Auroville waste drive began with cycle rickshaw, now diverts 80% from landfills

 Launched in 1992, Auroville’s EcoService initiative started with two people collecting waste on a cycle rickshaw. Fast forward to today, an 11-member team organizes the collection and sorting of hundreds of kilograms of waste every day. The initiative encourages residents to categorize their waste for improved recycling, and it has engaged local women, referred to as Ammas, in a secondary segregation process. Launched in 1992, Auroville’s EcoService initiative started with two people collecting waste on a cycle rickshaw. Fast forward to today, an 11-member team organizes the collection and sorting of hundreds of kilograms of waste every day. The initiative encourages residents to categorize their waste for improved recycling, and it has engaged local women, referred to as Ammas, in a secondary segregation process.