On June 14th, 2025, we gathered at Atlantis Sanctuary, Ulsoor, for the first Pre-Loved Items Exchange hosted by Bangalore Ethereum Localism (BEL).

Throughout the day, neighbours and friends dropped in with pre-loved:

• 📚 Books

• 👕 Clothes

• 🎒 Accessories

• 🎲 Toys

• 👟 Shoes

Together, we reimagined what abundance looks like when it’s shared, not hoarded.

✨ Why We Did This

This exchange wasn’t just about clearing out closets.

It was part of a broader movement called Ethereum Localism, a vision where communities use digital tools and decentralized networks to:

• Coordinate resources transparently

• Recognize contributions fairly

• Strengthen local resilience

By recording participation and exploring on-chain certificates, we’re learning how Ethereum can help communities like ours document impact, build collective memory, and inspire trust beyond traditional institutions.

This is how a global technology becomes locally meaningful. By anchoring it to everyday actions that matter.

🌿 Giving Items a Second Life

Every donated item found a new purpose, proving that what’s no longer useful to one person can still bring value to someone else.

This matters for more than sentiment. Reusing clothes, books, and household items reduces waste, cuts carbon emissions, and helps create a more sustainable, circular economy.

When we give pre-loved items a second life, we also:

• Reduce pressure on landfills

• Lower demand for resource-intensive production

• Make support accessible without new consumption

🫱🏽‍🫲🏿 Partnering to Deliver

After the exchange, we worked with Act of Love, an NGO that helps connect donations to communities who need them most.

With their support, contributions reached:

• A local community near Mariyannapalya (behind Manyata Tech Park)

• The Irula tribe along the Karnataka–Tamil Nadu border

🏅 Recognizing Impact

Every participant received an Impact Certificate acknowledging their contribution. These certificates are part of our experiments in leveraging Ethereum-based tools to transparently record participation and celebrate collective effort.

This was just the beginning. We’re just getting started!

If you’d like to join the next event, volunteer, or collaborate, reach out.

Together, we can rebuild Bangalore into a city that cares, shares, and remembers.

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Walkability is not a luxury. It is a core civic right that affects public health, air quality, road safety, and the dignity of everyday movement in Bangalore. Yet across the city, poor walkability is contributing to dangerous streets and rising harm to citizens.

Across Indian metros, pedestrians account for over 30% of road fatalities, the second largest cohort after two-wheeler users. In Bangalore alone, there has been a 77% increase in pedestrian deaths from 2021 to 2023.

Bangalore’s overall Walkability Index stands at just 16.5 out of 30, a clear sign that systemic neglect persists even on better- known streets. Poor walkability also directly discourages sustainable mobility, worsens traffic congestion, and contributes to unhealthy air and increased noise pollution, with Bangalore among India’s most polluted metros. This report presents findings from a citizen-led audit of CMH Road. Conducted by 16 participants, the audit provides first- hand observations of persistent gaps in safety, accessibility, and street maintenance.

Improving walkability is about far more than footpaths. It is about building a safer, healthier, and more inclusive city for everyone.

Audit at a Glance

About This Audit

This walkability audit was conducted on 3rd May 2025. Our goal was to assess real-world pedestrian experiences on a well- known, centrally located street - CMH Road in Indiranagar.

We chose this stretch deliberately: CMH Road is relatively better resourced and walkable than most parts of the city. If gaps exist here, they likely exist more severely elsewhere. Also being a very well known spot for most Bangaloreans, with plenty of footfall.

Route surveyed:

Participants began at the KFC junction on CMH Road, walked ~500 meters toward a designated midpoint, crossed the street, and returned. Each pair covered one direction of the route, ensuring full coverage on both sides of the road.

