Ecosphere (social enterprise)
Encyclopedia
Ecosphere is a social enterprise
that works on the sustainable development of Spiti
valley, a cold mountain desert in the Trans-Himalayas
of India
, by focusing on economic empowerment, environmental conservation & community development. It is a collaborative effort between the local community of Spiti and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
, as a combination of three non-governmental organisations—Muse, Spiti Trans-Himalayan Action Group (STAG) and Spiti Seabuckthorn Society (SSS).
Ecosphere’s responsible trips offer glimpses of Tibetan Buddhism and culture, stays in authentic homestays, Mountain biking, treks & hikes, mountaineering expeditions & rafting, Birding, floral & wildlife expeditions, Educational & volunteering tours, and Culinary, special interest & signature tours.
, taking in-depth measures to preserve its nutritive properties. The propagation of Seabuckthorn also benefits this cold desert region ecologically, given its soil-binding & nitrogen-fixing nature.
(mud craft) & Lingzay (woven shawls with traditional motifs). Ecosphere has enabled local groups to preserve these traditional art forms, generate alternate sources of income and improve the quality & marketability of such products.
Ecosphere’s green energy initiatives include:
- Promoting green houses so locals can access fresh vegetables round the year, generate additional income and improve their nutritional intake.
- Providing energy-efficient housing solutions through Solar Passive techniques, which reduce fuel consumption by 60%, help to mitigate global warming
, keep the inner air smokeless, reduce cold-related illnesses, and enable income generation via indoor activities like handicrafts.
- Promoting renewable energy
options like Solar Geysers, Solar Passive Baths, Cookers & Lanterns, to reduce fuel-wood consumption and carbon emissions, enabling local homes & traveler accommodations to be more eco-friendly and improving hygiene levels.
, including the Tsering tea initiative, which helps generate sustainable incomes for women in the region.
Responsible Tourism Award 2010 for the best organization in a mountain environment. Virgin Holidays recognized Ecosphere as a self-reliant social enterprise
that moved from being donor funded to self-supporting, and in enabling 55 out of the 66 villages in Spiti
increase their incomes by up to 50% through Ecosphere's development initiatives.
, the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the US, recognized Ecosphere for developing sustainable livelihoods for the local community and linking it to nature and culture conservation.
and Ladakh
, in a special ceremony held in London. The award was presented by Prince Charles.
• Ecosphere on Facebook
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
that works on the sustainable development of Spiti
Spiti
-Geographical locations:*Lahaul and Spiti, a district in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.*Spiti Valley, former heartland of the former Spiti district now combined.*Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.*Spitia River-Language:...
valley, a cold mountain desert in the Trans-Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, by focusing on economic empowerment, environmental conservation & community development. It is a collaborative effort between the local community of Spiti and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
History
Ecosphere was founded in 2006 by Ishita Khanna, an alumnus of the Tata Institute of Social SciencesTata Institute of Social Sciences
Tata Institute of Social Sciences is a social sciences institute based in Deonar, Mumbai, India.-History:TISS was established in 1936, as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, the first school of social work in India. In 1944 the school was renamed to its current name...
, as a combination of three non-governmental organisations—Muse, Spiti Trans-Himalayan Action Group (STAG) and Spiti Seabuckthorn Society (SSS).
Responsible Travel
Nestled in the Trans-Himalayan range are high altitude cold desert regions, whose landscape, scarce vegetation & fiercely cold winters with temperatures dipping below -30 degrees, make living here a challenge. Ecosphere’s travels offer an insight into the culture, nature, history, ecology and legends of these valleys, while ensuring that visits to these pristine locales benefit their economy, conservation and development. All emissions that are generated are calculated and offset through investments in Ecosphere’s renewable energy initiatives in the region, ensuring that all trips leave a zero carbon footprint in the Himalayas.Ecosphere’s responsible trips offer glimpses of Tibetan Buddhism and culture, stays in authentic homestays, Mountain biking, treks & hikes, mountaineering expeditions & rafting, Birding, floral & wildlife expeditions, Educational & volunteering tours, and Culinary, special interest & signature tours.
