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How I started producing Zero Waste

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Before I begin, I  would  like to apologize for an excruciating long delay in posting any new post. As a kid, I was always fascinated by animals, plants etc. I would often be found observing butterflies or lost in the natural wonders of birds. My parents had a very tough time trying to keep me away from snakes. For me I wanted a life where I could be with animals and plants all day long. Back then I was unaware that there was a career with animals. Being in wilderness was all I wanted. Gradually it dawned on me that I can be a wildlife researcher and conservationist and that way I can be in wilderness all my life! My field site in peninsular India                                   Black-shouldered kite Here I am a PhD Candidate, studying birds in shrub forests, trying to see how birds see a forest and what they prefer in the forest. I get to walk in forest all day long! Climb mountains! Feel the rush of wind on my face! Run through grass in rain!  Life seemed bea
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Communicating without Language

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As a wildlife biologist I often have the privilege... nah... the pleasure of travelling to comparatively less explored spaces on Earth. It has its own set of adventures, joy of exploring and pure bliss of new, that no money can buy. However, it often comes with minor issues, no knowledge of local language or customs. While they both can be learned one easier than the other. After quitting as civil engineer, I started working as research intern on Tigers in a National park in Karnataka. The local language there is Kannada and I was as ignorant about the language as is an earthworm about theory of black holes.  Here I was in the middle of the forest with tribesman a local mentor, none of them knew English or Hindi. Silence seemed less golden and more of shitty yellow. I tried to hold on to words but could hardly stay afloat.  I loved what I was doing. I was living the dream but the silence was deafeningly loud. I had two options. One was to only work in regions where I k
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The Rainbow of Love

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Myriad of colors Filtering rays of sun to spectrum wide droplet by droplet You color me and I color you Sensing the vibrations a few to sensory hue Lone rangers are we Burrows to burrows Mighty warriors, we, defenders of territories With war paint of blushing valentine's eve Don't know what is monogamous or eternal love But together for life are we Hungry and exhausted she curates her babies to be Smashing the foes I am left right center and above You are me and I am you Love is in water Colors and vibrations abound Colorful smashers, one strike to limp For we are Mantis Shrimp                                                                                                            - Anant Deshwal   (Image from radiolab.org) Peacock Mantis Shrimp generally live from depth of 3-10m near corals. They are crustaceans and resemble lobsters. They are very colorful and hence the name Peacock mantis shrimp. They have amazing eyes and are known to be able to s
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The blind snake

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Look Ma! A blind dog! Poor thing! It keeps bumping into various things as it moves. What a pity! said the little boy to his mother as they crossed to street to buy some grocery. Hurry up Tim, you need to pay attention to the road as you cross it. Said his mother sternly. Tim obviously shocked by his mother insensitivity and looked at her with with tears welling up in his eyes. Mother! How can you have heart of stone! There is a blind dog and we need to help it! Tim was starting to sound very authoritative. His mother knew she needed to pay attention to the situation. Instead of heading towards the supermarket she decided to take Tim to a park. Tim:        Ma, we left the supermarket behind. Mother:   Tim, we are not going to the supermarket we are heading towards the park. Tim:        I am in mo mood for playing in park just now let's just finish grocery shopping and go back home. Mother:   Tim, we are not going to play in park, we are going to talk.  She said very softly
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Flight of the wingless bird

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Gently opening the eyes To the world great and wide Tall trees all around Beauty and life abound Wonder did the baby parrot The feel of the soaring skies Beat, it would it's tiny little wings Dreamy of the time it would conquer the sky like kings Grew the baby parrot handsome and tall But the wings were arrogantly small Flap and Flap it did Run, jump and hop maximum it did skid Shattered were the dreams Lost were the reasons to live it seems Ashamed it retreated deeper into the forest Hide away from other birds mocking and to rest The skies above lay unconquered Leaping from tree canopy now was absurd Little did the parrot know It's birth would create ripples far and wide Stories of the bird brought smiles For it was unique precious little species that does not fly Smile and behold the king of forest low For the parrot is Kakapo                                                                                                                          
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Wind

The haunting song of the parched Earth Eerie melody of no birth  Long gone was the last drop of water Only flameless air rising much hotter Howled the forlorn wind Serving the sentence but not sinned For eons she cared for her love Sometimes caressing his lustrous green grass and leaves above Or tossing up sand, gently crafting sand dunes Earth and wind in love singing life tunes He loved her angry roaring storms Her silken breeze and numerous other forms Now she is desolate and in pain For her love is dying or being slain One of her child Stabbed and tore open her love Gold silver diamond and greed Laying venomous foundations not  a live seed Parched is he                    Hungry is he To see her world die She is serving her sentence but not sinned                                                                                                                     -Anant Deshwal
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Treachery

I fear the cage With bars of desires spake the sage For the soul lies thirsty In the shadows of gloom shivering The trust in distant treacherous light flicker the air crusty Banished is hope to the underworld quivering Day by day is the tiara of defeat burning deeper Hear her do we in the wail of storms Drenched are we in relentless shower As streams of tear run down mines and chromes Subdued is the mighty will of spirit under naïve power For her youngest son has plunged deep the sword Scaring her, chiseling her in the unknown greed Silencing the melodious breeze under gothic chords Oh man! She is your mother undo your deed The source of demystifying life and your birth In her bosom is eternal bliss and love For she is Mother Earth                                                                                                               - Anant Deshwal
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