Launched in April 2008, the NDTV-Toyota Green campaign was India’s first ever-nationwide campaign to save the environment. The campaign is aimed at creating awareness about environmental issues by involving the people of our country to make a difference.

As part of this environment campaign, NDTV organised India’s first Telethon in 2009 – The Greenathon, a 24-hour live fund-raising event that brought together people to donate money to support TERI’s Lighting a Billion Lives initiative which aims at providing solar power to villages without electricity.

The Greenathon, simulcast across the NDTV network, is a combination of musical extravaganza, live chats with celebrities, simultaneous green activities across India, reports on environment and green pledges by celebrities, politicians and the common man.

There were many simultaneous 24-hour activities conducted across India as part of the Greenathon 1. There was a 24-hour Green marathon held in Mumbai, Delhi saw the filthy Yamuna being cleaned up in a 24-hour clean-up drive and in Pondicherry students of St. Patrick School participated in a 24-hour Quizathon for environment. A 12-hour beach clean-up drive was also held in Mumbai. The Greenathon received an overwhelming response from India’s leading corporates, top Bollywood stars, musicians, environmentalists, NGOs and educational institutions who supported the cause by participating in various activities.

India's legendary classical musicians and Bollywood entertained the nation as people reached into their pockets to support the cause and money poured in through SMS, phone calls, cheques and online donations. The Greenathon went on to become a 25-hour live event bringing everyone together from across the world to take the green pledge and adopt villages, helping raise over Rs 2.4 crore in pledges. Some of the generous donors for the campaign were Shilpa Shetty, Shahrukh Khan, Yuvraj Singh, Sanjay Dutt, Preity Zinta, Nokia, Coca-Cola and, Aarav, son of actor Akshay Kumar.

Greenathon 2 had the entire nation abuzz with green activities for the entire 24 hours. Paresh Maity created a stunning painting for the green cause on the sets of Greenathon 2. There was a Green Mela in Delhi where mural wall paintings and sapling takeaways were the highlights. The Mumbai Eco Fest had hordes of celebrities cycle the Electric Pedal and erect art installations from collected waste materials.

Marathon Man Milind Soman also ran 100 km in 24 hours passing through some of the famous landmarks of Mumbai city. Clean-up drives at the Elliott Beach in Chennai, Dal Lake in Srinagar and Gomti River in Lucknow; Tree plantation and sapling giveaway drives in Bangalore and Hyderabad were the other major highlights of this countrywide campaign. Chief Ministers of different states, environmentally conscious people from India and across the world came forward to take the green pledge.

Greenathon 2 received an overwhelming response from Bollywood stars, corporates and the common man to raise Rs. 3.92 crore in pledges. Some of the generous donors for Greenathon 2 were: Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor; Arshad Warsi, Dia Mirza, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Rahul Bose, Riteish Deshmukh, Voltas, CII, Nokia, Jaypee Infratech and Galaxy Toyota

As India played host to World Environment Day, the NDTV-Toyota Greenathon 3 enthusiastically participated in the movement, by involving millions of people from across the globe in building an environment conscious society. In its third edition, the NDTV-Toyota Greenathon was bigger and greener as it expanded its reach internationally, with Greenathon hubs in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Sydney. It received an overwhelming response and garnered support from all corners of the world, including the country’s leading corporate houses, top Bollywood stars, musicians, environmentalists, NGOs and educational institutions.

The NDTV-Toyota Greenathon 3 raised over Rs 11 crore in pledges. Some of the generous supporters of the campaign with both their time and donations were Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Karan Johar, Dia Mirza, Lara Dutta, Gulzar, Shabana Azmi, Rahul Bose, Vivek Oberoi, Usha Uthup, Jassi, Richa Sharma, KK and actor Milind Soman ran 550 km in 15 days to raise awareness for the environment. Also supporting the Greenathon were Former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Dr Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New and Renewable Energy.

Over the last 3 years, Greenathon has helped light over 500 villages. This year, with Greenathon 4, we reaffirm our commitment to Lighting a Billion Lives and take solar energy to the darkest parts of India. In addition, to take forward the clean-up drive that was launched with Priyanka Chopra in Agra, we have highlighted the menace of plastic waste. Waste management is one of the most critical issues in India and to address it, it is most important to spread awareness about it.

This year to mobilize a mass movement, we set up plastic/recyclable waste collection centers across the country. People in five cities were called on to get their waste recycled. This year we targeted: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore.

People across these 5 cities were invited to come out and participate in our recycling drive by depositing their recyclable waste - be it Plastic (bags and bottles), metal, paper, tetrapak cartons or e-waste. Our endeavor was not to preach, but get as many citizens to come out and participate. We believe that a lot of people want to do something for the environment but don't know how to go about it.

These centers, not only act as multiple bins for respective type of waste, but in the process also educate the masses on the importance of segregation. They are also told about the importance of cycling and what the process entails.

One main hub per city and multiple nodal points allowed collection of waste so that as far as possible, people could have access to depositing their waste. The larger purpose being to make this India Recycling Day.