Meet Poonam Bir Kasturi | Anita’s Journal
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Meet India’s ‘Compostwali’

Popularly known as ‘Compostwali’, Poonam Bir Kasturi, founder of Daily Dump Compost, equates sustainability to a behavioural change while speaking to us about greener living.

ON SUSTAINABILITY:
Sustainability is not merely an issue to be resolved, it is a behaviour change. It is a mindset and habits help change that mindset. I’ve always been interested in seeing how design can engage with large issues. When I started teaching that was the time I learned a lot and I ended up reading a lot on sustainability, meeting very interesting people, seeing interesting projects and it was at that time I said, enough talk, I need to do. That’s when I started Daily Dump. Our vision was to constantly re-imagine our relationship with the earth, with each other and with our urban spaces. Essentially, we are in the mindset changing business – mindsets about “waste”, about marginal livelihoods, about whose job it is to take care of “waste”, about how we can harm less, etc.

ON HER JOURNEY WITH SUSTAINABILITY:
The work we do at Daily Dump is a culmination of the conversations I have had with many of my students and peers over the years and the varied ideas that have informed and excited me as a person. Ideas from systems theory, sustainable development, design methods, sacred geometries, craft development, Indira Darshinis (standup Indian fast food places), the open source movement, micro-enterprise, facilitative processes and design – all influence the work we do. All Daily Dump’s products and services are designed to empower our customers to take action, make a difference, create cleaner healthier cities, feel happy and enjoy the experience.

ON LIFESTYLE CHANGES:
Manage our organic waste at source, recycle, refuse, and reuse without waiting for the municipality or Government. Because Composting is not rocket science, it’s like brushing your teeth, a habit! And a rewarding one.

 

This Earth Month 2020, we will be lending our page to Green Heroes who have made impressive strides in generating interest and awareness on sustainable living.