Mumbai: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, organized the ‘Ideas4LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment’ event at IIT Bombay today, aiming to inspire innovative environmental solutions. The event brought together students, faculty, and researchers from across India to brainstorm ideas promoting sustainable living. Union Minister for Environment Bhupender Yadav, who led the event, announced the extension of the submission deadline for Ideas4LiFE proposals from September 15 to October 15, 2024.
In his address, Yadav emphasized the importance of balancing economic growth with ecological preservation, stating, “A developed economy should be a developed ecology too.” He urged citizens to adopt eco-conscious lifestyles, adding, “We should be citizens with environmental sense.” The Minister highlighted the interconnectedness of life forms and stressed the need for an ecological approach to development to address rising global temperatures and biodiversity loss.
Yadav underscored the role of nature in sustaining humanity, providing resources like food, energy, and medicine. He also called for preserving one-third of Earth’s biodiversity, noting that 50,000 species are used for human consumption. The Minister outlined three key actions for sustainable development: reducing consumption demands, enhancing supply systems, and creating effective environmental policies.
India’s achievements in renewable energy were also highlighted, with Yadav noting that the government had surpassed its renewable energy targets nine years ahead of schedule. Additionally, the Soil Health Card initiative, aimed at reducing chemical use in agriculture, was discussed as a critical step toward sustainable farming practices.
The ‘Ideas4LiFE’ ideathon focuses on seven core themes under Mission LiFE: Save Water, Save Energy, Reduce Waste, Reduce E-Waste, Say No to Single-Use Plastics, Adopt Sustainable Food Systems, and Promote Healthy Lifestyles. A dedicated portal, ‘Ideas4Life.nic.in,’ was launched earlier in July at IIT Delhi to facilitate the submission of innovative ideas, with winning proposals to receive awards.
The event also included addresses by key dignitaries, including Pravin Darade, Principal Secretary, Department of Environment, Maharashtra, and IIT Bombay Director, Prof. Shireesh B. Kedare. Kedare highlighted the importance of individual responsibility in reducing carbon footprints and encouraged students to report their carbon emissions on their resumes.
As part of the event, a tree plantation drive was held at IIT Bombay, aligned with the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, which aims to promote environmental sustainability.
The Ideas4LiFE event witnessed active participation from around 1,200 students, research scholars, and faculty members from various institutions, setting the stage for further engagement and innovation in promoting environmental solutions across India.