August 20, 2020

A solid Covid shield blended with the Himalayan therapeutic values

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It is alarming! Millions of disposable masks we deployed against Covid-19 have run into the oceans, creating a situation when there are more masks than jellyfish in the seas.

Pristine waters that we loved to gaze for hours are now teeming with discarded trash that is ugly and stinking, threatening to destroy marine life, and later us.

Sure, the destruction of marine life was going on for decades, but the COVID era made it worse, beating back the hard-earned efforts of preservationists. Heavy usage of masks and PPEs (personal protective equipment) which were eventually dumped into the oceans and added to the tons of plastic already there, made it hell for marine life.

Here are a few bare facts staring us on the face:

  • 25 trillion pieces of debris are contaminating the ocean. As much as 269,000 tons of this mass is floating on the surface.
  • 15 to 2.41 million tons of junk is currently streaming into the oceans each year from rivers.
  • The mass of the trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), floating in the north-central Pacific Ocean, is estimated to be approximately 80,000 tons.
  • 570,000 tons of wreck flows into the Mediterranean annually. It amounts to dumping 33,800 bottles every minute into the ocean. …Read More

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Vishal Vivek is the Founder and CEO of Ukhi, a pioneering bio-materials company dedicated to ending plastic pollution by converting agricultural waste into high-performance compostable polymers. With a background in sustainable entrepreneurship and over a decade of technology experience, he leads Ukhi’s vision to create scalable, planet-positive material solutions. Previously, Vishal founded the Hemp Foundation, where he empowered more than 1,000 farmers and advanced sustainable livelihood initiatives. His work has been recognized through awards such as the HDFC Parivartan Grant and featured in leading publications like Forbes and Entrepreneur. Times Group recognized him as a legendary entrepreneur and published his biography in “I Did IT- Vol 2” alongside social pioneers like Bindeshwar Pathak (Sulabh International) and Anshu Gupta (Goonj). Vishal has authored more than 200 articles on sustainability and hemp, reflecting his deep expertise and advocacy for regenerative solutions. His commitment to grassroots impact led him to live in the remote mountains of Uttarakhand, where he immersed himself in the lives of marginal farmers, understanding their challenges and co-creating economic opportunities through hemp-based initiatives. A deeply passionate innovator, Vishal often draws inspiration from seemingly impossible achievements: “If Elon Musk can make rockets reusable, or Dashrath Manjhi can carve a path through a mountain with rudimentary tools, why can’t we eliminate the demon of single-use plastic while uplifting struggling farmers? We will make it happen—whatever it takes.” Ukhi is proud to be supported by premier institutions including IIT Guwahati, NSRCEL-IIM Bangalore, Indian School of Business (Hyderabad), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR Pusa), and the Indian Institute of Packaging. Vishal is committed to demonstrating that business can be a powerful catalyst for global environmental and social good. Connect with Vishal Vivek