About This Episode
Garvita Gulhati is an Ashoka Young Changemaker and founder of the ‘Why Waste?’ campaign. She has lived up to her own quote for life that change starts alone, but happens together, dedicating the prime of her youth to causes that bring people together to make the world a better place for future generations.
Having started ‘Why Waste?’ at just 15 years old with the aim of tackling global resource waste, at 22, Garvita is showing no signs of slowing down. She was awarded the ‘Young Social Changemaker of The Year 2021’ and is continuing to build communities and projects focussed on creating systemic change for the better.
Garvita Gulhati, Founder, Why Waste?
In 2015, Garvita learned that 14 million liters of water is wasted every year at restaurant tables. Moved, she started Why Waste? From struggling to be taken seriously by restaurateurs, she and her team of ‘waterpreneurs’ have reached out to over 500,000 restaurants across India, prevented over 10 million liters of water from being wasted, and impacted over 6 million lives. The idea continues to grow today with chapters in eight countries.
Called the “Water Girl of India” by CNN and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, she used the slowdown during the pandemic to make a ‘Why Waste App’ that calculates an individual’s daily water footprint and helps save at least 100 liters of water every day. Most recently the team published “The Sustainability Stories”, a for youth, by youth collection of 13 new-age fables that talk about environmental issues and inspire children to be the change.