Seabuckthorne Products
Ecosphere endeavors to combine traditional Buddhist systems of healing & health with modern science. The Seabuckthorn berry, popularly known as the ‘Wonder berry’, has a unique composition of vitamins, minerals, nutrients & essential fatty acids, typically only found separately in other sources. In order to create sustainable livelihoods & empowerment for women in the region, Ecosphere has developed a range of products from this berry that grows naturally in the HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, taking in-depth measures to preserve its nutritive properties. The propagation of Seabuckthorn also benefits this cold desert region ecologically, given its soil-binding & nitrogen-fixing nature.
Local Handicrafts
The Himalayas are home to unique handicrafts like Thangkas (paintings on silken canvas), ZamaZama
-Places:*Zama, Numidia, a principal town of the Numidian tribe the Massylii*Zama, Kanagawa, a city of Kanagawa prefecture, Japan*Zama, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in the United States*Zama City, Alberta, a hamlet in Alberta, Canada...
(mud craft) & Lingzay (woven shawls with traditional motifs). Ecosphere has enabled local groups to preserve these traditional art forms, generate alternate sources of income and improve the quality & marketability of such products.
Green Energy
Due to the extreme winter climate, the residents of the Trans-Himalayas burn a lot of coal, wood & dung to cook and keep warm in winters. However, using the abundant solar energy in the region, they can minimize fuel-wood consumption, and reduce both greenhouse gas emissions & health problems associated with excessive smoke.Ecosphere’s green energy initiatives include:
- Promoting green houses so locals can access fresh vegetables round the year, generate additional income and improve their nutritional intake.
- Providing energy-efficient housing solutions through Solar Passive techniques, which reduce fuel consumption by 60%, help to mitigate global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, keep the inner air smokeless, reduce cold-related illnesses, and enable income generation via indoor activities like handicrafts.
- Promoting renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
options like Solar Geysers, Solar Passive Baths, Cookers & Lanterns, to reduce fuel-wood consumption and carbon emissions, enabling local homes & traveler accommodations to be more eco-friendly and improving hygiene levels.
CNN IBN Real Heroes Award 2010
Ishita Khanna, founder of Ecosphere, received the real heroes award from CNN IBN in 2010, for her initiatives in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal PradeshHimachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, including the Tsering tea initiative, which helps generate sustainable incomes for women in the region.
Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award 2010
Ecosphere received the Virgin HolidaysVirgin Holidays
Virgin Holidays Limited is a company within Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, headquartered in "The Office" in Crawley, West Sussex. The company was formed in 1985, a year after the successful launch of Virgin Atlantic Airways in June 1984...
Responsible Tourism Award 2010 for the best organization in a mountain environment. Virgin Holidays recognized Ecosphere as a self-reliant social enterprise
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
that moved from being donor funded to self-supporting, and in enabling 55 out of the 66 villages in Spiti
Spiti
-Geographical locations:*Lahaul and Spiti, a district in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.*Spiti Valley, former heartland of the former Spiti district now combined.*Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.*Spitia River-Language:...
increase their incomes by up to 50% through Ecosphere's development initiatives.
The Sierra Club ‘Green Energy and Green Livelihoods Achievement Award’ 2009
In 2009, the Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
, the oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization in the US, recognized Ecosphere for developing sustainable livelihoods for the local community and linking it to nature and culture conservation.
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2009
Ecosphere received the coveted Ashden Award - Global Energy Award Winners 2009, as a collaborator in the consortium of NGOs from SpitiSpiti
-Geographical locations:*Lahaul and Spiti, a district in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India.*Spiti Valley, former heartland of the former Spiti district now combined.*Spiti River, in the Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh.*Spitia River-Language:...
and Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, in a special ceremony held in London. The award was presented by Prince Charles.
Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award 2008
Ecosphere was the recipient of Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Award in the community initiative category, for recognition of their work on the promotion and development of responsible eco-travel in Spiti valley.External links
• Ecosphere website• Ecosphere on Facebook