OUR GREEN CAMPUS
Anuben was a strong propagator of being in sync with nature. She fostered the idea of living in harmony with the habitat to ensure that future generations are able to reap the benefits of what Mother Nature has to offer. Today, sustainable way of living is a way of life here at the Ashram that stands as a sprawling testament to our mother’s vision. We not only love nature and live amid it, but have also incorporated methods like organic farming, agro forestry, horticulture, animal husbandry, solar energy, and biogas generation as a means to fuel our strides in being self-sufficient in a sustainable manner. This also allows us to generate 90% of our needs in-house, including power and food. We have often been told that probably the only thing that we buy from the world outside our campus is salt! We also utilize excess foods especially perishable items to help the communities around us by providing them with such items at nominal rates.
Some of our efforts towards promoting the use of renewable energy are:
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We are the pioneers of India’s first-of-its-kind solar powered air-conditioning system of its kind in India.
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We use Drip Irrigation technique to conserve water.
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We have installed solar powered water heaters that supply hot water to our campus facilities.
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We built a 13KW solar power plant to meet the lighting and ventilation demands of the schools and hostels.
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Most of the streetlights at the Ashram are automatic, self-contained solar photovoltaic systems (with panels mounted on the light poles).
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Inter-cropping and crop rotation to revitalize the soil.
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No chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides are used on the farm.
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Water harvesting to maintain water table at its natural level.
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All biomass generated at the farm is used for producing vermi-compost, a very rich natural manure.
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The gas plant also converts waste from several kitchens into rich manure.
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Inter-cropping and crop rotation is practiced to revitalize the soil is done.
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Male calves are given to poor farmers in the vicinity at a nominal cost.
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We also conduct camps in surrounding villages for vaccination, treatment of gynecological disorders, and deworming of cattle, and organize conferences to extend scientific knowledge of animal husbandry to farmers.
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Cow urine, a rich source of nitrogen, is used in farming, and cow dung is used in renewable energy powerhouses.
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These biogas plants, in turn, fuel the ashram’s kitchens and vehicles.
