Sustainable Living

In the last few months, we have covered all about growing various kinds of plants and taking care of them. Going forward, our future articles will give you a detailed perspective of how plants and their produce can directly affect both our gross spiritual and physical level. The fruits of plants and the plants themselves can create a balance in our energy levels. This in turn affects our glands and ultimately our health as it cures many ailments. Ever wondered why chocolates uplift one’s mood when low and melancholic? The energy levels that I have been mentioning are found in …

Conservation implies wise use of natural resources such as soil nutrients, minerals, water, plants, animals, etc. It may also include protecting the large collections of resources that make up a habitat or environment. Conservation Volunteers is one such organisation that recruits and manages teams of volunteers from Australia, New Zealand and around the world to work on important environmental and wildlife conservation projects. Founded in 1982 in Ballarat,Victoriaas the Australian Trust for Conservation Volunteers, this non-profit organisation has grown to become the largest practical conservation organisation in Australasia with offices in every capital city and many regional centres across Australia …

Aquaponics is a sustainable system of food production that combines the natural technique of aquaculture with the technique of cultivating plants in water in a symbiotic environment. 312 Aquaponics, based in Chicago, Illinois, designs custom aquaponic solutions to meet the critical needs of individuals, institutions, and organizations large and small. Mario Spatafora from 312 Aquaponics talks to Ek Titli. 1) Tell us about 312 Aquaponics. 312 Aquaponics is a company I co-founded with three of my friends from college after we graduated in 2009-2010.  We run an indoor urban farm utilizing aquaponics to raise fish and plants in a recirculating system.  …

The Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT), a Mumbai-based public charitable trust is dedicated and committed to the preservation, protection and conservation of wildlife across India. It believes that natural ecosystems are the backbone of India’s water, food, climate and economic security and endeavors to supplement the work of the government in protecting, maintaining and safeguarding them. WCT has adopted a three-part approach – a) strengthening the protection mechanism of the forest department by providing vehicles and basic equipment for anti-poaching camps and forest outposts, b) providing skill training to youth living alongside protected areas to enhance their livelihood options thereby reducing …

It’s not every day that someone who is concerned about environment or protecting an endangered species actually takes an initiative to make a considerable difference. But we talk about the exceptions and that’s what Krithi Karath has been. A  Ph.D  in Environmental Science and Policy from Duke University, she has always been broadly interested in human-environment interactions, particularly focusing on protected areas and their relationship with people and biodiversity. “My parents, Dr. Parthibha and Dr. Ullas Karanth provided me a wonderful childhood and supported my interests (towards wildlife). As a child, I spent a lot of time tagging along with my father …

Everlasting Love! Isn’t that what we attempt to signify while presenting a diamond studded engagement/wedding ring to our beloved – a promise that lasts a lifetime? We found out that there is a better way of saying that you love your partner than an expensive piece of jewelry. Ek Titli caught up with Gustav Reyes, owner of Simply Wood Rings in Chicago, Il, USA who unfurls a new meaning to love – which is based on the concept of ‘now’. What is Simply Wood Rings all about? Simply Wood Rings is based on the concept that love is now, and time and …

While you are cleaning and tidying up your abode, how about using some help from our little green friends? This week we list down a few plants that will make your task all the more easier and comfortable. Plants that purify the air: Plants apart from absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen also eliminate significant amounts of benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. These chemical compounds are commonly found in the air of every household as it is emitted by oils, paints, rubber, plastic, detergents & synthetic fibres, etc. A quick Google of these chemicals will show you a list of ailments …

Encourage youth to study mangroves Feb 2nd each year is World Wetlands Day. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year since 1997, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the community have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general, and the Ramsar Convention in particular. Mangrove The World Wetlands Day theme for 2012 is Wetlands and Tourism and it is …

After the scorching heat and the messy rains, winter comes as a sweet disguise. The weather is pleasant, the mood in the air is eclectic, and there is a feeling of being outdoors more often than sitting indoors. A change in the weather also changes our daily lifestyle as longer nights give us ample periods of rest. But a drop in temperature can catch us unprepared and our bodies will succumb to these changes. The last week I have been in bed with a sore throat, running nose and a bad back pain. Well the weather caught me unprepared for …

Diabetes is one of the oldest known diseases. An Egyptian manuscript mentions the phrase “the passing of too much urine” to describe the prevalence of the disease then, while in India, the great physician Sushruta, identified the disease and classified it as Medhumeha. The ancient Indians tested for diabetes by observing whether ants were attracted to a person’s urine, and called the ailment “sweet urine disease”. Of the estimated 346 million people worldwide that suffer from Diabetes, around 51 million are in India alone! According to a WHO report, an estimated 3.4 million people died from consequences of high blood …