October 2025

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

 

A New Benchmark in Waste Management

Bengaluru welcomes its first semi-automated DWCC — a model for innovation, collaboration, and circular economy leadership.

Inauguration of Adugodi Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC)

We’re proud to announce the successful inauguration of Bengaluru’s first modern, semi-automated, government-owned Dry Waste Collection Centre (DWCC) at Adugodi — a landmark step toward a cleaner and more sustainable city.

The inauguration, held on 15th October 2025, was graced by our esteemed Chief Guest, Shri Ramalinga Reddy, Hon’ble Minister of Muzrai, Government of Karnataka, along with Shri Kari Gowda, IAS, CEO, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), Shri Ramesh K N, IAS, Commissioner, Bengaluru South City Corporation, Shri Jacob Peter, Vice President, Bosch Global Software Technologies, and Ms. Shilpa Deodhar, CSR Head, BGSW.

This state-of-the-art facility stands as a model of innovation and collaboration, featuring: 

• Processing Capacity: 4 tons/day 

• Built-up Area: 3,600 sq. ft. 

• Advanced Infrastructure: 5+ modern waste management machines for efficient sorting and processing

  
  

On 19th October 2025, the Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri D.K. Shivakumar, visited the facility and applauded the collaborative efforts behind the project. He emphasized the importance of replicating such models across Bengaluru to strengthen the city’s waste management network.

With Phase 1 successfully completed, we now look ahead to Phase 2, where our focus will be on making the centre financially self-sustainable — empowering the DWCC operator/entrepreneur, creating livelihoods, and advancing Bengaluru’s circular economy.

A heartfelt thank you to our valued partners — Bosch Global Software Technologies, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), and Saahas Zero Waste — for their continued collaboration and support in bringing this vision to life.

This milestone marks just the beginning of a greener, cleaner Bengaluru. Together, we are paving the way for sustainable waste management and environmental innovation.

Project Repurpose 2.0

We, in partnership with OSB India, officially launched Project Repurpose 2.0 through its first employee orientation programme held on 7th October in the OSB Campus. The session marked the beginning of a renewed collaboration focused on sustainable waste management, textile upcycling, and corporate engagement.

The orientation saw the participation of 25+ employees, who actively engaged in various awareness and learning activities. The event began with an interactive Green Bingo game — designed to introduce sustainability in a fun, relatable way. Participants who successfully completed the tasks were rewarded with upcycled jeans pouches, symbolizing the project’s mission of giving discarded materials a new purpose.

During the session, the LBTC team shared insights from last year’s Project Repurpose journey, including the impact created through drives, collections, and product creation initiatives. They then introduced Project Repurpose 2.0, outlining this year’s goals — scaling up operations, strengthening community engagement, and promoting a circular economy model that connects responsible disposal, upcycling, and conscious purchasing.

The programme concluded with an interactive discussion where OSB employees shared ideas on how sustainability could be integrated into everyday workplace practices. The energy and enthusiasm from the participants set a strong tone for the months ahead, as Project Repurpose 2.0 aims to create a greater impact through collective effort and awareness.  

Here is the updated table with the correct, combined objective for both events — clearly stating that all old clothes and the listed materials were collected to prevent piling up at home and instead donated for upcycling and repurposing:

Category	1st Repurpose Drive	2nd Repurpose Drive
Location	Koramangala 4th Block, Swabhimaan Park	Horamavu, Kalkere
Date	12th October 2025	26th October 2025
Drop-Off Contributions	36 households	21 participants
Total waste  collected	500kg	350kg

Daan Utsav

Every October, India celebrates Daan Utsav – the Festival of Giving, a nationwide movement that inspires individuals and organizations to give back to society in meaningful ways. This year, Let’s Be The Change took part in the celebration by spreading awareness about sustainability and the joy of mindful giving.

An awareness stall was set up at M G Road, Bengaluru, one of the city’s most lively and engaging public spaces. The stall became a hub of interaction — where volunteers helped people understand the work and initiatives of LBTC, including waste segregation, upcycling, and sustainable lifestyle practices.