Participant Overview:

• 16 participants

• Observations included photos, multiple choice questions, and open-ended reflections

• Each submission was verified for completeness before inclusion

Survey Focus Areas:

1. Sidewalk continuity & condition

2. Crossing safety & signage

3. Accessibility (wheelchairs, strollers, vision-impaired users) & Comfort (shade, resting spots)

4. Cleanliness & environmental quality

We designed the audit to be quick, simple, and reproducible, encouraging future citizens to run similar audits in their own neighborhoods.

Key Findings

1. Sidewalk Infrastructure

While CMH Road is a relatively “walkable” street, the audit revealed persistent gaps and hazards on its footpaths.

• 90% of submissions reported obstructed or broken sidewalks

• 60% noted direct footpath encroachments from parked vehicles, shop signage, or construction material

• Live wires and open cables were noted in 40% of participant comments

• No dustbins found along all routes, leading to garbage piles and waste

“Sidewalk is wide enough, but upkeep is poor. Debris, open cables, encroachments.” - Nihal

“Footpaths are present but not maintained. Multiple vehicles obstructing the footpath.” - Sandy

Participants reported that even when sidewalks were wide, actual usable space was often reduced to narrow strips due to these obstacles.

Gaps between footpath segments were also noted in multiple spots, forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.

2. Crossing Safety

Across all four audit routes, participants consistently reported that road crossings were unsafe, unmarked, or unregulated.

• 70% of participants rated their crossing experience as unsafe (1 or 2 on a 5-point scale).

• 60% observed either faded or barely visible zebra crossings.

• 50% reported an absence of pedestrian signals, and the remaining 50% reported that there were some, but missing, at intersections and key crossings.

“Crossing the road near Cult Gym felt like a gamble.” - Anish

“There were no traffic lights at cross paths near a hospital, that’s extremely unsafe.” - Tanishq

Auditors noted that while some vehicle traffic signals existed, pedestrian-specific features were entirely absent.

No countdown timers, no audio cues, and no signage instructing where to cross were observed, exposing pedestrians, especially elderly, children, and people with disabilities, to vehicles.

3. Accessibility & Comfort

The audit revealed that walking on CMH Road offers very little in terms of comfort, universal access, or inclusion.

While some areas were shaded and had wider sidewalks, the overall pedestrian environment was lacking in basic amenities, especially for the elderly, disabled, or those walking long distances.

• 90% of submissions reported no benches or resting areas across their routes. One participant noted a bench at a bus stop, the only such instance across all four surveyed paths.

• 90% reported a lack of ramps or wheelchair/stroller access.

• 80% found no accessible features for visually impaired pedestrians.

• 70% noted shaded paths in some stretches, mostly due to natural tree cover rather than deliberate urban planning.

Participants also flagged footpath surfaces that were uneven or abruptly sloped, making walking uncomfortable or hazardous, especially for older adults or persons with reduced mobility.

The results suggest that walkability in Bangalore is not just unsafe but also exclusionary.

“Not good enough for long walks, jogging, or elders.” - Adityan

“No benches, no ramps, no consistency. You’d struggle with a stroller, let alone a wheelchair.” - Gopika

4. Cleanliness & Environment

Participants consistently highlighted issues related to waste management, noise levels, and general upkeep, all of which impact the comfort, dignity, and health of those walking along CMH Road.

• 80% of submissions reported visible garbage piles along sidewalks or near crossings.

• 100% of participants did not find public dustbins along the audited routes.

• All participants reported some level of noise pollution, largely from honking, congested intersections, and commercial traffic.

“Too many obstructions — potholes, trash, transformers, wires...” - Jasdev

“Dustbins were missing. A lot of waste piled up on sidewalks.” - Irthu

“Lots of honking and vehicle movement. No stop signs or traffic discipline.” - Parv

Most participants described the route as visually and physically chaotic, especially at intersections and shop fronts, with unattended garbage, construction debris accompanied with heavy roadside dust, and wiring compounding the experience of disorder.

What Needs to Change

1. Fix and Protect Footpaths

• Restore broken sidewalks: Prioritize segments where debris, potholes, or uneven surfacing pose safety risks.

