AVNI – The Eco Club of Gargi College is dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and sustainable practices within the college community. With a vision to create a greener and more eco-conscious campus, the club actively engages students in initiatives that promote environmental ethics, sustainability, and responsibility.

As human progress continues to impact the planet, it becomes imperative to take collective action toward preserving our natural resources. AVNI serves as a platform for students who share a common passion for nature and are committed to driving positive change. Through innovative campaigns, interactive workshops, and hands-on activities, the club encourages students to adopt eco-friendly habits and contribute to a healthier environment.

From plantation drives to waste management initiatives, AVNI integrates environmental consciousness into everyday college life. By fostering a culture of sustainability, the club empowers students to be proactive environmental stewards, ensuring that every step taken today paves the way for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable tomorrow.

Join AVNI in its mission to protect and preserve our planet—because every small effort counts!

• President : Rajani Kumari : B.Com (Hons)
• Vice-President : Khushi Yadav : B.Com (Hons)
• General Secretary : Vanshika Kakkar : B.A. (Hons) Political Science
• Public Relation Head : Palak Goel : B.A. (Hons) Business Economics
• Event Coordinator : Harshita Mehendiratta : B.Com (Prog)
• Proctor : Mahak Khurana : B.A. (Hons) Political Science
• Social Media Head : Riya Kumari : B.Sc. (Hons) Zoology
• Social Media Co-Head : Shailja : B.Sc. (Hons) Microbiology

Vision of AVNI: Becoming Nature-Wise

#H.O.P.E. (Harmony On Planet Earth)

Activities conducted in 2023-24

1. TREE HUGGING
On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, Avni – The Eco Club organized a unique "Tree Hugging Challenge" to encourage members to express their love for nature. Participants were invited to embrace a tree, capture the moment, and share it on their social media handles. This initiative served as a reminder of the vital role trees play in sustaining life on Earth and fostered a deeper connection between volunteers and the environment.

2. ARAVALLI BIODIVERSITY PARK TRIP
The club organized an educational trip to the Aravalli Biodiversity Park, offering members a unique opportunity to connect with nature. The visit provided insights into the rich biodiversity of the Aravalli region, featuring diverse vegetation, a vibrant butterfly garden, an orchard, and a variety of medicinal plants. Home to numerous species of flora and fauna, the park served as a living classroom for students to explore and appreciate the ecological balance of their surroundings. The trip not only deepened students' understanding of environmental conservation but also reinforced the significance of protecting and preserving natural ecosystems.

3. ECO-BAITHAKs
As part of our commitment to fostering awareness and meaningful discussions, the sessions covered thought-provoking themes, including "The Contribution of Wildlife Tourism in Protecting Endangered Species," "Artificial Intelligence and the Environment," and "Should Everyone Turn Vegetarian?" These discussions encouraged participants to explore the intersection of technology, sustainability, and ethical living, sparking insightful conversations on pressing environmental issues.

4. BIRD WATCHING
Avni – The Eco Club organized a Birdwatching Session in the college premises, led by Abhishek Gulshah. This engaging activity provided members with the opportunity to observe, learn about, and understand the behaviour of various bird species in their natural habitat. Over the course of two sessions, participants identified nearly 40 different bird species, immersing themselves in the serene experience of watching and listening to birds in the early morning. The initiative aimed to foster appreciation for urban biodiversity and deepen the connection between students and nature.

5. NEW YEAR PLANTATION DRIVE
To kickstart 2024 on a sustainable note, Avni – The Eco Club collaborated with Kshitij to encourage members to contribute to the environment through a plantation drive. Participants were invited to plant a sapling, capture a picture with it, and commit to its care. Volunteers enthusiastically shared their plantation moments, which were later featured on Avni’s social media platforms. This initiative aimed to instil a sense of environmental responsibility and promote a greener future.

6. KNOW THE BEE
AVNI – The Eco Club organized an insightful workshop, "Know the Bee," to raise awareness about the vital role of bees in our ecosystem. Led by Mr. Rakesh Gupta, the session provided students with a unique opportunity to observe bees up close and learn about their life cycle, hive construction, and honey production. Participants also explored the impact of human interference on bee populations and the crucial role these pollinators play in sustaining biodiversity. A highlight of the workshop was the honey-tasting session, where attendees experienced the diverse flavours of different honey varieties.

7.  FIRELESS ZERO WASTE COOKING ACTIVITY
AVNI – The Eco Club organized a "Fireless Zero-Waste Cooking Activity" to promote awareness about food waste generated before cooking. Participants showcased their culinary creativity by preparing diverse dishes without using fire, emphasizing minimal waste generation and repurposing leftovers effectively. The evaluation criteria included flavour, waste produced, waste repurposed, and presentation. Contestants skilfully demonstrated that delicious meals can be prepared sustainably, reinforcing the importance of mindful cooking and waste reduction.

