Bengaluru, Jan 09: BBC Media Action has launched ‘Recycle Resolutions’, a New Year campaign under its ongoing Invaluables initiative, reminding Bengalureans that the best resolutions are the ones that already work. Building on proven habits from past Invaluables campaigns, it urges citizens to renew and continue three simple actions that improve recyclability and respect waste pickers’ dignity— turning tested habits into lasting pledges for 2026.
‘Recycle Resolutions’ taps into the New Year mood by reminding citizens that they don’t need new pledges when three existing habits already work—Wash the Dabba, Got Old Clothes, and Mark It Red, bringing them together under one simple, collective reminder. By framing these proven behaviours as renewed New Year promises, the campaign aims to keep change going well beyond the festive season, showing how small, consistent actions at home directly influence the safety and dignity of informal waste pickers, also known as Invaluable Recyclers. This reminder builds on the success from earlier initiatives under #Invaluables, demonstrating that these everyday habits are worth carrying forward. This includes:
- Wash the Dabba: A simple act – washing take-away boxes before disposal – was adopted by 60% of those exposed to the campaign (impact evaluation research). Dry Waste Collection Centres (DWCCs) also reported visibly cleaner containers across the city.
- Got Old Clothes?: The campaign encouraged Bengalureans to discard old clothes more responsibly by washing them and handing them over to waste pickers at nearby DWCCs. It helped collect 1.8 tonnes of garments across 16 centres in a month, nearly double the usual volume.
- Mark It Red: The latest campaign urges the public to safely dispose of sanitary and diaper waste by wrapping it and marking the package with a red “X”. It saw 41% of exposed audience beginning to wrap sanitary and hazardous waste in paper and marking it with a red cross.
The positive results underscore why renewing such habits matters, and why Recycle Resolutions is positioned as a timely reminder to carry them forward.
Invaluables is an initiative of BBC Media Action under Saamuhika Shakti, a collective impact effort where 12 partners have joined forces to enable waste pickers to lead secure and dignified lives with greater agency.
The latest campaign has garnered strong support from leading influencers and prominent Bengalureans. Notable voices amplifying the campaign include city-based comedian @aiyyoshraddha, musician Vasu Dixit, actor Bhoomi Shetty, and plogging champion @PlogRaja. Influencers such as Shiva Rai, Pinky Preet, and Hema Gayathri, among many others, are actively spreading the message of ‘Recycle Resolutions’.
Musician Vasu Dixit, a long-term supporter of #Invaluables said, “Real change doesn’t need grand gestures, it’s in the small, daily acts. When we handle our waste responsibly, we make the work of our waste pickers safer and more dignified. ‘Recycle Resolutions’ is a reminder that these simple habits already work and that’s reason enough to keep them going.”
Comedian Aiyyo Shraddha who has been associated with the campaign since 2021 added, “Most resolutions fizzle out by February. But these? They’re simple. Wash your dabba, send old clothes to dry waste centres, and help make waste pickers’ jobs safer and dignified. ‘Recycle Resolutions’ is a kind of promise to our environmental stewards. We must actually keep these promises!”
Speaking about the launch, Soma Katiyar, Executive Creative Director, India, BBC Media Action said, “The New Year gives us a powerful behavioural nudge to ‘recycle’ these actions as resolutions—so they don’t fade as campaign noise but embed as everyday practice. Our creative insight was clear: people don’t need brand-new habits; just familiar ones amplified at the right cultural moment. That’s where real behaviour change happens—through simple, dignifying routines that quietly make the city safer for our Invaluable Recyclers.”
Highlighting the broader significance, Varinder Kaur Gambhir, Country Director, India, BBC Media Action said, “Invaluables has always been about helping citizens see the people behind our waste system and act with care. This final phase brings together everything we have learned so far, backed by evidence and impact, and invites Bengalureans to carry these behaviours forward as a shared responsibility towards our waste pickers.”
This week, Recycle Resolutions was also rolled out across outdoor platforms, including select bus shelters in prominent city areas and Namma Metro, ensuring visibility and reach among daily commuters. It will soon be released on digital platforms as well in several apartments in the city.
