Zero Waste Himalaya

06/10/2026

Chirbirey Festival is going Zero Waste!

The festival is being organised on the banks of river Rangeet in Sikkim from October 10 -12, 2026 and is rooted in conservation of rivers and connecting to nature.

Zero Waste Himalaya is partnering with the fest to adopt zero waste protocols, broadly looking at the following areas-

⛔ No single use plastics for serving - Only reusables to be promoted.

🚰 No bottled water to be served. Visitors to bring their own reusable bottles - water refill points will be available.

🥫No single use sachets of sauce, etc - Larger refillable containers to be used.

🧼 No plastic gloves for eating saucy food, as these plastics are difficult to recover. Hand wash options with soap will be available.

🎀 Plastic free decoration - keeping it as natural as possible.

🚮 Segregation of all waste generated with a dedicated sorting station where visitors can also volunteer to help in auditing the waste.

🫶🏼 We need the support and cooperation of all to ensure that the fest does not end with trash being sent to the landfill, or into the river or being burnt.

Let's go for Zero Waste for the planet and for our well being.

02/10/2026

On Gandhi Jayanti and Swachh Bharat Diwas, sharing the Zero Waste Himalaya presentation summary at the 2nd Regional Congress on Organics and Climate Change - 23 to 25 September 2026 Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

We presented the challenges of waste management in the Himalaya and called for decentralised interventions and solutions with a vision of not sending any organic waste to the landfills.

Urban, Rural and Tourism interface needed was highlighted.

Intersections of public health, biodiversity and the climate crisis with the waste crisis were presented.

Local food systems, markets and traditional community institutions as a way forward to resolve the Himalayan waste crisis was shared at the Congress

We are grateful to Zero Waste Asia creating this space for the mountains within the larger South Asia dialogue where we could place our issues.

Darjeeling Prerna Integrated Mountain Initiative SAVE EARTH for LIFE AMYAA (NGO) Northeast Waste Collective Environmental Force At Grass Root Level - Enfogal. GREEN ROING Youth Mission For Clean River- Arunachal Pradesh Kamlesh Rai Break Free From Plastic Tieedi

23/09/2026

📣🎥 *LIVE FROM JAKARTA: SECOND REGIONAL CONGRESS ON ORGANICS AND CLIMATE CHANGE!*

Hello everyone! The Second Regional Congress on Organics and Climate Change *is happening NOW in Jakarta, Indonesia* bringing together cities, grassroots communities, advocates, policymakers, and practitioners from across Asia and the Pacific! 🌱

And you can join virtually from anywhere in the world! 💻🌏
📅 *September 23-25, 2026*
⏰ 7:30 AM New Delhi | 9 AM Jakarta | 10 AM Manila | 12:00 PM Sydney | 1:00 PM Solomon Islands | 2:00 PM Auckland
📍 Jakarta, Indonesia + Online Livestream

🎥 *WATCH THE LIVESTREAM:*
👉 https://youtube.com/live/B1IDqEiZNbo?feature=share

*WHAT TO EXPECT:*
- *Proven Solutions:* Discover community-led strategies to halt methane at the source through food waste prevention and decentralized composting.
- *Ground-Up Circularity:* Learn how cities are integrating waste workers into formal systems to deliver environmental justice and green jobs.
- *Cities Methane Pledge:* Hear from mayors and local government champions committing to local, scalable climate action.
- *The Indonesia Declaration:* Insights into regional policy roadmaps defining the road to COP31.

📣 Plenary sessions will be livestreamed on September 23-25, so tune in, share the link with your networks, and join the conversation in the live chat! Be sure to drop your thoughts and say hello in the live chat during the sessions!💚

👉 Program: https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/1QjTpkQZ7ZWmOt4Oydn7gxaabpx-q4n-DH0JbQh22KNU/edit?tab=t.0

See you online! 👋

Watch the 2nd Regional Congress on Organics and Climate Change from...

21/09/2026

Ultra processed foods, public health impacts and the intersection with the waste crisis.

The need to have Himalayan conversations and take a stand for wellbeing over profit. The need to celebrate local food systems that are a solution to Big Food, Ill Health and the Waste Crisis

Darjeeling Prerna SAVE EARTH for LIFE The blend of hope Northeast Waste Collective AMYAA (NGO) GREEN ROING The Locavore Totala Collective Kamlesh Rai Integrated Mountain Initiative

06/09/2026

The Pull of Kinema’s Strings

Listening to Bimla Gurung from Darjeeling and Maiti Limboo from Gangtok—on their process of making kinema and exploring the world of fermented soyabean in the Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalaya.

Kinema and other fermented food "stand as a testament to traditional knowledge that communities practise and share. One that is older and outside of the extractive ‘Big Food’, where food systems are increasingly corporatised and dominated by reductionist ideas on food."

"In kinema, we have a tasty and healthy food within their own locale and ownership. It is the embodiment of their ancestors’ wisdom and practice of fermentation that improved the taste and nutrition of food and, in doing so, set the course for their distinct mountain food culture."

"Moreover, the concern of rising consumption of ultra-processed food has reached the mountains, Audits by The Himalayan Cleanup since 2018 have consistently exposed this problem, with discarded plastics being the largest contributor to the trash accumulated."

