Reviving the Ganges through Livelihoods

Our Story

HelpUsGreen® is preserving River Ganges from becoming a religious sewer by flowercycling® the waste from temples and mosques into patented lifestyle products providing livelihoods to 1200 rural families.

Every year 80,00,000 metric tonnes of waste flowers are dumped into river Ganges.Toxic Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium from the harmful farm-runoff, pesticides and insecticides used to grow flowers mixes with the river water making it highly poisonous (PH 6-8.5). These major pollutants affect lives of 400 Million people -linked to contracting dysentery, cholera, hepatitis and severe diarrhea – which are the leading causes of child mortality across India and Bangladesh.

The Ganges, which is virtually synonymous with Indian civilization, is dying. Pollution, over-extraction of water and emaciated farm canals are killing the mighty river. At HelpUsGreen® we collect floral waste from the temples in Uttar Pardesh, India thus preventing 7600 Kgs waste flowers and 97 Kgs toxic chemicals from getting into the river daily. The waste is handcrafted by rural women Self help groups into patented organic fertilizer and incense sticks. The project is self-sustaining and brings a hope to revive Ganges. With over more than 420 million people who rely on it for food, water, bathing and agriculture and not to mention the tens of Millions of pilgrims who venture to India's most holy of rivers each year to bathe and worship - Saving  the Ganges is crucial.

HelpUsGreen® products not just reduce the flower waste but bring a bit of divine your home. Our work is based on our love for Nature and chemical free life. HelpUsGreen® is a step towards pollution free rivers. With Zero carbon foot print and a step towards cleaner rivers each HelpUsGreen® product is handmade and flowercycled®. Trust us, you’ll love them!!

OUR IMPACT

  • 3,35,000

    Kilogram of flowers we have collected form Temples and Mosques and flowercycled® into organic products

  • 997

    Kilograms of poisonous Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium from the harmful farm-runoff, toxic pesticides and insecticides used to grow flowers that we prevented from getting into the river Ganges

  • 1219

    Rural women we have been able to help earn their living and fighting the societal dogmas

  • 19

    Children of the rural women Self help Group we have been able to get jobs with our weekly vocational training as Carpenters , Masons, Electricians etc.

मिटटी

मिटटी

Our best seller, 'Mitti' is 100% natural vermicompost aka Redbull for plants. We collect the auspicious flowers directly from their place of worship and pamper them with our secret recipe. Mitti is a power packed shot of mineral rich nutrients and enzymes that energies the soil in your gardens and homes. You get improved soil texture, structure and aeration and your plants get green and strong. A safer alternative to chemical fertilizers, Mitti protects the soil against alkalinity, salinity and acidity leading to better, healthier yield in your gardens. A must try!

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यगया

यगया

Yagya has brought in accolades from across the world. Enjoy the feel and spirit of festivities at home everyday with Yagya incense sticks, with a natural fragrance like that in a havan. An instant rejuvenator and mood uplifter, they are made from natural resins, spices and fragrant roots. Be it morning, afternoon, evening or night, light these and be engulfed in your inner peace of mind.

FAQ

Where can we buy the HelpUsGreen products?

You can buy the products here at our online store or at your preferred eommerce websites – Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal etc. We are working on setting up physical stores.

How are sticks and stones made?

We collect the auspicious flowers directly from their place of worship and pamper them with our secret recipe to make incense dough. Natural essential oils and resins are used for the beautiful fragrance. Underprivileged woman living near the Ghats are employed to hand roll the incense

Is it safe to use 'Mitti' at home?

Absolutely YES. 'Mitti' is a 100% natural, chemical free organic fertilizer. The high nutrient and enzyme content of 'Mitti' makes it not just safe but excellent for use at home. Chemical fertilizers create harmful chemical runoffs and change the PH balance of the soil. Mitti is a safer, smarter alternative to chemical fertilizer.

Why should I use 'Mitti' ?

‘Mitti’ is a natural fertilizer. A vermicompost made out of flowers that are originally offered to gods, which would have otherwise have been dumped unceremoniously into various rivers, lakes and ponds. These auspicious flowers would have then polluted the waterways, creating havoc in the fragile ecosphere of the water body. The creation of Mitti therefore reduces pollution. At the same time, the use of Mitti, replenishes the lost minerals from soil. After, heavy dependency on chemical fertilizers it has been found that they cause some serious side effects like ground water contamination, soil acidification, reduction in soil enzymes etc . Mitti fixes the problems created by chemical fertilizers and additionally makes the soil loamy, which hold water for longer periods. Plants grow healthier and greener with Mitti, leading to better flowers, fruits and vegetables.

If the flowers are pesticide laden, why make products out of them?

The earthworm species used for vermicomposting at Helpusgreen® digest most of the pesticide residue in their gut. The Soil passed through the earthworm gut has a neutral pH due to the buffering action of organic molecules. We have got Eco-Cert certification for our vermicompost. We see that the worms have developed methods to detoxify themselves, so that they can live and eat flowers sprayed with pesticides. But this comes at a cost – Our Earthworms spend a lot of energy on detoxifying, this takes a toll on our earthworm population as a whole: the worms do not reach the same size as other bigger counterparts, and we see a difference in their reproduction rate. Major organophosphate insecticides are nontoxic to very less toxic to earthworms The specific flowers used for Incense and soap making are thoroughly cleaned with fresh water. This water is then stored and used during the vermicomposting process. We make sure our products are 100% pesticide free and recycled.

Is “Flower pollution” so bad?

Showering flowers is a religious ritual in India. Flowers are a symbol of devotion and reverence, and it is believed that the flowers should be discarded into water bodies to respect their sanctity. Those small flower offering don’t remain small anymore, they become a part of a big problem. Every year approximately 80, 00,000 tons of waste flowers are dumped in the rivers choking them to death. Sadly, these sacred flowers rot in rivers - killing fishes and creating havoc in the fragile ecosphere of the water body and cause enormous pollution. The pesticides and chemical fertilizers used to grow flowers mixes with the river water making it highly toxic. Various drains and waterways connected to the water bodies also get clogged, creating civic problems of a great magnitude. We always tend to blame the industrial waste but never give a think to flower pollution