Simplified 'Recycling of Paper' at home.

My primary idea of recycling the paper involves the techniques through which we can recycle trash paper much more efficiently and conveniently at home only.

Although, in today's life most of the recycling processes are being done at the industrial level which requires a lot of energy(physically as well as economically), but people nmight be amazed to hear this out that they can do it right at their homes!! l am delighted to present my solution to the problems regarding waste management especiallyfor trash paper using simple procedure involving following methods:

1. We can start by collecting waste
   paper monthly and shreding it into small pieces.
2. Then, we have to put it into tub
   containing comparable amount of water and add caustic soda/bleaching powder and Ilet it settle overnight.
3. After this, we will get pulp and then collect small amount of pulp evenly using a sieve.
4. Next step is just to firmly transfer it on a X-ray sheet and leave it under sunlight for 1 hour or less.
5. Now, we just need to dry it using a dryer until it is removable.
6. Finally, after drying and removing it, we easily get a fresh recycled paper.

I can proudly say that this
technique works perfectly
as i have experimented it
in one of the 'Science
Exhibitions' and have won
a couple of
accomplishments.

Basically, i am trying to
resolve one of the major
issue on earth that is
Waste Management.
Apart from this, my idea
of recycling also serves a
solution to problems like
trees cutting and the
loads of energy
consumption in industries
(which affects depleting
the earth's resources).

Though in some of the
regions of world, technological
advancements have
brought cell
phones/tablets/PC's in
people's hands(reducing
the use of paper), but in
most of remote areas
people still use paper for
their purposes. Similarly,
in my community the
extensive use of paper has made mountains of trash in localities. This is increasing at an alarming rate in nearby areas resulting in tons of other issues.

People who are homeless in my country suffers a lot due to these garbage. I think the factors contributing this problem are as follows:

1. Iliteracy of people in my village.
2. Ignorance of people towards government campaigns.
3. Lack of knowledge to the recycling process at home only.

As this issue increasing, it is causing several consequences. The major one is regarding health of people because the waste not only contaminates our earth's ecosystem but also our health systems. One way it causes choking of drainage systems and the other way it chokes the wandering animal's neck(when eaten by mistake). These are just Some of them but problem has bad affects on global level as well.

According to 'theworldcounts' paper waste comprises 26% of the total waste in landfills. Around 85 million tons of paper waste is produced per year.

With my solution, I believe that I am improving the lives of each person on this earth. The waste garbage is affecting each and every individual by giving rise to different diseases and viruses. My solution mostly targets those people who are homeless and lives near these landfills for the sake of livelihood.

According to Indian surveys, about 1.77 million people are homeless and are forced to live in these garbage dumps/slums. Their helplessness for food compel them for scrounging these dumps which causes health issues.

These people are forced to do something which a human is not supposed to do; because of their Iliteracy/lack of knowledge. Some regions in India like Seemapuri, Delhi are victims of such issues immensely. This is leading to bad impacts in small children also(who lives there). Lack of facilities has made their conditions even worse than we can expect.

As I am always taught about self-serving belief, I apply this towards such issues. Each day I see such people in my village and I think that if we need to resolve this problem, we need to take an initiative(at our homes). The people are suffered from garbage and our trash paper contribute to it; then why not just halve this problem by recycling papers at our homes every month? We can reduce the space in landfills upto 40% and it ultimately solves underserved people's problem and also reduces the chances of viruses which causes sudden pandemics.

When I was in my 10th grade, I participated in annual school science exhibition. That time I did a lot of research with help of my teachers/mentors and friends. In result I got to know about the leading issue of this waste management of paper and its consequences on common people of India as well as other countries. After this, I investigated for best and simple recycling of paper with my sister. I experimented a lot and finally reached the version of my recycling at home.

During that time, I integrated many people in my village and told them about the process. After showcasing my working project at school level I got a lot of appreciation from judges and won 1st prize. This boosted my confidence and then next year I got opportunity to show my project in an event in 'Universal Group of Colleges' at Landran, Mohali. There I again explained my idea to college students, teachers and judges and competed with students. Everyone was surprized to see the results of my working model. There again won 2nd prize.

Now, I am confident enough to present it as a solution for a positive impact at 'MIT Solve' programme. As I have mentioned earlier that I engaged many potential users for recycling and now I want to engage more people across world with help of Solve.

According to me, my solution is a concept and it needs to reach more people to combat the problems. I have experimented it in my village and yet the explored concept is limited to less population. In my point of view, this idea has a lot of feasibility to develop a sort of sustainable approach and a technique with which we can help uncountable sufferers across the globe. Just think that if we start this programme in each home and does recycling each month, then also we can protect lakhs of trees. I have mentioned previously that my project has accomplished several prizes and recognition. This innovation if developed will also save trees which are being cut for making paper. So, this advancement needs to be think over and should be implemented in future.

