She has wowed people with her innovation and has been commended by the government for her innovative work. Arunjyoti Lokhanday, a resident of the south Indian state of Telangana has come up with a creative solution to make use of kitchen wet waste and created an innovative product, seed paper napkins, in the bargain.
Many households separate the wet kitchen waste to make compost, collecting food and vegetable waste in a bin. While many use the compost in their garden, Arunjyoti used the waste to transform it into an innovative product. She has created a new product out of it, seed paper napkins. While the seed paper napkins are not as durable as regular paper, the sheet can be stored and just planted. The embedded seeds grow into regular plants when planted and are nourished by the compost in the napkins.
Innovation and creativity have always been second nature to her. From her childhood, she has been involved in crafts and arts. Her mother instilled these qualities in her. She taught her to make earthen stoves for cooking in her house. She learned to make them when she was merely 7.
With age, she picked up various crafts and learned embroidery and the art of paper-mâché. She learned to mold various shapes using the technique.
Arunjyoti has also specialized in designing costumes and has acquired a diploma in it. She also runs a cloth store with help from her husband. She also conducts regular workshops at art galleries and educational institutions, conducting free classes for disadvantaged children.
Seed Paper Napkins Can Be Set Aside And Planted At Will
She says that she used to use the wet waste in a container to make compost. But they gave off a foul smell when they decomposed. She then decided to ground the waste and make napkins out of it.
She originally planned to crush them and spread them evenly to make rectangular sheets. She shaped them and set them out to dry. After the initial attempt failed, she added okra tips, usually discarded while cooking. This gave the seed paper napkins the required tensile strength.
Read: India’s Young Environmental Hero Produces Vegetable Paper From Waste
She experimented with various seeds and has presented the seed paper napkins to her friends. They can be planted wherever desired.
