“You’re never too young to make a difference.”
Most people see pollution as a problem too big for one person to solve. They complain about dirty streets, overflowing landfills, and poor air quality, but only a few take action. However, two young brothers from Delhi decided to make an actual move. When Delhi was struggling with air pollution, brothers Nav and Vihaan were just 14 and 11 years old. Like millions of people living in the city, they also experienced the effects of polluted air.
Instead of accepting the situation, Nav and Vihaan wanted to understand what was causing the problem and whether there was anything they could do about it. When they researched, they discovered 33% of air pollution comes from burning waste. Waste burning contributed to respiratory illnesses, asthma attacks, and other health problems. Rather than waiting for someone else to solve the problem, the brothers started with a simple step at home by segregating waste for recycling.
The Birth Of One Step Greener
What started as a neighbourhood project soon grew into One Step Greener.
“One Step Greener started as a project to segregate waste at home for recycling in Delhi’s Vasant Vihar neighbourhood, having now spread to more than 2000 individuals and 70+ institutional clients across Delhi NCR and Jaipur, diverting more than 100 tonnes of recyclable waste from landfills every month,” explained the brothers.
To make recycling easier for people, the NGO launched door-to-door dry waste collection services for homes, schools and offices. They started collecting plastic, cardboard, metal, glass and e-waste and then sorted and sent them for responsible recycling.
“More than 80% of our waste sorting workers are women from underprivileged communities, making their first UPI payments, having first bank accounts and even their first jobs in working with us,” they added further.
Since its inception, the NGO has collected and recycled more than 15,71,000 kilograms of waste through source segregation and partnerships with certified recyclers.
Expanding The Mission
As the organisation grew, One Step Greener began working on afforestation projects to improve green cover and support healthier environments. So far, the organisation has planted more than 47,500 native trees across locations, including Border Security Force campuses, parks in Delhi, and stretches along the Delhi–Jaipur Expressway.
The NGO now operates across 14 cities, and its recycling efforts have helped save more than 73,000 trees. Beyond recycling and plantation drives, the NGO also focuses on advocacy and awareness. They work on IEC campaigns through in-house knowledge capacities built as Composting Guides, Waste Segregation Guides, Digital games for Waste Segregation and Circular Economy ratings, and specialised hands-on workshops for circularity through waste management.
Through these initiatives, it encourages individuals to take practical steps towards reducing waste and adopting more responsible habits. Waste collection is carried out through a 100% electric vehicle fleet, which further supports the sustainability goals of the organisation.
One Step At A Time
From a waste segregation project started by two brothers at home, One Step Greener has grown into an organisation working across multiple cities and engaging thousands of people in climate action.
The story of Nav and Vihaan reminds us that meaningful change does not always begin with large resources or grand plans. Sometimes, it starts with a small step and the willingness to take it. Rest, everything falls into place.
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