Hitchhiker's Guide to the Earth

Welcome Hitchhiker’s to our first ever video episode! Today we are joined by  Prof Dr. Rajakumar Balla, a professor at the department of chemistry at IIT Madras who heads a research group called the RK Group. In this episode, we will take a look at the work the RK group does towards  understanding the complete fate of a molecule that is released into the Earth's atmosphere, what chemical and physical processes it undergoes and how companies can use their technology to check the composition of their emissions! Tune in for an exciting journey into their lab of atmospheric chemistry!

Check out the RK Group's work here - https://www.profrajakumar.com/

This episode was hosted by Namrata Menon (Instagram - @n.amrata)

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www.kapokseed.com

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Welcome to the first series of season 2 of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Earth, “Beyond the Haze”! This is a four-part series on Air Pollution where will bring in opinions of experts working at the stage of monitoring the quality of air, start-ups working towards combating air pollution, new tech innovations in this space, and much more. Before we dive into those conversations, here is an introductory podcast introducing you to the different aspects and terminology used while discussing air pollution!

This episode was hosted by Namrata Menon (Instagram - @n.amrata) and Prabhroop Kaur (prabhroop.__.kaur)

Check out our handles here-

www.kapokseed.com

Instagram : kapok_seed

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What if we told you that you could create a bag out of corn but make it look and act like a plastic bag while being 100% compostable and biodegradable? Sounds impossible right? Tune into this week’s episode to find out exactly how a 22 year old student entrepreneur from Hyderabad has managed to achieve this seemingly impossible task!

Check out BioReform’s work here!

Our cities have been working relentlessly towards providing reliable water supply, however, looking at the current scenario of our changing climate, conservation of water ecosystems is becoming increasingly urgent. Since cities are at the front line of adapting to climate change, the onus comes on planners and built environment professionals to design and plan spaces that can consciously manage water better and help restore some of the rapidly depleting water resources.  Join us in conversation with Ishleen Kaur, a senior environmental specialist at the National Institute of Urban Affairs, India where we discuss the role of our cities as water generators!

Check out some resources here!

https://niua.in/waterandenvironment/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://niua.in/intranet/sites/default/files/2263.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiAiaDhsLv_AhUBa2wGHSE0AscQFnoECAkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2jABpdntHdXuoel2d1vQ6F

This episode was hosted by Namrata Menon (Instagram - @n.amrata)

Check out our handles here-

www.kapokseed.com

Instagram : kapok_seed

BG Music

Join us in Conversation with Arundathi Sett, the co-founder of Ecocollab as we discuss the multi-faceted nature of green building construction, collaborative approaches to achieving it and how Eco-collab has designed a one-stop package to address building concerns about climate change.

Check out their work here!

Join us in conversation with Leenika Jacob, Managing Trustee at The Kala Chaupal Trust where we discuss the role of visual and performing artists in combating the climate crises, and the work that the trust does towards preservation of cultural heritage and development through arts, culture and environmental sustainability.

Check out their work here!

Website - kalachaupal.org

Instagram - @kalachaupal

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This episode outlines some of the key trends in the environment and sustainability space for 2023. These have been primarily derived from the Trends report by The SustainAbility Institute at ERM, Insights by McKinsey, as well as our own experience. Check out these resources if you want to know more!

In this two-part series on the dangers of Forever Chemicals or PFAs,  we unpack the omnipresent yet invisible group of chemicals haunting our  everyday lives. We discuss it's use, where it comes from,  how they are  polluting the environment, how they affect our health, Where India  stands with respect to its regulation and much more! In this part, we dig deeper into the treatment technologies and chemistry of PFAS with Padma Shri Awardee Prof. Dr. Thalappil Pradeep, a professor of chemistry at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. 

Check out these resources if you want to know more!

In this two-part series on the dangers of Forever Chemicals or PFAs, we unpack the omnipresent yet invisible group of chemicals haunting our everyday lives. We discuss it's use, where it comes from,  how they are polluting the environment, how they affect our health, Where India stands with respect to its regulation and much more! 

Check out these resources if you want to know more!

According to estimates, by the year 2040, a majority of countries around the world will be facing a critical shortage of water, unable to meet the growing demand for this essential resource. This challenge is particularly acute for industries, which are major consumers of water and therefore have a significant impact on overall water consumption patterns.

In this episode, we speak with Mr. Ganesh Shankar, CEO of Fluxgen Technologies, to delve into the pressing issue of water crisis and mismanagement. We explore how technology can play a crucial role in addressing these challenges and discuss the innovative solutions that Fluxgen Technologies is developing to help combat the growing water scarcity around the world.

Resources to check out!

COP 26 and 27 have given an impetus to governments and businesses across the world to action their climate change policies.  In this podcast, let us learn more about India's COP commitments and whether we are sailing in the right track

Resources to check out!

2022 has no doubt been a big year for our planet in terms of climate change. As the first official episode of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Earth, it is only fitting that we share our environmental highlights of the past year with you. In this episode, we take a look at some of extreme weather events reported across the globe, the key takeaways of the COP 27, and some of the things that we earthlings did right in the year 2022.

Resources to check out!