Talking Waste Innovation with Manik Thapur of Ecowise
Impact India
English - January 21, 2020 15:00 - 47 minutes - 108 MB - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsPlaces & Travel Society & Culture Business travel sustainable travel india eco travel social enterprise startups social good social impact social entrepreneurship zero waste Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
In episode 13 of the Impact India podcast, I speak with Manik Thapar, one of the pioneers of waste management in India and is known for his unique business model at Eco-Wise.
Manik Thapar is a Canadian Citizen with Indian origin. Having done his MBA from The De Vos School of Management in Michigan, he moved to India in 2005. Inspired by the idea of setting up a waste management company in India, which came from a school project; Manik at the age of 23 decided to enter the challenging industry despite initial difficulties and opposition from friends and family.
His efforts quickly become acknowledged across the country (and beyond!) and soon became a true youth icon. Currently, EcoWise is collecting, segregating, aggregating, treating and disposing of around 120 tonnes of waste on a daily basis through composting and recycling methods. Last year, his company managed to divert 35,000 tonnes of waste from ending up in landfills.
In this episode, Manik dives into the history and current status of political corruption and mafia in waste management in India, the responsibilities of consumers, the detailed difference between upcycling and downcycling, and how caste and infrastructure gets in the way of sustainable waste management.
Connect with Manik on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram. For more information on Ecowise, visit ecowise.net.in and Instagram.