What UnEarth

Part II of Episode 14 is an exploration into more foundational questions which attempt to understand the land acquisition law, its colonial origins, how people's movements have managed to create laws, and what environmental justice even is

Today's episode attempts to understand development, not through conceptual lectures, but through the eyes of a foot soldier, through the mind of a thought leader, through the life of a woman who, in her own words had a clueless entry, into the world of activism, for fighting for people's rights, who went on to achieve so much, but what she set out to do, was attempt to understand the injustice she saw before her.

In Part II of Episode 13, we dive deeper into our understanding of modern lifestyle diseases, with Mugdha Pradhan, as she teaches us about the root causes of nearly every illness known to man, and how her team works to make humanity healthier.

This is Maitreya Prithwiraj Ghorpade and thank you for listening to What UnEarth! Joining me for Episode 13 is Mugdha Pradhan, Founder of 'iThrive' a health and wellness start-up that has helped thousands of people cure ailments where doctors and prescriptions had repeatedly and horribly failed. My talk with Mugdha was fascinating because I feel I came a step closer to understanding so many of my questions. Questions such as - How healthy are our pill-popping habits? Are alternate medicine practices just disguised quackery? What does functional medicine even mean? But most importantly, how was Mugdha's journey of overcoming her own illnesses, in this week's What UnEarth 

As Season 2 of What UnEarth sets off, we continue our journey back in an attempt to learn from some of the most popular episodes of the first season, this time with Episode 01 with Prithwiraj Ghorpade. I have often asked myself, What is the number 1 solution to climate change? What is the single most effective use of the limited time that humanity has to effect any kind of tangible change on the single greatest threat to our peaceful existence? Within the grander scheme of things, In what way can I best help fight against this seemingly apocalyptical future that we're steadfastly marching towards? Well it turns out I'm not the only one to ask that question. Although there exist a multitude of answers to these questions. I now realize that the only real way we can help to restore nature to its former glory is by unequivocally and wholly extracting ourselves from certain spaces and thereby allow nature to operate its highly sophisticated and finely tuned technology. It is our hubris that makes us believe that we have it in us to “save the planet”. That being said, There are however, some things that individuals can do to facilitate this transit back to the state of nature. Join me as I talk to Mr. Prithwiraj Ghorpade, an organic farmer, as we attempt to unearth man's relationship with land, nature, and the eluding dream of sustainability. Find out more @WhatUnEarth linktr.ee/whatunearth

As Season 2 of What UnEarth sets off, we continue our journey back in an attempt to learn from some of the most popular episodes of the first season, this time with Episode 01 with Prithwiraj Ghorpade. I have often asked myself, What is the number 1 solution to climate change? What is the single most effective use of the limited time that humanity has to effect any kind of tangible change on the single greatest threat to our peaceful existence? Within the grander scheme of things, In what way can I best help fight against this seemingly apocalyptical future that we're steadfastly marching towards? Well it turns out I'm not the only one to ask that question. Although there exist a multitude of answers to these questions. I now realize that the only real way we can help to restore nature to its former glory is by unequivocally and wholly extracting ourselves from certain spaces and thereby allow nature to operate its highly sophisticated and finely tuned technology. It is our hubris that makes us believe that we have it in us to “save the planet”. That being said, There are however, some things that individuals can do to facilitate this transit back to the state of nature. Join me as I talk to Mr. Prithwiraj Ghorpade, an organic farmer, as we attempt to unearth man's relationship with land, nature, and the eluding dream of sustainability. Find out more @WhatUnEarth linktr.ee/whatunearth

