For the explanation of each image, plus photo credits and some other images in this weekly series in the Guardian website’s Environment section, click here.
Bird of the Day: African Jacana (Mole National Park, Ghana)
Napier Museum – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Photo Credits: Nikhil Raj
The Napier Museum is also known as the Trivandrum Art Museum of Art. It was completed in 1880, making it the oldest museum in Kerala and one of the oldest in India.The museum houses an extensive collection of bronze and stone sculptures and wooden carvings dating from the 11th to the 18th centuries. There are some very interesting musical instruments and a 400-year old clock. The traditional ornaments used by Kerala women, elaborate lamps and life -lized Kathakali figures complete with resplendent costumes add to the museum’s eclectic collection. Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: Parrot Futures
Photo credit: Ramesh Kidangoor; near Mysore
Coffee Maker Verification
No promotion, per se. We like the message, and we are curious, if you have had experience with this machine, whether you can verify for us the claims of the company:
By using hand-powered pressure coffee making becomes a more involving pleasure. As you become more experienced you can fine-tune how you use the ROK espresso maker to produce espressos to your personal taste. Continue reading
San Francisco Bay Trail, CA
Bird of the Day: Mallard Ducks
Indian Palm Squirrel (Funambulus palmarum)
Photo credits: Best of Kerala
The Indian Palm Squirrel, also known as the Three-Striped Palm Squirrel, is very common in and around Periyar Tiger Reserve. These squirrels are native India and Sri Lanka and can often be seen running up and down trees and houses in the Western Ghats. Continue reading
Recycling Skateboards
Another in our series of links to fresh ideas and innovative recycling social enterprises:
Broken skateboards are an unfortunate side effect of skateboarding Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Purple Glossy Starling (Mole National Park, Ghana)
Madurai Meenakshi Temple
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Located on the banks of the Vaigai River, Madurai is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu with an historical legacy over 2500 years old. The famous Meenakshi Temple dominates the city, which evolved around it. The architecture is purely Dravidian but there is an amalgam of many styles dictated by many dynasties as the temple changed hands many times. Continue reading
Earth Day In Historical Context
Earth Day began as a minimally organized teach-in.
Those who do not know their environmental history may or may not be doomed, but they are missing something. Knowing the history is a pleasure in itself, as this article in the current issue of the New Yorker demonstrates. Know this:
…Earth Day’s success was partly a matter of timing: it took place at the moment when years of slowly building environmental awareness were coming to a head, and when the energy of the sixties was ready to be directed somewhere besides the Vietnam War and the civil-rights movement. A coterie of celebrated environmental prophets—Rachel Carson, David Brower, Barry Commoner, Paul Ehrlich—had already established themselves, and Rome reminds us of Continue reading
A Fresh Social Enterprise Story
We are happy to spread the news about social enterprises we encounter, even if we have not yet tested their products. In this case, it is the Origins story that catches our attention:
FreshPaper was created by a young inventor who happened upon the active ingredients after accidentally drinking some tap water while visiting her grandmother in India. Her grandma gave her a home remedy – a mixture of spices, which kept her from getting sick. (Click here to hear the story in her own words.) Continue reading
Hindu Marriage
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
As is common in India, in Kerala the marriage rituals differ in accordance with religious groups. Even within communities there are dissimilarities. In Hindu families on the day of marriage the bride and groom visit their respective temples and pay obeisance to family deities. Both are dressed in traditional attire, the boy in Kasavu Mundu and the girl in a Pattu Sari with matching blouse, bedecked with gold ornaments. The marriage ceremony is extremely brief, consisting only of an exchange of rings, garlands and bouquets, followed by the groom tying the taali (a sacred gold thread) around the bride’s neck; all these rituals are to the accompaniment of auspicious music. The ceremony ends with a purely vegetarian feast, the sadya (traditional meals) which is hosted by the bride’s family. Continue reading
Novague’s Electricity Chair
This appears to be the only product of this design firm that has an ecologically sound intent–does it work? we wonder, so please let us know if you know–which you can read about by clicking in the rocking chair link in the “works” section:
Rocking Chair
It has triggered the media interest about me, my studio and our work. Continue reading
University-Based Groups Worth Noting
An occasional feature, beginning here, will point to university-based groups–informal organizations, living arrangements, secret societies, etc.– we can relate to:
Co-operative societies bring forth the best capacities, the best influences of the individual for the benefit of the whole, while the good influences of the many aid the individual.
Leland Stanford
October 1, 1891
Stanford University Opening Ceremonies
From Behind the Wheel: Loading Up
Photo Credit: Ramesh Kidangoor; near Mysore
Bird of the Day: Pearl-spotted Owlet
Mole National Park, Ghana
Ecology’s Social Enterprise
This organization (click the banner above to go to the site), new to us but working its way to a centennial birthday (click the banner below to go to that section on the website)–
A meeting was held at Columbus, Ohio, on December 28th, 1915, at which it was decided to organize the Ecological Society of America….The interests and activities of this society will be of the broadest character, embracing every phase of the relation of organisms to their environmental condition…–The Geographical Review 1916–
About the Ecological Society of America
1914: The beginning…
–is as modern and practical as one could want, including this section on its website titled Explore Ecology As A Career with a wealth of links and related resources:
Ecology As A Career
What Do Ecologists Do? Continue reading
Flavours Of Kerala – Meen Curry (Fish Curry)
Meen Curry (Fish Curry) is a hot and spicy fish preparation in thickly seasoned red sauce. Although the spice levels may be varied as per individual preferences, meen curry is one of the all-time favourites of every Malayali household. This preparition is best served with rice, but tapioca is also an extremely popular accompaniment. Continue reading
Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary, Karnataka
Organikos 