"Over 80 percent of plastic waste comes from non-recyclable packaging. In the face of this onslaught, it is increasingly difficult to introduce fermented food to children, who prefer processed food high in salt, sugar, and fat."

"In the face of such a crisis, it is our indigenous food systems that are not only nutritious and sustainable, but also offer wellbeing to us and the planet. Are we giving them their due?"

https://thelocavore.in/2026/08/21/the-pull-of-kinemas-strings/

SAVE EARTH for LIFE Darjeeling Prerna Environmental Force At Grass Root Level - Enfogal. AMYAA (NGO) Northeast Waste Collective Chizami Students' Union Zero Waste Asia Integrated Mountain Initiative GREEN ROING Darjeeling Montessori House of children Youth Mission For Clean River- Arunachal Pradesh The Locavore Break Free From Plastic Forest and Environment Department, Govt. of Sikkim Environment Education Programme Sikkim Cafe Kalimpong Rachna Books Kamlesh Rai

Priyadarshinee Shrestha and Roshan Rai explore what making kinema—a fermented staple popular in the Eastern Himalayas—looks like in a rapidly changing world.

05/09/2026

Happy Teacher's Day to all the wonderful, inspirational and energetic teachers. They are the ones driving for Zero Waste through their actions, and inspiring hundreds of students whose lives they touch.

Happy Teacher's Day to all those who teach, beyond the formal educational systems, who make it their life's mission to not only share the knowledge that they have, but also walk the talk.

We know it's not easy to walk and talk zero waste. Sometimes it feels like we are swimming against the tide, but hold fast, for you are making a difference.

We see you. We recognise you.

So which of the zero waste teacher are you? What kind of teacher do you know?

Tell us or tag them in the comments.

Darjeeling Prerna Kamlesh Rai SAVE EARTH for LIFE Environmental Force At Grass Root Level - Enfogal. Gyanoday Niketan AMYAA (NGO) Northeast Waste Collective Deer Park Institute Chizami Students' Union Break Free From Plastic Integrated Mountain Initiative Zero Waste Asia GREEN ROING Darjeeling Montessori House of children St Teresa's Girls H.S School darjeeling Youth Mission For Clean River- Arunachal Pradesh Little Green World, India

01/09/2026

EDITORIAL: Down to Earth

📌India has recycled 17 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste since 2022, when the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime came into force, shows the latest Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data.

📌The estimated value of this plastic recycling trade comes to a whopping Rs 2,500 crore—enough to fund four Chandrayaan-3 moon missions. Considering that India annually produces 3.8 million tonnes of plastic waste, going by CPCB estimates, we have been successful in getting rid of at least four-five years of plastic waste generated. If this is the case, and it clearly is, based on official documents of June 2026, then why do we still see mountains of plastic waste in our cities, villages and riverways?

📌Clearly, something is not quite right.

Read the full editorial by Sunita Narain:

India has recycled 17 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste since 2022, when the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime came into force, shows the la

26/08/2026

Landfills and open dumps are major contributors to global methane emissions—a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than CO2 in the short term. Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)’s Zero Waste to Zero Emissions report shows that simple, community-level solutions yield massive climate results:

📉 62% to 95% Emissions Reduction: Source-separated collection and composting cut landfill methane emissions by up to 62%, reaching up to 95% when paired with biological residual treatments.
🌾 Soil Regeneration: Diverting organics replenishes depleted soils, restores nutrients, and strengthens climate resilience.
Zero waste is not just about cleaner streets—it is one of our fastest, most viable pathways to direct climate mitigation.

Report link:

Read the full report here: https://www.no-burn.org/zerowaste-zero-emissions/

Landfills and open dumps are major contributors to global methane emissions—a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than CO2 in the short term. Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)’s Zero Waste to Zero Emissions report shows that simple, community-level solutions yield massive climate results:

📉 62% to 95% Emissions Reduction: Source-separated collection and composting cut landfill methane emissions by up to 62%, reaching up to 95% when paired with biological residual treatments.
🌾 Soil Regeneration: Diverting organics replenishes depleted soils, restores nutrients, and strengthens climate resilience.
Zero waste is not just about cleaner streets—it is one of our fastest, most viable pathways to direct climate mitigation.

📢 More Research on the Way. This is just the start! Watch out for new publications during the 2nd Regional Organics Congress this September.

Report link in the comments.

Dietplastik Indonesia Aliansi Zero Waste Indonesia

16/08/2026

The Meghalaya government has imposed an immediate statewide ban on the sale, stocking and distribution of STING energy drink over public health concerns and pending laboratory analysis. The order applies to manufacturers, distributors, retailers, vendors and online delivery platforms, with existing stocks to be isolated until further orders.

Meghalaya bans sale, stocking and distribution of ‘STING’ energy drink statewide via https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-bans-sale-stocking-and-distribution-of-sting-energy-drink-statewide-1438159-2026-08-15

The Meghalaya government has imposed an immediate statewide freeze and prohibition on the sale, stocking and distribution of ‘STING’ energy drink, citing public health concerns and pending laboratory analysis of the caffeinated beverage.