mumbai ahead of earth day april 22 an ngo is conducting a free workshop in kitchen gardening that teaches families to grow greens and easy vegetables in spaces less than one square foot the workshop will be held at growels 101 mall in kandivli from 1100am to 100pm tuesday april 21 smitha shirodkar of the ngo earthaholics says people will be taught to grow greens in small pots or old shoeboxes and little tins in minimum space shirodkar says you can grow ornamental plants or micro greens like spinach small fenugreek methi mint coriander basil parsley thyme and oregano in small spaces capsicum and oranges can be grown in slightly larger areas we are also instructing people to prepare their own manure with household waste because that is the costly part of growing your own vegetables urea or compost costs rs 4050 per kg in the market but is so simple to prepare at home one need not buy from outside one is also assured of the quality customers are also being encouraged to recycle tetrapacks by putting them in bins placed inside the mall the ngo will show them how these little cartons can be converted into paper and indeed benches shirodkar says these tetra packs lined with aluminum are so sturdy they can be pulped and converted into computer printing paper or even used to make benches we have a recyling unit in palghar which does so for every 4500odd cartons that we collect we donate a desk to needy schools housing societies or private establishments which wish to donate cartons are being invited to fill a form to participate for every 2000 cartons they deposit we will install a garden bench in their housing complex shirodkar says meanwhile in a parallel earth day event the staff of orchid hotel have painted a 1000ft wall with messages about conservation one vignette promotes the advantages of cycling by saying how it helps avoid expensive petrol parking trouble licence issues carbon dioxide emission and helps one stay healthy another assembly shows car tyres painted green and arranged to form a canopy of trees yet another wall has the image of a sorrowful earth crying out save me