This Tamil Nadu couple built a 1600 sq feet mud house with just Rs 25 lakh

Akhila, a natural farmer and Surendran, a planning manager from Tamil Nadu embarked on an adventure together to create a 1600 square feet mud …

Africa’s free trade area offers promise for cities – but only if there’s investment

Rapid urbanisation, with an estimated 900 million people set to enter African cities in the next 30 years, creates a large upcoming consumer pool

What commuters want

Rather than a top-bottom framework which assumes what people need, a bottom-up framework involving user perceptions will help in re-designing …

Wetlands in Kashmir shrinking due to urbanisation: Study

An analysis of land cover data from 2016 shows that the catchment of Narkara wetland in near Srinagar is now predominantly an urban setting, with …

Increasing protein, dairy intake may help cut diabetes burden: Study

A new study has linked food preferences of individuals to prevalence of diabetes in various states of India

India needs a new approach to fire safety

In addition the codes governing fire safety and governance, we should have guidelines and framework to conduct a comprehensive risk-assessment …

Elephanta caves: Re-carving the old magic

Working for over eight months at a stretch, the Wadars tibals arrive at Elephanta Island to recreate the old magic of the caves by breaking …

Here comes the megacities

By 2100, at least 10 cities are predicted to have population over 50 million. How can society keep pace?

Economic growth not enough to eliminate rural poverty

Agricultural development, increased wages and off-farm jobs can accelerate rural development

How Uber opens cities only to close them

Uber is just another intermediary capitalist that profits from the needs of typically urban people

Cities take the lead by setting emission reduction targets

Cities are responsible for a large chunk of greenhouse gas emissions due to concentration of economic activity

Remembering Charles Correa, one of the pioneers of sustainable architecture

Celebrated architect and urban planner Charles Correa died on June 16 in Mumbai. Down To Earth revisits nine of his architectural gems designed …

Bombay high court gives six weeks' time to Lavasa

Asks to submit documents to environment ministry by March 10

The word is management

Farmers shrink, labourers swell

Displacement, lack of jobs main reasons behind increase in farm labour

Forests: lost in the wild

Unholy deeds in the woods

Human greed is putting an end to the traditional sacred groves in Kerala

The City-not-so-Beautiful

Flakes for inspiration

US, epicentre of unequal wealth

As the US completes 50 years of its "war on poverty", the country does not have much to celebrate, thinks JOEL BERG, an expert on …

Swan song

THE SONG OF THE DODO: ISLAND BIOGEOGRAPHY IN AN AGE OF EXTINCTIONS·David Quammen· Frank Bros & Co·Rs 325

Spare change

Resources devoted to health care systems are neither divided equitably nor in proportion to the distribution of health problems

Martyr and a court ruling

Wetlands in Howrah still ravaged by real estate

A divided house

Green buildings: it’s common sense

Frenzied growth in real estate and changing lifestyle in Indian cities are inciting resource guzzling. Architects have innovative ideas to build …