Is plastic a problem or the way we use it? Definitely, the latter. Including small yet sustainable practices in our everyday lives can bring about major changes in the way our resources are managed. Read on to know some tiny steps to save our environment.

A legendary organic farmer from Karnataka’s Sorahonase village, L Narayan Reddy breathed his last on January 14, 2019. Reddy’s tryst with agriculture began late in life, after he had spent several years as a hotel menial, a lorry cleaner, an office attendant, and a manager. Taking inspiration from a book titled One Straw Revolution by a Japanese organic pioneer, Masanobu Fukuoka, he switched to organic farming in 1979.  

The joy of listening to a good song multiplies when we listen to it on a good device. There are many products for the same in the market, but what better than building your own speaker using natural resources! The natural resonance of the bamboo amplifies sound and is, therefore, used in building instruments like the flute. Since it does not require electricity to amplify sound, a bamboo speaker is an eco-friendly product that you will have fun building and proud to show it off! But before you start, make sure you have an adult assisting and guiding you.

Germany has launched the world’s first hydrogen-powered train in September 2018 because diesel-operated trains cause a lot of pollution. Built by French train maker Alstom, two trains painted in bright blue colour now operate on a 1.6km stretch in northern Germany. Hydrogen trains are eco-friendly because they are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity through a combination of hydrogen and oxygen, a process that leaves steam and water as the only emissions. Excess energy is stored in ion lithium batteries on board.

On World Environment Day, let’s find out what the Conference of the Parties (COP) is and its role in saving our environment.

Wetlands purify water through natural processes where aquatic plants act as bio-filters. Plants absorb phosphates and nitrates from the water and roots help to put back oxygen into the water. Constructed wetlands are a cost-effective method of treating wastewater and polluted water bodies. These are low cost solutions and can be easily made or replicated.

In the guise of development, what allows us to be callous with earth's resources? A study conducted by Indian Institute of Soil Science shows that majority of the soil in India is deficient in secondary nutrients, such as sulphur, and micronutrients, such as zinc, boron, iron, copper and manganese. The question then is how nutritious can our food be if it is grown on malnourished land? Many other villages are suffering, like Jaduguda and Kolaghat, because the polluter does not take the responsibility of the waste, burdening locals with unseen consequences...