Report by Aastha and Manya
On 7th March 2022, MH Vatavaran- The Environment Society of Miranda House organised a MH Green Initiatives Tour for the students of Miranda House at 3:30 PM. 44 students joined the tour and gathered near the science shed. The students were split into two groups, one led by President Komal and General Secretary Ishita Sukhija, and the other by Vice President Ishika Bansal and Project Zero Waste MH Head Sindhu Khanna. Miranda House College has implemented a number of green solutions on campus. The tour was planned to educate students about Miranda's green initiatives. These initiatives include Compost Plant, Paper Recycling Plant , Herbal Garden, Rainwater Harvesting System, Soil Less Plantation, Hydroponic System, Plastic Bottle Recycling Plant and Solar Plant.
Herbal Garden
This garden is maintained by Miranda House's Department of Botany and is a new addition to the campus. Ocimum sativum (Basil/ Tulsi), Artemisia sp (Mugwood), Barleria prionites, Barleria cristata, and Mentha sp. are some of the medicinal plants found here.
Rain Water Harvesting System
Rainwater is collected and stored in underground potholes that are covered by a shed during the rainy season. Rainwater falls on the ground and seeps down, where it is channelled into the storage containers by a slope. The collected water is then used to water the lawns and thus several outlets are created for the same. Efforts are made not to let go of the rainwater and use it productively.
The Tech Park
It includes:
A Vertical Plastic Bottle Garden, where plants are planted in empty recycled plastic bottles.
Arrow-headed plant, Money Plant, Sadabahar Plant, and Cactus Plant are among the plants that have been planted and tacked to the wall in the shape of the letters M and H, which represent the college's name. This is close to the MH Paper Recycling Plant.
TopSop, or soil-less plantation, where plants are put in the pots with half soil and half pellets. Because these pellets can hold water and nutrients more efficiently, they can save 99 percent of water. Also, since the soil is utilised in lesser amounts, it is also conserved.
Compost Plant : Due to the ongoing pandemic, the compost plant has been closed for the past two years. However, now that the plant is operational, dry leaves and biodegradable waste are churned up in a machine and then stored in a container for a set period of time, resulting in a highly nutrient-rich compost that is combined with the soil. The collected finished product is utilised to nourish the lawn plants.
Solar Plant : Solar panels are installed across the campus. The collected energy is stored in a 7 kWp Grid connected rooftop solar power plant.
The 4-layered Hydroponic System, is a extensive water purification system. On the surface of the pipes are holes. The grey water that is drained through sinks and basins is used to grow money plants in those holes, which consumes the water and eliminates the need for soil. The remaining water is then used to recharge groundwater. A solar geyser has also been installed to generate hot water.
The Paper Recycling Plant, has a lot of equipment, therefore it's spread out over two rooms. Paper is first shredded in a Paper Shredder. Cotton is also recycled, and shredded cotton filler is used. After shredding the paper, it's combined with water and transferred to a Hollander beater. As a result of this procedure, pulp is produced. The pulp is then transported to a Univat. A screw presser is used to make and press paper sheets. The papers are then naturally dried in the sun. They are then run through a calendering machine after they have dried. This equipment utilisation necessitates a significant amount of mechanical effort. Finally after calendering, these papers are coloured and made into recyclable folders, bags and envelopes. These final products are sold at the souvenir shop on campus.
The tour came to an end with both groups uniting near the science shed, where all of the
volunteers posed for a lovely group photograph!
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