As Season 2 of What UnEarth sets off, we look back and try to learn from some of the most popular episodes of the first season, starting with Episode 08 with Dr. Gurudas Nulkar. In Episode 08 Dr. Nulkar and I had explored the fundamental problem of modern economics and how it is designed to be antithetical to ecology. That a diamond cost millions but basically does nothing. While a trees are source for eternal life, we clear them faster than a teenage boy clearing his search history. The problem is not money by itself, the problem is when we assume that everything that can be valued is in fact valued, correctly, in money, by the market. Dr Gurudas Nulkar is the Sir Ratan Tata Post Doctor Fellow at ISEC Bangalore, the Endeavour Executive fellow at Deakin University Melbourne, and currently working as the Head of Department for Strategy and General Management at SCMHRD Pune. He is also a trustee at the Ecological Society, Pune and has written several books on the intersection between economics and environment. Dr Nulkar helped me understand that reasons for why the modern economic system, why the gdp is by itself ineffective in understading the level of human prosperity, why farmers continue to get the short end of the stick, how genuine alternatives to our current economic system exist, are real and thriving, but more importantly, why ecology and economy start with the same three letters in this week's What UnEarth. Fine out more @WhatUnEarth

As Season 2 of What UnEarth sets off, we look back and try to learn from some of the most popular episodes of the first season, starting with Episode 08 with Dr. Gurudas Nulkar. In Episode 08 Dr. Nulkar and I had explored the fundamental problem of modern economics and how it is designed to be antithetical to ecology. That a diamond cost millions but basically does nothing. While a trees are source for eternal life, we clear them faster than a teenage boy clearing his search history. The problem is not money by itself, the problem is when we assume that everything that can be valued is in fact valued, correctly, in money, by the market. Dr Gurudas Nulkar is the Sir Ratan Tata Post Doctor Fellow at ISEC Bangalore, the Endeavour Executive fellow at Deakin University Melbourne, and currently working as the Head of Department for Strategy and General Management at SCMHRD Pune. He is also a trustee at the Ecological Society, Pune and has written several books on the intersection between economics and environment. Dr Nulkar helped me understand that reasons for why the modern economic system, why the gdp is by itself ineffective in understading the level of human prosperity, why farmers continue to get the short end of the stick, how genuine alternatives to our current economic system exist, are real and thriving, but more importantly, why ecology and economy start with the same three letters in this week's What UnEarth. Fine out more @WhatUnEarth

In part 2 of Episode 12, we delve a little deeper into the aspect of understanding climate change and ecological disharmony from the perspective of traditional Hindu philosophy. As What UnEarth has pledged to do from Episode 11, we're raising funds for any cause, NGO, or civil society organization, our guests deem worthy. Dr Meera Baindur, our guest for this episode, feels intensely for the cause of our street cleaners and garbage pickers, a class of society so important to us, yet equally often taken for granted and ignored in their times of need. I've prepared a list of several organizations across India working towards the betterment of these same frontline warriors, which you can find on our instagram page. Check it out. Donate generously. And stay tuned till the end of the episode to find out how you can be a better hindu, a better climate activist, and how both those things might just be the same. Find out more @WhatUnEarth

The NITI aayog SDG Report has put out hundreds of pages of data on how sustainably developed Indian states really are. This is surprising for many reasons. Because as country, we are starved for data. And as per the Report itself reveals, we're also starved for food. Topping the charts for the worst performing Index out of the 17 SDGs, is that of achieving ‘zero hunger' a target that India is missing by nearly 200 million people. Which means that if ‘undernourished people in India' was a separate country by itself, it would be the 8th most populated country..in the world. The report has some startling revelations – over one third of our children under 5 are underweight and stunted, while over half of India's pregnant women are anaemic. No wonder the second worst performing index, is gender equality

There's a lot to uncover in the 350 pages of niti aayog's 2021 report on india's performance in achieving the UN sdgs. Here's an outline in under a minute. The report is essentially divided into 4 chapters. Three of these are pretty much entirely made up of data, comparing how sustainably developed India states really are. we'll get to those. The other chapter, however, deserves some attention. Because what it repeatedly stresses about, for nearly 50 pages, is the importance of government ‘partnerships' with NGOs in ensuring India sustainably develops. At one point, the report outright says “Civil Society Organizations play an essential role in providing a voice to the vulnerable”. That's beautiful…maybe now the government will stop cracking down on NGOs, and arresting protestors? Or is the only vulnerable voice in need of protection that of the incumbent?