• Enforce anti-encroachment rules: Address vendors, parked vehicles, and construction blocking footpaths.

• Create protected pedestrian zones: Use bollards, curb extensions, or landscaping to prevent misuse.

2. Improve Crossing Safety

• Install pedestrian signals at high-traffic junctions especially near hospitals, gyms, and bus stops.

• Repaint zebra crossings and install signage at all major intersections.

• Add basic crossing infrastructure: curb ramps, tactile tiles, refuge islands where possible.

3. Ensure Accessibility and Comfort

• Construct ramps and slope entries for wheelchair, stroller, and elder access.

• Install shaded benches every 200–300 meters, especially at commercial zones and crossings.

• Standardize sidewalk width: Ensure at least 1.8m of uninterrupted walking space per Indian Roads Congress guidelines. Needs to be more strictly enforced.

4. Address Cleanliness and Visual Safety

• Strengthen garbage pickup coordination, especially at high-footfall areas.

• Map problem zones and tie them to ward-level SWM (Solid Waste Management) teams.

• Maintain and extend tree cover, particularly in hot and exposed stretches.

About Bangalore Ethereum Localism (BEL)

Bangalore Ethereum Localism (BEL) began in April 2025 as a community-led experiment inspired by the broader, global Ethereum Localism movement. At its heart, BEL connects neighborhood-level action with emerging digital tools to strengthen local civic and environmental resilience.

Our mission is simple:

Make Bangalore’s neighborhoods more livable, equitable, and visible, one block at a time.

BEL isn’t just about technology. It’s about showing what’s possible when people observe, document, and act on what they care about, together, while leveraging global technology.

We run small, impactful efforts that:

• Encourage residents to engage with their own streets and surroundings

• Generate usable public data through lightweight audits and surveys

• Recognize participation through onchain tokens and open documentation

• Spark meaningful dialogue and awareness from walkability audits to preloved exchanges, composting drives, etc.

Follow BEL on: Twitter | Instagram

Credits & Methodology

Audit Details

• Location: CMH Road, Indiranagar

• Date: 3rd May 2025

• Total Participants: 16

• Walking Routes: 4 predefined segments, ~500 meters each (including return stretch) Midpoints were FR Bakery, Cult Gym, Goldstar Fitness, and Third Wave Coffee

• Start and End Point for all routes: KFC, CMH Road

How the Audit Worked

Each participant was assigned a short route (~500m) to walk, observe, and document. They were asked to:

• Photograph good and bad features

• Record their start and end locations

• Answer 20+ survey questions covering sidewalks, crossings, accessibility, environment, and overall experience

• All media and notes were recorded through Atlantis’ web3 MRV tool, Impact Miner

• Walkability Audit #1 Images

• Survey questions

Method of Analysis

• All inputs were recorded on Atlantis’ digital MRV tool, Impact Miner.

• All submissions were manually reviewed

• Responses were coded into 4 main themes

• Key statistics were derived based on total response count (10), unless otherwise noted

• Quotes were selected from open-ended answers to illustrate key patterns

• Photos were used to cross-check observations and add qualitative depth

Credits

• Survey Coordination: BEL & volunteers

• Participants: 16 citizens across age groups and coming from neighbourhoods across Bangalore such as Bellandur, Whitefield, Sarjapur, Koramangala, etc.

• Survey Design: Impact Foundry, Atlantis

• Report Analysis: BEL

• Reporting tool: Impact Miner, Atlantis (Android | iOS)

Rewarding Real-World Impact

This walkability audit was launched as a public bounty on the Impact Miner app. Participants received proof-of-participation certificates, called Impact Certificates, which are NFTs, making their civic effort visible and verifiable.

Introduction to Hydroponics

Imagine growing lush, healthy plants without a speck of soil in sight. That's the magic of hydroponics, a revolutionary method of cultivation that's taking the gardening world by storm. At its core, hydroponics is all about growing plants in nutrient-rich water instead of traditional soil.

