MCC to promote ‘green weddings’

The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has mooted ‘Green Weddings’ in view of bringing a behaviourial change among the youth and their families to promote eco-friendly practices and to reduce the generation of garbage.

Addressing a media conference, here, on Thursday, in the wake of Mysuru getting the ‘third cleanest city’ tag, MCC Commissioner C T Shilpa Nag said that a Bengaluru-based expert, Shyamala Sathish, would be a consultant and the whole MCC machinery, including corporators, officials and staff, would guide and help the families to conduct ‘green weddings’. “Those interested can start calling the MCC helpline: 0821-2418800 for assistance. A link will be provided to the ‘green wedding’ concept on the MCC’s portal shortly. If all aspects of the particular wedding matches the guidelines, a ‘Green Wedding’ certificate will be issued to the couple,” she said.

The commissioner said, each wedding generates a minimum of 150 tonnes of waste. “Right from the printing of physical invitations, travel for distribution of wedding cards, decoration, rituals, serving of food, gifts by guests and left-overs, a lot of garbage is generated, besides creating carbon footprint. The use of plastics in all process of a marriage can be avoided. The hosts can send invites to guests digitally, avoiding printing of paper cards and also travel. Even if cards are printed, recycled paper can be used. Disposable items such as cups and bottles can be avoided. Left-over food can be composted,” she said.

Stress on apartments

Shilpa Nag said that there are 140 apartment complexes that produce more than 100 kg of waste every day, under MCC limits. “Some of them already have on-site composting units. A deadline will be issued to the rest to treat their garbage. If they do not comply, action will be initiated against them,” she said.

Green shops

Another initiative of the MCC to recycle waste and to reduce generation of waste is the promotion of ‘Green Shops’. The commissioner said, “Plastic bottle compressor units would be placed at public places. Thus, compressed bottles can be made into plastic pellets, which can be turned into various products like textile fabrics.”