The NITI Aayog has put out its annual report detailing India's progress in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. This Report, however, is of particular importance, not just because its one of the rare occasions in recent times when the central government has put out comprehensive data, but it also acknowledges that we only have a decade left until things get really bad. The report basically compares the different Indian states and their performance against each other in achieving various SDG, such as No Poverty, Zero Hunger, and Climate Action. Guess which Indian State performs the best! Hint: its kerala. Since the government has been generous with the data, I'm going to be as detailed in analyzing the report. Watch this space through the next week.

Why do we celebrate 5th June as World Environment day? Because nearly half the year has gone and you've miserably failed in your new years resolution of segregating your trash. It's a reminder to be a better person in the second half of the year. No, okay, seriously though. 5th June is celebrated as world environment day as it marks the beginning of the UN Stockholm Conference, the first real global acknowledgment of humanity's polluting effect on our ecology. In many ways, the Stockholm declaration, a result of the conference, has shaped many of the ideas central to the climate movement, including the idea of sustainable development. That's right, we've been talking about sustainable development since 1972. 50 years later, how is India doing in achieving that goal? Watch this space to find out.

Here's proof for why bad ecology leads to bad economy. A recent report has revealed that 7 of the top 10, and 43 out of the 100 cities most exposed to environmental risks are in India. This isn't news though. We've heard it year after year, and frankly, it seems like nobody -really- cares. It's okay a couple million die each year because of polluted air, at least we're getting that 5 trillion economy right? Well, maybe not. Because this report isn't by a human rights organization, it's a research firm analysing business risk, and they recommend that global companies should invest in low risk cities across the world. If this anti-national report is to be trusted, india's is going to have to become a lot more aatmanirbhar a lot faster.

The Delhi High Court recently held that the construction of Central Vista Avenue is of national importance and cannot be stopped. owing to the fact that no rules were being broken and the project has to be completed by November 2021, or else we risk causing hindrance to the Republic Day celebrations 2022, guys the Republic day celebrations! There's so much to celebrate about our republic this year…right?! I personally welcome this judgment, and the strict adherence to timelines of national importance. this is the judicial activism that was missing! Finally we can enforce the Supreme Court mandated deadlines for rejuvenating river Yamuna, or cleaning the air in Delhi, both of which have been pushed forward indefinitely for past 30 years or so…right?

Remember the Draft EIA 2020? The law that reduced public participation, exempted projects from seeking approval, allowed for post facto clearance, basically destroyed environmental protections? Yeah, that draft EIA 2020. Well, a government report has analysed 20, 42, 157 objections in 10 different Indian languages, sent in by the Indian public for over a period of 5 months, and for some magical reason, they've concluded that there ‘this EIA might not be the best idea', and that the government should reconsider the law in the larger interest of environmental protection

DISCLAIMER: The title of this episode is an attempt to use humour to being attention to the fact that humanity finds itself in a Do-Or-Die situation due to climate change, and our solution to our climate crisis might lie in shaping our lives according to the nature worshipping, ecologically harmonious ancient Hindu philosophy. The title does not attempt to suggest the supremacy of Hinduism over other religions, and does not intend to offend any religious denomination. Joining us in Episode 12, we have Dr Meera Baindur, one of the most incredible scholars of that unique but undeniably useful intersection of environmental philosophy and traditional Indian philosophy. Dr Meera has obtained a Doctoral degree focused in Environmental Philosophy and also authored a book titled “Nature in Indian Philosophy and Culture”, which makes her the perfect guest to help us understanding the intricacies of intersectionality of Indian philosophy, ecology, and climate solutions, and maybe provide a little light to this confused nation, this lost civilization, this insta-Ram generation. With Dr Meera, we attempt to learn about what it means to be living in harmony with nature, learn why Hindus have worshipped nature, learn about the importance of rituals in combatting ecological disharmony, learn why Dr Meera's guru once said 'heenandushyate Hindu', and learn how ancient Indian philosophy might provide the answer to solving climate change, in Episode 12 of What UnEarth.

