An initiative that aims at using sustainable practices, Green Banao is connecting people with nature

Started as a mode to bring students and the sustainability industry together, Green Banao has evolved to embody all aspects of Sustainability.

Over the years, the world is witnessing alarming environmental changes. Climatic changes, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and extinction of hundreds of species are consequences of global warming. With Earth’s resources deteriorating so quickly, research predicts a future with none of these resources available. Such a looming crisis has given rise to awareness among the crowds. But, awareness isn’t enough. This gave rise to a form of economic development called Sustainable development that is conducted without depletion of natural resources. The end result is a state of society where living conditions and resource use continue to meet human needs without undermining the integrity and stability of the natural systems.

Green Banao was started to cater to the technical and general aspects of sustainability and thus, bring about a holistic and positive change. Based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, this online platform is available worldwide.

Founded by Ayush Maheshwari in April 2016, Green Banao has been using social media to spread awareness on how to be green and make this planet better. The reach is vast and a simple message of changing the bulbs from CFL to LED has been beneficial to many.

Workshops and webinars have also been organised. The webinars concentrate on bringing the latest data and building a knowledge base on the various fields related to sustainability and green energy. With collaborations with the greatest minds in the industry, the webinars have witnessed success.

Learning platform

The platform also focuses on supplying interested individuals with materials to pursue a career in Green Buildings. For examinations related to the sustainability domain like Green Building, Energy Conservation, etc., the platform provides test series of exams conducted by IGBC, GRIHA, BEE and USGBC LEED. It provides a plethora of video tutorials ranging from how to get a building Green Certified to the software used.

Green Campaigner Programme

Targeting education, the Green Campaigner programme teaches students about sustainability, its practices, different building codes, rating systems for green building and other energy conservation measures.

This College Engagement Programme uses monthly themes and college-specific data to educate students on sustainable actions. Each monthly theme focuses on a different area of resource conservation. Students from universities are given equal opportunity to be a green campaigner.

By giving students the tools to lead the campaigns in their region, they not only help them hone their leadership skills but also motivate them to pursue sustainability as a career.

“Green Banao is a great and innovative startup that works for the sustainable development of humanity. The concept of Green Building is so appreciable and the tasks taken up by the Green Banao team to promote this concept is so placid. The Green Banao campaigner programme is also wonderful. This gives opportunities to young minds to work for the sustainable development of our ecosystem,” says Himanshu Gupta, a Green Campaigner from Mewar University, Rajasthan.

This programme is working towards having green campaigners all across India to help spread the word. Students can become a part of the initiative by registering on their website. When there is a good number of students who have registered from a common area, they combine their energy to spread awareness on sustainability.

The challenge Green Banao is facing is keeping up with the size of the industry and maintaining the information on the portal as diversified as possible. “As our team is very small, we rely on the community to provide us with content that we can use. For example, from telling people what carbon footprint analysis is to writing a blog on how people can reuse the waste water from RO purifier systems, we always have to be on our toes to provide the most relevant, interesting, and useful information. While there are experts available, we haven’t been able to get them all under the same platform. But then, that is the aim that we set out with and wish to achieve with the help of Green Community,” says Ayush Maheshwari, a Computer Science engineer heading the public outreach and logistics at Green Banao.

Besides having a goal to make this planet a better place to live in, Green Banao aims to be the one-stop solution from a career and business perspective in the sustainability industry.