The Constitution of Kingdom of Bhutan bestows the sacred responsibility of protecting and conserving natural environment and preventing all forms of ecological degradation through adoption and support of environment friendly practices and policies to its citizens (Article 5(1)). Gedu College of Business Studies advocates perusal of this sacred responsibility amongst the members of its fraternity through its GNH initiatives such as responsible waste management, responsible and sustainable consumption patterns, initiatives to go paperless in office, and responsible use of ecosystem products/services. Green Kitchen Initiative has been proposed by members of the students as the next GNH initiative that the college needs to consider.

Currently, the college has two kitchens (one for Male students and one for Female students) catering to total of around 520 students. These kitchens consume at least 40 truckloads (approximately 22,600 Cubic ft.) of fuelwood annually, spending around 0.4 Million. The Forum for External Relations and In-House Coordination [FERIC] , FERIC strongly felt that the demand for fuelwood, year on year, by the college doesn?t align with its belief and mandates, and negatively impacts the environment, compromises the health and wellbeing of students living in the in the same premises of the kitchen, and the culinary staff. Grounded in these problems, FERIC, expressed the need to transform current conventional kitchen into an energy efficient green kitchen.

The FERIC has committed to embark on greenhouse farming ensure supply of organic vegetables to the mess. The estimated funds required to transform one of the kitchens and start greenhouse farming is USD 70,952.00. On this proposal of the student body, the college explored for alternatives to transform current kitchen into a Green Kitchen. But managing within the budgeted student capitation fees that college generates, the college finds it difficult to take this initiative forward. This proposal, therefore, is submitted to GEF-UNDP, Small Grants Programme to solicit funding support to transform one of the kitchen (Boys mess) into energy efficient green kitchen.

Transforming conventional kitchen to a Green Kitchen would contribute to environmental conservation and enhance wellbeing of the students and staff. More importantly, conservation values and green initiatives mindset can be enhanced amongst the students and staff of the college, present and future. The greenhouse farming would meaningfully engage students in self-reliant production and consumption, and promote agro-entrepreneurship. The proposed initiative aligns with the key GEF-UNDP SGP initiative strategies to promote energy efficient technologies as well as promotion of alternative energy sources.

Project Objectives and Expected Results
More than 500 students the college subscribe to mess facilities, which is managed by the FERIC guided by the Mess Management Committee. The college with intent to ensure healthy diet and nutrition, convenience and easy access to mess, have established two kitchens in the campus one each for male students and female students. Currently mess (female) has 300 users and male mess has 250 users.

The kitchens for student?s mess had to be created in the existing infrastructure handed over to the college by the Tala Hydroelectric Project Authority. Though, integrating kitchen facilities with the hostel infrastructure is convenient and accessible for students, it also poses major challenges and risk to them. The kitchen by design is a conventional kitchen which uses fuelwood for cooking. The demand for fuelwood for by the college is massive, as it uses at-least 40 truckloads (22600 cubic ft.) of fuelwood in a year months solely for cooking. The fuelwood used in the mess is outsourced, and the contractors supplying the fuelwood, sources it from Government Reserve Forest in the Gedu Forest Division range (which include Government Research Forest around Darla, Bongo, Dungna, Metabkha and Getana Gewogs, some of the GRF in Gewogs such as Bongo fall in protected area for flora and fauna). The sourcing of fuelwood causes damage to the environment and transporting the wood to the mess as to the CO2 emissions, thereby polluting the environment. In addition, it is proven that cooking using fuelwood is hazardous to health of the employees.

Grounded in these problems, the FERIC has proposed the need to transform the conventional kitchens of the college into a Green Kitchen. As a contribution of the student body in the green kitchen transformation process, the FERIC has committed to embark in green house farming, given the weather condition of Gedu, and college management has already set aside areas for Greenhouse farming.

The current project is proposed for transforming green kitchen for Boys mess only because the mess for girls is attached the hostel infrastructure and it would require development of a new infrastructure, which is beyond the ceiling of the GEF small grant programme. If the project on greening Boy?s mess is successful, it will be upscaled to Girls mess.

Project Objectives:

The primary intent of the proposed project is to establish energy efficient integrated green kitchen for the student?s mess (boys). Specific objectives of the project include:

i. Transforming conventional kitchen (boys mess) into energy efficient green kitchen, by completely eliminating use of fuelwood
ii. Develop greenhouse infrastructure and start greenhouse farming
iii. Develop eco-friendly mindset amongst the members of GCBS family

The proposed project, is similar to Bhutan Sustainable Rural Biomass Energy Project supported by United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility, Swiss Development Corporation (SDC), Asian Development Bank, Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, and Poverty Environment Initiatives, and it would contribute to overall reduction in fuelwood consumption in Bhutan and emission of Green House Gas. Additionally, the student body of the college, has committed to embark in green house farming to produce vegetables for the mess, given that the weather condition at Gedu isn?t suitable for farming in natural setting, by seeking collaboration and support from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Project Outcomes

Some of the key deliverables from project include:

?? Adoption of Energy efficient cooking infrastructure at GCBS mess contributing reduced GHG emissions
?? Fully developed green house and supply of vegetables for the mess from green house
?? Health and well-being of the college community enhanced
?? Environment-education institutionalized in the college