Kristu Jayanti follows a green trail to empower an eco-friendly generation

‘Sustainable development’ and ‘ecofriendly’ are not just fashionable terms, as they used to be in the past. Today’s environment reality is forcing us to implement sustainability policies as a basic requirement for human survival. Earlier the problems associated with the environmental degradations were projected as futuristic, and the strategies to combat these issues were confined to awareness campaigns and legislation. Now it has reached a stage where we have to think beyond the awareness programs, as we are already hit with numerous health and climatic issues for our misdeeds with Mother Nature. This alarming situation has changed the dimension of environmental education in the world. Schools and Universities have taken a keen interest in initiating green practices in their campuses for developing ‘eco- consciousness’ among the children and youth, as they will be facing more environmental challenges shortly. Kristu Jayanti College, an autonomous institution affiliated to Bengaluru North University is no exception and is becoming increasingly proactive on green issues. This institution believes in preserving the planet for the next generation and has implemented myriad environmental strategies to inculcate environmental consciousness among its students and also to the local community to which it is part. Recently, the college was rated as a Green Campus and certified with the ‘GOLD RATING’ from All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in collaboration with the International Institute of Waste Management (IIWM). “We think beyond classroom lectures on environmental conservation, and want to educate the future generation as practicing individuals. They should get the ‘real experience’ of sustainable practices when they are on the campus, and that is going to transform them from an educated individual to one who is practicing it’ says Rev. Fr. Josekutty PD, Campus Director. He is also of the opinion that the prime thrust of education is societal transformation and believes that environmental conservation is a major societal concern. Therefore the future generation should be inculcated with green practices to cope up with the reality. He also feels that what students have learned at the college will have a long-lasting impact on their lives. This NAAC ‘A’ accredited and nationally reputed institution’s nine acres of campus envisages various eco-friendly practices that provide living lessons to its students. It includes: Rainwater harvesting and water conservation The college has rooftop harvesting facility, and through which around 50 lakh liters of water is collected in tanks with a total capacity of fifty thousand litres. First Flush is done before storing and the collected water is filtered using charcoal to clean silt and other material deposited on the roof during dry seasons. This collected water is transported to the required areas through well- maintained water pipelines and is used for cleaning and toiletry purposes on the campus, and by having sensors taps and tap aerators in the toilets, the water wastage is minimized in the toilets. These unique water conservation methods have brought water self-sufficiency to the institution. Above all, an experiential lesson to its students. Solar energy harvesting and energy conservation With the help of solar panels installed on the rooftops of the buildings on the campus, the college is harvesting an average of 50 kilowatts of electricity in a day. This eco-friendly method of photo-voltaic conversion minimizes the dependency on the government for power supply. To minimize power consumption, the college has an ecofriendly design with huge natural openings for lighting and air circulation and depends on LED bulbs and sensor lights for interior lightings. Moreover, the college has tie-up with BESCOM in sharing the power generated within the campus and gives back unused energy during off days. Furthermore, the college provides charging facilities for electric vehicles and transportation within the campus is maintained through eco-friendly modes like electric cars and bicycles, eliminating individual carbon footprints. Floral biodiversity and Floral Conservation in the campus To have a first-hand understanding of the wilderness in the campus, the environment club with its volunteers conducted a bio survey of the campus and identified two hundred species of plants belonging to 75 families. These details are clearly labeled for the benefit of the students and the list includes indigenous trees and 80 species of medicinal plants which are part of student research projects. “This venture of identifying species in the campus enabled our students to have an understanding of the campus biodiversity, and the significance of conserving the same.” says Dr. A.L. Calistus Jude, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, who spearheads this movement in the college. Besides this, the college with the help of CSA (Center for Social Activity) and Environment club volunteers with the support of civic authorities has planted saplings in the college and nearby localities for promoting conservational activities within and outside the territory of the college. “Here we are refreshed with many green ideas and are in many pro-environment schemes, this ambience rejuvenates and takes us forward to build a clean and green city ”adds Mr.Nitin Priju John, an active member of the college environment club. Waste disposal and ecological conservation Kristu Jayanti College has an effective waste disposal system where the waste is segregated at source and disposed of in the right manner. Separate colored bins are kept at the required places for this kind of waste categorization, training students to segregate the waste and reminding them of the consequences of non-segregated wastes. “The college has a unique method of collecting e-waste from students once in a year and transferring them to agencies for recycling them. This practice has made our students understand the detrimental consequences of e-waste and its role in health hazards” says Rev. Dr. Augustine George, Principal of the College, who masterminds the e- waste management in the college along with the implementation of green pedagogy. In addition to this, there is a Sewage Treatment Plant (SPT) with a capacity of 90 KLD, which can water all the flora in the campus and a Vermicomposting Plant to provide manure for the plants in the campus. The presence of a Biogas Plant on the campus supports the cooking needs of the faculty quarters. Besides these, the college has a MoU with ITC Limited for paper waste management and is recycling the waste paper produced on the campus through examination and other academic purposes. Every year, ITC accolades the dry waste recycling initiatives of the institution with certificates. In addition to these, the college has got many green plans in the pipeline like Green Auditing, Carbon footprinting, and Energy Audit for sustainable development. “Our institution is open to innovative ideas which can transform the society, and the ASSOCHAM award for best college in South India at the Higher Education Summit and National Excellence awards 2016 is a recognition for these efforts “ Says Rev. Fr. Lijo P Thomas, Financial Administrator of the college and also one of the architects behind this conducive learning environment. Most of the environmental problems presently faced by men are directly or indirectly triggered by the exploitation of the environment and societal negligence about environmental education. Environmental education goes beyond providing students with simple information about environmental issues, as defined in the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education (NAAEE, 2001). In Kristu Jayanti College, this NAAEE’s approach is followed to build an ecologically prosperous society, which is fulfilled through an innovative curriculum synergized with green practices to inculcate eco-consciousness among its student community. And these green practices are reorienting the students towards a holistic education which will enable them to face the environmental challenges of the future decades.