Sustainable Living

The Apatani's using their traditional methods of farming that uses fish in the paddy fields, has shown to produce around 400-500 kg per hectare which is 3 to 4 times the average yield of the state. How have they used these fishes to grow over 16 varieties of Rice, organically?

In what is claimed to be the worlds first, a Scottish distillery has linked up with a spin-out company from a University in Edinburgh to create fuel from whisky ‘left overs’. The butanol produced after feeding these “leftovers” with bacteria can be used to fuel vehicles. More than 90% of the stuff that comes out of a whisky distillery is not whisky. It is leftovers like draff and pot ales – both produced in the early stages of the process. The distiller, Tullibardine has the capacity to provide 6,500 metric tons of draff (what’s left of the grain after fermentation) …

The world’s leading green energy awards scheme is seeking entries for its 2013 Awards. The Ashden Awards uncover the most exciting sustainable energy enterprises from across the globe which are leading the way in increasing the poor’s access to energy and tackling climate change.  Entry to the awards is free, with up to five winners to receive cash prizes of up to £40,000 at a prestigious ceremony in London in June 2013. As well as the prize money, Ashden also offers a package of benefits including tailored support to help organisations scale up; a global platform to promote your work; …

Amaranth, also called ramdhana, chua, bathua, pungikeerai or thotakura in India is a vegetable/herb that typically grows as an annual, which is defined as a plant that matures and completes its lifecycle over the course of a single year. Amaranth comes in all sizes, shapes and colours. The leaves can be round or lance shaped, five to fifteen cm long or more, light green, dark green, reddish or variegated. Seeds maybe white, yellow, pink or black and the striking flowers can be huge tassles or tiny globes, red, pink, yellow or cream that produces a huge number of tiny seeds …

Ashwagandha is a shrub with a central stem from which branches, which are covered with a dense matte of woolly hairs, extend radially in a star pattern . The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties. The plant’s long, fleshy, brown, tuberous roots are used for medicinal purposes. The plant has an average diameter of 9-12 inches, and grows up to 3 feet in temperate climates and up to 7 feet in areas similar to the countries it is native to (e.g., India). Their attractive berries are not edible. Children need to …

Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum), a divine herb, is a tuber crop that is partly an herb with sub-erect lanceolate leaves (Long and wide in the middle) and a tuberous root system. It can grow up to a maximum height of 1.5 ft. while the tubers can grow up to a depth of 10″. The plant is an important ingredient of CHYAWANPRASH, and is commonly found in some patches of the forest areas in India as well as in Maharashtra. The plant has reached rare status in nature due to overexploitation; and owing to its increased demand as a safe herbal …

Purslane, also known as Khulpha, Khursa in Hindi or Ghol in Marathi, is a water-retaining plant that can reach a height of 6″ – 12”. It’s smooth, reddish, thick leaves are wedge shaped. The leaves are alternately clustered at stem joints and are greenish on top and purplish on the underside. The very tiny yellow flowers are around 6 mm wide and depending upon rainfall, the flowers appear at anytime during the year. Purslane has a taproot with fibrous secondary roots and is able to tolerate poor, compacted soils and drought. All that purslane needs to grow is part to full …

Around a month back we started a new series on the influence of plants on the various chakras in our body. We had written on The Root Chakra or the Muladhara and the respective plants that help balance this chakra. This week we look into the finer details of The Sacral Chakra or the Svadhisthana. Svadhisthana, the centre of whatever constitutes the individual’s personality, is situated in the spine in the region above the genitals (in the lower abdomen). It carries on its six vermilion petals the six Sanskrit letters ba, bha, ma, ya, ra, la. In the pericarp, the …

In our previous article Air Filtering Plants, we covered few commonly found plants that help purify the air. So if you ever have experienced a burning sensation in your eye, irritation in your nose and a feeling of nauseating in an indoor environment, remember there is always help at hand. These common indoor plants may provide a natural way of helping combat “SICK BUILDING SYNDROME” that is triggered by the following chemicals: Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous chemical found in virtually all indoor environments. The major sources which have been reported and publicized include urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and particle board or …

The Root Chakra or the Muladhara, carries on each of its four red petals a letter of the Sanskrit alphabet inscribe in shining yellow or gold: va, sa, sa, sa. These letters are contained within a yellow square representing the earth element, together with the seed mantra Lam. The four letters represent the root vibration, and are related to the vital breath known as Apana. The Root Chakra governs issues around physical self-preservation. These issues include survival, security and safety, as well as primal erotic and procreational urges. This chakra is the grounding force that allows us to connect to …