Berhampur: On the occasion of International Reducing CO2 Emissions Day, the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Berhampur, Odisha, has introduced an innovative initiative named “Wrinkle Bhi Achha Hai Day” for students and staff members’ dress code.
In a move to contribute to reducing carbon emissions, the Principal of the government-run ITI, Rajat Kumar Panigrahi, issued an order stating that there will be no ironing of uniforms every Monday starting from February 5. Students, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff, are encouraged to wear uniforms with wrinkles on designated days.
Panigrahi emphasized the environmental impact of the daily habit of ironing clothes and posed the question of whether it is essential to wear perfectly ironed clothes throughout the year. He highlighted the significant energy savings and reduction in carbon emissions if a large population collectively opts for non-iron clothes for a day.
“Electric irons typically consume 500 to 2000 watts. If 1.4 billion people in India decide to wear non-iron clothes for just one day a year, it can lead to substantial energy savings and a reduction in carbon emissions,” said Panigrahi.
He explained that a 2000-watt electric iron running for 15 minutes consumes around 0.5 kWh of electricity, resulting in approximately 200 grams of CO2 emissions. Considering the country’s population, the collective impact could lead to saving 250 million units of electricity, reducing carbon emissions significantly.
While acknowledging that not ironing uniforms once a week may seem like a small step, Panigrahi emphasized its potential for grassroots-level changes. With around 3500 students and 140 teaching and non-teaching staff, ITI Berhampur aims to inspire environmental consciousness with its “Wrinkle Bhi Achha Hai” initiative. The ITI has already obtained approval from higher authorities for this eco-friendly endeavor.
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