8. CLEANLINESS DRIVE
Following the successful completion of Zistatva – The Diwali Festival of Gargi College, Avni – The Eco Club organized a Cleanliness Drive within the college premises. The initiative aimed to foster a sense of responsibility among students towards maintaining a clean and sustainable environment. Over the course of an hour, volunteers diligently cleaned the venue, ensuring proper disposal of waste. This drive reinforced the importance of environmental consciousness and collective action in keeping our surroundings clean.

9. TALES OF TAILS

AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College in collaboration with the NGO Tales of Tailss organised a seminar on "Stray animals adoption awareness" to sensitize all of us regarding the importance of different living beings around us. The organisation was founded by Ms. Aura Bhandari, a person with a truly compassionate heart and the sole aim of saving these innocent creatures. As an NGO, it is dedicated to a timeless and unwavering mission: to promote the welfare and well-being of our animal friends, to be their voices in times of need, and to foster a deeper understanding of the bond that unites us with them.

10. BUS HAI TOH DELHI MAST HAI

AVNI: The Eco Club collaborated with the Greenpeace Foundation to conduct an awareness session titled, “ Bus Hai Toh Delhi Mast hai”. Greenpeace is a global environmental group, a non-profit NGO that uses non-violent creative action to pave the way towards a greener, more peaceful world, and to confront the systems that threaten our environment. The session was a part of the awareness campaign being run by the NGO to highlight the importance of public transport in general and women’s safety and inclusion.

11. ECO BRICKS

In order to utilize the unwanted plastic waste that is generated on a daily basis, AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College organized an eco-brick making activity titled, “Eco-bricking: Pack your plastic!”. Under this event, students were required to make eco-bricks using non-recyclable plastics within a period of one month. They were required to collect all the plastic waste which they produce within this period and fill bottles with these plastics. At the end of this time period, the bricks were to be submitted physically in the college.

12. RECYCLE TUESDAYS

In a major collaboration, QUASAR: The Physics Society, AVNI: The Eco Club and Student Council came together to tackle the problem of plastic waste management. A plastic waste donation activity was organised on the respective Tuesdays of 3 consecutive weeks. The students were urged to bring 250g or more of plastic wastes like containers, bottles, wrappers, etc. and submit it in the physics lab. The waste collected was taken further ahead for proper management and disposal.


13. GLOBAL ROTI DAY

In this world, which we share with a number of other beings, the onus to ensure that everyone is fed lies on us only. With this vision, AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College and various other organizations along with Vishalakshi Foundation, a social service NGO came together to walk for the cause of community service and shared responsibility. More than 80 dedicated individuals together celebrated Global Roti Day with a vision that no one stays hungry. The thoughtful walk began from Vidhan Sabha and concluded at the Faculty of Arts.

14. PASS IT ON

AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College in collaboration with the Gargi College Library organized a book donation and takeaway drive, titled, "Pass It On". The event basically dealt with two things. Firstly, one could donate any number of stationary and books they wanted and on the other hand, if they needed any of the books which were donated, they could take that as well. The drive basically aimed at helping out our students and in a way inculcating values of preserving and cherishing these treasures which are everybody’s best friends.

15. WORKSHOP ON YOUTH EMPOWERMENT TOWARDS CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

The members of AVNI attended a workshop on youth empowerment which was conducted as a collective endeavour of Haritma: The Environment Society of Hansraj College, Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN), European Union Resource Efficiency Initiative (EU-REI) and Centre for Global Affairs and Public Policy (CGAPP). The workshop was focused about the various environmental challenges that we are currently facing, the causes of crisis and pollution like fishing nets being discarded in the oceans, food wastage around us, the concept of expiry dates, how behavioural aspects act as resistance factors in change,etc.

16. YOUNG ENVIRONMENT AMBASSADORS

The Young Environment Ambassador Programme was organised by Let's Do It India Foundation in collaboration with the Delhi University Students Union at the India International Centre. The event started with a welcome note by Mr Akshat followed by other guest speakers. They emphasised on how we need to take action towards critical environmental issues urgently and the importance of fighting the prevailing crisis together as all the world is one place highlighting the strength of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

17. VASUNDHARA

The activity titled, “Vasundhara”, aimed to create greater awareness regarding the various “Climate Catastrophes”. The way human activities have led to the deterioration of environment and its resources, it becomes imperative that we know what all repercussions may occur if we don’t mend our ways. In this activity, the volunteers had the opportunity to showcase their traditional artworks in a way that others become aware of what awaits us if we keep damaging our environment. Only handmade artworks were allowed.