To make the experience more engaging, we organized fun games and interactive activities that helped visitors learn about sustainability in a light-hearted and memorable way. While participants enjoyed learning through play, our team also gained valuable insights from their perspectives and questions — creating a space for mutual learning and exchange of ideas.

Through this initiative, LBTC aimed to remind everyone that giving doesn’t always mean donating money — it can also mean sharing knowledge, time, and effort toward building a cleaner, greener planet. 

Cloth Collection Drive

We organized a cloth collection and awareness drive at the Himalaya Wellness Campus on 16th October. The initiative aimed to promote sustainable textile management, responsible disposal, and the value of upcycling in everyday life.

The drive saw enthusiastic participation from employees and staff, with:

• 11 participants contributing through drop-offs,

• 11 visitors supporting the Upcycled Product Store by purchasing sustainable items, and

• 50+ individuals engaging at the Awareness Stall to learn about textile waste reduction and circular living.

A total of 30 kilograms of waste was collected during the event, all of which will be sorted and repurposed into new, functional upcycled products.

The event not only encouraged employees to take simple steps toward sustainability but also strengthened LBTC’s vision of creating a culture of environmental responsibility within corporate communities.

Namma Swachha Adugodi (NSA) 

Under the Namma Swachha Adugodi (NSA) initiative, Let’s Be The Change and Saahas continued its efforts to build stronger and cleaner communities through a mix of awareness, action, and behaviour change programs in the Adugodi area.

This month’s activities included:

• Evening Awareness Sessions – Conducted across multiple blocks, these interactive sessions engaged residents in discussions about proper waste segregation, reduction of plastic liner use, and the importance of community bins. The evening format helped reach a wider audience, especially working individuals and families. A total of 4 sessions was conducted at 3rd Block, 10th Block, 11th Block and 12th Block on average 60+ participants in each Blocks.

  

  

  

• Repair Campaign – Promoting the message of “Don’t discard, repair and reuse,” the campaign encouraged residents to fix household items instead of throwing them away. This activity helped reinforce the principles of a circular economy, showing how small changes can collectively reduce waste. This month we conducted this at 3rd Block and got the participaction in total 211 and same divided as listed below:

  • Tailor: 55

  • Knife Sharpner: 104

  • Bicycle: 52

    

    

    

• Capacity Building sessions for Pourakarmikas - We conducted a capacity-building session for PKs on Basic Solid Waste Management, covering wet, dry, and hazardous waste, their challenges, and effective solutions. The session was engaging, informative, and well received by all participants.

  

  

  

• Menstrual Hygiene Sessions -  Sessions were successfully conducted in 4th, 5th, and 11th Block, with great participant response. A WhatsApp group has been created for follow-ups, support, and clarifying any doubts. A total of 36 attended sessions and menstrual cups were distributed to all.

  

  

  

• Waste Audit - A detailed waste audit was carried out to assess the quality of segregation and identify gaps in collection practices. The data gathered will help plan targeted interventions for better waste management at the household level.

  

  

  
  

Veeraru

Following last month’s engaging experiment on what decomposes and what doesn’t, our scheduled DIY home composting workshop had to be temporarily paused. The children were on Dussehra and Deepawali holidays, and after completing their exams, they also had additional vacation days. Since many of them were on leave, we decided to conduct the workshop next month to ensure full participation and an effective learning experience.

Erudition Time:

BBMP vs GBA

Bengaluru’s governance system is changing. Earlier, the BBMP handled most city services like waste management, roads, and maintenance. Now, with the creation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), many key responsibilities are being brought under one umbrella to make city management smoother.

The GBA aims to:

• Plan the city’s growth in a more organized way

• Coordinate better between different departments

• Improve service delivery across all areas

• Bring long-term solutions instead of temporary fixes

  
  

In simple terms, BBMP managed the day-to-day needs, while GBA is being set up to manage the city’s overall development and future, ensuring faster decisions, fewer delays, and better coordination.

This new system is meant to make Bengaluru cleaner, greener, and easier to manage for everyone.

What do you expect from the new GBA system?

• Better long-term planning
• Faster execution of works
• Less confusion between departments
• More transparency & accountability