Going green seems hard at first because it requires a fundamental change in consumer, behaviors and regimented habits from decades. But one step at a time towards sustainability can go a long way in contributing towards a greener community and healthy lifestyle.

Presenting 10 green living tips with ideas to get you started on your journey towards creating a positive environmental impact.

1. Avoid single-use plastic and disposables

Cut down on products that have use-and-throw plastic wrapping, including candies, colas, chips, and PET bottles of water. Replace disposable products with reusable ones, e.g. napkins with tissues, plastic bottles with refillable jars, glass/clay cups with styrofoam cups, small grocery pouches with bulk purchases, plastic bags with jute/cotton bags, ziplock bags with Tupperware containers, and more.

2. Save electricity

Install solar panels and smart meters to consume less electricity. Other measures to consider are:

  • turning off the power strip connected to electrical appliances 
  • using CFL instead of regular light bulbs
  • use natural light throughout the day
  • buy energy-efficient appliances
  • take the stairs as often as possible

3. Conserve water

Take shorter showers and install low-flow faucets and toilet fixtures. Water can also be conserved by:

  • Greywater reuse
  • Using washing machines/dishwashers when fully loaded
  • Using watering cans instead of the hose
  • Installing dual-flush toilets
  • Practicing rainwater harvesting
  • Use native plants while gardening

4. Watch what you eat

  • Instead of buying processed food and genetically modified items, go natural with organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs. 
  • Say no to junk food and sugary, oily snacks
  • Eat fresh food and avoid food leftovers unless perfectly preserved for nutrients to stay intact
  • Consume at least 400 grams of fruits/vegetables per day
  • Learn about/consume food sources rich in minerals and vitamins instead of food supplements.

5. Shop sensibly

Buy what you need, don’t unnecessarily hoard.

  • Buy items wrapped in recyclable paper/cardboard, cloth, jute, natural fabrics, or biodegradable materials like cornstarch, mushroom, peanut, seaweed, etc.
  • Should plastic packaged products be bought, check for recycling symbols at the back. 
  • Buy and sell second-hand items, used products
  • Bring your own bags
  • Reuse and repurpose everyday items

6. Reuse of daily stuff

Don’t throw away containers, clothes, curtains, jars, boxes, furniture if they can be repurposed to meet a new need or reused a couple of times more.

  • Reuse toilet roll holders to organize accessories drawers
  • Make cell phone holders and lamps from used plastic bottles
  • Make photo frames, wall organizers, and bookends from old furniture parts.

7. Burn less fuel

It’s unwise to waste petrol to get to work in different vehicles when you can carpool with friends, family or neighbors. 

  • Walk or take bicycles for short distances instead of taking cars and bikes
  • Invest in an electric car for the future instead of petrol and diesel vehicles
  • Take shared cab rides instead of solo rides

8. Move those muscles

Work out for at least 30 minutes a day or an hour every alternate day to stay healthy. 

  • Try power yoga instead of the gym
  • Try healthy eating instead of dieting
  • Take up adventure sports instead of regular weekend plans
  • Do fun activities like frisbee, soccer, martial arts, or join a dance class, Zumba, Parkour, etc.
  • Multi-task while finishing up an audiobook during your walks or chores
  • Walk on grounds/gardens with bare feet to be grounded by nature

9. Use zero-waste trackers and fitness apps

Your green living progress can be monitored and improved by the use of various tools and technologies. Explore options like:

  • Apps that monitor your daily steps/calorie intake, exercise routines, etc.
  • Fridge tracking apps that help you reduce food waste, alert expiration dates, etc.
  • Waste tracking and recycling apps
  • Apps to reduce plastic consumption
  • Apps that track carbon footprint

10. Be a sustainability champ overall

Try to spread awareness gently among people through leading by example, not preaching.

