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...

An interview with Deepak Bhati and Gauri Arora, Programme Officers in the Sustainable Food Systems team of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, simplifying the complicatedness of antimicrobial resistance for our young readers.

********************************************

Hi Deepak and Gauri! We’ve been hearing about this complex and scary thing, ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’ (AMR). Can you please unpack it for our kids?...

When will children in India get inoculated against COVID-19? It could be as early as August 2021, if the health minister Mansukh Mandaviya is to be believed.He said this at a recent BJP parliamentary party meeting.There are concerns about the impact of an impending third wave on children.A vaccine would enable the reopening of schools and the resumption of outdoor activities. A timeline for September had been given earlier according to data from clinical trials of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. 

Herbs such as coriander, basil and mint can make any dish more flavourful. They are fun to grow and it is great to have our own garden we can pluck fresh herbs from. We can make a kitchen herb garden or plant herbs in pots on the terrace. Herbs are easy to grow and require little patience as some herbs start to sprout in as little as two days!...

This member of the cucumber family goes back thousands of years

The beautiful and healthy lotus stems—you can find these stems being sold by roadside vendors, especially along roads that run by a river or a pond. The light brown or white, sausage-like tubular vegetable has holes in it. These are lotus stems and they are used widely in Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. They are relished for their taste and nutritional value.

Known in Hindi as bhe or kamal kakri, the lotus stem contains hollow air channels that run the length of the stem. It is crunchy, sweet and tastes like water chestnut. It has a delicate flavour and is suitable for eating raw or cooked...