shiva temple in Bengaluru would offer milk to the idol, and several litres of it would go to waste, on a daily basis.