Good News: This man is reviving Hauz Khas lake using artificial wetlands

Tarun Sebastian Nanda, a civil and environmental engineer has taken up a project of cleaning the Hauz Khas lake in Delhi by using artificially constructed wetlands. These wetlands act as biofilters, and are far easier to maintain than mechanical treatment plants

What is the national clean air program (NCAP)?

The Indian government recently announced the draft guidelines of the National Clean Air Program? Polash Mukherjee from the Centre for Science and Environment gives a quick analysis of these guidelines.

How to do aquaponics farming in India?

Aquaponics is an efficient way to do farming, especially for a country like India where farmers and farm-related problems make news every day. Sushant Madaan from Urban Kheti in Gurgaon gives a primer on how to do this type of agriculture?

Save the sparrows: How to build a nest with Rakesh Khatri

Mr Rakesh Khatri has actively promoted sparrow conservation. Since 2007, he has been building nests for sparrows using natural material like bamboo, jute and coir. He trains young people to build these nests so that they could put them up around the city.

Water budget: Accounting of water at the time of climate change

When most of Maharashtra was facing drought in 2016, this tiny village called Kumbharwadi in Ahmednagar district was watersufficient. This was because in 2015 they had started a programme to budget their water resources. They were guided by a Pune-based think tank called Watershed Organisation Trust.

Microplastics in your bottled water?

Latest studies have claimed that the best brands of bottled water may be contaminated with microplastics. These are cancer-causing substances.

First Food: Celebrating the India's Food Biodiversity

Down to Earth combined with Chor Bizarre, an Indian restaurant chain to celebrate an evening of traditional yet unique foods of India. Chef Rajiv Malhotra and his team cooked 20 recipes from 10 India States. All these recipes were picked up from the book called First Food -Culture of Taste. A short preview of the evening.

Food safety: How to detect adulteration in milk in 2 minutes

These are easy steps to detect adulteration in milk that can be done at home. This video describes how to detect adulteration of water, starch and detergent. The steps are prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Food Safety: See if the honey you are having is genuine!

These are easy steps to detect adulteration in honey that can be done at home.. The steps are prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Importance of permaculture for Indian agriculture

Clea Chandmal is the founder of Permaculture Ways. She teaches permaculture to farmers and also designs agriculture spaces using principals of nature and ecosystem services.

Permaculture: Rosie and Peter's Assagao Kitchen Garden and Food Forest

What does it take to design a permaculture kitchen garden? Peter Fernandes recounts his experience of growing a food forest using permaculture.

The Aranya story: turning barren land into a food forest using permaculture

Padma and Narsanna Koppula have turned a barren piece of land in Telangana's Medak district into a food forest by engaging the community that lives around it. Here's their story

Good Food: Flavourful Sohphlang Curry

Sohphlang is a tuber which is native to khasi hills in Meghalaya. It tases like water chestnut is very popular among the tribal communities. It is harvested from November-December. The local comminities use sohphlang to treat parasitic infections and the tuber is also rich in Phosphorus and proteins.

Good Food | Tangy kali gajar ki Kanji

Kanji is a fermented drink prepared during winters , especially during the time of holi festival. Kanji is very good for digestion, and also acts as an appetiser.

Recipe from First Food: Goolar Ka Chokha

First Food Recipies: Simple recipe Makhane Ka Raita

This is the easiest way to incorporate Makhana or lotus seeds a super food into you diet. Health benefits of Makhana include good for the heart, cures leucorrhoea, enhances blood circulation and good for post-delivery care. It is also helpful for weightloss.

First Food Recipes: Beat the heat with Palash Sherbet

Palash or Flame of the Forest is a flowering tree native to the Indian sub continent. Palash flowers were traditionally used to make dyes for Holi celebration. Many do not know that Palash Flowers can be made into a sherbet which is particularly healthy during the Indian summer.

First Food Recipes: Uncommon Indian recipe Peepal Ki Bhaji with Kokum

Peepal or Ficus Religiosa is a native tree to India. Hindus and Buddhist consider peepal a holi tree. Leaves of peepal have an unique place in Indian system of medicine called Ayurveda and is helpful in curing disorders such as asthma, diabetes, diarrhoea, epilepsy, gastric problems, inflammatory disorders and infections. Young and tender peepal leaves can be incorporated in to your diet by …

First food Recipes: Uncommon recipe Pepaal Ka Raita

Peepal or Ficus Religiosa is a native tree to India. Hindus and Buddhist consider peepal a holy tree. Leaves of peepal have an unique place in Indian system of medicine called Ayurveda and is helpful in curing disorders such as asthma, diabetes, diarrhoea, epilepsy, gastric problems, inflammatory disorders and infections. Young and tender peepal leaves can be incorporated in to your diet by …

First Food Recipes: Unique and simple recipe Bhang Ke Pakode

Bhang has its place in the Ayurveda, it is used to improve digestion, irritable bowl syndrome, insomnia, and alleviates muscle pain. Here is a simple recipe from the book called First Food on how to make bhang pakodas or marijuana fritters. Because Bhang is an intoxicant, it should be used in moderation and care should be taken before consuming it.

First Food Recipe: Tamil Karuveppilai Podi or curry leaves powder with rice

Curry leaves are more than just a common seasoning. This leaf is a storehouse of carbohydrates, fibre, calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin E. Curry leaves are a tonic for the heart. They fortify you against infections and are a boon to the skin and hair. Here is an easy recipe from Tamil Nadu called karuveppilai podi or roasted curry leaves powder from the …

First Food Recipes: Aloo ke Gutke and Dawai Phool ke Daal

A confluence of different cultures on a plate Jakhiya or Cleome Viscosa comes from the tribes of Garhwal, Uttarakhand. Also known as wild mustard or dog mustard, they are found in tropics throughout the world. When cooked with potatoes, they make a flavorful combination. Dhawai phool or dried flowers of Woodfordia fruitcosa, a flowering bush, grows on the wastelands of Chhattisgarh and is …