A refreshingly sweet and innocent observation by a child of an otherwise very worrying issue of—river pollution—with a heartwarming appeal for water conservation. Once upon a time, during the holidays, I was travelling from Delhi to my village nearby. On the way, we guys came across the Yamuna River. Looking at the river, my younger brother instantly commented, “It doesn’t snow in Delhi even during winters. But here, on the river, it seems to have snowed in peak summers!”... Then, I explained to him that the white foam on the river surface is not snow but the chemical effluents emitted by huge …
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...
PYTHONS COULD DO WITH GLASSES Pythons have pretty poor eyesight. But they have a super power. Heat sensors! These are on their lips. From the heat radiated from their prey, they can find them even in the dark! MUMMY MUMMY… Pythons, like most reptiles, are very maternal. Some lay up to a hundred eggs. The mother then coils around to keep them warm until they hatch, which can be up to 90 days! She never leaves them even to feed herself!! Mother's love at its best.
On this Earth Day, trace the impact of humans on their planet throughout history
All about cracking the climate code with the Annual Climate Change Quiz in the Carnival’24. ******************* Young climate warriors from different parts of the country battled it out for the coveted title of the ultimate Climate Champions in The Bout — Green School’s Programme (GSP) annual climate quiz for schools. Organised as a signature event of the Green Schools Programme Carnival & Awards Ceremony at the India Habitat Centre on 30 January 2024, the second edition of The Bout was double the fun and double the adrenaline! Over 35 school teams, consisting students from Grades 6 to 10, participated …
An observation report made by high-schoolers in rural Maharashtra, studying the impact of climate change and the water resources installed by them a year earlier. At the cusp of the monsoon in Kharajgaon, land had laid barren for months. The countryside was tense and farmers awaited rains. Too early and the crops would die, too late and they can’t be sold. Most farmers took multiple jobs during off-season to support their families. Navin, a farmer we worked with, forced his daughters to leave school to sustain their living costs. Promised prosperous yield, they adopted inorganic fertilisers and pesticides. “We know …
An inspiring story of a school teacher, transforming a barren hilltop into an evergreen haven with sheer grit, indefatigable passion, and true love for nature. ******************************* My name is Jeevan Singh. I was duly appointed in government service by my state’s education department in 2010. But I got properly initiated as a teacher only when I was posted at the Government Primary School, Sidhot, based in Salooni Educational Block of Chamba district in Himachal...
Showcasing how visionary projects can nurture future leaders who are not only academically adept but also environmentally conscious and aware. ***************************** In an era of urbanization and technological advancements, the importance of connecting the youngsters with nature cannot be overstated. My school, the Sacred Heart in Kalyan, Maharashtra, stands as a beacon of inspiration in this regard. Their authorities had given me the mandate to set up a butterfly garden and provided all the required finance and manpower. And as our pioneering effort flourished with time, I was duly absorbed as a Nature educator...
The triple planetary crisis refers to three interconnected environmental crises that pose a threat to humanity—climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. We need to address this crisis by adapting to nature-based solutions that can leverage the inherent resilience of our ecosystem. One such solution is the conservation of mangroves. Mangroves are the kind of trees that are found in intertidal zones, between high tide and low tide, in tropical and subtropical regions...
Set to introduce young readers to a terrain that is largely believed to be elusive and mysterious, Andaman Adventure—The Jarawa is a work of fiction by children’s author Deepak Dalal, known for his conservation-themed books and particularly his Vikram-Aditya series. The Jarawa, the first of a two part story set in the Andaman, also focuses on the young, adventure-loving duo Vikram and Aditya as they navigate a dangerous situation across the islands...
What can you do at home to pump up the oxygen levels in your surroundings? Read this motivating account of some ordinary but nature-friendly activities. ************************************* From the past few years, my family has been undertaking certain chores which have helped us in connecting with nature in a better way. For instance, we make compost from raw fruit and vegetable scrapes, using the three-tier pot method. At first, we gather a lot of green and brown waste from the kitchen. (Green waste means anything organic that can be composted...