  1. Carry out individual and community-wide composting
  2. Set up rain barrels during monsoon
  3. Advocate and practice sustainable gardening and eliminate lawns
  4. Use compost, not chemical fertilizers
  5. Volunteer at environmental NGOs
  6. Form self-help groups to raise solid waste management compliance awareness
  7. Leverage social media groups and platforms to connect with other waste warriors
  8. Learn about sustainable architecture and use ideas in your own house/building (e.g. indoor plants, living walls, natural insulation, biomimicry, etc.)
  9. Eat at organic restaurants
  10. Host zero-waste events and parties
  11. Join city-wide/ regional/ municipality-based cleanliness drives
  12. Grow sustainable plants/herbs at the office
  13. Segregate waste in green, blue, red bins
  14. Practice the 12 principles of permaculture
  15. Educate children, adults, and housekeeping/service staff on reducing their carbon footprint

Birds, our feathery friends are extremely important for biodiversity and filled with natural intelligence and beauty. If you’re considering growing a terrace, balcony, or backyard garden, birds will add an animated splendor to the aesthetics. They consume insects, bugs, and weeds to facilitate your gardening efforts. They help with flower pollination and pest control naturally. Here’s our guide to attracting birds to your home in a safe and organic way.

1. Research the type of birds that flock your neighborhood

Scour the internet to find out birds common to your geographical area. Get information from bird-watching groups and forums. Download bird ID apps that are designed to give you information on local, exotic, and migratory birds specific to the Indian subcontinent. Merlin Bird ID is a good app, to begin with. You can also try using bird call apps but play short snippets on low volumes so as to not disturb anyone, including the birds.

2. Grow native plants

You must create an organic habitat to attract birds with native plants that are indigenous plants growing naturally in a particular region. They are adapted to the local climate and are a natural habitat for birds and local wildlife for shelter and safety. Native flowering plants also attract songbirds. Visit your local nursery to select a variety of plants to attract sunbirds too. Sunbirds like to suck nectar from flowers. Hibiscus, Hot Pokers, Erica are good choices if they’re native to your region. Or else any red and orange flowers are attractive to sunbirds. If you love songbirds, you can try daisies, marigold, juniper and berry plants should do the trick. However, make sure you pick a diverse variety of native plants with berries, seeds, fruits and flowers to attract different bird species.

3. Don’t manicure the garden

Birds recognise what is natural and what is artificial. They love dense foliage and the presence of worms, leaves, seeds, pollen, and nuts. If you keep your garden pristine, the birds will not have enough appeal to visit. However, you can clear certain areas of the garden to prevent decay and dirt. But not to the extent that it looks and feels too landscaped. However, do keep the area free of cats, hawks and rodents, and invasive plant growth.

4. Use tiered landscaping

Not everything should be at the same height and of the same design. Birds shouldn’t end up competing and fighting for space. Different species of birds have different nesting and feeding habits. So even if you have little space in your backyard or balcony, try different placements. Arrange a low shrub corridor/circle close to the floor and place medium length plants on the sides while keeping a bunch of taller plants and hanging pots branching out into the open. Rearrange the tiers as per the needs of the birds. Plant vertically and horizontally.

5. Provide them with sustenance all year round

Add a number of bird feeders, birdhouses, and birdbaths to your garden. Birds need three things, shelter, food, and water to visit regularly.

Platform or tray-style bird feeders are the most common, however, you can also mix it up with Hopper style or tube style feeders as different types of bird species are attracted to different types of feeders. Make sure you get a wooden, glass, or metal feeder which is squirrel/rat-proof, place it visibly, and clean it regularly. Depending on the type of birds you want to invite, fill them with birdseed, mixed nuts, mealworms, unsalted peanuts, millet, corn, bread, and kitchen scraps. But do not put junk food or processed food. Refill the feeders and maintain the food supply even during winters as they’re likely to visit in the cold season for an easy supply of food.

Water is a must for attracting all birds. Birds who may not be interested in food may be attracted to bird baths especially during summer and spring. Ensure the water is fresh and clean. Birds love preening, splashing around in water apart from drinking it as well.

You can also consider installing birdhouses or nesting boxes for cavity-nesting species.

6. Don’t use chemicals

Using chemical pesticides and fertilizers to grow your garden isn’t the best approach for providing natural surroundings to the birds. Instead use natural compost, plant-based herbicides, and homemade garden fertilizer to make a healthy ecosystem for plants as well as birds.

7. Keep the birds away from windows

Bird mortality is largely increased due to birds flying into the windows. Birds don’t have the ability to differentiate between the glass reflection and the real thing. Use insect screens, fabric shutters, tape strips, tempera paint, nets, or any material over the window that will eliminate reflection and cushion a bird’s fall in case it collides with the window. You can also try zen curtains which are also known as Bird Savers.

