Hotels and restaurants are one of the major sources of waste generation, as they consume a considerable amount of resources. As we move towards green and sustainable strategies for waste disposal, recycling benefits not only the hotel industry but also the environment. It is crucial for the hotel industry to develop new and efficient ways of waste management, such as reducing waste generation and recycling useful waste.

To bring this agenda to practice, a strategic plan needs to be chalked out. Some of the strategies that can be employed are using supplies judiciously, quantification and characterization of waste, framework development of waste disposal, making a profit by composting waste, analyzing the kinetics of waste production to waste disposal, and careful planning of the menu, portion size control, and food safety guidelines.

Waste management is of significant concern in India, given the overpopulation of the country. Every day, about 6.2 million tonnes of wet and dry waste is produced. Despite the ban on single-use plastic in many states of India, people still use them, resulting in 0.1 million tonnes of plastic waste generated every day. These wastes are often dumped into drains, streets, and landfills. However, waste management can be tackled, and the government and private entities have implemented specific measures to handle the waste responsibly. One such initiative is providing free meals in exchange for plastic waste.

Indian cafes have come up with innovative ways to handle waste. For instance, Ambika’s Garbage Cafe in the city of Surat district of Chhattisgarh provides free meals to ragpickers in exchange for plastic waste. A similar initiative was launched in Odisha’s Koraput district, where a kilogram of plastic waste can fetch a person a five-rupee meal under the government’s Aahar scheme. In Gujarat’s Dahod district, a cafe offers free snacks and a cup of tea for every kilo and every half-a-kilogram of plastic, respectively, as part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Meerut’s Swachhta Waste to Food Cafe is a self-sustainable garbage cafe that provides free food to ragpickers. The cafe also helps manage other kinds of waste, such as household material waste such as toys, e-waste, and books, which are provided to slum kids, helping them get a better standard of living and education.

The Cardboard Cafe in the Bandra-Kurla complex uses cardboard as the raw material for all its furniture, light fixtures, and cutlery. The cafe, which promotes vegan food and eco-friendly recyclable material, was built in seven months using cutting-edge digital designs and fabrication tools.

Delhi’s Garbage Cafe initiative is aimed at making Delhi a plastic-free zone, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided in exchange for plastic. Similar initiatives were started in Bhubaneswar, which launched its own garbage cafe known as Aahaar centres, and the Municipal Corporation park named “Waste of Wonder” in the Najafgarh zone of South Delhi, which is entirely made of waste.

In conclusion, innovative waste management initiatives in Indian cafes not only help in reducing waste generation but also contribute to the betterment of society and the environment. By adopting sustainable waste management strategies, we can build a cleaner, healthier, and sustainable future.