Articles by Vinita

In the August Oota from your Thota (OfyT) event, not only did I have the opportunity to interact with several garden enthusiasts, I also managed to overhear snatches of conversations among the visitors and participants. What struck me particularly was how people thronged to buy vegetable seeds sold at the event. Some visitors even fretted over the absence of particular seed varieties! And then there were the school children who had not only initiated and nurtured a vegetable garden but had also saved seeds which they sold that day. Students from B M English School, had set up a stall…

In the August Oota from your Thota (OfyT) event, not only did I have the opportunity to interact with several garden enthusiasts, I also managed to overhear snatches of conversations among the visitors and participants. What struck me particularly was how people thronged to buy vegetable seeds sold at the event. Some visitors even fretted over the absence of particular seed varieties! And then there were the school children who had not only initiated and nurtured a vegetable garden but had also saved seeds which they sold that day. Students from B M English School, had set up a stall…

Ganesha Chaturthi is just round the corner and instead of scouring the city or the internet for eco-friendly clay Ganeshas (there's no way you could possibly be thinking of using any other type), read through these details to find out where you can pick up one or better still - make one – with hardly any effort.  Youth in the city seem to have taken a more proactive stance this year with regard to the Ganesha Chaturthi festival and its environmental impact. Two such groups -  To Make A Difference (TMAD) and Youth for Seva - are volunteering their time to minimise environmental…

Ganesha Chaturthi is just round the corner and instead of scouring the city or the internet for eco-friendly clay Ganeshas (there's no way you could possibly be thinking of using any other type), read through these details to find out where you can pick up one or better still - make one – with hardly any effort.  Youth in the city seem to have taken a more proactive stance this year with regard to the Ganesha Chaturthi festival and its environmental impact. Two such groups -  To Make A Difference (TMAD) and Youth for Seva - are volunteering their time to minimise environmental…

There is something about the notion of composting that really excites me. Just think of it – with just a simple change of container (a composter/compost pit instead of dustbin), there's a whole new world that opens up! However I had always shied away from actually trying my hand at it – I imagined composting to be complicated and tedious, not to mention messy and unhygienic. I am embarrassed to say I was looking for a quick-fix solution, you see! Composting involves decomposing kitchen and garden waste and other bio degradable matter to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that…

There is something about the notion of composting that really excites me. Just think of it – with just a simple change of container (a composter/compost pit instead of dustbin), there's a whole new world that opens up! However I had always shied away from actually trying my hand at it – I imagined composting to be complicated and tedious, not to mention messy and unhygienic. I am embarrassed to say I was looking for a quick-fix solution, you see! Composting involves decomposing kitchen and garden waste and other bio degradable matter to make an earthy, dark, crumbly substance that…

Here I was merrily plucking tomatoes from my garden as and when i needed them in the kitchen, till S – our domestic help - told me that she had just bought it for 40 rupees a kilo in Russell Market?! FORTY?! I resolved to tend to my garden with greater care and gratitude! 'The garden' has always been integral to my growing years and it was only a matter of time before I started my own. So, ever since we moved to our place earlier this year, I experimented with various methods in the endeavour to make my garden…

Here I was merrily plucking tomatoes from my garden as and when i needed them in the kitchen, till S – our domestic help - told me that she had just bought it for 40 rupees a kilo in Russell Market?! FORTY?! I resolved to tend to my garden with greater care and gratitude! 'The garden' has always been integral to my growing years and it was only a matter of time before I started my own. So, ever since we moved to our place earlier this year, I experimented with various methods in the endeavour to make my garden…

In my search to find a method to recycle grey water from the washing machine, I chanced upon an exciting alternative to detergents: Soap Nut (Sapindus Mukorossi, locally called  Ritha or soap kai). Of course, it is not something new – our grandparents and parents have used it frequently to wash silks and expensive garments. However, in today's scenario, I think this little nut has a vital role to play.  Most significantly, washing with soap nut does not pollute the water like the detergents. It also conserves water while using the washing machine since there's no soapy residue to rinse…

In my search to find a method to recycle grey water from the washing machine, I chanced upon an exciting alternative to detergents: Soap Nut (Sapindus Mukorossi, locally called  Ritha or soap kai). Of course, it is not something new – our grandparents and parents have used it frequently to wash silks and expensive garments. However, in today's scenario, I think this little nut has a vital role to play.  Most significantly, washing with soap nut does not pollute the water like the detergents. It also conserves water while using the washing machine since there's no soapy residue to rinse…