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In this world full of plastic and chemical waste, how can you help save the planet?

Did you know that there will be more plastic than fish in our seas by 2050? Did you know that it takes 20,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans? Did you know that we have a massive food wastage problem, and yet millions die of hunger each day?

Sahar Mansoor  founder and CEO of Bare Necessities, a zero-waste social enterprise and Tim de Ridder present  Bare Necessities-How to Live A Zero Waste Life is your one-stop guide on how to move towards a more sustainable lifestyle in India. Filled with activities, insights, recipes, tips and how-to guides, it is a must-read for anyone wanting to make a positive change in their life and to our environment.

Read on for five easy-to make recipes that will drastically improve both your own health and that of the environment, while also producing absolutely no waste!

1. Sustainable behaviour begins with your very first activity of the day-brushing your teeth! This recipe ensures your pearly whites are treated to only clean ingredients, while making sure there are no squeezed out plastic tubes of toothpaste ending up in the landfill.

Peppermint Party Toothpaste

You will need:

• 1 part baking soda,
• 1 part coconut oil,
• A few drops of peppermint essential oil.

All you need to do to get naturally clean teeth is to mix it all together in a bowl until it becomes a paste and then place it in a reusable container for the next time you brush your teeth. While this may taste and appear to be different from the toothpaste you’re used to, it is worth trying out.

• To use the Peppermint Party Toothpaste:
  • Scoop a tiny dollop with a teaspoon on to your toothbrush (you could start using this and a bamboo toothbrush at the same time) before every use.

2. Your muscles need to be thoroughly rejuvenated when you begin your day crusading for the environment, Ditch the pricey and plastic packaged bath salts for a simple recipe that is even more effective.

Lemongrass Bath Salt

You will need:

• 1 part rock salt/Epsom salt/pink Himalayan salt (or a combination of all),
• A small drizzle of coconut oil,
• A few drops of lemongrass essential oil,
• Rose petals.

For a naturally rejuvenating bath, follow this method:

• Gradually mix each of these ingredients in a bowl in chronological order,
• Place it into a reusable container for use when you bathe next.

3. Busy days means sometimes your hair needs and extra kick without an extra hour of shampooing. But store-bought dry shampoos are often aerosol based, which contribute to air pollution and often have chemicals that can damage your hair in the long run. This dry shampoo recipe is safe for both cake and your hair!

Dessert Dry Shampoo

You will need:

• 1 part cornflour,
• 1 part cocoa powder,

All you need to do is put the cocoa powder into a bowl, followed  by the cornflour. This one is really easy to make, with no complications involved:

• Stir the two ingredients with a spoon until there are no distinct ingredients, that is, you can no longer see any white from the cornflour. The mix should be light brown in colour.
• Place this in a container for you to use when you need it.

4. There’s nothing more infuriating or exhausting to handle than a clogged drain whether in the bath or in the kitchen! While you might be tempted to pour plastic sachets of commercial drain cleaner down the pipes, do the water bodies in your area a favour and stop pollution at its source with our much more environmentally friendly concoction.

Pipe Cleanse-Unclog Your Drain

You will need:

• 1⁄2 cup baking soda,
• 1⁄2 cup white vinegar,
• A wet cloth,
• Hot water.

Unclog your drain by:

• Pouring the baking soda down the drain,
• Follow with white vinegar,
• Cover the opening with the wet cloth
• Let it sit for 5–20 minutes (based on how clogged your drain is),
• Pour some hot water down the drain.

This trick will work wonders for mild clogs!

5. After a long day of saving the environment one small step at a time,  unwind and pamper yourself with this nourishing facemask.

FaceTime (as nature intended)  Facemask

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon rice flour,
• A pinch of turmeric,
• 1 teaspoon honey,
• 1 tablespoon of mashed banana, tomato, orange, papaya or pineapple.

All you have to do is:

• Blend the dry ingredients together,
• Drizzle some honey to form a paste-like consistency,
• Finish off by adding your preferred fruit in.

Use it like any other face mask. It is a great natural alternative that will provide you with supple, hydrated skin. However, make sure you only use this mask once a week.

What happens when two distinct regal cultures come together in the hands of a lady who is both a wonderful conversationalist and a wonderful cook?

The Rana name has been synonymous with the history and culture of Nepal for centuries. The beautiful palaces of Nepal were known not only for their glamour and architecture but also for their royal feasts. The recipes of the food served were closely guarded by the cooks of the palaces and a lucky few who inherited them from earlier generations. Rohini Rana has collected and documented the recipes precious to each Rana prime minister’s family.

