When I look at my past, I observe a pattern in my relationship with the waste around me. The pattern of "willingness to learn and do something around waste". School days sowed the seed of questioning. questioning what is happening around me. The four walls of the class, the words in the textbook, the digital platform, the caring hand of my science teacher Chandra Pareek, and my inert interest to participate to go beyond words pushed me to design and deliver different projects in science exhibitions, I used to make projects like a chair to sit on using tires, a center table by beautifying tires, and a Chandelier from plastic bottles. Upon graduation, a start-up based in Bangalore, called Reimagined, which reuses textile waste to make bags, supported my learning to explore the market of recycled waste products. During my M.A. in education, I made an e-waste painting for the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS, Mumbai) from the waste of a campus. After my master's, while working as an assistant researcher and a consultant in different projects of my center, the Center for Excellence in Teacher Education (CETE), TISS, Mumbai, in the year 2021-22, while working from home, from Raigarh city, Chhattisgarh. Which is a medium-sized city, has 2-2.5 lakh. I found the necessity to investigate the cause of death of a pond close to my house. Unfortunately, informed people are not finding the necessity to change, to talk, or prioritize nature. It is alarming and concerning to hear and see the slow environmental degradation in Raigarh, particularly the loss of ponds, due to other human activities such as throwing plastic waste in the water bodies. There is no mind, no voice, no support for actions, voices in favor of the nature of the city. With the help of the tailored program "I and my Waste program," I am sharing perspectives, data, and untold stories of waste around to change the perspective of the community towards their waste.

This full stop at the end does not mark the end. Rather, it is a beginning to learn, relearn, unlearn, share, and move close to nature. As Paulo Freire said, "he is always in the beginning".

"I am on a beautiful journey now on this beautiful planet, will I come back? I don't know. what I know, I have today and I have a choice of what to do with today."

Shalini

1st illustration was designed for a local newspaper in my city to highlight the situation of "budhimai talaab" (pond). It was not easy, did an online course and used the sketch, overall an amazing experience!

1st Workshop around "let's upcycle waste of our campus" for the faculty kids. It was full of laugh and activities around waste!

1st E-Waste Painting for my college -TISS MUMBAI! A big thanks to Professor Asha Banu!

1st National Conference- South Asian Social Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, TISS Mumbai.