Trending: IAS Officer’s Plantable Visiting Card Will Inspire You To Go Green

One might think visiting cards are simply a waste of resources, but now an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has found a sustainable solution. On Wednesday, IAS Shubham Gupta shared photos of his visiting cards that were embedded with marigold plant seeds. The text at the bottom of the visiting card read, “This card, when planted, grows into a marigold plant.” Shubham Gupta is posted as Municipal Commissioner, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra.

The text with his post on X read, “Anyone coming to my office from now on will get this card. It grows into a beautiful marigold plant when planted.” His post now has over 2 lakh likes.

Social media users lauded his innovative thought. Commenting on it, an X user wrote, “Nice initiative towards our environment. Feeling proud for having such a responsible officer in our country.”

Another person recalled, “What a brilliant idea. At a recent birthday party I attended, they gave kids pencils which when they become small need to be planted. The last end of it had a seed which would germinate into a plant when potted. These are such brilliant ideas to enhance our nature.”

Someone suggested, “An appreciable effort. How about making the card friendly to the visually challenged? Brail.”

Meanwhile, a user wrote, “Jab sir itni hi sustainabale green ki chinta hai toh then go digital! Show off nahi (Sir if you worry so much about sustainability then go digital ! Don’t show off.)”

An X user asked, “A well-driven initiative Sir. Do you also think, the govt should exercise being environmentally friendly more often? I mean, they should cut off on many things, even with this concept, it helps a lot. But I think the real waste lies in the rallies. Just asking for your opinion.”

Seed paper, made from recycled paper, is free from chemical coatings or treatments. Therefore, it facilitates easy decomposition in soil. As the paper breaks down, the embedded seeds have the potential to germinate. Even if discarded improperly, it will be easily decomposed and the seeds may sprout naturally.