Addressing indoor pollution and climate change with fuel-efficient cook stoves

A simple measure carried out by our organisation has helped to kill two birds with one stone

Too cold for comfort!

Managing our cooling and heating needs would go a long way to reduce electricity demand and carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate …

Clean cook stoves and climate mitigation: Tara Ramnathan explains

Down To Earth is at COP 22 in Marrakech, Morocco. We speak to Tara Ramnathan, prgramme director at Nexleaf Analytics, a company making clean …

Almost half a billion men, women suffered from lower respiratory infections globally in 2019: Report

The leading risk factors for LRI mortality, however, varied across age groups and sex

Getting Indore's roads to play a double role

An Indore engineer has solved the problem of waterlogging in the city's slums by building sloping roads that lead excess water to the nearest nullah.

The central problem

Callous unconcern, pollution, encroachment and politics is finishing off the lakes in Bhopal and Indore

India, own the agenda for clean air

After all, clean air is a public good and the adverse health effects of polluted air affect everyone

Cool roofs: episode 3 New Vastu with Ashok B Lall

Top floors can be excruciating during the Indian summers. But there are ways to stay comfortable on top floor houses. Ashok B Lall gives his tips …

Tunnel vision

Indore banks solely on rainwater harvesting, lands in a hole

Planter of Indore

A zoology professor motivates people to plant trees in memory of the deceased

How indoor pollution affects women & children

One statistic says that children have carbon monoxide levels similar to those that would result from smoking about seven cigarettes per day

Particulate matter from cigarettes, mosquito coils makes indoor air toxic

A study reveals that aluminum, chromium and tin are higher in mosquito coil smoke, and copper, zinc, manganese, nickel and lead are higher in …

Air pollution is not letting the world sleep well

American researchers find that increasing pollutants in ambient air causes sleep apnea

Clean(er) cooking in India: We need a transition to better solutions along with smarter policies

Lack of access to cylinder distribution networks means that schemes such as PMUY have not succeeded as expected

Swalia Bibi: Ujjwala's beneficiary number 2 crore can no longer afford LPG

The family of six has to take a loan every time they want to get their cylinder refilled

Indoor air pollution can slow down brain development in infants: Study

Very small particulate matter can move from respiratory tract to brain

Burning wood, coal for cooking can cause blindness: Study

The very small particles released with the fumes can penetrate the eyes and cause physical interior damage

Double burden of indoor and outdoor air pollution in developing world: Report

A quarter of global deaths due to particulate air pollution occur in India. Globally air pollution is the 4th largest killer

If you are in Patna, there's no respite from "very high levels" of PM2.5 concentration

The CSE study found that PM 2.5 levels even inside anganwadis were more than 42 times higher than the permissible safe standards for ambient air …

Remembering Kirk R Smith (1947-2020)

Kirk leaves us with the power of imagining change and hope 

Air pollution kills our children; and it isn’t even acknowledged

Lack of political will and intent and not making an explicit linkage with health means that Indian children die preventable deaths

WHO sets emissions standards for reducing indoor air pollution

4.3 million global premature deaths around each year attributed to illnesses caused by household air pollution

Murky science of comfort part 5: Here’s how being mindful is good for the environment

We cannot wish away air-conditioning in today’s world, but we can be reasonable in choosing where, when and how to resort to the energy guzzlers

Catching raindrops

Your air-conditioner can't keep you safe from Delhi’s noxious air

Indoor air quality is directly dependent on quality of outdoor air. It's time the aam aadmi came out on the streets to clean up not just …