This RJ-turned-businessman’s juice corner in Bengaluru is promoting zero-waste and sustainability
Anand Raj’s juice corner in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, is setting an example by eliminating the use of single-use plastic glasses and promoting zero-waste practices.
Today, solid waste segregation is one of the biggest challenges faced by urban areas across the world.
Bengaluru alone produces nearly 3,000 to 5,000 tonnes of solid waste every day. The waste is mostly generated from households, hotels or small food stalls.
While segregating waste is important, only a handful of people are practising it. And setting an example on this front in Anand Raj, a Radio Jockey-turned-businessman in Malleswaram, Bengaluru.
The 45-year-old, who is running a juice shop, which is his family business, intends to make it zero-waste by reducing the quantity of waste it generates every day.
Anand Raj at extreme right (Image: Facebook)
Speaking to NDTV, he said,
“I just couldn’t throw the existing plastics in the shop into the dustbin. So, as an initial step, I decided to give all the plastic waste from the juice corner to Bengaluru’s Dry Waste Centre – they help in effective recycling.”
Anand says he also stopped selling packaged drinking water, which was also one of his main source of revenue. Instead, Anand chose to serve fresh fruit juices over carbonated drinks, and decided to use steel and mason jars instead of plastic glasses. In case a customer asks for a straw, they provide them with a steel straw.
Anand’s juice shop Eat Raja also serves homemade dishes, thanks to his mother who joined him in the business.
Speaking to NDTV, Anand said,
“I decided on the concept of ‘Eat Raja’, which means whatever you will get here will be homemade. I also saw how the business used to generate a lot of waste earlier – be it in terms of cups, straws, PET bottles and carry bags. When I took over, I decided to get rid of this legacy of waste, and that’s how our journey from being a humble juice shop to becoming Bengaluru’s first zero-waste juice corner took place.”
Apart from being a zero-waste juice shop, what makes it more unique is its eco-friendly packaging style. Speaking to New Indian Express, Anand said, “Earlier, we collected beer and Breezer bottles, and used the stem of the banana plant to cover the bottle to prevent the drink from spilling. We also serve juice in watermelon shells without a straw.”
Speaking about following sustainable practices, he said,
“While segregating waste, we put the citrus waste in one bin and the fruit waste in another. We make bio-enzymes out of the citrus waste, which is not only used to clean the steel straws but also to manufacture floor cleaners, PET washes, and detergents.”
Now, Anand makes and sells bio-enzymes for Rs 100 per litre in repurposed bottles.
Anand credits all this to Vani Murthy and Meenakshi Bharath, environmentalists and waste warriors, who taught him to successfully manage solid waste, and to make bio-enzymes.
The bio enzymes produced by Eat Raja juice corner (Image: Deccan Chronicle)
He has also avoided providing plastic carry bags and ensured customers BYOB — bring your own bag or cutlery for takeaway orders.
Now, to tackle the water crisis gripping the city, Anand has decided to serve juice in fruit shells. This will not only eliminate the need for water to clean the glasses, but will also help recycle the solid waste generated.
(Edited by Megha Reddy)
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