Find out why the Bihar Government ended up adopting Greenpeace India's Kedia Living Soils Program model across various districts in the state. Full episode streaming across all major podcast platforms! Link in bio. Learn more @WhatUnEarth

Anusuiya Dev Sarmah explains how the Circle of Solidarity was solving several farmers problems during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Donate to Greenpeace India's Circle of Solidarity now! Find the link at linktr.ee/whatunearth Find out more @whatunearth

Joining me are Anusuiya Dev Sarmah, and Abhishek Chanchal, two young guns of Greenpeace India, to discuss some of the many incredible farmer initiatives led by Greenpeace India such as the Bihar Kedia Living Soils Program, which attempted to educate and assist farmers seeking to make the shift from chemical-based to organic farming and was eventually adopted by the Bihar Government, as well as programs such as the Circle of Solidarity, a program aimed at raising funds for marginalized and oppressed demographics who faced the worst the pandemic and ensuing lockdown had to offer. You can find out more about their programs on the Greenpeace India Instagram page @greenpeaceindia and on Anusuiya's page @anusuiya_radhika Today's donation link - https://rzp.io/l/greenpeaceIndiapodcast Find out more @whatunearth

Dr. Priyadarshini Karve helps us understand how the definition of 'clean' and 'dirty' energy is more complex than one would imagine. Listen to the full episode 10 of What UnEarth with Dr Priyadarshini Karve now streaming on all major podcast platforms! Find out more @whatunearth

Dr. Priyadarshini Karve on why the problem of indoor air pollution is more complicated than one thinks. Listen to the full episode on What UnEarth, now streaming across all major podcast platforms! Find out more @whatunearth

So widespread is the problem of indoor air pollution, that an estimated 846 million people of our country are exposed to household air pollution, out of which 2 million deaths in india are caused each year due to poor indoor air quality caused largely due to households energy requirements.  Join us as Dr Priyadarshini Karve helps us understand why there is always such a gap with policy decisions regarding indoor air pollution and ground level requirements to solve the problem, why household energy needs are far more complex than one would think, why prosperous farmers still use archaic technology, why lab conditions cant be replicated on an industrial level, what factors drive innovation in the energy sector, and indeed, more fundamentally, how do we define clean and dirty energy in this weeks What UnEarth. Full episode now streaming across all major podcast platforms!  Find out more @whatunearth 

A tree is more than just a singular entity, it is an eco-system! Listen to Sathya Natarajan discuss the importance of viewing trees in the bigger picture on Episode 02 of the What UnEarth podcast! Now streaming on all major podcast platforms. Find out more @whatunearth

Listen to Stalin Dayanand tell us about the 24 Year monsoon on Indian Bureaucracy. Full episode out on all major podcast platforms! For more information follow @whatunearth

With Stalin Dayanand, we find out about the longest surviving people's movement for an urban forest, about the largest land scam in Mumbai, about how despite 100% electrification across india, hamlets in Mumbai continue to live without electricity, sbout how the previous Maharashtra state govt launched a concerted attack against the people trying to protect Aarey, about how the monsoon hasn't stopped for 24 years for the bureaucracy, and indeed, more fundamentally, what a forest is, in this week's What UnEarth. For more information follow @whatunearth linktr.ee/whatunearth

Listen to Stalin Dayanand on how the Aarey Forest is the biggest land scam in Mumbai! Full episode out soon! For more information follow @WhatUnEarth

Find out why the future factories are being designed like farms in Episode 01 of the What UnEarth podcast available across podcast platforms! For more information follow @WhatUnEarth

Dr Gurudas Nulkar on why ecology and economy start with the same three letters. Full episode out across all your favourite podcast platforms! Find out more @WhatUnEarth linktr.ee/WhatUnEarth

