Making India Green

: A green consumer is an informed consumer, and in this era of globalisation, it is important to question our environmental priorities and consumption patterns, and the increasing tendency to prefer consumerist lifestyles over frugality and simplicity. Making India Green hopes to highlight the fact that contrary to assumptions, “green” choices are often more economical, both for the consumer and the environment. Making India Green is a new resource and information center aimed at providing Indian consumers with useful information, resources and practical advice that will help them make informed choices and promote more sustainable consumption patterns. It hopes to create informed and proactive consumers, whose lifestyle choices will help to promote greater environmental accountability in Indian industry, that will ultimately benefit both the Indian consumer and the environment. As a first step, in December 2000, Making India Green created an online resource center for green consumer issues; this includes a website where information is archived, and a newsletter through which it is dissemminated. MIG will create more awareness offline through publications and materials aimed at generating awareness of the impact of Indian consumer choices on the environment, and alternatives/solutions to these choices. MIG works with a handful of volunteers who have given their professional services to developing this resource center on a purely voluntary and non-remunerative basis. India Together readers can help by visiting the website and click-to-save page, voting in polls, joining MIG’s cyber-campaigns, and using its resources to become more aware as consumers and make changes in their lifestyle that will help the environment. Here is an example:

Water Rights in Rajasthan

• The facts behind the issue http://www.makingindiagreen.org/waterpetition.htm
• Sign the petition! [at Petitionsite.com] http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/564192748

Priya Shah September 2001