Don't WASTE Waste
How We Started
I come from a small town in Gujarat, a state known for its traders and merchants. I have been a part of my family business as I was growing and was nurtured in a household that discussed business over meals.
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Whenever I would visit the chemical or carpet factory, I could smell the toxic stench in the air as soon as I entered. That 'smell' has been one of the first memories I have of my visit to the factory.
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When I asked what the smell was, the factory workers took me to the production unit and showed me the waste that was collected. The smell and fumes came from there. I further enquired how this was disposed and they were clueless. It was too young, a child of 8 years, to understand what to do with that information. But in my high school we were learning to understand waste segregation, waste disposal and I was a part of many clean-ups. The initiative was a part of the 'Swacch Bharat Abhiyan' (Clean India Programme) where the Prime Minister, Honourable Shri Narendra Modi ji had advocated for a cleaner and greener India.
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I have had the great fortune of working on some truly inspiring projects while networking with many influential and creative individuals along the way. I learned the impact of waste if not managed properly. What the population does not see is how it affects our health, socio - economic conditions and our climate.
I felt it was my responsibility to not let this waste go waste and started the Don't WASTE waste initiative. In this initiative, I have advocated for waste management and oversee the waste management at 2 factories at Ahmedabad. I also advocate for this across other Large factories and spend my weekends sharing my learnings of waste management with factory owners and factory workers across India. The waste wasn't the only problem. There was a lack of awareness amongst the workers for safety protocol at the factory. There was physical danger as well as toxic fumes that they needed to be protected by. For this I have created a facial recognition instrument, that captures whether the person is wearing a helmet on his head and the appropriate face mask on his face before entering the factory. The facial module has been placed at the entry of the factory.
I believe in the power of working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. For more information about my experience, past projects, and current work portfolio, you can always connect with me at shaurya.goenka141@gmail.com
Participate in the Movement
Founder, Shaurya Goenka
Shaurya is a grade 12 student currently pursuing the ISC curriculum with an inclination toward Commerce and Economics. He represents his school and state in shooting and has a keen interest in entrepreneurial conferences. One might also spot him swimming or playing hockey around school. He wishes to further his knowledge in business management and finance in the near future. Shaurya has been part of the Doon School Model United Nations' secretariat since 9th grade and is proud to serve as the Deputy Secretary-General for this year’s conference. While the world is making efforts to reduce their waste load, let us also focus on the where the larger load of the waste comes from. Dedicate your time to waste management from small, medium or large factories. join the movement, we will be happy to involve and support you in this movement.
Other Projects
Past Experience
2021 - 2022
Family Businesses :
A Growth Study
As a teenager, I was always interested in understanding the workings of business and around me were industrialists who were running flourishing family businesses.
I realized there were many case studies on individual businesses but nothing substantial as consolidated data on family businesses. I decided to collect factual data to support my research and hence publish my own report which could help many others who shared an interest to understand family businesses.
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Images from the Factory
Wool from Waste Initiative
AI Facial Module for Factories
Shaurya created the Facial recognition module instrument for a carpet factory and a chemical dyes factory in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Factory workers health and safety gear is most important for making the workplace less hazardous and avoid accidents at the workplaces. The facial recognition system module performs AI Biometrics via a camera that will keep a constant check on the safety gears of the workers to avoid potential hazards. The device is currently installed at United Chemie Private Limited and Stalmec Engineering Private Limited