Dr Gurudas Nulkar on the meaning of 'wealth'. Listen to the full episode available across all podcast platforms! Find out more @WhatUnEarth  linktr.ee/WhatUnEarth

Listen to Prithwiraj Ghorpade on how nature is far superior technology than any humans have come up with. Find full episode on all podcast platforms! Find out more @whatunearth

In Episode 08 we explore the fundamental problem of modern economics and how it is designed to be antithetical to ecology. That a diamond cost millions but basically does nothing. While a trees are source for eternal life, we clear them faster than a teenage boy clearing his search history. The problem is not money by itself, the problem is when we assume that everything that can be valued is in fact valued, correctly, in money, by the market. Join me as I speak to Dr Gurudas Nulkar. Dr Nulkar is the Sir Ratan Tata Post Doctor Fellow at ISEC Bangalore, the Endeavour Executive fellow at Deakin University Melbourne, and currently working as the Head of Department for Strategy and General Management at SCMHRD Pune. He is also a trustee at the Ecological Society, Pune and has written several books on the intersection between economics and environment. Dr Nulkar helped me understand that reasons for why the modern economic system, why the gdp is by itself ineffective in understading the level of human prosperity, why farmers continue to get the short end of the stick, how genuine alternatives to our current economic system exist, are real and thriving, but more importantly, why ecology and economy start with the same three letters in this week's What UnEarth. Fine out more @WhatUnEarth linktr.ee/WhatUnEarth

Life is uncertain. It is chaotic, it is complex and it confounds us. Our eternal quest as humans has been to make sense of the world we inhabit, the realities we perceive, and the existence that has been thrust upon us. Poetry, philosophy, psychology, religion, art are all systems attempting to answer the same fundamental question – what the hell is going on? In attempting to answer this rather eloquently framed question, science has been our best bet so far. Joining me today is Dr Chirag Dhara, a quantum physicist and Research Associate at Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. With him I attempt to find out just how settled is the scientific communities consensus on climate change, how is a twitter storm analogous to a climate tipping point, how a 1.5 degrees temperature change is much worse than it sounds, and why East India is going to continue being in the company of cyclones, floods, and storm surges in this weeks What UnEarth. Link for IITM's 2020 Climate Change Report https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9789811543265 Find out more @whatunearth

Dr Shripad Dharmadhikary talks to us about the extent of the water crisis in India, how powerful vested interests are ensuring that a water stressed country continues to remain so, how Public Private Partnerships manage to successfully integrate the worst parts of both the government and corporations, and how the Draft EIA Notification 2020 is essentially a death knell for environmental conservation law and policy. Find out more @whatunearth

Shripad Dharmadhikary on why the new Draft basically completely obliterates the existing legal environmental safeguards. Find out more @whatunearth

Shripad Dharmadhikary on how despite having all the solutions, society is still far from harmony. Find out more @whatunearth

Travel and tourism represented approximately 10% of total global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016. That's an estimated US $7 trillion; The global travel and tourism industry, directly or indirectly, creates approximately 11% of the world's employment and creates 8% of the Global Green House Gas Emissions.  To help us understand more about the industry, its importance and impacts, and sustainable alternatives to the increasingly polluting industry, we have Aishwarya Phadke, the founder of Travel Dirty, a venture that makes travel more experiential and sustainable.  How important is travel to our species, how polluting are vacations really, how do we try to be sustainable every time we decide to step out the door, and indeed, what it even means to be a tourist, are questions I attempt to unearth in this weeks episode of what unearth.

