The slogan ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ is popular among green enthusiasts across the world. But, not many know how to go about the last two. The Green Technology Centre at Vadakara, the first-of-its-kind in the State, is where people could ways to reuse and recycle.
For instance, people often reuse broken refrigerators as wall shelves. But, the centre has gone a step further and converted them into sofas, lecterns and even beds.
“If you actually put your mind into it, there are any number of uses for things that we often consider as waste. The purpose of this centre is to identify those uses, implement them, and encourage the public to follow,” said Manalil Mohanan, coordinator of Hariyali Haritha Karma Sena in Vadakara, the force behind the centre and many such unique initiatives in this northern town of Kozhikode district.
The lectern made out of old refrigerators at the Green Technology Centre in Vadakara.
At the centre, is an LED television with a broken screen converted into a coffee table and tyres decked up as chairs.
There is a ‘Swap Shop’ under the centre where old clothes are repaired or upcycled to ensure maximum usage. “If they cannot be used again with slight repairs, we often make other products like children’s garments or floor mats out of them. The electrical equipment is also repaired and used as much as possible,” said Mr. Mohanan.
The centre encourages the public, especially students, to visit it and take home innovative ideas that could be replicated. An internship for college students is also in the pipeline.
The centre also offers water and soil testing facilities to the public. Several courses such as solar technician course, fashion technology, well recharging, budding, and layering are soon to be launched at the centre.
