World Earth Day 2023 | Environment-friendly Inventions of Indian Innovators that Inspire the World

By Aayushi Sharma

Every year April 22 is celebrated globally as Earth Day, a day meant to inspire people to get involved, mindful of issues plaguing our mother Earth so that they can pledge their support for the planet. This year Earth Day’s theme is “Invest in our Planet”. It calls on the people to get together in building a healthier economy while making sure that it is done in a way that the future is equitable for everyone. Sustainable development is one of the moot points of this kind of targeted progress. 

Here are a few Indian Innovators who have done exceptionally well through their environment-friendly inventions and ideas which contribute to sustainable development:

Ocean Cleaning Ship – ERVIS

ERVIS is an autonomous ship that will collect trash and clean the waters. In essence, the ship is a big boat with numerous compartments and saucers encircling it. It uses a multi-stage cleaner in which size-based separation is done to separate different sizes of waste. This is towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14): Life Below Water

Different stages

• The floating saucers move in a round motion to draw the trash to their center. These saucers will have an opening in the center that will swallow the garbage and be connected to various ship rooms through a tube.

• There are a number of processes that will separate the garbage after it enters the tube. An infrared sensor that alerts ERVIS to marine life will be the first sensor. Thermal activity is used by the technology to find life and return it to the water. Thus, protecting marine life.

• The waste is subsequently sent to the oil filter on the first level, where it is collected and sent to the oil chamber. This waste oil needs to be handled, either by decomposing it or by storing it for secure disposal. For large, medium, small, and microwavable waste, the second, third, fourth, and fifth chambers are used, accordingly.

• The following actions are taken after the garbage reaches these chambers. After analyzing a sample of the garbage, it is sent to a segregator to separate the plastic from the non-plastic waste. Plastic is compressed and kept in cube form. The other trash is removed and either stored for later disposal or decomposed with microbes.

• Finally, clean water is released and pumped back into the ocean.

Innovator: 

Indian youngster Haaziq Kazi, who was born on April 8, 2006, attends Indus International School in Pune. He is really enthusiastic about the ocean and the issue of plastic pollution. He has created the prototype for the ship called ERVIS that will rid the seas of trash made of plastic. He draws attention to the seriousness of the plastic waste issue, how it affects all species, including humans, and his proposed remedy, ERVIS, which he believes will help rid the oceans of plastic pollution. 

The United Nations, Department of Economic and Social  Affairs has recognized his work. He is Regional Focal Point for the Oceans Youth Constituency.

Mitticool – The Earthen Refrigerator

Mitticool is a clay-based natural refrigerator that may be used to cool water as well as store fruits and vegetables. It cools the stored material naturally without using electricity or any other artificial energy source. Fresh produce, milk, and other perishables can be kept for two to three days without losing their freshness or flavour. 

It operates on the evaporation concept. As the water falls from the top chambers down the side, it evaporates, removing heat from the inside and keeping the chambers cool. Water is kept in the uppermost compartment.

There is a little clay lid offered on top. At the front lower end of the chamber, a small tap tap is also available to tap out water for drinking. Two shelves are supplied in the lower chamber for storing items like milk, produce, and vegetables. 

Water, milk, fruits, and vegetables are all great items to keep in the MittiCool refrigerator. This appliance, which has won awards, offers effective cooling without using power.

Its features are: 

• Runs without using electricity.
• modern design
• Vegetables, fruits, milk, water, etc. are all naturally cooled.
• user-friendly
• Various health advantages

Innovator

Mansukhbhai Prajapati was born on October 19, 1970. His parents, who were both working-class potters, had already moved to Morbi after closing their shop after the Machhu dam failed.

Originally from Gujarat’s Wankaner, Mansukhbhai Prajapati, a prominent businessman today, cherished the idea of modernizing the expertise that our nation’s artisans hold. He began to work on his project with 30,000 rupees. He just decided he wanted to build a clay refrigerator that runs without electricity after the Bhuj earthquake of 2001. 

For his innovation, he is a winner of some prominent awards including:

• National Award for Most innovative products by “Ministry of Rural Development” (2005)
• True Scientist by the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in “4th National Award Function, Delhi”.(2007)

• International award Net Geo Eco Hero by National Geo Graphic channel, New Delhi. (2010)
• Awarded by India Book Of Records “Innovator of the Year”.(2014)

Chakr Shield – Emission control device for diesel generators 

The Chakr Shield is a cutting-edge emission control technology that minimizes pollution at its source and uses it for good. It is the world’s first diesel generator retrofit emission control device. With no negative effects on the engine, their method can cut particulate matter emissions from diesel generator exhaust by about 70%.

The Problem: Air pollution causes 4.2 million premature deaths annually. Nine out of ten people breathe air that has high levels of pollution.

The solution they came up with: Invented a technology that can cut emissions by almost 70%.

How does Chakr Shield impact lives?

The technology makes sure that clean air should be accessible to all while simultaneously being kept from re-entering the atmosphere. 

Innovators

Arpit Dhupar and Kushagra Srivastava are co-founders of Chakr Innovation. Chakr Innovation creates strategies to increase the sustainability and environmental friendliness of energy generation. They are a group of IIT Delhi engineers and inventors.

The co-founders got featured in Forbes 30 under 30 as Social entrepreneurs. They were awarded 2.5 crores from ONGC as a startup initiative under the start-up India fund.

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References: 

• https://mitticool.com/
• https://www.ervisfoundation.org/ervis-the-ship/
• https://www.ted.com/talks/haaziq_kazi_a_master_innovation_by_a_12_year_old_to_curb_marine_pollution/transcript
• https://globalgoals.org/goals/14-life-below-water/
• https://chakr.in/particulate-matter-emission-control-device/
• https://chakr.in/
• https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5a0494a74bbe6f37dda214bd/arpit-dhupar-25-r-kushagr/
• https://dpe.gov.in/sites/default/files/ONGC_Start_Up.pdf