I have often asked myself, What is the number 1 solution to climate change? What is the single most effective use of the limited time that humanity has to effect any kind of tangible change on the single greatest threat to our peaceful existence? Within the grander scheme of things, In what way can I best help fight against this seemingly apocalyptical future that we're steadfastly marching towards? Well it turns out I'm not the only one to ask that question. Although there exist a multitude of answers to these questions. I now realize that the only real way we can help to restore nature to its former glory is by unequivocally and wholly extracting ourselves from certain spaces and thereby allow nature to operate its highly sophisticated and finely tuned technology. It is our hubris that makes us believe that we have it in us to “save the planet”. That being said, There are however, some things that individuals can do to facilitate this transit back to the state of nature. Join me as I talk to Mr. Prithwiraj Ghorpade, an organic farmer, as we attempt to unearth man's relationship with land, nature, and the eluding dream of sustainability.

The denaturalized life is the dehumanized life. Modern society is, in many ways, increasingly lived in unnatural ways. Our homes are concretized, many stories above mother earth, our food is either shipped from chemical farms across the world, or much worse, produced in factories and stored in warehouses. The air we breathe is more increasingly more conditioned, and I'm sure the day isn't far when companies start selling us packaged bottles of ‘fresh air'. Our relations are increasingly superficial, and social media often has an effect contrary to its name, by making us increasingly more self conscious, increasingly more lonely, increasingly more anti social. Our species, in many ways, is now leading sub-optimal, sub-human lives, because of the increasing distance between us and nature. Our quest to create civilizations is quite often at the cost of all the things that made us human, that made our species what it is. Studies have shown that there is a decrease in our sensory perception only because we spend less time engaging all our sense simultaneously. Studies have shown a direct correlation between a denaturalized life and intelligence, problem solving ability, attention, motivation towards learning and creativity. Lack of exposure to nature is shown to increase likelihood of depression, disease, cause problems in interpersonal relations. In fact, a simple nature walk was shown to lead to 92% of the people surveyed feeling less depressed, 86% feeling less tense, 81% less angry, 80% less fatigued, 79% less confused, 56% more vigourous. In the time when pharmaceuticals seem to be the only industry immune to any form of economic recession, and attention stimulants like Ritalin and adderall being increasingly used, perhaps we've lost touch of the greatest low cost medicine we could ever hope for. Although corona has hijacked most of our headlines, there are several epidemics of depression, loneliness, and ill health, which are just as damaging, but far more insidious. It would seem then perhaps that, humanity is suffering from a severe case of Nature Deficit Disorder. Joining me today, is Pooja Bhale, a trained wildlife biologist and conservationist, who among many things, operates a incredible organization called the Protecterra Ecological Foundation, with the mission of educating, spreading awareness, and conserving nature. Pooja also runs The Farm, a refurbished patch of land which is home to over 1800 trees, plants, and saplings, 40 animals, 3 human families, and countless other ecosystems. Since the lockdown, the Farm is currently facing a slight financial crunch, which is why I'm going to do something I've never asked any of you to do, which is donate an amount of your choosing to this incredible venture. You can find the payment details in the show notes, or simply check out @thefarmandlove on instagram. No, Pooja didn't ask me to promote the Farm, I'm doing so because I recognize the role that organizations like hers are going to have in an increasingly unhealthy world, with toxic food and unbreathable air. We need the Farm, hers and the many more out there to survive, if WE want to survive. What is the nature deficit disorder, how is man inextricably linked to nature, is the answer to our current myriad of problems spiritual ecology, and indeed, what does it even mean to be spiritual, are answers I attempt to unearth, in this week's episode of What UnEarth. Gpay/PayTM details: Pooja Bhale - 9960100550 

