India’s Unique Approach to Fighting Climate Change: “Wrinkles Achche Hai” Campaign

In a novel effort to combat global climate change, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India has started the “Wrinkles Achche Hai” campaign. This initiative encourages all CSIR staff, students, and employees at its 37 laboratories across the country to wear non-ironed clothes every Monday until May 15. The campaign highlights that ironing clothes generates 100-200 grams of CO2 per garment.

CSIR issued a notice explaining that ironing consumes much more power compared to other everyday actions, like using a light bulb. Specifically, an iron uses 800-1200 watts of power, which is 20-30 times more than a bulb. Since most of India’s electricity comes from coal, even a small reduction in ironing can decrease CO2 emissions significantly.

The campaign was influenced by the Energy Swaraj Foundation, led by Chetan Singh Solanki, a professor at IIT-Bombay. This foundation promotes “Mission Life,” a movement encouraging simple lifestyle changes to protect the environment.

Despite the positive intentions behind the campaign, it’s worth noting that CSIR and its partner, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), are involved in industries known for high levels of pollution. The irony is not lost that an institution connected with the leather industry, a major polluter, is promoting environmental sustainability.

CSIR, established in 1942 by Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, has been a pioneer in bringing together industry and scientific research in India. It has been instrumental in various scientific advancements, including the development of indelible ink used in elections.