Showcasing magnificent food from the palaces, this luxurious and beautifully illustrated cookbook attempts to preserve these recipes for future generations, and posterity, while also giving quaint snippets of the history and unique cultural practices that shaped the creation and ingestion of this delightful cuisine.  Read on for some of these very  interesting gastronomic glimpses.

1-Fascinating and often contradictory customs existed side side by side especially  when it came to non-vegetarian food

Certain meats were totally taboo and never crossed the thresholds of the bhanchas (kitchens) of the Bajais’ dominated realms. Pork was considered unhealthy and not partaken of inside the palace kitchens or dining hall. However, the wild boar held a prestigious position in all joyous occasions.

2. The interesting overlap of military and culinary history is evinced in the unlikely influence of Awadhi cuisine brought about by Nepalese help granted to the British during the 1857 War of Independence.

The local cuisine was influenced to a certain extent by the khansamas (cooks) brought in from Mughal India after the loot of Lucknow during Jung Bahadur’s time. Since then the Khansamas and the Nepalese Bajaes and ‘Bajais’ (Bhramin men and women worked in tandem, though in separate kitchens, perfecting a style of fusion cuisine that has become famous being unique in its Rana flavor.

3. An oft-overlooked description from the Ramayana became the basis for the tradition of a truly grand feast of 84 dishes which is the mainstay of most Rana ceremonies even today

The main ceremony, which totally involves and rotates around food is the Chaurasi Byanjan. This ceremony is still a must during Pasni (rice feeding of a child), Bartamand (sacred thread Ritual) and Biyah (wedding). This tradition goes back to the epical story of the Ramayan and the wedding celebration of Sita’s marriage to Ram where King Janak is supposed to have served 84 Chaurasi (varieties of food) at the banquet.

4. This strange (but strangely reasonable) taboo on what is probably one of the most commonly eaten poultry.

The only bird that did not reach their ornate platters was the common chicken, because it pecked at dirt and droppings so was not considered hygienic. With the waning of shikar trips and shikaris the chicken finally found its way to the cooking pot, although in a separate kitchen.

5. Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day around the world, but the Ranas certainly bucked tradition in this regard.

Coming to the meal patterns of the Rana households, breakfast was not common if taken at all. Lunch was the main meal usually had at 10 am in the traditional ‘junar ko bhancha’ or room adjoining the kitchen.

6. Despite the Ranas’ progressive social reforms in many ways, caste rigidity dominated the culinary department.

The Ranas were extremely orthodox in their eating habits and never partook of rice cooked by any other than a Brahmin or someone of the same caste as themselves. There are many interesting stories of Jung Bahadur creating quite a few faux pas at Queen Victoria’s dining table because of his fastidiousness.}

7. Rice seemed to have a very special role even amidst the plethora of Rana dishes considering it had to be eaten in a specified room!

Dinner was usually at 6 or 7 pm served in the rooms upstairs with a variety of rotis, cheura meat and vegetables. If rice was being served, it had to be partaken of in the junar ko bhancha again

 Dr Mohan is one of the few practicing doctors in India who have contributed to research, education and charity in such a large measure. His book, Making Excellence a Habit documents the fundamentals of what makes a person achieve meaningful success. While hard work, passion and focus emerge as winning lessons, delicate and tender learnings from Dr Mohan’s life, such as empathy or spirituality, are not forgotten.

Here is an interview with the man himself on his proudest moments, people that inspire him, and his writing a book!

1. When you look back, what are some of your proudest moments?

            Establishing the largest chain of diabetes centers in the world, and the sustained growth and development of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation as well as our Education Academy and the charitable clinics that we run are some of the proudest and most fulfilling moments of my life.

When I started working with my father in 1971, there was not a single private hospital or centre dedicated to diabetes in the country. Today, diabetes has become a much sought-after specialty and everybody wants to practice diabetes. This, I think, is largely a reflection of the 50 years of our work which went into building up the specialty of diabetes. Perhaps, my greatest satisfaction is that, without any formal Government or University backing or support we have been able to contribute a large chunk of the diabetes research done in India and our work has helped to place India on the world map of diabetes research. Looking back, these are very satisfying indeed.

2. Who are some of the people that inspire you?

I have several people who have inspired me in different ways. Firstly, my spiritual Guru, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, for, it was He who demonstrated to the world that it is possible to offer world class health care for the poor, completely free of cost. My father Prof. M. Viswanathan was my mentor and it was he who brought me into this field of diabetology. My wife, Dr. Rema Mohan was a very strong-willed person, who battled cancer while contributing extensively to her field, diabetic retinopathy. In the medical field, Dr. Venkatswamy, the founder of Aravind Eye Hospital and Dr.S.S. Badrinath, the founder of Sankara Nethralaya inspired me a lot, as did Dr. Anji Reddy, Chairman of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Dr.N.K.Ganguly, the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research.

