Trees are indispensable for our survival. We rely on them for fuel, fodder, medicine, and innumerable other necessities. They make our planet conducive for life. According to a research published by Nature Climate Change, the world’s forests sequestered about twice as much carbon dioxide as they emitted between 2001 and 2019, thus playing a critical role in mitigating climate change. Therefore, keeping in mind the saying, van se vayu, vayu se aayu (air from forests, life from air), planting saplings is very important for conserving our environment...
The story of how a village got its first toilet. *********************************** G Nandakumar is a young farmer in Diguvapalem, a remote hamlet and a chronically drought-prone area in southern Andhra. In 2019, I met him on a school hiking trip, as part of our Geography classes. 'Nandu,' fondly addressed as so, was keen to upgrade his village by pursing some sustainable environmental practices, like organic farming. However, he lacked the resources to execute his vision. So, as a young student, I was very inspired by his ideas and wanted to help...
To burst or not to burst?’ is a question many young humans might be asking as the patakha (firecracker) season begins. Teachers and doctors tend to advice against firecrackers but there’s always a paan-chewing uncle or a macho friend who’ll bully you kids into becoming enthusiastic arsonists. It’s usually a tough choice to make. Some additional information is always a good help in firming up ones’ resolutions. Therefore, let's throw some light on the history, chemistry, and eco-friendliness of patakhas.