The Department of Liberal Arts at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus, organized a series of interactive workshops under the Libernium initiative, focusing on themes of sustainability, zero waste living, and conscious consumption. These workshops brought together experts from diverse fields who encouraged students to engage critically and creatively with sustainable practices through discussion, collaboration, and experiential learning.
The first session, “License to Sus: Zero-Waste Living”, was conducted by sustainable nutritionist Mr. Sanket Shrotri, founder of Elements Nutrition. He guided students through the interconnectedness of diet, environment, and sustainability, offering insights into how everyday food choices shape ecological impact. Through discussions on nutrition, food production systems, and the politics of consumption, participants learned about the environmental footprint of different diets, plant-based alternatives, and ways to make mindful, resource-efficient food decisions. The session also included interactive exercises where students reflected on their own consumption patterns and explored the idea of bottom-up change, emphasizing that sustainability begins with individual choices.
The next workshop, Sus Me Up: Sustainable Fashion, was led by Ms. Otoleena Bagchi, a designer and sustainability advocate. The session aimed to help students understand the foundations of sustainable fashion and entrepreneurship. Participants were divided into teams and tasked with developing their own eco-conscious fashion brands with a fixed budget, designing business plans, and identifying key products. This exercise helped them balance creativity with business strategy, exploring how sustainability can be integrated into fashion at both luxury and mass-market levels. The workshop concluded with a hands-on block printing activity, where students and faculty experimented with natural dyes and traditional techniques, bringing sustainability to life through art and design.
The final workshop, Zero Waste, Zero Poverty, featured Ms. Sahar Mansoor, CEO of Bare Necessities. She shared her personal and professional journey in building a zero-waste enterprise and discussed how sustainable business models can empower marginalized communities, particularly women. Drawing on her experiences with global institutions and grassroots initiatives, she highlighted the practical challenges of running a sustainable venture in India and emphasized the importance of transparency, circular design, and local innovation.
Collectively, the Libernium workshop series blended theory with practice, encouraging students to view sustainability not as a trend, but as a holistic, actionable philosophy. Through these sessions, participants were inspired to adopt conscious living habits, experiment with creative solutions, and imagine a future where environmental responsibility and innovation coexist.
