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Avian Flu Protect Yourself from the Virus
Avian influenza is also a contagious viral flu disease of a similar nature to the coronavirus, says Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. Cooking contaminated chicken will not save you from infection because so many people and you handle the uncooked bird.
‘My Job is to Tell Stories that Need to be Told'
Gautam Pandey, a popular name in wildlife film festivals, such as the Wildscreen Festival, Jacksonhole, Jagran Film Festival, Woodpecker International Film Festival and many more, speaks to Elsa Lycias Joel about his passion, success, parents, and his love for the wild and untamed.
Paris Climate Pact Retrospect And Prospects
There is now a sense of a global urgency emerging towards keeping the promise of the Paris Agreement and securing our future on this planet. Net-zero emissions is becoming the new normal on the horizon. Several major economies have committed to climate neutrality or net zero emissions in the coming decades. Arvind Kumar discusses such related issues in this article.
Tourism Hits Reset Button After Lockdown As Tourists Become More Responsible Now
In this article, Manu Shrivastava says that lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country had dealt a big blow to tourism-dependent economies, leaving them struggling to survive. However, after the restrictions were lifted up most of the tourists have become more disciplined and responsible for the good as they have realized that dirtying tourist places is like cutting the branch they’re sitting on.
The Plastic Pandemic The Looming Challenge
In this article, Rashi Goel highlights the issue of increased waste created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Meat Paradox Connecting the Head and the Heart
Maneka Sanjay Gandhi says that people consuming meat shy away from making the connection that animals have been harmed in the process. Meat eaters and sellers resolve this dilemma by deliberately dissociating meat from its animal origins.
Pondicherry Shark Critically Endangered
Mention a shark, and many of us think of a large creature tearing through the seas, baring serrated teeth. But there are sharks whose size may surprise you, like the critically endangered Pondicherry shark. Benita Sen finds out more about it.
Enhanced Climate Action
Neha Pahuja and Mekhala Sastry analyse the possibilities in India vis-á-vis enhanced climate action. They conclude that while India is committed to NDC till 2030, a sectoral approach is necessary to reduce emissions and broaden the ambit of climate action in the country. However, it is important to note that success of this strategy requires coordinated effort not just in sectors but across scales as well.
Ek Tara Helping Children Shine Like the Brightest of Stars
Ek Tara is a registered trust that began its journey in 2011 with a small group of marginalized children and women in the slums of Topsia and Tiljala in Kolkata, West Bengal with a vision to provide high-quality holistic education and livelihood skills to enable positive community transformation. Here, we are in an exclusive email conversation with Ek Tara’s Executive Programme Manager, Anupriya Bhattacharya, for TerraGreen.
Durga India
Dare to Understand Behaviour, Respond Appropriately and Guard Ourselves Ably
Chamurthi Horses Need for Their Conservation
Sarita Brara says Lari farm was set up for the conservation of the prized Chamurthi horses threatened with extinction. And though the population of this breed of horses has begun to increase, it is still far short of the numbers for this species to be completely out of red.
2020 Tied for Warmest Year on Record Shows NASA Analysis
Earth’s global average surface temperature in 2020 tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record, according to an analysis by NASA.
Is India Tsunami Ready? - Present And The Future
India is recognized as a tsunami service provider for the Indian Ocean region by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). IOC is a global body supporting global ocean science and services. In August 2020, the IOC recognized two coastal villages of Odisha as 'Tsunami Ready' for their tsunami preparedness. The country has a well-equipped tsunami early warning system in place since 2007, but what is it more that India needs to be fully tsunami ready? The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in Hyderabad—an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India—has been providing ocean information and advisory services to the country for nearly two decades now. This includes issuing warnings and alerts about tsunamis, high waves, swells, storm-surges, and other ocean-related phenomena through sustained ocean observations and continuous improvements through research. In an interview with Dr T Srinivasa Kumar, Director, INCOIS, we understand the present status of tsunami readiness in India and what must be done by the country to be ready to combat dangers from impending tsunamis in the future.
Plastic Waste Management - Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Plastic waste generation is expected to increase to 31.4 million tonnes by 2031 and further to 55 million tonnes by 2041 (Statista 2019), thus showcasing an urgent need to address the concerns from the growing plastic waste in our country. Dr Suneel Pandey and Sourabh Manuja tell us that a recent discussion paper, Plastic Waste Management: Turning Challenges into Opportunities, published by TERI brings forth a few recommendations to turn plastic waste management challenges into opportunities. lastics not only are enduring, tonnes of plastics in 2018–19 (PlastIndia those uneconomical for collection
The Secretive Lives of the Wild Cats of India
Did you know that living in the shadow of their famous and iconic larger relatives, there are 10 small and secretive wild cats in India? Sandesh Kadur, a National Geographic Fellow and BAFTA award-winning cameraman, has carefully documented them on film, for National Geographic Wild and for us to enjoy. Dr Marianne Furtado de Nazareth tells us about his vivid experiences in this endeavour.