It's safe to say that 2020 is a year that will go down in history, one that will be discussed for centuries to come, one that will undoubtedly shape the very ways in which we design life. I am completely cognizant of the enormity of the spread of the coronavirus as well as the very debilitating condition many individuals and families inflicted with it find themselves in. I am sensitive to all the hardship, turmoil and strife, as well as the other long list of unseen effects that are brought on by mass disease and illness. I understand that short term economic turmoil is far more damaging to the individuals who need a daily income for sustenance and even the most minor of hiccups in the financial machinery can be disastrous for scores of family, each having its own trickle down effect, each leading to an incalculable amount of despair, destruction, and death. But this podcast, is a good news podcast. Good news, not because the rate of the virus growth is reducing with every passing day, which is great news don't get me wrong, but good news because while the world seemingly comes to a stuttering halt, we're witnessing how even a minute retraction of our deeply polluting activities can lead to an rejuvenation of nature the likes of which haven't been seen for decades. Good news because the global action we're witnessing, both from the high towers of government as well as the relentless work of NGOs and other civil society organizations, truly emblematic of the spirit of human solidarity. Good news because together, one day at a time, we're winning. All of us. This episode is unique, much like the times we're living in, because I do not have a guest on this show. That's right folks, I am bringing social distancing to podcasting. We'll find out if the results it has on my podcast are as encouraging as it has had on curbing the spread of the virus. I wouldn't bet on it though. What this episode is about, then, is two crises, Covid and Climate, and how the lessons we're learning everyday from combating one, can be just as effectively used in combating the other, if not to a greater degree of success. This episode is about how at their core, climate and covid are the same crisis.

What is the value of one tree? When we talk of the worth of a tree, Is it merely the sum total of the market price of each of its components? Do we value a tree because of the wood it gives us, the fruits it bears, the air it clears? Do we value the bark, the roots, the leaves? A tree can be many things, a source of nutrition, health, security, but I now see that much like human society, a tree is made up of countless tiny entities, all doing their job, all continuing the battle of sustenance. Much like human society, a tree will grow, bit by bit, inch by inch, leaf by leaf. There is no secret formula for expedited growth, it is merely principle of persistence.  And I'm glad that today I have with me a person who perfectly personifies this persistence Mr Sathya Natrajan, a former VP of Sales and Marketing at a massive MNC, who now spends his time spearheading various social interest campaigns across Pune. He has somehow managed to find to time have a successful corporate career and to do some very cool things like spearhead the Red Dot campaign which aims to provide access to sanitary napkins, he has single handedly managed to clean up an entire lake, and has managed to find time to be actively engaged with over 60 environment and social interest groups and NGOs over the past ten years. It is in fact because of his passion for volunteering that I first had the good fortune of meeting Mr Natarajan at a Fridays For Future meeting, where he very graciously and patiently attempted to explain the intricacies of our country's bureaucracy to a group of very enthused but equally inexperienced college kids and fresh grads such as myself.  Mr Natarajan has not only managed to find an incredible equilibrium in his work-life balance, but what I admire about him is how he manages to make it look effortless. His story is one of the unique quality of understanding and being sensitive to the ”bigger picture”. With him I had the lovely opportunity to spend some time understanding his passion for volunteering, understanding the provisions of the Tree Act, a law designed to help preserve trees, and his role in furthering the conservation of trees in Pune.  how does an individual manage to deal with multiple levels of an overstructured and underpowered bureaucracy to get work done, How do laws help in protecting trees, and indeed, more fundamentally, why do we value a tree at all, are questions I attempt to unearth, in this week's episode, of What UnEarth.  Read more about Mr. Sathya Natarajan https://www.thebetterindia.com/184882/pune-engineer-hero-volunteer-ngo-decades-social-impact-inspiring-india/ https://envalourment.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/the-dichotomy-man-mr-sathya-natarajan/ https://thelogicalindian.com/my-social-responsibility/sathya-natarajan-social-work/ https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-it-professional-cleans-mastani-lake-without-any-help-4686567/ Further reading on the value of a Tree https://greenearthappeal.org/what-is-the-value-of-a-tree/ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/A-healthy-tree-worth-Rs-24-lakh-per-year-Report/articleshow/21927419.cms https://www.holdenarb.org/horticulture/calculate-the-value-of-a-tree/ https://www.thoughtco.com/how-much-oxygen-does-one-tree-produce-606785 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2927/examining-the-viability-of-planting-trees-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/ Desktop volunteering https://www.grow-trees.com/