Let’s delve into the what, why & how of composting. ave you wondered how a plastic toothbrush can lie around on Earth for hundreds of years but an apple core disappears in a few weeks? This happens when we let nature do its thing, and the superheroes that make it all possible are microorganisms or microbes. Microbes are tiny living things found all around us that are so small that they can’t be seen with naked eyes. These superheroes break down all organic matter— coming directly from plants or animals, even something as tough as a bone. Read on as we walk you through the basics of composting — from …

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...

Do you know where we got the potato from? Or why birds can have chillies but we can't?... Read some more interesting food-facts like these and know the importance of our food in this comic strip on food items, food wastage, and hunger.

A look around any supermarket and one thing will be hard to miss: plastic. Every item small or big, from perishables to ones with a long shelf life is packed in plastic. Even the ones that have a covering of their own, say, oranges are needlessly packaged. The fruit is even peeled, kept on a delicate foam tray, and sealed with a plastic sheet. Apples are individually wrapped in comfortable cushions made of plastic. Gourds are packed in cling films. It’s almost as if humans think that their artificial packaging, which is wreaking havoc on the planet, is better than that of nature...

India has more than 1.5 million schools and 260 million students. Think about a regular day in these schools before the pandemic. Imagine the amount of waste— food waste, plastic, paper, stationery—produced in these schools in a day. Now, add COVID-19 waste to it as schools across the country are reopening. Imagine all of this waste going to landfills. Alarming, isn’t it?

Eating safe food keeps you healthy It was 1 pm and the whole family had gathered around the dining table to check what was for lunch. Steaming bowls of daal (lentils), rice and baigan ka bharta (mashed eggplants) along with fresh rotis (homemade bread) were arranged on the table.  

Mahatma Gandhi was no stranger to the problems of waste and he dedicated his entire life urging individuals to shun wasteful consumption. Here are a few schools that are living the Gandhian values of mindful consumption and efficient resource use. India is drowning in waste. Every year we generate 62 million tonnes (MT) of waste and half of it ends up in landfills. Of the total waste collected, only 19 per cent undergoes treatment. This is the dismal state of waste management in our country today. Mahatma Gandhi was no stranger to the problems of waste and he dedicated his entire life urging individuals to shun wasteful …

What tigers eat and the space they occupy protects the health of their entire ecosystem.

We all know pistachios to be tasty little green nuts but how many can say they have known them to be a fun craft?

It was a cold October morning. I did not have to wake up early for school because our school was closed for the winter vacation. The morning was very peaceful and the birds were welcoming a new day with their joyous songs. I woke up and opened my window. The cool breeze entered my room just as I opened my window. As I glanced out, I saw an old man walking with his stick shivering in the cold. Someone should have helped him. I felt like helping him but I could not. My mom had warned me not to speak to strangers. He did not even have a sweater on him to stay warm. Poor man!...

Waste does not exist in nature. It is only humans who create it. In a world of constant upgrades and the latest models, where do our old possessions go?