RUR GreenLife

With increasing population and resource usage, the amount of waste generated is growing at an exponential rate. Tackling this waste management problem at source, contributing to food security and climate change mitigation are our main goals.

RUR's holistic approach starts with spreading eco-consciousness amidst people through our eco-education initiatives at residential, institutional, & professional levels. Our flagship product- RUR's GreenGold Aerobic Bio-composter (RGGC) is a patent filed, in-vessel wet waste composting machine that operates without electricity or any additional culture. Being compact, convenient, and easily scalable to handle 0.5Kg to 500Kg of wet wastes/day, it's the perfect composting solution for the urban masses.

But "handling wastes" is stigmatized, so we're driven to inculcate a "My Waste My Responsibility" mindset within the community. By targeting the problem at source, we're able to divert over 90% of the wastes from landfills. The compost is used to increase green cover or grow food. 

An estimated 2.01 Billion tons of waste was generated in 2016 globally, which is estimated to increase to 3.4 Billion tons by 2050 if things similarly. Moreover, waste-generated by low-income countries is expected to increase three-folds by 2050, with East-Asia and Pacific region generating the world's most waste (23%). 

In India, 110 Million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is expected to be generated in 2021 which scales to 200+ MT by 2040. Most of these are dumped in open grounds or landfills. Moreover, lack of awareness, ignorance, and poor waste management creates mixed wastes, thus contaminating recyclable wastes. 

This problem pertains to everyone as we're now surrounded by overflowing landfills, which exude toxic fumes and green house gases. With the waste generation increasing, relying on waste management at the community level makes the problem difficult to tackle. The waste picker communities around these open dumping grounds are affected the most, and each of us have to take responsibility.

The pie-chart shows that 57% of wastes is food and green which is compostable and only 15% counts as other, that cannot be recycled. Through our solution, people become aware and segregate their wastes, preventing it from being wasted.  (refer pictures)

Our holistic approach involves a hybrid model of education and equipment. RUR spreads eco-consciousness by conducting workshops on segregation and good green practices. An initial waste audit is carried out by involving the client to maintain a log of their daily wastes. This is the first step of taking accountability. For community composting sites, a site visit is done by the team to understand space constraints. 

The RGGC is an in-vessel aerobic bio-composter that comes in 6 models. Multiple units of the RGGC allow easy scaling and maintain a composting cycle so that no wet waste is wasted. A demonstration on how to segregate wastes at source is delivered combined with the working of the equipment. The RGGC mimics nature w.r.t composting. Segregated wet waste is added into the RGGC with proportionate dried leaves/cocopeat. The lid is then closed and the gear mechanism allows rotation of the tumbler to ensure proper mixing. The compost tea can be collected and diluted to be used for plants. With daily inputs, and periodic rotations, the RGGC is then harvested and kept outside for drying. The tumbler is ready for the next cycle. The quality harvest can then be sieved and used as compost.

Our solution is primarily targeted towards urban communities (residential/office/government bodies/etc.), with limited spaces for composting and green practices. This lack of awareness- an "out of sight, out of mind" thinking is largely due to the centralized approach of waste management that exists, which is failing to address these rising challenges. Moreover, these are untapped potential green spaces, as starting composting practices enables them to be more resourceful and grow their own organic farms or increase their green cover, directly contributing to reduction of GHG emission, food security, and climate change mitigation.

Our decentralized approach starts with identifying "Green Champs", who are environmentally conscious individuals willing to start green activities in their community. These ensure continuity of the project, motivate the staff/residents to segregate their wastes and participate in the process, and encourage taking responsibility. Through efficient support and hand-holding, the RUR team motivates the Green Champ who carries this energy to his/her community. This "ripple effect" is key to bring about a sustainability revolution. 

Through our holistic solutions, we train the staff, dignify their labor and make them feel as green workers rather than "Waste pickers", breaking the stigma. Moreover, additional sources of revenues such as reselling of recyclables, excess compost and fruits/vegetables from the organic farms is rewarding. 

Our solution brings about a behavioral change within the target community. To restore the lost green spaces through terrace farming and urban gardening, our composting solutions encourage communities to realize that every effort counts. The big picture is clearer when there are numerous pixels coming together to form it.

We enable our clients to be self-sustainable, directly benefitting from tapping their wastes as resource but also significantly contributing to the waste management challenges.

There are no short-cuts but through eco-consciousness, persistence and high quality equipment, A once residential/office building can now be a sustainable, resilient eco-system.

Our solution is currently in the Scaling stage as we have over 200 composting sites, across India. Over the course of a decade, we have sensitized over 3 million individuals through various workshops, brand collaborations, and eco-education initiatives. 

Although we have 5 successful working models of RGGC across various target population groups (residential/office/hotels/etc.), we're working on robust models that can work under varied environmental conditions, which is currently being researched through our pilot sites in Germany and Malaysia.