Ways to Reduce Environmental Toxins at Home - To Lead a Healthy Life
In this article, Pratosh Saxena says that simple changes in our daily life can reduce our exposure to potentially harmful substances.
Turning Waste Plastic into 'Ecobricks'
In this article, Sarita Brara highlights the efforts of children of vulnerable communities towards envisioning a plastic-free society. Read on to find out more about their innovation called ‘ecobricks’.
Constitution Salvages Environment - State Ensures All-round Development
In this article, Gajanan Khergamker says apart from ensuring that the law on environment is enforced equitably across India, the State has to provide the perfect platform to balance development and environment. He cites different examples to make his point clear.
Paddy Straw
A Win-Win Fuel
Farmers Shift to Climate-resilient Crop - With Rising Cyclones in Tamil Nadu
In the recent past, the Bay of Bengal has witnessed frequent cyclones. In 2011, when Cyclone Thane struck the coasts of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, many farmers looked for a crop that could withstand climatic fluctuations. Sharada Balasubramanian says vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides)—a hardy grass—was found to be a suitable alternative to cashew and casuarina, which were often getting toppled by cyclone. Farmers found this not just climate-resilient, but also profitable from an income perspective.
Engineers Discover New Microbe
For Greener Wastewater Treatment
Artificial Intelligence Helps Scientists
As They Develop New General Models in Ecology
Revisit, Rethink, Redress Go Green For A Better Tomorrow
If we lift off our blinkers of insensitivity and obtuseness and prod deeper inside, we will recognize how we have been destroying the natural resources and the environment. So why not streamline our industrial/production processes in a way which reduces uncertainly and incoherence through proper implementation and prepare ourselves for any disaster hereafter. In this article, Biba Jasmine highlights how we need to come together and treat environmental protection measures as a social obligation towards each other’s well-being and as an opportunity to block brazen violations of environmental principles.
The ‘Green' Children
Meghaa Gupta reflects on the environmentalism of urban children in the midst of the pandemic.
Improving City Bus Services in India
In this thought-provoking article, Yateendra Joshi highlights effective, sustainable ways in which India’s bus systems can operate smoothly without hindrances, such as overcrowding, confusion in routes, erratic timelines, and arbitrary fares among others.
‘We Have to Change Our Expectations from Being Alive If We Are to Survive'
Eminent historian Dr Romila Thapar’s latest book Voices of Dissent, published by Seagull Books, is essential reading for the current times. In an exclusive conversation with Ipshita Mitra for TerraGreen, Dr Thapar foregrounds the connection between natural and cultural heritage, condemns humankind’s intolerance to climate change, emphasizes the importance of understanding historical events through the lens of environmental sociology, and more.
Hybrid and RTC Projects Are Boosting India's RE and Storage Industries
Being a densely populated country with a growing urban and semi-urban population, the energy needs of India are on the rise. In this regard, hybrid and energy storage projects have the potential to balance the fossil fuel-to-clean energy ratio and meet 24-hour energy needs, writes Ramya Ranganath.
Solar Cookers For a Clean Cooking Revolution in India
We are after all consuming sun’s energy in various forms such as light, heat, food. Prashnopnishad, one of the sacred texts of India, says that breath of life comes from the sun. Vedas also lay supreme emphasis on the sun based on which all life forms exist on earth. In this article, Sri Ragunath Venkatramakrishnan talks about using sun’s energy directly in solar cookers for cooking and saving domestic energy requirement.
Snow Leopards and People's Livelihoods Are their Fates Intertwined?
Traditionally, the local communities of Ladakh keep their livestock in conventional corral pens, which are simple enclosures of stone-walls open from the top. WWF-India identified the ineffectiveness of conventional corral pens, and the development of a predator-proof corral design was initiated as a part of the conflict mitigation strategy. The weak wooden doors, open rooftop, and weak walls were identified as major gaps that made these corrals vulnerable. It was identified that simple modifications in the conventional corral design could help to make it predator-proof.
Be Your Own Doctor Veganism is the Way to Health
Maneka Sanjay Gandhi throws light on some studies that confirm that a vegan diet will help you lose weight, bring your blood sugar and cholesterol down, and improve your muscle strength and stamina.