Maverick Musings #2
We’ll go down in history as the first society that wouldn’t save itself because it wasn’t cost-effective. - Kurt Vonnegut
Welcome to the second edition of ?? Maverick Musings ??
Only maverick thinkers can bring fresh ideas and approaches to the table and thus the name MAVERICK MUSINGS .
We had an absolute blast this week at SUSTERA, as we gathered with our CLPx ecorestoration Kerala cohort in the stunning backwaters of the Vembanad-Kol Ramsar site. Our week was filled with exciting adventures, including some chill beach time, thought-provoking interactions with experts from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), a trip to the breathtaking Pathiramanal Island, and heart-warming conversations with local fishing community members.
We couldn't be more excited about the amazing experiences and memories we've made together! ?? ?? ??
Without further ado, let's begin..
You know the drill,
First stop- Mastering Green skills,?
The youth in India must equip themselves with essential skills that can help them work effectively with vulnerable communities. With the rise in socio-economic and environmental challenges faced by these communities, there is an urgent need for young changemakers who can create a positive impact.
These skills not only help in understanding the community's needs but also foster trust and create sustainable solutions. Being able to work effectively with vulnerable communities is also a highly sought-after skill in non-profits and government agencies working at the grassroots. In this regard, two critical skills that stand out are active listening and hosting focus group discussions.
Seizing oppurtunities
?? Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is offering fellowships to support the production of in-depth content on renewable energy in India, with a focus on Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh. The aim is to raise awareness among policymakers, investors, and the public by shedding light on the current status of the renewable energy sector and providing effective strategies and solutions to overcome challenges.
Deadline: 13 May 2023 | Funding: ?90000/-
?? ?? Call for proposals. Report grants by Earth Journalism Network to journalists from Asia - Pacific island countries to support developing climate stories and solutions (health and environment). An initiative to address potential and existing threats that do not reach the mainstream media.
Themes: Island-specific impacts | Environmental degradation | Ocean degradation | Health and livelihood
Deadline: 15 May 2023 | 20 story grants for $2000 each
Youth-led initiatives?
They bring in the natively important saplings, prep the land, and geo-tag each sapling planted. You can access information on who planted it, the geographical location, the morphological specifications of the sapling, the growth, and so on.?
School backyards and nurseries are their most common locations wherein they involve young earthlings in the planting part, the most joyous part. Learn more about their digital green revolution.??
2. ??Well, this team went one step ahead with 'waste to use'. qudrat , where you can find eco-friendly disposable serve ware.
It is an environmental service initiative that makes use of agricultural waste to replace plastic products. Let’s face it, we know even paper cups or plates are non-biodegradable. They came up with a solution that even makes sure that even if ends up in the ocean, it’s animal edible (imagine that ?? but hey!! watch your waste, dispose your waste responsibly).?
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Eco- headlines
???? Did you hear about the clean energy power line between UK and Netherlands? If yes, you get brownie points, if No, here’s what is happening..?
To ample energy security, these two countries are building the largest cross-border power lines that intend to supply clean energy of almost 1.8 gigawatts of electricity (it can be to supply 1.8 million homes, you do the math). And it’s called ‘LionLink’ connecting offshore wind farms in the north sea.?
Innovation and engineering with a tad bit of goodwill
?? ?? One of the world’s largest economies decided to allocate funds/incentives for companies to promote cleaner energy (the transition, accessibility, and everything).? It is also claimed that a portion of it is also directed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This has been one of the boldest yet most ambitious steps of US climate planning.
?? The European Parliament has passed a new law banning the import of commodities linked to deforestation! This includes coffee, beef, soy, and palm oil unless they can be proven to be deforestation-free.
The law aims to eliminate deforestation from the supply chains of everyday items sold in Europe and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Companies must produce verifiable information proving their goods were not grown on land deforested after 2020, or risk hefty fines. It's like "We knew it for a while, now we are doing something about it, because time is running out!", probably one step closer to making things better.
A few insights from our CEO,?
???????? An interesting conversation between Sanju and autorikshaw (tuk-tuk) chetan (brother) about the transition to sustainable mobility and challenges- Link here
From our archives to yours?
Climate change is kind of weird in its way, meaning the disproportionality of its negative and positive impacts. It hits them all, but it hits the vulnerable hard.
Here is a story of many sustainable models developed in the Muhamma village in Alappuzha, Kerala, India, to combat the negative impacts of the rapid changes in the environment. The Sustera team was actively working with ATREE CERC in the implementation of initiatives in the village. Storytime.
Check out these amazing videos that showcase the top 15 solutions for climate change in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This was an effort by our climate leaders to communicate the important solutions to the larger masses in simple language.
That’s all folks from our side ??
Parting goodbye to summer heat and welcoming monsoon season ?? ?? ??
See you in the next 14 days ??????
-Team Sustera