Nature’s Classroom: Eco-Friendly Insights from Village Living

I recently spent a long weekend at Amangarh Tiger Reserve, which is part of Jim Corbett National Park in Uttrakhand, India (Bharat). During my two-day visit, I had the opportunity to visit the local residence of the owner of the resort where I stayed.

I was fascinated by their environmentally friendly practices. I realized how deeply environmental and natural values are ingrained in our traditions and cultures, which we as city dwellers have completely forgotten.
The answers are all around us; we just haven’t chosen to see and learn from them.
I’ve captured some stunning practices that I’m eager to share with you all.

House of Clay

The homes were made of clay. It keeps the house warm in the winter and relatively cold in the summer.
The family members create their home with a lot of love and affection.

Roof Top Solar Panels

Due to the lack of a 24-hour electricity supply in villages, the residents installed a mini solar panel on their roof with a few solar cells to provide them with enough electricity for their daily needs.
In the afternoon, there is plenty of sunlight in the state. Solar panels are a completely renewable source of energy that urban dwellers are slow to adopt.

Self-sustaining ecosystem

Because there are no instant delivery schemes in village areas, people are eager to use their brains to create a self-sustaining ecosystem in their community, based on their needs and surroundings.
There were hens to lay eggs and cows to produce milk. Cow dung is used to plaster mud houses and is also used as a cooking fuel.

Bamboo roofs

The hut roofs were given a base shape of bamboo grass. The covering was done with straws made of wild grass, also known as ‘Chaan’ in their dialect.
The same straws are used to feed cattle.

Curtains of used sacks

The sacks in which the village people store their grains are sieved and reused to make curtains for the house. This concept intrigued me greatly.

I’m not suggesting that we abandon cities and relocate to remote areas, living in mud houses. Throughout this experience, I learned that there is a solution for eco-living on our planet, and it is very close to us. It’s just that we must be determined and make deliberate efforts to find a solution.
The day we all start taking environmental issues seriously is the day we’ll be able to fight and deal with them.

History, as well as our cultures and traditions, offer a wealth of knowledge. I’m looking for that knowledge and am eager to learn it with you all.

Let us pledge to raise awareness and do something for the betterment of our planet, even if it seems like a small contribution.