A Planet for All: Workshop by Priyanka Pandit in association with ‘Camlin Kids Power’
A modern day movement in support of the planet began in this month close to half a decade ago. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring had awoken so many of the youth, and increasingly degraded air and surroundings lead to more people raising concern and springing into action. Environmental health was, for the first time, a part of tea time discussions of the common man and the agendas of the politicos. That was 1970. This is 2015.
Despite increased awareness and more inclusive action to address environmental issues, we are, unfortunately, still in the midst of a climatic crisis, one that leaves us with a precarious future. One of the biggest reasons for this climatic turmoil is deforestation. However, it is not only the risks of climatic turmoil that we face due to deforestation, it is also a loss of our food and water security. Ahead of Earth Day on the 22nd of April, this workshop by Priyanka Pandit was about this very concern: loss of our green spaces.
As part of Kokuyo Camlin’s ‘Camlin Kids Power’ initiative, Camlin promotes awareness of burning social issues amongst underprivileged children through mediums such as music and art.
How glad we were to Priyanka and the folks from Camlin over to explain food chains, deforestation and food security with the help of a book and a guitar!
To begin with, Priyanka took the students on a tour of the forest. A forest comprises of producers, consumers, decomposers and the likes. The consumers are herbivores and carnivores which are poles apart in every way, but still have one common link: the producer, our very own forest.
Priyanka explaining the significance of forests to the students.
Circle of Life in a Forest: Workshop by Reniscience Education
While we go on obliviously about our daily musings and chores, the world around us is teeming with life. It may not be at a macro level us primates are used to observing, but it happens at ground level, by a pond or under the canopy of a tree.
Coupled with a lovely illustration, writes Julia Rothman in her delightful book ‘Nature Anatomy’, a little on how even a rotting log, though dead itself, is the source of much life. “A dead tree on the forest floor may not look like much, but the decomposing odd hosts a party of plant and animal life. Many kinds of insect larvae burrow into decaying wood to take shelter from the winter. Snail and snugs delight in the debris and fungi growing from rotting logs. Earthworms digest vast quantities of rotting or organic matter, leaving behind nutrient rich casts. Moist decomposing wood is a perfect nutrient nursery from which leeches, mosses, flowers, and even other trees can set root and thrive.” Such are the designs of nature and such is the unique circle of life.
The forest looks still but teems with life.
If this is the case of just a rotting log, what must the case of a prime deciduous forest be? This is exactly what our students found out in this workshop with Reniscience Education.
What’s causing that pollution?: Workshop by Reniscience Education
Everyday, we expel unnatural and harmful elements into our surroundings. In the beginning, they are nothing more than a mere inconvenience, however, over time, we experience the full effects of our actions.
Whether it is littering in our immediate environment, creating a ruckus in the neighbourhood, contaminating our water bodies or simply putting into the atmosphere gases that do no good for us, we pollute in many ways.
This month, the students learnt about the pollution around them in this workshop by Reniscience Education. Sangita Kapadia and Purvi Vora took the students out of the classrooms all around- into the village, by their lake, by the roads- to examine the impact through the pollution created in the village.
Through a pollution survey, the students were meant to identify the greatest sources of pollution and later, come up with solutions to best tackle the issue.
Students in the village of Kohka conducting the pollution survey.
Manipulating the Sun: Workshop by Curiouscity Science Education
One of the best and most effective sources of clean energy, the Sun, has been manipulated to our benefit since time unknown.
Our students are well versed with solar energy through their extensive exposure to the workings of a solar planel. After all, it is a kilo watt of solar that supports their favourite classroom.
However, this month we took manipulating solar energy a step further with this workshop by Curiouscity Science education. Educators, Utpal Chattopadhyay and Shonali Chinniah, taught the children what happens when we mix different materials, natural and artificial, colours and the light from the Sun.
Utpal and Shonali explaining the potential of solar energy to the students.
A Changing World: Workshop on Climate Change by Pooja Choksi
Our planet as it once began has been constantly undergoing changes. The only difference between the changes taking place in the last few centuries and those before that is that now these changes are instigated by man’s actions.
The students know one thing like a gospel truth: life cannot exist without oxygen. It was time to however introduce them to other atmospheric gases playing equally significant roles in the upkeep of our planet.
Students understanding the task at hand. The atmosphere consists of 78 per cent nitrogen, 21 per cent oxygen and 1 per cent of all other gases and water vapour. The students were meant to correctly label the pie chart.
The many faces of Pench
Pench is beautiful throughout the year.
How do we vouch for that?
Here is a selection of images from the time we have spent in this enchanting forest over the last three years. We are sure you will agree with us by the the time you reach the last photo.
In spring, Pench is abuzz with insects, birds chirping and the lovely Mahua in full bloom. The light smell of of the forest is carried about by the gentle breeze. This is a wonderful time when the summer heat is just beginning to set in.
Parakeets perched atop the Flame of the Forest.
Lessons from the Dodo: Workshop on extinct and endangered species by Leaps and Bounds
Even though we are unaware of the total number of species that exist on this planet, we do know that human activity is soon pushing our biodiversity in a corner, inducing high extinction rates.
Season Watch Induction at E-Base
Season Watch is an initiative to compile a nationwide database on seasonal patterns across India. With climate change modifying our seasonal patterns around the world, Season Watch is an attempt to map these changes through observation of trees.
This year, our very enthusiastic Nature Club will be monitoring the trees in their schools as part of the Season Watch program. A job that takes only 5 minutes a week has multifold implications in the world of biological sciences. Once our students accurately record their data on the trees, Season Watch’s scientists analyse it to understand the bigger question of seasonal changes around India.
Ashish Shah addressing the students.
Welcome to Antarctica once again!: Workshop by Leaps and Bounds
The world’s first E-Base was set up by revolutionary Robert Swan in the Antarctic. The only other E-Base in the world exists in the very middle of India in Pench, Madhya Pradesh. The students of the forest villages of Tikadi, Paraspani and Sarrah were delighted by their first trip to the E-base in Turia.
Making the students locate Antarctica on the globe
Children to the Rescue!: Sir Robert Swan
We do not inherit our planet from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. The way we live our lives will profoundly impact the lives of our children and decisions made today will influence the future of life on Earth. Therefore, it is our mission to build on this by informing, engaging and inspiring the next generation of leaders to take responsibility, be sustainable, and know that the time for action is NOW.
Inspiring students at the E-Base.
