The biggest day of the year for the environment is here, and this time it’s more special than ever.
Fifty years ago, an important event took place in Stockholm, Sweden. The UN Conference on the Human Environment, held in 1972, was the first at the world level to place the spotlight on the environment as an issue. As we observe its 50th anniversary, scroll through these slides to discover the significance of the conference and its connection with World Environment Day.
A World Environment Day special quiz just for you!
Check your green quotient with this World Environment Day special quiz.
You can contribute to saving the environment too. Check out these tips.
Think environment, and the words sustainable, recycle, and reuse come to mind. This year, the theme for World Environment Day is One Earth and the focus is on Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature. Here are a few ways in you can participate.
Produce
How cool would it be to grow your crunchy carrots, cool cucumbers, succulent tomatoes…? By growing your own plants, not only do you spend less but also ensure that you do not use pesticides and get your own organically grown food.
Don’t waste
Try composting, which helps turn waste into manure. Material like straw, leaves, vegetable and fruit peels, and even leftover food can be used. Organisms present in the environment such as earthworms and fungi will convert this into manure that not only improves soil fertility, but also protects the environment by reducing waste.
Paperless world
This shouldn’t be a challenge with hybrid classrooms, online exams, recorded lecture notes and more. Also reduce paper toiletries and replace tissues and napkins in the kitchen with cloth towels.
Sustainable clothing
Reuse your clothes as much as possible instead of buying new ones. Also look for sustainable fashion when you do buy.
Renewable energy
Make a list of the appliances that run your home. What are the emissions from them? One way to reduce is this to use renewable energy wherever possible. Like using solar energy for electricity or going in for electric cars.
Endangered apes, glaciers melting, and more…. a crossword to explore more about the environment.
A crossword on all things to do with the environment. Get, set, go.
Find out about some of the world’s oldest hospitals here.
Medicine and medical treatment practices are as old as mankind itself. But dedicated spaces for treatment came up during the times of Ancient Greek, Roman and Indian civilisations. They looked nothing like our modern-day hospital. That is a relatively new concept – as “new” as the 4th century during which the Second Medical Revolution took place.
There are many hospitals that were built between the 5th and 15th centuries, some of which are still in operation!
This word search has information about some such hospitals – some that are still in use and some that aren’t. Enlarge the images (by clicking on the button on the top right corner of each image) for facts about the hospitals and find the words given below each image in the grid.
What is the environment? It is the surroundings in which animals, plants and we inhabit. It is the natural world in which we live. Take a look at six laws that have been enacted to ensure that we protect and conserve our environment.
June 5 is World Environment Day and it is time to retrospect and take a look at our environment and look at ways to protect it.
The fundamental learning for us is that everything in nature is connected to everything else. It is a chain and it must not be broken. The second key factor to keep in mind is to never tamper with nature, for nature knows best. And most importantly, you must remember that comes for free. If you cut a tree or pollute a river there is a price to pay.
Let’s take a look at six environmental laws that have been laid down to protect and preserve it.
Space doesn’t have to be all black and dull. Add your own colours with this colouring activity sheet.
Check out these books if you want to know more about various aspects of our environment.
On June 5, we observe World Environment Day. We all know we need to work together to protect and conserve our resources so that the Earth will continue to sustain and nurture life forms. Here are six books that talk about different aspects of the environment.
“You don’t have to go tramping off into the wilderness in order to see birds,” writes the author in In Birds from My Window and the Antics They Get Up To. This book is the perfect place to start, as it tells you how to identify these creatures that share our space.
“Earth has landforms everywhere: / special places people share… This Land is Your Land is a geography lesson in verse. It tells you how a stream can create ravines and how lava flow can lead to the formation of new islands. What is a coast? Why do some mountains have snow at the top? Sing along, as you learn about the Earth you live on.
We take water for granted. We open our taps and out it gushes. But where does it all come from? Learn about the water cycle, why water is important to living beings, and how water can also be a destructive force in The Drop in my Drink.Adelita: A sea turtle’s journey takes you on a journey across oceans and seas as you follow a loggerhead sea turtle. This is based on a true story of a turtle that was caught in Mexico in 1996. A satellite tag was attached to her and she was released. The information collected thus forms the basis of the book.
When a brown cloud appears over Mumbai, every living creature is affected by the gases it contains. How are the people going to deal with the consequences? A Cloud Called Bhura is about climate change and how humans need to come together to counter it.
Chintu, a young boy from Mumbai, who goes to his ancestral village to help the people there find water. There, he meets Maahi who has some mysterious powers, and seems to be connected to the prophecies his grandfather talked about. Does Chintu manage to find water for Tintodan? What about the conservation competition he has entered? That’s what The Water Catchers is all about.
Now that you’ve read about these books, here’s an activity for you. Try and match the book covers with the author’s name.
A quiz that’s all about explorers and their adventures. How many can you get right?
Go on a cerebral adventure with this exploration-themed quiz. Get ready!
I was on a hunt for strawberries. But Appa was off to see some old building. He called it ‘understanding our heritage’. Of course, I had to tag along. Then I too began to understand the importance of heritage.
Are you a foodie or a wannabe historian? Do you know you can be both? Yes, that’s right. Read this story and find out.
Illustrations: Sahil Upalekar