18. SERPENTS UNVEILED: UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD OF SNAKES

The Club came up with an innovative and insightful online session “Serpents Unveiled: Understanding the World of Snakes” to make us all aware of them and enhance our knowledge regarding these extraordinary creatures. The session was open to every college across India. The session was hosted by our distinguished panelist, Dr. Arvind Mishra, a renowned science fiction writer and science communicator and the founder secretary of the Indian Science Fiction Writers Association and Dr. Deep Narayan Pandey, Assistant Professor, Special Centre for Disaster Research, JNU.

19. PADLET POST

Continuing the celebrations of the Vanmahotsava Festival, AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College, conducted an activity titled, “Forests for Peace”. The students were required to create a padlet post which is like a digital canvas where one can create a single or multiple walls so that the user can post text, videos and images. Several students took part in the activity and presented their ideas in the form of pictures or comments. It was indeed a very creative activity which allowed our volunteers to explore new ways to express their love for the forests around us.

20. NATURE CLICKS

On the occasion of “International Day of Clear air for blue skies” the Club conducted an activity titled, “Nature Clicks”. The volunteers were asked to unveil their photography skills and capture the sky with their free spirit. The theme for this activity was, ”#TogetherForCleanAir”. Students were free to share either a single picture or a collage which reflected their spirit of dedicating themselves towards creating a pollution free environment so that we can actually witness the blue colour of the sky and finally getting to breathe in clear air.

21. MOODBOARD MAKING

On the occasion of World Oceans Day, AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College organised a Moodboard making activity to celebrate the same. The theme for the activity was: Your love for the oceans. A Moodboard is a type of ‘collage’, consisting of images, text, etc. used to convey a general idea or feeling. Here, the focus behind conducting this activity was to make our students aware by delving deep into the vastness of our oceans. Entries had to be made in digital form only and students made beautiful designs with their creativity and their love for these water bodies which are the homes to thousands of species.

22. GREEN STEPS

In order to tackle the stress building among students during the exam season, AVNI: The Eco Club of Gargi College organized a Nature-Walk Challenge:10,000 steps in 90 minutes. The participants were firstly asked to install Google Fit Apps on their phones in order to record their steps. After completion, they had to submit a screenshot of the steps completed. The aim of this activity was to encourage the participants to maintain their physical fitness and also delve deep into nature.

23. Deep A Wali

Diwali, the festival of lights, is widely celebrated throughout our nation. So, this Diwali, AVNI:The Eco Club gave a sustainable twist to the celebrations, called Deep_A_Wali. It involved a series of activities: Screen-Free Day: It has both health benefits as well as it tends to reduce our carbon footprint. DIY Decor: To promote recycling and upcycling of the waste materials around us. Eco-Friendly Rangoli making: To promote the use of organic and biodegradable items for the celebrations.  Scent making: To promote the eco-friendly aroma which could be easily manufactured by us.

 

24. DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS

AVNI:The Eco Club organised an online documentary screening on the occasion of International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste in order to make our volunteers aware of their actions. Throughout the screening, members continuously shared their insights and ideas that highlighted their commitment to the cause concerning reduction of food wastage and the various steps that can be taken for the same, and this was what made it a successful event.

Similarly, on the occasion of Hiroshima Day, observed every year on August 6, the club organized a documentary screening of “White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki” to remind all of us the horrifying impacts of the dropping of nuclear bombs on these two Japanese cities on August 6 and 9, 1945.

25. HACKATHON

The Central Pollution Control Board, organised an online brainstorming exercise for students called Ideation Hackathon on the topic, Waste to Wealth. The theme for the event was, “From Trash to Treasure: A Hackathon on innovative solutions for waste utilization” The aim for organising the event was to motivate the students to come up with innovative ideas for waste utilisation, process modifications and technical solutions to bring circularity in waste streams.

26. E- WASTE SEGREGATION

The Club placed a bin for the collection of E-waste that is generated by us since proper segregation of waste is very crucial for the later stage of disposal. It was available to all the members of the college where they could dump their E-wastes.

27. COLOURS OF NATURE: THROUGH YOUR LENS

On the occasion of the Holi, the festival of colours, AVNI: The Eco Club organised a photography activity. The volunteers were asked to capture the vibrant colours and the essence of nature amidst the festivities. Our environment is a beautiful amalgamation of a variety of colours. Hence, the objective for organising this activity was to bring our volunteers a step closer towards the beauty of the wonderful hues of our nature.