Although it would be wise to attract the right quantity of birds. If you overdo everything and use excessive techniques, too many birds will flock to your garden and create havoc with bird droppings and jostling. Appropriate bird netting, decoys, and scarers can be used to regulate bird visits.

As per the new mandate from TRAI custom SMSs cannot be sent from 01 Feb 2021. This rule from TRAI prohibits us to support bulk SMS on platforms such as MyGate. Please note, all other features will function normally.

Click here to read TRAI’s Guidelines.

FAQs


1. What does this mean?
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated that from 01 Feb no custom SMSs can be sent. Due to this, MyGate is not able to support sending of group SMSes via our Group SMS feature.

2. What features are impacted by these regulations?
MyGate’s Group SMS feature that was used by admins to send custom SMSs to residents will no longer be supported.

3. What other MyGate features does this impact?
No other MyGate features are impacted by this.

4. Will MyGate send SMSs for other modules like OTP for login, invoice generation, Helpdesk assignment, dues reminder, etc?
Yes, all other SMSes will continue to be generated and sent. Only the Group SMS feature will be impacted.

MyGate

Satyanarayana Enclave is an 18-year-old society in Hyderabad with 240 units. Until October 2018, the society relied entirely on manual  processes for maintenance collection. Security guards went door to door with bills and the committee needed to put a lot of effort into collecting maintenance. Even after all this, on-time payments were under 50%. Moreover, this effort prevented the committee from spending time on more rewarding tasks, such as ways to lower their high maintenance charges.

How the society turned its situation around

In October 2018, the society shifted to digital processes, which made their work easier and freed them up to try out new things. Here’s what they did:

Hybrid billing

Prior to 2018, each type of unit (1/2/3 BHK, duplex homes and penthouses) paid maintenance according to the unit size of the apartment, and sometimes, for amenities they were not using at all. Once a hybrid model was adopted, flats are charged maintenance for some items based on the flat area and, for others, on a fixed basis. Security and housekeeping expenses, for  example, are now shared equally.

Slot booking

To lower bills, the society dropped clubhouse charges from the maintenance structure and instead began charging for amenities based on usage, says Mr. Lokesh Yellapu, General Secretary, Satyanarayana Enclave.

Calculation logic in the hybrid billing approach

Itemised billing

Formerly, money was collected under a few heads and residents wouldn’t know how it was being used. In the interest of better communication and transparency, the society now provides detailed, itemised monthly bills to communicate exactly why money is being collected.

Sample bill for Satyanarayana Enclave

Planning for contingencies

A 10% contingency fee is charged on the maintenance amount so that any emergency repairs can be completed quickly. Any extra expenditure is charged in 2-3 instalments.

Partnering with residents

Over the past two years, a few sub-committees of residents were set up to help the RWA in its work. These are constituted of experts in different fields and include:

  • Vendor management panel: Residents who are experienced at research and comparative analysis of different vendors and the types of services they provide
  • Negotiation panel: A team with superior negotiation skills to get the best deals from vendors
  • Tech panel: Technology enthusiasts and professionals who are involved in digital adoption and transformation

Impact of Satyanarayana Enclave’s efforts

All of these initiatives together, over the past 2 years, have kept the 18-year-old society looking as good as new, at a cost that is not burdensome to residents.

 

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    Any seasoned real estate agent or a property dealer knows that selling a home is often a longer and more complicated affair than buying a home where various factors decide the profit-loss equation. Location, condition of the property, market, transportation, among others. But what are the right signs to sell your home? Let’s find out.

    1. When you’re emotionally ready

    The time when you believe you have enough savings, investment, and equity tucked away neatly and have a strong, consistent and adequate source of income, you just might be ready to sell your home to look for greener pastures. It also makes sense to clear off any impending debts/loans/ credit card bills to keep your credit ratings high. You might also have to decide whether to hire a professional real estate agent and consider their commission. Your planning should be meticulous so that selling the house should not affect your financial situation negatively.