My solution is recycling of paper at home. With the help of existing modern technologies like solar dryers/sunlight energy and other chemical methods we can further speed up the process of drying and de-inking of waste paper respectively. Though recycling of paper itself helps in saving thousands of gallons of water, but we can also separate the left water after pulp with help of ultrafiltration, biological degradation, distillation and Zero Liquid Discharge systems.

I would like to mention that we should involve above mentioned methods at industrial level and also in 'Epson Paperlabs'(a very good initiative of Japan). I'll also suggest that we can use the best discovery of 'organic catalysts' at Princeton(which won nobel prize 2021 in chemistry) as an agent in speeding up de-inking method for heating in industries.

Moving further, the best technology which we can involve in the procedure at homes is solar dryers. Actually, we can built our own solar dryers very easily and this device can be used to dry the paper. Also we can use dish and bar soaps to de-ink the paper to great extent. Just we need to do is add small amount of caustic/baking soda to it in water.

Currently, I am joined to the village people. Those whom I know are connected with me to apply my solution in life. Next, I want to serve as much people as I can. This initiative is not just meant for rural people, it is for all the people in world because somehow everbody uses paper as primary tool. So, everybody should get to know about easy solution which they can perform at their homes only. As this is a convenient solution, people must try it for sustainability.

As we all know that tress as basic source of oxygen we breath. We cannot survive without them. Due to industrialization and urbanisation their count is decreasing continuously. So, with my solution I wish to bring a positive impact on people's life by recycling paper at home. I think if I can reach out more and more people and tell them how to do it; we can definitely help trees from being cut and contribute to decrease in deforestation.

Also, by doing so we can improve the quality of life of homeless people also. We desire to reduce the possibility of arising of new disease and viruses by managing waste at home only. We can help to reduce the space in landfills for other garbages also. Hence, by next year if we influenced more people with this solution we can bring a drastic change in waste management techniques and achieve something for the good of mankind and nature.

I think that my solution's  progress needs to be taken to next level and that is why I choose this platform. My solution's impact has already achived a good reputation in my village where a lot of people are willing to do this recycling at homes every month. In my opinion, 'Life on Land' will be the perfect indicator for my impact according to UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through this implementation we can achieve our utmost goals to make lives of humans as well as animals better. Reducing waste paper is one of my initiatives which has influenced people a lot. When I went to a university to showcase my working model, the teachers there were much surprized that they took my project in their lab to show it to their students and influence them also.

Lastly, I would say that whether I will be selected in Solv[ed] or not, but I think I would have presented my idea to MIT which will definitely take this idea for sustainable growth in nature.

In my point of view, certainly the main problem which I will face to accomplish my goals in next year is technical and financial problem. Though my solution's process is cost friendly but I desire to make it more efficient which would require funds. To reach out large population I think I must be giving them recycling kits(involving its equipments for the process).

Also to use the techniques at next level I might face cultural barriers. But, if I got selected in this programme I would be able to fulfill my wish to take this project to everyone's home. Apart from this, my solution will also be able to reach people at global level.

Starting with I am sharing my experience of giving my idea at school level. I actually participated in one of my school exhibitions in which some known chief guests had to decide who's the winner. I presented my working model in that workshop and I was able to impress the guests with recycled papers. When I got 1st prize in it, I got some confidence in my model. After that exhibition I was invited to one of the university near Mohali,Chandigarh. There an was organised named 'Avishkaar'. I was surprized to see how many college students had made different types of fascinating models. There also I showed my model with great enthusiasm and the judges there were impressed by my work and saw potential in me. There I won 2nd prize. After that exhibition pandemic came and due to lockdown I got involved in my studies for some time. Now, I am telling this procedure to as much people I encounter in my village and also searching how I can improve this process using more technology.

In this way, I have volunteered in my locality. Most of the people who have tried this technique are happy with it. Because they also think that they are improving sustainability and are part of it. I can see some desired results in my neighbourhood; as most of the paper is being recycled by people at their home only.

I haven't yet partnered with any organisation. I wish to partner with Solve[ed]. This is because it will certainly help me and my project to reach many people around the globe.

I do not think I am qualified for this prize.

As per my solution, it deals with the problem in every part of the world by simple and innovative methods. Moreover, it will help in completely alleviating the problem from nature. As I have explained earlier also that this technique is so simple that it can be performed at homes only, so in this way my solution is well deserved for this prize.

With the prize amount, I will start to donate the recycling equipments to those people who cannot afford it. In my opinion, this solution is a great innovation which needs to be implemented in every aspect of society. Also with the help of this prize I will also try to advance my procedure further using the technologies which I have discussed in previous sections of my application.