Shortcast over Coffee

Trash Talk : Reinventing Composting and Zero Waste with Vani Murthy aka wormrani

Sep 29, 2023

57:33

Today we have a very special guest who is inspiring thousands across India to rethink how we manage waste. My guest is none other than Vani Murthy, aka "Worm Rani." On Instagram. Vani's unlikely journey from homemaker to an environmentalist began a decade ago. While visiting the massive landfill on the outskirts of Bangalore, she was moved by the millions of tons of rotting garbage. Vani vowed never to let her household waste end up in the landfill again. Through tireless trial and error, she mastered the art of composting at home using simple bins. Vani recognized that wet organic waste makes up the bulk of what we throw away. But left to fester in landfills, it releases dangerous greenhouse gases and leachate that pollutes soil and water. As waste generators, she urges, we must take responsibility to compost kitchen scraps and avoid these harms. In her 40s, after living as a traditional homemaker, Vani stepped out of her comfort zone into community activism. She led campaigns on waste segregation and helped catalyze major policy changes in Bangalore. But it was through social media that Vani discovered her true calling to inspire young people. Under her handle "Worm Rani," Vani shares practical, good-humored videos on Instagram that have gained her over 200,000 followers. She says some 70% are under 30, the generation she hopes most to impact. With authenticity and excitement, Vani motivates young people to reduce plastic usage, make natural cleaners, take up gardening, and turn food waste into black gold through composting. In turn, Vani says she gains energy from the feedback loop with her young green-minded fans. She especially enjoys connecting with college students who are receptive to lifestyle changes. Her informal tone and use of classic rock songs also help Vani stand out from traditional lecturers. At 60 years old, Vani proves that social media holds power to catalyze change when used consciously. She is living proof that ordinary citizens can have an outsized impact by inspiring others.