In a hydroponic system, plants thrive in a carefully controlled environment, their roots submerged in a water-based solution packed with all the minerals they need to flourish. Some setups suspend the roots directly in this nutrient soup, while others use inert materials like perlite or gravel to provide support.

As we face the challenges of climate change and its impact on traditional agriculture, hydroponics offers a glimpse of a more sustainable future. It's a method that allows us to grow food in controlled environments, potentially shielding our crops from the whims of an increasingly unpredictable climate.

In the following sections of this guide, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of setting up your own hydroponic garden at home. Whether you're a curious beginner or a green-thumbed enthusiast looking to expand your horizons, you'll soon discover the joy of watching your plants thrive in their own liquid paradise.

Pros and cons of Hydroponics over Soil based cultivation

One of the most compelling advantages of hydroponics is its incredible water efficiency. Traditional farming can be quite thirsty, but hydroponic systems sip water in comparison. To put it in perspective, growing a kilogram of tomatoes hydroponically uses only about a third of the water required by intensive farming methods. In a world where water conservation is increasingly crucial, that's a game-changer.

Hydroponics offers a wealth of benefits beyond what meets the eye. These systems often lead to higher biomass and protein yields compared to traditional soil-grown crops, even when environmental conditions and nutrient supplies are identical. This remarkable efficiency positions hydroponics as a leading solution for food production in challenging environments or regions with scarce water resources, and it could even be instrumental in feeding future space explorers!

What's more, hydroponics allows for significantly tighter plant density. Because plant roots aren't competing for nutrients in the soil, they can be spaced much closer together. This is a huge advantage, especially in urban environments where square footage is at a premium, maximizing food production in limited spaces.

The beauty of hydroponics lies in its versatility. From juicy tomatoes and crisp lettuce to fragrant herbs and even medicinal plants, this method can nurture a wide variety of crops.

While hydroponics offers many benefits, it's not without its challenges. One of the main drawbacks is the initial setup cost. Hydroponic systems require specialized equipment like pumps, lights, and nutrient solutions, which can be expensive to purchase and install. This higher upfront investment can be a barrier for some aspiring hydroponic gardeners.

Additionally, hydroponic systems rely heavily on technology and electricity. This dependence means that power outages or equipment failures can quickly become critical issues, potentially leading to crop loss if not addressed promptly. It also makes hydroponics less suitable for areas with unreliable power supplies.

Hydroponic systems are also more vulnerable to certain issues. For instance, waterborne diseases can spread rapidly through the shared nutrient solution, potentially affecting all plants in the system. This risk requires vigilant monitoring and quick action to prevent widespread crop loss.

It’s always better to understand and be aware of the challenges alongside the benefits before embarking on your hydroponics journey.

Types of Hydroponic Systems

As hydroponics has evolved, several distinct systems have emerged, each with its own unique approach to delivering nutrients to plants. Let's explore some of the most popular methods:

1. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT):

In NFT systems, a thin film of nutrient-rich water continuously flows over the plant roots. The plants are housed in channels or tubes with a slight tilt, allowing gravity to move the water from one end to the other. This method ensures roots receive a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients. NFT is great for leafy greens and herbs  that typically have a shallow root system, but may struggle with larger, heavier plants.

2. Deep Water Culture (DWC)

DWC, also known as the reservoir method, involves suspending plant roots directly in a nutrient solution. The plants are typically held in net pots above the water, with their roots dangling into the solution. An air pump oxygenates the water, preventing root rot. This system is simple to set up and maintain, making it popular among beginners.

3. Wick System

The wick system is perhaps the simplest form of hydroponics. It uses a wick, often made of rope or felt, to draw nutrient solution from a reservoir up to the plant roots. The growing medium, which could be perlite, vermiculite, or coconut coir, surrounds the roots and is kept moist by the wick. While very low-tech, this system is limited to smaller plants with low water needs.

