Every year, cities like Pune face the same problem — heaps of dry leaves collected in gunny bags, left to be burned.
What looks like a quick fix creates toxic smoke, chokes our neighborhoods, and destroys soil health.
At Brown Leaf, we believe there’s a better way. Dry leaves are not waste — they are a resource. Whether you have a few bags or a truckload, you can help close the loop of nature right from your home.
This guide will help you choose what works best for you:
👉 Manage them in your own premises or
👉 Donate them to someone who needs them.
OPTION 1: Manage Dry Leaves at Home
If you have space in your society or garden, managing your own dry leaves is the simplest and most sustainable path.
1. Mulching
Mulching means spreading dry leaves over soil — around trees, potted plants, or vegetable beds.
– It prevents soil erosion
– Retains moisture, reducing watering needs
– Gradually improves soil fertility
2. Composting
If you already compost kitchen waste, adding dry leaves helps balance it.
They’re rich in carbon, which balances the nitrogen from your food scraps.
You can use:
– A simple aerobic bin in your society
– A small home composter for balconies
– Or join your neighborhood composting group
OPTION 2: Donate Your Dry Leaves
If space is limited or you already have more than you can manage — don’t burn, donate.
Gardeners, farmers, and composters need dry leaves. You can help by connecting the dots.
Free Donations
Many farmers or composting groups will gladly collect dry leaves for free.
All you need to do is:
– Collect them in cloth or old curtain bags (not nylon gunny bags)
– Keep them clean and dry
– Register your willingness to donate on the Brown Leaf Network
Paid Donations
If you regularly generate large quantities — like a housing society, garden contractor, or institution — you can sell your dry leaves to farmers or composters.
This creates a small income stream for collection teams while helping others build soil health.
Every Leaf Counts
Whether you mulch, compost, or donate — each bag of leaves you divert from burning helps reduce air pollution, enrich the soil, and protect the planet.
Brown Leaf started as a citizen movement in Pune in 2016 — and together, we’ve prevented lakhs of gunny bags of dry leaves from going up in smoke.
Your choice today continues that story.