Clean and Green Campus

Title:
“Clean and Green Campus”

The Context:
In the Indian culture, educational institutions have been termed as ‘Temples of Knowledge’. From this perspective, the educational institutions should be maintained with the sanctity of temples. Therefore, educational institutions should be kept clean and green, so that they may offer an environment that is conducive for teachers to teach and students to learn. The Sanstha has been taking special efforts in keeping its large 2.84 acre of land parcel neat, clean and green. The upgradation and maintenance of such a large parcel of land in urban or semi-urban areas is a big challenge. Larger the land parcel, more are the financial implications. Despite, the Sanstha has tried to maintain such a large plot of land and building and other infrastructure over it neat, clean and green with the joint efforts of students, teachers and non-teaching staff.

A Green Campus is a place where environmentally friendly practices and education combine to promote sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the campus. The green campus concept offers institution an opportunity to take the lead in redefining its environmental culture and developing new paradigms by creating sustainable solutions to the environmental, social, and economic needs of mankind. Greening the campus is all about sweeping away wasteful inefficiencies and using conventional sources of energy for its daily power needs, effective disposal handling, purchase of environment-friendly supplies, and effective recycling program. Our college works out the time-bound strategies to implement green campus initiatives to develop a clean and green campus.

Objectives of the Practice:
To provide clean and green environment to students, that may provide a condusive environment to teachers to teach and students to learn.

The Practice:
The College is spread over 2.84 acres of land area. The College building is a two storied building with a large ground on the adjoining plot. Developing and maintaining such a large area is not an easy task. Therefore, the management involves students, teachers and non-teaching staff in maintaining such a large plot neat, clean and green. For this purpose, the college has initiated the following practices:

• The College NSS unit arranges for Tree Plantation Drives in the College just before the rainy season. The College has 166 plants and trees which are looked after by the NSS unit of the College.
• The College Campus has been declared Plastic Free Zone. The Canteen makes use of paper glass for serving tea and coffee and makes use of reusable plates for serving eatables.
• The College NSS unit also arranges for ‘Say No to Plastic’ Drives in College Campus to create awareness among students and teachers about the harmful impacts of plastic.
• The Office Staff has been instructed to reuse paper on both sides. Similarly, the envelopes are reused by pasting an address slip on the same. 
• The College makes use of Three Bin System for the disposal of solid waste. Green Bin for bio-degradable waste, Blue Bin for bio-non-degradable waste and Red Bin for hazardous waste.
• The College has a facility of Composting. Organic waste generated from canteen is fed into the composter, which provides sufficient manure for the plants in the Campus.
• E-waste is collected in the Computer Lab and is disposed off to the licensed vendors of the Government as per the E-waste Policy of the Government.
• Solar lamps have been installed in the College campus at various places to provide illumination during the night time. About 98% of the lights in the college are LED.
• All classrooms, offices and common spaces in the College have adequate windows and cross-ventilation, which minimises the use of lights and fans. 
• The College campus is large and has enough space on all four sides for air circulation. Due to this, there is no need of air-conditioners in the campus.
• The internal drainage system of the College is cleaned on annual basis and well maintained. Liquid waste is discharged in the centralized liquid waste disposal system of the Municipality.
• Rainwater flowing from the terrace is diverted towards the campus area and garden area, where the water is absorbed by the soil, which enhances the water table in the surrounding areas.
• Entry for automobiles is restricted to the College Building. There is a provision for parking in the College Campus.

Our college has contributed a lot towards keeping the campus clean and green with the active support of all stakeholders, viz., students, teachers, non-teaching staff and local community. The College plants at least 50 saplings every year in the College Campus and nurtures them with utmost case with a motto to provide clean air and cool atmosphere in the campus and surrounding areas.

Evidence of Success:

• The College campus has 166 plants and trees, which have been nurtured since years by the students and College Staff. Even, today these plants and trees are being maintained by the students and teaching and non-teaching staff of the College.
• The College campus is one of the clean campuses among various other educational institutions in Navi Mumbai. The Sanstha has made special provisions for regular cleaning and washing of the building areas and cleaning of the campus area.

Problems Encountered:
The upgradation and maintenance of a large campus is a challenging task and is a joint responsibility of all stakeholders. Realising this, the Sanstha has involved all stakeholders, mainly students, teachers and non-teaching staff in the campus cleaning and greening exercise. The institution did encounter problems initially as many stakeholders felt that it was not their responsibility. But the constant motivation and involvement of all through various activities has made it possible to involve all in the process of cleaning and greening the campus.

Resources Required:
Saplings of trees and plants, accessories required for cleaning and maintaining the campus.