4. Ebb and Flow

The Ebb and Flow system, also called Flood and Drain, uses a timed pump to periodically flood a grow tray with nutrient solution from a reservoir below. After soaking the plant roots and growing medium, the solution drains back into the reservoir. This flooding and draining cycle provides both nutrients and oxygen to the roots. It's versatile, accommodating various plant sizes, and efficient in its use of water and nutrients. While relatively easy to set up, it does require careful timing and monitoring to prevent over or under-watering. The Ebb and Flow system is popular for its balance of simplicity and effectiveness.

5. Drip System

Drip systems use a network of tubes to deliver nutrient solution directly to each plant's base. A timer controls a pump, which pushes the solution through the tubing. This method allows for precise control of nutrient delivery and can be easily scaled for larger operations. It's versatile enough for a wide range of plants but requires regular maintenance to prevent clogging. The excess nutrient is drained back to the tank via a drain pipe. This way no nutrients are wasted.

6. Aeroponics System

Aeroponics takes hydroponics to the next level by misting plant roots with nutrient solution rather than submerging them. The roots hang in air-filled chambers and are periodically sprayed with a fine nutrient mist. This method provides excellent oxygenation and can lead to faster growth, but it's also one of the more complex and expensive systems to set up and maintain. Also it is not as suitable in hot tropical environments where ambient atmospheric temperatures tend to exceed 32

7. Kratky Method

The Kratky method is a passive hydroponic technique that doesn't require electricity or pumps. Plants are placed in containers with their roots partially submerged in nutrient solution. As the plants grow and the water level drops, an air gap forms, providing oxygen to the roots. This low-tech approach is great for beginners and works well for leafy greens and herbs.

Each of these systems has its own strengths and is suited to different types of plants and growing conditions. As you delve deeper into hydroponics, you'll find that the best system for you depends on factors like the plants you want to grow, the space you have available, and how much time you can dedicate to maintenance.

System we Chose

We decided to go with a dutch bucket recirculating drip system.

The Dutch buckets offer about 20 litres of volume with about a 2 Litre reservoir before draining.

There are primarily 2 types of drip feed systems that are used in hydroponics. Recirculating and Drain To Waste.

These 2 systems are popular among commercial growers as they provide a stable system for growing a wide variety of fruiting and vining crops. The Drain to waste system is more popular in commercial environments as it offers quick adjustments to the nutrient solution allowing growers to boost yields and plant growth. This however uses significantly more water and was the reason we went with a recirculating drip system that drains the excess nutrient back into the nutrient tank to be used again for the next drip cycle.

Nutrients

The pants will require all the nutrients it naturally pulls up from living soil to be added in the nutrient solution. In hydroponics we don’t rely on natural biological processes that breakdown added organic matter in the soil into plant available nutrients. Instead the plants are provided all the necessary nutrients by dissolving them in water and delivering that nutrient rich water to the roots directly. This gives us greater control on the inputs that go into the plants and allows us to quickly adapt and adjust the nutrient solution based on  the needs of the plant.

Plant nutrients are broadly broken down into 3 major categories.

1. Basic Nutrients

2. Macronutrients

3. Micronutrients

Basic Nutrients

Basic nutrients are primarily freely available to the plant through transpiration and respiration. These would be Carbon, Oxygen Hydrogen. These basic elements are extracted from water, carbon dioxide and atmospheric oxygen.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the primary nutrients that the plant needs in large quantities to perform basic functions like photosynthesis and metabolism.

Nitrogen is probably considered the most important primary nutrient for plants as it is the key element responsible for photosynthesis.

Phosphorus is the next nutrient that is considered primary as it contributes to the formation of the DNA and is essential for cellular activities. It plays a critical role in the formation of fruits, flowers, and roots.

