At the TOI Ecopreneur Honours 2025 held in Delhi on Monday, the first panel of the evening ,The Power of the Citizen: Redefining Environmental Activism in the Digital Age, showcased two young changemakers leading by example in the fight against climate change.
Prachi Shevgaonkar, founder of Cool The Globe , and Malhar Kalambe, founder of Beach Please India, discussed how their grassroots movements have turned individual responsibility into large-scale environmental impact, using digital tools and community engagement as key drivers.
Malhar Kalambe, whose journey began with a simple beach clean-up, highlighted the power of hands-on experience in shaping environmental consciousness. “You can’t learn about the environment in a classroom,” he said. “What we try to do through our community is give young people — even kids as young as six — the opportunity to physically clean beaches and rivers. Only then do they understand how serious the problem really is.”
Over 800 clean-up drives later, his initiative has removed over 8 million kilograms of waste and engaged 4.5 lakh citizens.
Kalambe emphasised relatability and creativity on social media as essential tools in motivating youth. “We try to make beach clean-ups cool, something young people can relate to. A single social media post once brought in 6,000 volunteers.”
For Shevgaonkar, personal climate anxiety led to innovation. Her journey began with a self-imposed challenge to reduce her carbon footprint by 10%, leading to the creation of Cool The Globe, a mobile app that tracks carbon savings from everyday actions like public transport use or waste segregation.
“People often ask: what can one individual do?” she said. “When one lakh users from 150 countries came together, we saved over 7 million kilos of carbon emissions. That’s the power of collective action.” The app features a live global meter and has sparked a worldwide movement, with sustainability ambassadors in over 25 countries.
She credited social media for helping create belief among ordinary people that their actions matter. “If we all do our part, miracles can happen,” Shevgaonkar said.
The panel highlighted how India’s new wave of eco-champions is turning anxiety into action
Prachi Shevgaonkar, founder of Cool The Globe , and Malhar Kalambe, founder of Beach Please India, discussed how their grassroots movements have turned individual responsibility into large-scale environmental impact, using digital tools and community engagement as key drivers.
Malhar Kalambe, whose journey began with a simple beach clean-up, highlighted the power of hands-on experience in shaping environmental consciousness. “You can’t learn about the environment in a classroom,” he said. “What we try to do through our community is give young people — even kids as young as six — the opportunity to physically clean beaches and rivers. Only then do they understand how serious the problem really is.”
Over 800 clean-up drives later, his initiative has removed over 8 million kilograms of waste and engaged 4.5 lakh citizens.
Kalambe emphasised relatability and creativity on social media as essential tools in motivating youth. “We try to make beach clean-ups cool, something young people can relate to. A single social media post once brought in 6,000 volunteers.”
For Shevgaonkar, personal climate anxiety led to innovation. Her journey began with a self-imposed challenge to reduce her carbon footprint by 10%, leading to the creation of Cool The Globe, a mobile app that tracks carbon savings from everyday actions like public transport use or waste segregation.
“People often ask: what can one individual do?” she said. “When one lakh users from 150 countries came together, we saved over 7 million kilos of carbon emissions. That’s the power of collective action.” The app features a live global meter and has sparked a worldwide movement, with sustainability ambassadors in over 25 countries.
She credited social media for helping create belief among ordinary people that their actions matter. “If we all do our part, miracles can happen,” Shevgaonkar said.
The panel highlighted how India’s new wave of eco-champions is turning anxiety into action
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