Deepika Neopani – Green Product Manufacturing Unit

Areca plates and bowls are biodegradable and thus environmentally friendly and disposable. These plates are an excellent substitute for plastic/polymer and paper-based products. My team and I only became aware of these products after seeing them in large numbers being used in India.

Because I live in Gelephu, areca palm trees are abundant, and in 2014, with my parent’s financial support, we bought a small machine. We had difficulty obtaining raw materials from the locals because we needed to persuade them to sell their dried areca palm leaves. This also indicated a critical need for locals to be aware of environmental issues and the impacts of climate change.

However, as the piled leaves became a breeding ground for mosquitoes, the district hospital instructed that the locals pick up and hang the dried areca palm leaves. This made it easier for my team to convince the locals to sell the leaves instead of hanging them.

After ten years, we now have over 100 households in Sarpang selling areca leaves who understand the environmental benefits of our products. With three more machines, we are now meeting national demand. My team is making small positive changes to the environment, and we are often invited to events as they use our products!

We are grateful to UNDP Bhutan, Karuna Shechen, and Loden for their support and guidance, we consider you our family.