The students of SIBM Pune from MBA and MBA (Innovation & Entrepreneurship) programs got an opportunity to celebrate the spirit of World Environment Day on the 5th of June 2019 during their two-day Outbound Training Camp held in the lap of nature. Various activities were conducted in which students were encouraged to engage with the natural surroundings and respect the environment. Over 285 students participated in several tasks.

Day 1

Awareness Session : This session was organized with an objective of inviting students to share their ideas and experiences related to green initiatives. It was awe-inspiring to hear the story of one of the Innovation and Entrepreneur batch students, Narendra Rahul, whoshared the sotry of how he made it possible to grow saplings/crops without soil, using smartphones. A concoction of hydroponic techniques as well as IoT together generated the masterpiece. An array of such tools ingrained the students with curiosity to contribute for making the air cleaner. It was clearly a vision that empowered and encouraged pollution-free earth. Following this, a representative from each group was invited to share his/ her thoughts on what s/he, as an informed member of society, can do to conserve the surroundings. Students shared impressive ideas such as replacing shower with a bucket of water for bathing, replacing single use plastic with durable materials, limiting driving by carpooling and using public transportation, remembering to turn off lights, computers, and electric appliances when not in use, and many more.

Pledge to Save the Environment: The students then took a collective pledge to do their bit for the environment like planting saplings, restricting the use of chemicals, or cleaning up after ourselves. A group of students immediately volunteered to pick up trash that had been strewn around and dispose it efficiently - thus setting a great example for everyone to follow. With innovation in mind and conviction in spirit, the students pledged to contribute to a greener environment.

Day 2

Nature Walk: The day began at 6:30 am for a trek up a nearby hill. Students were divided into teams for this activity. It was a picturesque walk. Students found it refreshing to be with pristine nature. Everyone was encouraged to be silent and enjoy the sounds of birds and the views around them. This inculcated a first-hand experience of appreciating the beauty of Mother Nature. With a lot of modernisation and the hustle-bustle of the city life, students shared that they had not experienced such calmness before. This trek made them realise the benefits of the rich bounty that the natural surroundings could offer.

Pledge: A second pledge followed for protecting the environment with every bit of their actions.

The two-day camp ended with everyone feeling a little bit closer to nature - a little bit more aware and informed. It was a truly insightful experience that left every student with renewed energy to do their bit for the environment, and encourage others to do the same.