Moreover, the development of XL models is in the design stages (RGGC L being the largest currently), and we're yet to reach full manufacturing capacity at our factory in Umbargaon, Gujarat. 

Compared to the scale of the problem, we're still small and there's a lot more work to be done. And we're committed to keep pushing through!

RURs concept of bio composting system was established keeping circular economy as the core factor. The model is essentially decentralized which ensures maximum waste is recycled in-situ resulting in very low to negligible carbon footprint. Our goal is to ensure that waste is not transported to landfill causing green house gas emissions. Our design focused on maximum bio waste being treated in-situ, transforming it into rich, stable and
100% organic compost which is again used to create/maintain green cover on site. The solution "Gives back to earth what the earth gives us".

Being passionate for environment, the inspiration for the design was adopted from the forest- Biomimicry. It was important to keep the process of composting natural and simple in order to map it to the overpopulated and overly polluted metropolitan city. The optimal balance of ATM (Air, Temperature, Moisture) was identified for effective composting process. Therefore, the RGGC system design was an essentially aerobic, insulating, and capable of removing excess moisture from the system. 

The solution is unique as the holistic approach of training, sensitization, and awareness of citizens is key for the success, forming a link between people and technology. Segregation at source into 3 bins- biodegradable, dry recyclables and nonrecyclables is important, and the biodegradables get added to the RGGC tumbler. Dry recyclables are passed on to chain of recyclers and only the trash component (<10% of waste generated) is landfilled. 

Zero energy, with a mechanical gear based system for easy operation makes the solution sustainable.

• Currently our solution has impacted over 3 million people through our  services at residential, schools, and professional levels.  This is a culmination of the 200+ active composting sites, our eco-education & awareness sessions (1000+ over the last decade) and a multitude of collaborations with corporations (Go Green with Tetra Pak) has been running for over 10 years)
• In one year we're estimating a growth of 25% i.e. 3.75 million people impacted as our focus shifts to other metropolitan cities (outside Maharashtra) of India such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, etc. 
• In 5 years, we're hoping to achieve a 100% growth i.e.6 million people, leveraging our expertise across different Indian cities, but also our international pilot projects in Germany and Malaysia. 

We're confident that the need for sustainability has communities and corporations adopting green practices, and we hope to scale our contribution in this green revolution.

Following are the key goals. The impact can be mapped on our website

1. Quantity of waste diverted into recycling annually.
2. Number of people educated through Eco workshops, digital media platforms, exhibitions, kiosks, events and media.
3. Dignified livelihoods offered through our bio-composting project sites.
4. CO2 mitigation through decentralized composting system.
5. Quantity of compost generated annually through our project sites
6. Green covered created/maintained using in house compost.
7. Contributing to food security by bringing urban farming mainstream. 
8. Align with UNSDG 3,4,8,9,11,12,13,14,15,17 through sustainable, decentralized holistic waste management solutions.

• 12 full time staff 
• 3 part time, and 
• 20 volunteers and interns

The RUR core team boasts a diverse portfolio- A Stanford Industrial Engineering graduate, PhD in Microbiology, Masters in International Strategy from Audencia, Masters in Environmental Sciences, Botanists, Engineers and more!

Although operating with a small team, we share the same values, drive and vision when it comes to waste management- to take accountability and target the problem at the source. 

Our manufacturing head is a botanist and engineer who also practices farming, bringing in the on-ground experience. Our design team is adept in composting techniques, tweaking the models for maximum efficiency and superior quality compost. The business development team has a sound understanding of what the urban population truly desires, relaying the specifics of convenience, hygiene and minimal manual effort in the composting process.

Coming from similar backgrounds, we understand the barriers that our target population face in adopting good waste management practices, and have always customized our solutions to meet their needs. This is why we say our solution involves the community engaging on a similar level as we are, to manage wastes efficiently and sustain the impact.

From 0.5 Kg - 500 Kg of wet wastes/day, our 5 RGGC models serve both home and community composting needs. Awareness campaigns, workshops, brand surveys and feedbacks from our clients ensure that we're always exceeding expectations and making improvements.

We believe our solution is more than just making quality compost from wastes. It's bringing about a behavioral change in the community through good green practices.  

The team of RUR GreenLife is diverse in terms of fields of work, backgrounds, age group, gender, and ethnicity.  We are an equal employment opportunity employer and are not discriminative in our hiring process. We offer equitable pay to all our employees which are just, fair and aligning with their skillset they bring to the organization.  

Given the current pandemic scenario with lockdowns, our team was quick to pivot to a work-from-home environment, prioritizing the health of our employees. Through open communication we were able to still maintain efficient performance levels. We also hired a full-time employee who operates remotely and has never physically met the team, nonetheless we share the same amount of trust and respect for them. Our factory acts as a source of employment for the locals, training them to become skilled laborers. 

