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The “American Dream” Invades India
In the ancient civilization of India, sustainability and moderation in consumption has always been a way of life. This pattern has been respected and left largely undisturbed by Indian consumers who consider themselves a part of the cycle of nature. An interactive relationship with nature and the natural environment is a part of every Indian’s [...]
Continue reading...At home in the forest
23. January 2009
Van Vadi — a collective of city folks who have chosen to move to a forest and live in harmony with nature. The broad agreed aim of the owners was to “live close to the land in an ethical and sustainable manner” Van vasis: Guests prepare and savour food grown organically at Van Vadi. Surekha [...]
Continue reading...Bhutan’s balancing act: Happiness vs. development
5. November 2008
Bhutan’s dilemma: how to reconcile conservation, economic development and happiness in a modern world. Bhutan puts the happiness of its people before development. Landlocked in the eastern Himalayas, the tiny country of Bhutan seems almost untouched by globalisation. Its icy peaks, deep green gorges, sparkling rivers and quaint buildings with multi-tiered sloping roofs strengthen the feeling [...]
Continue reading...Water of Life
3. November 2008
Rainwater harvesting means catching and holding rain where it falls and using it. It can be stored in tanks or used to recharge groundwater. From this seemingly simple idea, India is learning some great lessons. If you search for the term on Google, the Internet throws up around 64,000 links. Out of these as many [...]
Continue reading...The Free Tree & Bio-Piracy of the West
31. October 2008
The “Free Tree” of India The neem is evergreen. It grows fast and in any kind of soil, good or bad. It can soar 25 metres high and can live for 200 to 300 years – that is if it is not cut down. It is one of the most tolerant trees. It is not scared [...]
Continue reading...The Striped Environmentalist
18. October 2008
The majesty of the Bengal tiger although considered a threat to their existence by the locals in Sunderbans, is in effect a direct check on the wilful onslaught of nature by unconcerned people. Consider it this way; the threat of the tiger in the jungle and the Crocs in the river has been the major discouragement for [...]
Continue reading...The Great Indian Migration
5. October 2008
CITIES ARE centres of opportunities, of all types: entertainment, employment, education, healthcare and so on. When it is a matter of development, it is true that everything new comes to the city first. But sometimes it takes ages for a particular technological innovation find its way to the fringes of rural India. By the time [...]
Continue reading...Irresponsible tourism in Paradise
22. September 2008
This is what the western media says: “India has always been a difficult place to do business – excessive bureaucracy, endemic corruption and poor infrastructure are the most common problems – but now it seems Hindu gods must be added to the list. Plans for what would have been India’s first international ski resort in [...]
Continue reading...Cleanest village in Asia
15. September 2008
MAWLYNNONG,nestled in the pristine hill state of Meghalaya, is along the Indo-Bangla border. This cute and colourful little village is known for its cleanliness. The village is a picture perfect painting. The village is situated about 75 kilometres from Shillong. The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. They mostly grow betel nut. About 82 [...]
Continue reading...Jadugoda’s Nuclear Nightmare
2. September 2008
The Indo-U.S. nuclear deal may be considered groundbreaking and historic by many in India and the United States, but this euphoria must not shroud the misery of thousands of people suffering the effects of uranium mining in India due to poor technical and management practices in existing mines. Jadugoda, Jharkhand is a place which has [...]
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19. February 2009
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