Every plastic toothbrush you have ever used is lying somewhere either polluting the land, water or air (if incinerated).

Darjeeling district population as per the census is around 1.5 lakhs. If 90% of the people use toothbrush and they change it twice in a year that's 270000 plastic toothbrushes entering into our landfills and clogging our precious waterways every single year!

Everyone associated with Tieedi has now made the switch to bamboo toothbrushes.

The bamboo handle will biodegrade and become soil in a few months time.

No, the bristles are not biodegradable yet. You need to prise it out before disposal and eco brick it (#tieediplasticecobricks).

If you too would like to make the switch DM us! We can send it to pickup locations at Darjeeling, Kurseong, Siliguri and Kalimpong. The cost is Rs 85/- a brush.

In collaboration with @bambooindia.

#PlasticFreeJuly
#BambooToothbrush ... See more

Have you run in the rain?

When you run long distance, there is something magical that happens.

As the miles fade away and the body stops sending distress signals to the brain (or the brain gets smarter in selecting the signals), you enter into a medieval meditative zone. A zone where your heart is now connected to the two elements of nature - the Earth and the Air. It doesn’t matter if you are a fast runner or a slow runner, every time you let your body fly for that micro second where it leaves the earth and embraces the air, you are acting as a bridge that ensures that these two elements get to converse with each other.

Now, when you run in the rain, the third element of nature comes into play - Water. The communion between these three elements of Nature and you grows stronger with every step (and every splash!). You realise that your initial apprehension and well meaning advise by your family and friends was biased with the modern upbringing where protectiveness overrides your need for this communion with Nature.

Your fears trickle down your body with the rain and get grounded.

When you run long distance in the rain, you reconnect to the medieval instinct of letting go of your fears and embracing whats natural in you. You were born to run and not just walk. For reference look at a toddler, they seldom walk. They toddle - which is the body getting ready to run!

As the miles fade away further and you keep running, the three elements of Earth, Air and Water are now in communion with another element - Fire - that’s burning in your core and fuelling your energy.

Now that’s where magic happens and you understand how it feels to be The Wind! :)

*****

We are super stoked with the success of the first zero waste run in Darjeeling. No single use plastic bottles were used in the entire run and also the energy bars were all farm produced by Tieedi volunteers.

Cannot thank enough our partners who made this such a memorable event:
-> Darjeeling Hill Runners for the songs, jokes and yes the run too! :)

-> Scavengers Group Darjeeling for braving the rain to welcome the runners with flowers in Chowrastha, for the scrumptious breakfast at Priyanka’s Cafe and for the wonderful handmade mementos post the run.

-> Darjeeling MTB CLUB for the riding support to our runners.

-> Salesian Collage Sonada for providing us the infrastructure support in organising the zero waste workshop for the runners.

We are already looking forward to the next run!

#PlasticFreeJuly
#ZeroWaste
#ZeroWasteHimalayas
#ZeroWasteRun
#RunInTheRain ... See more

'Can I tell you something?' she whispers in his ears. Her alluring husky voice caresses the wind like the mist playing with the trees.⁣
⁣
He trembles listening to the question. He knew that it was that time of the year again. The time when her spirit rises and from a friendly, vulnerable damsel, she gets transformed into a wild enchantress.⁣
⁣
He is never ready for this moment but he nods his head in affirmation. He knows that he is all that she's got and when she rises, he has to hold on with all his strength.⁣
⁣
'I can feel it' she says. Her voice a gurgling tremble now.

The show begins with a pitter patter of the first monsoon rains. His parched lips soaks in to the elixir while she looks up to him in mild amusement. The birds sing in unison and the forest comes alive. ⁣
⁣
As the elixir runs down his weathered chin and trickles down his strong body, she knows that she has to get ready now. ⁣Ready to begin her long journey ahead.
⁣
It's a strange, bitter sweet feeling. ⁣
⁣
She looks forward to this exhilarating journey, from the thick forests in the mountains to the meandering terraces of the valleys down below. She celebrates meeting her sisters on the way. Her sudden burst of freedom makes her feel alive.⁣
⁣
But she knows that everytime she takes this journey it leaves a few scars on his body. Some that do not heal for years.⁣
⁣
She always finds him smiling though when she finally comes back home. He endures the pain for the unmatchable joy that she brings to his life. She blows softly on the wounds of the previous year and caresses his wrinkles till she hears again, the pitter patter of the rain and the birds singing in unison.⁣
⁣
An excerpt from the Tieedi Forest Tales: The story of Water and Earth.
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#TieediShortStories ... See more

We are proud to partner with Darjeeling Hill Runners in this initiative.
🏃‍♀️

A 25k run from Tieedi to Chowrasta in Darjeeling on the 14th of July.
🏃

A plastic free run to highlight the fact that the beauty of our hills can best be experienced while on our feet.
🏃‍♀️

Carbon free and zero waste with the wind in our hair and our head in the clouds.
🏃‍♂️

#fortheloveofrunning
#runfordarjeeling
#darjeelinghillrunners
#zerowaste
#zerowastehimalayas
#plasticfreejuly ... See more