Our vision is to spread eco-consciousness amongst citizens and help them contribute to our planet by adopting good green practices. This is through our innovative flagship product RUR's GreenGold Aerobic Biocomposter (RGGC), eco-education services (GAAP/EEE), and CSR/EPR Collaborations with corporates.

Being a social enterprise, we know the importance of sustainability and are actively working towards making this planet a better place for all of us, by tapping into the value of waste as a resource. However, like encapsulated by SDG 17, this is truly possible at every level through successful partnerships and joining hands to bring about a behavioral change and sustainability revolution.

This is our drive behind applying to MIT Solve- to join, learn, and contribute to a diverse talent pool, sharing ideas and working together towards a better tomorrow. Leveraging the inputs, feedback and investments can help us strive to greater heights, overcoming the current barriers we face in scaling the organization. We would use the grant to enhance our R&D (Design, development of RGGC XL Model), Market development, Brand building and internal company growth (through training staff and team).

Finally, our inspiration also stems from the interest and passion of the RUR Team, proud of our solution and a strong belief in its ability to be portrayed as a global solution towards developing  a resilient ecosystem.

• We have a diverse set of products and services. Identifying areas to focus and how to move this forward with a fitting product-market strategy would be beneficial. 
• RUR's presence is already established in various cities across India. We have the products, services and capacity to grow. Therefore identifying product distribution platforms to expand is crucial. Packaging and delivering expertise is also an important aspect.
• Monitoring and evaluation of social impact through Impact assessment, quantifiable numbers, can help us convey more accurately the importance of our mission to the communities. Helps us grow and sustain our green journey!

The MIT Solve team has great minds who we'd be excited to collaborate with.

• Casey van der Stricht - Principal, Solve Innovation Future, MIT Solve

Given her field of expertise aligns perfectly with our areas needing support, we would definitely be looking forward to working with her for ideas on scaling and strategic positioning.

• Dr. Alexander Dale - Lead, Sustainability and US Interior Communities, MIT Solve

We could use his assistance and expertise in research ideas for product development, as well as developing case studies to understand impact of composting in climate change mitigation.

Also,

• We are looking forward to collaborating with faculty from MIT and its partners to develop synergies in the field of waste management, carbon assessment, and sustainability solutions within this space. 

Local Municpal corporations have been practicing collection, transport and disposal of the mixed waste from source, making disposal easy for the citizens with centralized waste management. In Mumbai alone we have 3 active landfills. Deonar, Asia’s largest dumping ground is overflowing with more than 8500 Mt of daily waste generated in the city, which is an alarming situation. Waste pickers scavenge recyclable waste from these landfills.

Moreover, transportation of wastes to centralized facility, high risks of fire at dumping grounds all lead to emission of GHGs, with over 80% of resource being lost due to contamination.

RUR's holistic approach towards decentralized waste management targets this problem at the source, helping households/communities take accountability for their wastes. Through waste audits, site consultation, we offer customized turnkey solutions. Starting with segregation of wastes at source, dry recyclables can be sold to recycler chains whilst wet wastes are input into our in-vessel Aerobic Biocomposter (RGGC) to generate compost in-situ. This is followed by hand-holding post harvest compost utilization to increase their green cover and even practice organic farming. 

Our solution helps recycle 650 tons of waste annually, mitigating over 70 tons of CO2 generated due to transportation. The additional green cover from our compost, contributes greatly to decarbonization.

Thus, we feel qualified to apply for the ServiceNow prize, having helped local communities be sustainable!

Local Municpal corporations have been practicing collection, transport and disposal of the mixed waste from source, making disposal easy for the citizens with centralized waste management. In Mumbai alone we have 3 active landfills. Deonar, Asia’s largest dumping ground is overflowing with more than 8500 Mt of daily waste generated in the city, which is an alarming situation. Waste pickers scavenge recyclable waste from these landfills, being a highly unhygienic and unsafe secondary sorting.

Moreover, transportation of wastes to centralized facility, high risks of fire at dumping grounds all lead to emission of GHGs, with over 80% of resource being lost due to contamination.

RUR's holistic approach towards decentralized waste management targets this problem at the source, helping households/communities take accountability for their wastes. Through waste audits, site consultation, we offer customized turnkey solutions. Starting with segregation of wastes at source, dry recyclables can be sold to recycler chains whilst wet wastes are input into our in-vessel Aerobic Biocomposter (RGGC) to generate compost in-situ. This is followed by hand-holding post harvest compost utilization to increase their green cover and even practice organic farming. 

Our solution helps recycle 650 tons of waste annually, diverting it from landfills and mitigating over 70 tons of CO2 generated due to transportation. The additional green cover from over 600 tons of total compost generated, contributes greatly to tackling the centralized waste management crisis.

Thus, we feel qualified to apply for the GSR prize.