3. Will you write a second book? 

            I would definitely like to write a second book if I can find the time to do it.

4. How did you manage to write a book alongside your busy schedule?

           I would say that it was my passion to write and to inspire youngsters which kept me going. Although it did take some time, I am happy I was able to eventually complete it.

5. If you could give advice to an inspiring writer, what would it be?

           My advice to aspiring writers would be to tell their stories with as much human interest as possible as people love to hear stories that are told well. There should also be a message for the readers, particularly for youngsters who should get inspired to achieve excellence in whatever they do. Whichever the type of book that the writer is attempting to write, he or she should spend enough time thinking about it and to see how it will be useful to society.

Making Excellence a Habit is a behind-the-scenes account of a person honoured internationally for delivering path-breaking care to hundreds of thousands of people with diabetes.

History is often narrated as sagas of kings and queens, legends of battles and wars, or chronicles of art and architecture. But history is more than that. It is the story of ordinary people; their food and language, their thoughts and beliefs, their livelihood and culture. Tales of sweepers and sculptors, robbers and merchants, sailors and saint-why, even pirates!

In Of Revolutionaries and Bravehearts, Mallika Ravikumar pens eight historical stories that will change the way you look at history and give you an entirely new perspective on what it means, and what it takes to be courageous, for all of history is built by someone who displayed truly incredible grit and courage, even if their determination is not always recognized as courage.

Read on to find out some of the most important lessons on courage, taught to us by the ‘revolutionaries and bravehearts of Mallika Ravikumar’s insightful and thrilling book.

• It takes extraordinary courage to challenge what has always been presented as the truth, but it is those very insidious ‘truths’ that need to be challenged.

Aruna closed her eyes and sang along. She did not fear climbing the tallest trees. She did not fear jumping into the deepest wells. She would not fear crooked truths!

• The most important form of courage to cultivate is to raise your voice against injustice, particularly an injustice that does not affect you directly

“Please Guruji, please!” a chant of pleas arose from all around. Sane Guruji belonged to the priestly class. Yet, he felt the bite of injustice suffered by the untouchables. It had been nine days since he’d eaten. Could he give up now?

• Courage, even on the battlefield manifests in different ways not just in bravado or military prowess, but in compassion, empathy and an almost invisible helping hand.

Ignoring his condition, Sukha continued to serve. In his own silent way, he tried also to comfort those in pain, offering them a patient ear, a gentle nod in their most trying moments. Nobody noticed him. Nobody knew his name. After all, he was just the sweeper.

• Sometimes the basis of courage is recognizing one’s individual responsibility to make a change even if it appears to be just a drop in the ocean.

This is not child’s play!” her grandfather said calmly, putting his hand on the young girl’s shoulders. “The nation’s problems cannot be sorted out by you!” “Then who?” Kanakalata shot back. “If each of us thinks so, how can anything change?

• There is courage indeed in non-violent and peaceful protest, as evident in the actions of the teenaged Kanaklata Barua and her young colleagues at the Mrityu Bahini who gave up their lives to hoist the flag during India’s freedom struggle.

Each of the young girls went down with the flag held high. Passing it on to the next in line before a bullet robbed them of their lives. Not one of them fought back. Not one of them turned on the police, although they were many more in number. Not one of the let out an abusive word or cry or curse. Like trained soldiers, they followed their oath and sacrificed themselves for what they held so dear.

• Courage is just as evident in the act of creation, though creation in itself rarely credit for the bravery and determination that is often required to create a work of art that will last the test time of time, in the most tumultuous of times.

‘Vidyadhara, one day, I will be gone and so will this empire,’ Mahendra Varman had said to him once many years ago. ‘But our legacy in stone will outlive us all. Generations to come will see these beautifully sculpted figures on the shores of Mamallapuram and remember that a king once walked the land who cared more for art than war.’

Sometime the greatest and most underrated courage is that displayed in the quotidian lives of ordinary people such as traders, merchants and craftspeople who often battle extraordinary odds to simply live productive lives and who have a role to play in making history in their own little way.

Weeks together at sea. Months away from home. Years upon years of hard work. Overcoming storms. Escaping pirates. Battling all odds, a famine-stricken young boy had emerged out of the dead weight of destiny to claim a decent life for himself.