In today’s digital age, learning has become more convenient than ever. Google answers questions instantly, online courses offer flexible learning, and information is just a click away. But even with all these tools, one timeless truth remains: technology can support, but it can’t replace the wisdom and guidance of a Guru . Especially in subjects like Geography , field-based knowledge is crucial. You can watch videos of landscapes, but can you feel the texture of laterite soil or experience the heat radiating off a quarry wall through a screen? Certainly not. Take, for instance, our recent field visit to a laterite brick formation site near Ratnagiri (Figure 1) . Students actively engaged in observing the extraction and structural features of laterite bricks during a guided field study—an essential component of geomorphological learning beyond the classroom. Such visits offer students the chance to observe, ask, and absorb in ways no online platform can replicate. The physical envir...
๐ฑ Planting for the Planet: Greening Urban, Suburban and Rural Spaces Ensuring a Greener and Sustainable Future
Plantation in Ajinyatara Fort area (Photograph by Dilip Bhojane – Harit Satara Initiative) ๐ Introduction With the rapid pace of urbanisation, climate change, and environmental degradation, our natural ecosystems are under constant pressure. One of the most impactful and nature-based solutions is the widespread plantation of trees across urban, semi-urban, and rural landscapes. From bustling city centres to the serene slopes of Ajinkyatara Fort in Satara, tree plantation drives not only restore ecological balance but also improve the quality of life. ๐ฟ Why Plantation Matters 1. Combating Climate Change Trees are powerful carbon sinks. By absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, they mitigate the greenhouse effect and reduce the pace of global warming. According to UNESCO, tree plantations are essential to address climate change and to preserve biodiversity. 2. Urban Sustainability ...