Environment

Thanks to solar energy, weavers in Varanasi no longer have to sit ideally every time there is a power cut or work extra hours to meet the orders.

A normal faucet releases about 10 litres of water every minute. Leaving it on for a couple of minutes is wasting enough water to wash your day's utensils, watering your plants or your day's quota of water intake!

Need help with household work at home? Imagine getting it at the click of a smartphone button. Yup, this one of the awesome innovations on this list! #Innovation

The team's cry here at The Better India when they first touched a bamboo-blend sums up my feelings precisely - "This can't possibly be bamboo!"

What we love about this eco-friendly school? In summer, the students do not feel hot, thanks to an unceasing breeze. And in winter, the mud walls keep the students snug and warm without the use of sweaters or jackets!

“It will protect you from air pollution, block out noises and make the surroundings cooler,” says Dr. Miyawaki’s student, Nishino Fumitaka, explaining how such a forest saved lives during a tsunami and landslide in Japan.

"The bike we have developed does not require any service or charging stations. Once the bike runs out of battery it can be charged at home."

“A boy once came running to our office, a turtle in his hand. He told us that his family wanted to keep it as a pet. So the boy “stole” the turtle and brought it to us, wanting us to leave it in the wild. Such is the impact of Manoj.”

It took him two years to make his first machine - a weeder, despite several failures, taunts from friends and doubt from his family.

The sustainable school also has a ‘rolly polly’ to convert waste into manure and a farm-cum-forest where each student gets to pluck vegetables. Furthermore, the school canteens have replaced all plastic cutlery with steel. India totally needs more schools like this!