    2. When you have a concrete future plan

    Once the house is sold, you’d need to move to another property. Some sellers do a near-simultaneous transaction, selling the old and buying a new home, while some take the advantage of a good deal and move to a rented space temporarily after the sale. Either way, you’d have to figure out definitive next steps as well as plan for moving arrangements. Additionally, you’d have to set aside time and money to spruce up, furnish or decorate the new home. You might have to declutter, get rid of old furniture and appliances, and enlist professional help, like movers and packers, real estate agents, online portals, etc., to plan the shift.

    3. When your property has something to offer

    You must first evaluate the value of your property and see where it stands with respect to similar ones in the neighborhood. You’ll have to keep your property in the best of condition, spread word of mouth, market your home on different platforms, and list agents to help push the sale. You’ll have to factor in the reasons that your house may not appeal to buyers, e.g. open landfills nearby, illegal slums, distance from public transportation, age of the building, etc., and figure out possible workarounds and solutions. 

    4. When you’re truly ready for an upgrade/downsizing

    If you’re expecting a life-changing event, such as weddings, the birth of a child, or general cohabitation, you’d need to expand. If you’re dissatisfied with single units and want to move to a bustling gated community with multi-family values, or conversely, if you’ve had a bigger space and want to retire to a smaller residence, need to sell to reduce commute hours or any other pressing need, you can consider selling your current residence. Use home appreciation calculators to check the market value and consult the RBI House Price Index.

    5. When you’re compliant with home loan policies

    You should have generated enough personal equity. If the current property that you’re wanting to sell is purchased on a loan, you’d have to check the legal requirements for selling the house, for instance, some lenders may apply a penalty for selling the house before five years. Besides, there may be extensive paperwork, NOC, and other legalities to prepare for.

    6. When you’ve researched local markets

    Look for telltale signs of a good or an unfavorable sale in your own area. For instance, did the neighbor’s house sell at a price lower and higher than your asking price, if so, why? Visit nearby properties on sale and get a pulse on what the buyers are currently looking for. It may not be the wisest idea to wait till the market is peaking as per your expectations. Consult a real estate agent for the best strategy, as home appreciation rates may not always be high and could be unlikely to go high in the future. It’s also not pragmatic to sell at a lower price out of fear. The trick is to gather expert opinions from professional sources, forums, and listings while focusing on local market movements. 

    7. Bonus reason a marketable property

    If you know you could get way more than the purchase price of your home owing to an attractive community built features and added amenities like in-house waste management facility, state of the art clubhouse/fitness centre, you’d have more to lure in the buyers. One such asset that adds tremendous value is MyGate, the leading gated community app in India that provides end-to-end communication, payments, and security for gated communities. Buyers can be made aware of benefits like:

    1. passcode-based gatekeeping
    2. digital payments through multiple gateways
    3. safe package delivery
    4. online amenities booking
    5. domestic help tracking
    6. discounted services at home (groceries, medicine, etc.)
    7. virtual noticeboard
    8. automatic maintenance billing with reminders
    9. child safety measures…..to name a few.

    Selling a house can be a challenging and exhausting process mentally and emotionally. It has to be made easier by combining thorough research, careful planning, and evidence-based decisions. 

    Your house rent is probably one of the biggest spends you make in a month. You may not have the liberty to skip paying the amount since it’s essential to make timely rent payments. This is why Mygate has introduced RentPay on the app. You can now pay your house rent via credit card on a monthly basis and get exciting credit card rewards!

    Why pay your rent using Mygate?

    Earn exciting credit card rewards Free up cash and get a 45 to 60-day interest-free credit period Enjoy the lowest transaction charges on payments via credit cards Make UPI payments at INR 4 transaction cost Set reminders so you never miss a due date Manage all your household payments in one place Download rent receipts to claim maximum HRA tax benefits

    Here’s how you can get started….

    1. Click on the Rent Payment widget on the app

    2. Click on ‘Pay Rent’

    3. Add the Landlord’s name, the property address, the Landlord’s Bank account details and click on ‘Next’

    4. Add a note, enter the amount that has to be paid. You can check ‘Payment reminder’ and edit the date. Click on ‘Proceed to Payment’

    5. Select the payment mode and click on ‘Pay now’
    – For UPI, enter the UPI ID 
    – For Debit/Credit Card, enter the card details

    6. View the payment status and download the receipt

    For more details please contact your management committee.