Potassium is the third key nutrient required for plants and although it does not form elements in plant bodies, it  plays a key role in photosynthesis, starch formation, protein synthesis, and enzyme activation.

Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur are the secondary macronutrients that are essential for activities like cell development, synthesis of chlorophyll and creation of various enzymes essential to plant growth flowering and fruiting.

Micronutrients

Micronutrients, although not required in large quantities for the plants, are essential to plant growth and fruiting. These nutrients are usually present in trace amounts and some of them although not water soluble are made available to the plant in a chelated form. The major micronutrients are Zinc, Boron, Iron, Manganese.

We strongly recommend that as a beginner or even as a small scale producer you stick to buying off the shelf nutrients that are usually available in a 2 or 3 part system.

Generally the first part will be Nitrogen heavy and also include most trace nutrients, the second and third part usually are salts of Potassium and Phosphorus.

Most off the shelf nutrients are available either in a liquid concentrate or as a powder. The liquid form is generally more expensive and will yield less prepared nutrient solution than the powdered form but both work equally well. Follow the manufacturer instructions for preparing the nutrient solution.

pH Levels

Plant roots absorb different nutrients at different rates depending on the pH of the root zone. Ideally plant root zones should be maintained between a pH of 5.5 and 6.7. pH is a measure of how acidic or basic something is. 7 is considered neutral and anything with a pH lower than 7 is considered acidic and if it has a pH above 7 its a base.

pH can be adjusted by adding pH up or pH down which is added a few drops at a time to lower or raise the pH of the solution. It is critical that the pH of the nutrient solution is monitored frequently and adjusted as needed.

As the plant uptakes nutrients the pH of the solution will naturally rise as nutrient uptake happens by ion exchange it lowers the acidity of the nutrient by exchanging Hydrogen ions.

Tips

• Use an EC or TDS metre to test the nutrient solution frequently and adjust nutrient levels once a week

• Use a pH probe or pH strips to monitor pH daily and adjust within range.

• Be conscious of plant spacing, limit the number of plants per bucket to two at the most 3 small plants. Larger plants may be better off 1 per bucket.

• Prune your plants regularly, remove old diseased leaves or leaves that are creating poor airflow through the plant.

• Remember that the nutrient solution is acidic, slightly corrosive and heavy in salts. This means you should avoid it coming into direct and frequent contact with metal surfaces. Ensure the pipes and fittings you use are not made of metal, are non toxic and  UV stable as volatile or unwanted compounds may leach into the nutrient solution and inadvertently get uptaken by the plants.

• Keep an eye out for pests and disease, although hydroponically grown plants are healthy and free from soil borne pests and parasites the environment also plays a role and you should regularly inspect leaves, fruit and flowers for signs of disease and pest damage.

• Time your irrigation cycle so that your medium is never completely dry and nutrients are replenished often. You should at the same time ensure the roots are getting ample oxygen as this is vital for plant survival in a hydroponic system.

• Trellis your plants to give them support, improve airflow and access to light.

Conclusion

Hydroponics opens up a whole new world of gardening. One where you can grow fresh, healthy food year-round, in any climate, and with far less water than traditional soil-based farming. Whether you're looking to become more self-sufficient, reduce your environmental impact, or simply try something new, hydroponics is a powerful and rewarding path to explore.

By now, you've learned the core principles of hydroponic growing, the pros and cons compared to soil cultivation, the different types of systems available, and how to choose nutrients and monitor pH for healthy plant growth. We've also shared practical tips and introduced you to the Dutch bucket drip system we chose for its efficiency and flexibility.

As you begin your hydroponic journey, remember that experimentation, observation, and patience are key. Each setup is unique, and part of the fun is learning what works best for your space, crops, and climate.

So go ahead—start small, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to get your hands (and maybe your sleeves) a little wet. With the right care and attention, your hydroponic garden will flourish, and you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own food in a sustainable, innovative way.

Happy growing!