From saving the environment through an online survey to a smart water ATM that dispenses water, these are the top social stories of the week
There were some brilliant ideas and people we featured this week that help us vote, save the environment, and be inspired. Let’s take a look.
Several apps are assisting people to cast their vote this election season.
Mobile applications, that will help you cast your vote
India recorded its highest voter turnout of 66 percent in 2014. This is indeed a matter of concern. According to the Election Commission of India, more than 200 million eligible voters didn’t cast their votes. Having said that, in a first-of-its-kind initiative by the Election Commission (EC), Army troops deployed along the LoC and Siachen were asked to download ballot papers, vote, and post them to their respective electoral returning officers. This initiative is in line with the EC’s motto and mission of "no voter to be left behind". Here are a few apps that are making sure that you can cast your vote.
Shyam Saran Negi | Source: NDTV
102 and counting, this man has voted every election
While many first-time voters might think of taking a day off or show no interest in casting their vote, Shyam Saran Negi, a 102-year-old voter is indeed an inspiration to all. Hailing from Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Shyam has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) campaign by the Election Commission of India. Shyam is also known to be the first person who cast his vote in India’s first independent general elections in 1951.
People queue up at the water ATMs set up by Pi-Lo
This couple is helping people beat the heat for free with its smart water ATMs
Since its inception in 2015, Pi-Lo has so far installed 141 water ATMs in the Delhi-NCR region and places like Ayodhya, Agra, Vrindavan, Barsana, Fatehpur Sikri, and Prayagraj. Pi-Lo founded by Jatin Ahlawat and Dinesh Goyal has set out on a mission to provide free and safe drinking water to as many people as possible and reduce the usage of plastic water bottles while at it. For this, the NGO has installed solar powered water ATMs in various parts of India to dispense free purified water.
Representational image | Source: Tree Plant for me
These kids planted an entire forest in just one year
Students in a government school celebrated the anniversary of planting 5,500 trees on World Earth Day on its premises. The trees were planted as saplings a year ago by the students in their school located in Hennagara village of Karnataka. All the 80 different species of trees now stand at a height of about 10 feet.
Screenshot of the rePurpose web platform displaying the plastic footprint of an individual after completing the survey.
An online platform that tells you how much plastic you have used
It is estimated that a massive 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste are generated in India every day according to a report published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2017. This translates to a per capita consumption of 11 kilograms of plastic on an average. Only 60 percent of this waste is recycled. The rest of the plastic trash consisting of low-value components like multi-layered plastic or polyethylene is dumped in landfills and burnt because of the effort and cost involved in recycling them. In order to save the environment, online platform rePurpose is trying to reduce plastic waste at source. The team has built a web platform to help you understand how much plastic you have used through a three-minute interactive survey.
Also read: Celebrating inclusion, Indian elections and more: here are the top 5 social stories this week
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