We observe World Water Day every year on March 22, to highlight the importance of water. But how much attention do we give to the amount of water we use everyday? According to a 2008 World Bank report, an average Indian household performs approximately 340 wash cycles in a year and this accounts for approximately 40.7 kilowatt hour of electricity, 47.5 kilolitre of water and 27 kilogram (kg) of detergent per household per year. We have to wash our clothes and use water and energy in our day-to-day lives, but here’s a way we can save the environment as well as a lot of money on laundry!

Thanks to the real-life bat, the reel-life Batman became a superhero. I have vivid childhood memories of the trees near my school from which more bats hung than leaves. During summery dusks, they’d glide away en masse in a procession. I believe, even then as today, people would’ve been susceptible to the viruses spread by their droppings. But such cases were unheard of. Rather, people fed upon this fascinating creature to cure their ailments— like, rheumatism, asthma, and chest pain; and used bat hair to treat shivering during fever.

Whenever that sweet tinkling sound traverses through my balcony, my entire mood rejuvenates. I crane my neck, investigating its source, and scan my lushy green enclave for a soft jingling song. Tracing the tsee…tseer… notes, I rejoice with delight on spotting the chirpy, cute, bundle of joy—the Indian White-Eye.

“Why didn’t you spot the Tiha today, dear?” That’s what my mother used to remind me on the New Year eves, when I was a little child like you. The Indian Roller bird, or the Tiha in Odia, is a very good omen. Believed to be a harbinger of happiness, sighting it is considered auspicious, especially at the beginning of any major life event. In fact, such is the faith in its sanctity that its feathers are preserved as lucky charms. Do you know Odisha, Telangana, and Karnataka have also declared it as their state bird?

If there is ever a bird that can rival even a hulk in roaring aloud, then that birdy has to be the Brown-Headed Barbet. This little creature’s blaring decibels can screech through the morning silence and can knock anyone out of their afternoon siesta as well. Its challenging, almost enticing, avian call proceeds like: tur-r-r-r kutrook-kutrook-kutrook...

The simplest possible explanation of what the COP—the prime annual international event on climate politics—is all about, can be made by reimagining the entire world as a classroom of noisy and notorious countries ******************************** Many of you have heard about COP summits. These are very big meetings that take place around the world where people gather to discuss climate change and how to manage it. COP stands for Conference of Parties. Basically, it is a group of countries...

A fascinating account by a passionate marine environmentalist explaining why seaweeds are environmentally the most sustainable foods on our planet. ******************************* Hi! Do you guys know what a seaweed is? It’s like the spinach of the sea. You might have eaten it in a roll of sushi or a bowl of green salad or a soup. But most likely, you wouldn’t have tasted it at all. That’s because in India, we don't have a popular tradition of seaweeds. But that's about to change—I believe as the founder of a seaweed food company called The Good Ocean...

How can schools become the catalysts for achieving sustainability? In an era where the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly evident, the role of education in fostering a sustainable future has become more critical than ever. Schools are at the heart of their communities and can play a pivotal role in promoting sustainability beyond their own walls and preparing students for a sustainable future.One of the most effective ways schools can do this is by integrating sustainability into their curricula, operations and community interactions. They can become powerful catalysts by …

In an increasingly climate-risked world what should be our food like? The 4th book in our First Food series brings you some answers in the form of unique recipes and ingredients, culled out from age-old wisdom and traditional knowledge of communities. Sourced from local biodiversity, from weeds and trees, long-lasting seeds, plants with short life-cycles and even those parts of plants that generally go waste. Foods that are very different from those produced by our current unsustainable agriculture systems.

In 2019, the National Clean Air Programme aimed to reduce particulate pollution—PM2.5 and PM10—by 20-30 per cent by 2024, later raised to 40 per cent by 2026. However, most cities lag behind the 2024 goal despite spending thousands ofcrores, with only eight meeting the target, 22 worsening, and many not even recording continuous data. With high standards on paper but poor implementation in reality, an epic battle against air pollution looms ahead.

On this Earth Day, trace the impact of humans on their planet throughout history