Relocalization as a Climate Solution

Sustainability is often about simplicity (and locality). Here is one of our recent installations, a good example from the outskirts of Bengaluru that shows how age-old practices can still power modern needs — literally. On a serene Ramakrishna Ashrama campus housing about 40 students, the daily demand for cooking gas is significant. At the same time, the Ashram generates organic waste from its kitchen and maintains a Goshala (cow shelter), offering a steady supply of cow dung. Rather than letting this potential go to waste, the Ashram has taken a decentralized and circular approach to energy and waste management — by installing a Fixed Dome Biogas Plant on-site. Unlike smaller floating dome types suited for individual households, fixed dome biogas systems are ideal for handling larger organic feed. Though slightly detail oriented to construct, they are highly efficient and built for scale. Here’s how it works: Cow dung is mixed with kitchen waste (like vegetable scraps and fruit peels) and water. The mix is fed into the underground biogas digester. Through anaerobic digestion, methane gas is produced — directly piped to the kitchen for cooking. What remains is a nutrient-rich liquid slurry — used as organic fertilizer on the Ashram’s farmland, completing the nutrient cycle. This system has created a self-sustaining loop of energy and nutrition, right within the campus. minimum or no cylinders. No transport. No fossil fuels. Just clean energy generated meters away from where it’s used. This is decarbonization through decentralization — an energy solution rooted in local resources and traditional wisdom. It’s also a reminder that climate solutions don’t always need fancy tech or big capital. Sometimes, it’s about reconnecting with simple, efficient, regenerative systems — and acting on them. Sustainability doesn’t always need scale. It needs intent, action, and common sense. #Biogas #Decentralization #Sustainability #ClimateAction #CircularEconomy #Decarbonization #AshramLife #OrganicFarming #WasteToEnergy #SustainableLiving #RuralInnovation #Bengaluru #EnergyIndependence #SimplicityInSustainability

A few days ago, I shared a simple truth during a speech: we won’t solve the climate crisis without cities. They generate over 70% of global CO₂ — but also over 80% of GDP. They are both ground zero for risk and the strongest hubs of opportunity. 🧩 The best solutions are already emerging from the local level: — Mexico City cut energy use 50% by switching to LED streetlights — saving $8M/year and slashing emissions. — Bogotá’s bus rapid transit reduced emissions 40% and improved job access for low-income communities. — Chennai restored wetlands to curb flooding and improve water access for 100,000+ residents. These are not side benefits — they’re climate and development wins by design. To scale this, we must localize: empower cities with finance, tools, and mandates. Let solutions grow from the ground up. 📸 : Chennai's Wetlands by The Nature Conservancy, 2021 #ClimateAction #UrbanLeadership #SustainableCities #SDGsynergies #Resilience #IPCC #DianaUrgeVorsatz

#UnpopularOpinion I trained in Carnatic music for over a decade. Listened to Gamaka, Sugama Sangeetha, verses of Bendre, Kuvempu pieces of poetry that carry the scent of soil, season, and story. Growing up in Karnataka, I absorbed a form of cultural literacy not found on resumes. One that taught me how food, language, and climate morph every 200 km. How festivals shift with districts. How rangoli patterns differ from village to village. But over time, I noticed something quietly unsettling. As I stepped into high-performance workspaces, I felt this richness quietly eroding. “Professionalism” began to mean sameness. “Best practice” began to mean borrowed. “Diversity” became a checkbox often global, rarely local. And that’s when it hit me. This isn’t just a cultural problem. It’s a strategic one. As a climate strategist today, I see how solutions meant for Indian communities often forget what makes India resilient: local wisdom, place-based rhythm, regional nuance. What we call traditional is often climate-smart. Ex: Channapatna’s lac-based toys are biodegradable, low-carbon, and artisan-led. What we call vernacular is deeply sustainable. Ex: Togalugari mane (mud homes) in North Karnataka regulate temperature naturally far before “passive cooling” became a climate buzzword. What we call regional is often system-aware, and centuries-tested. Ex: Tank irrigation systems in Mysore region, community-managed water governance long before SDG 6 was a thing. If we want India to lead climate solutions for the Global South, we must stop flattening what makes us unique. Not just in how we design projects. But in how we think, hire, and lead. Let’s not lose our regional intelligence in the race to appear “global.” Lead not by erasing difference, but by building from it. #DecolonisingClimate #ClimateIntelligence #SouthAsianWisdom #AuthenticityAtWork #KarnatakaVoices #LocalIsStrategic