A week-long push to turn everyday habits — switching off unused appliances, saving water and shunning single-use plastic — into mass practice opened in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday, with activities spread across the state's power utilities and its government health network.
The BRICS Sustainable Lifestyle Week, running November 1 to 7, is being observed in step with the Centre's Mission LiFE, or Lifestyle for Environment, as part of India's BRICS presidency in 2026. APGENCO Managing Director and Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission CEO S Nagalakshmi, speaking in Vijayawada, said protecting the environment cannot be left to governments alone and called on individuals to build eco-friendly habits into their daily routine.
She urged people to use less electricity and water, cut plastic and handle waste better, arguing that sustainability must move past slogans and awareness drives to become part of ordinary life. Small, repeated steps such as turning off lights and appliances and choosing reusable products could together deliver large gains for the environment and for natural resources, she said.
Each day of the week carries one theme drawn from Mission LiFE: healthy lifestyles, energy saving, water conservation, sustainable food, cutting single-use plastic, reducing electronic waste and finally trimming general waste. Officials have been handed an action plan, and APGENCO, APTRANSCO, APCPDCL, APEPDCL, APSPDCL and APSECM have been told to run field-level awareness programmes involving power sector employees.
The Medical and Health Department is running a parallel programme, framed around public health and environment-friendly living. Yoga sessions, walking programmes, plantation drives and environment pledges marked the opening day at a wide network of state-run facilities, from government general, district and area hospitals to community and primary health centres, urban primary centres, sub-centres and AYUSH units.
At the Government General Hospital in Srikakulam, yoga and plantation programmes were held, staff at King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam took an oath to protect the environment, and VIMS staff administered the pledge in hospital wards. Similar activities were reported at hospitals in Guntur, Kadapa and Paderu and at health centres in Hanumanpet, Kasimkota and Rokkadibanda Satram. The department plans activities at medical colleges and district and mandal-level institutions until November 7.
Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare K V N Chakradhar Babu said the campaign's main aim was to get people to conserve natural resources, cut waste and weave environment-friendly practices into daily life. BRICS brings together Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other members, and the week is being held nationwide during India's presidency to widen public awareness of environmental protection and sustainable living.
(With inputs from media reports)