GENRE: Features Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

How this Bellandur apartment saves Rs 25,000 a year composting garden waste

August 14, 2019 Luke Dhanaraj

The residents of Sobha Quartz once used to pay tractor operators to dump their garden waste. But once they started composting this waste instead, their garden has thrived from the compost, and they now save around Rs 25,000 a year

Volunteering is cool: How Bengaluru’s youth are helping out orphanages, cleaning black spots, and more

August 13, 2019 Ekta Sawant

Are Bengaluru’s youth disconnected from social realities? Here is a look at the city’s young volunteers that prove they aren’t. From serving others to saving the planet, there’s much these volunteers are trying to do

How to compost wet waste in your apartment with just a bucket

August 5, 2019 Abhijna N C

If you live in an apartment, you may find disposing wet waste difficult. But to compost this waste, all you need is an old bucket. Here’s a DIY guide on making your own ‘compost bucket’ and using the compost in your garden

Handbags from milk cartons, plants in coconut shells, and more at Second to None sale

July 31, 2019 Grace Madigan

Bengaluru generates thousands of tonnes of waste everyday, but we can reduce it substantially by using recycled or repurposed products. Here is an account of some interesting recycled products that were sold at an event organised by the volunteer group Second To None, last Saturday

Pasta or Pav bhaji? Roti or Ragi mudde? How Bengaluru’s schools and students deal with food

July 31, 2019 Tanika Deuskar

As children increasingly consume junk food, some Bengaluru schools have adopted strict policies to ensure that their students eat healthy. These schools’ policies range from providing food cooked at school itself, to replacing any junk food children bring from home

JP Nagar cultural space brings top artists and children together

July 23, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Children aren’t often welcome at cultural performances where the audience are expected to be disciplined. But Jagali in JP Nagar aims to change just this, by catering to family audiences. In this edition of Citizens Live, Saraswathi Anand, whose living room serves as Jagali, talks about this informal space

Beer vs water: Bengaluru’s microbreweries in a time of water shortage

July 17, 2019 Grace Madigan

It takes seven litres of water to brew just a litre of beer! But as the city struggles with a water crisis, Bengaluru’s craft microbreweries are finding ways to cut down their water use

Here are four cool things Bengaluru scientists invented recently

June 25, 2019 Tanika Deuskar

Bengaluru is a hub of research institutions, but how many us know of the scientific breakthroughs made here? From a new catalyst to generate hydrogen, to a potential cure for pancreatic cancer, here are top findings from the city over the past year

‘Cities and Canopies’, a book on trees in urban India, released

June 24, 2019 News Desk

‘Cities and Canopies’ explores the science, history, culture and imaginations around trees in our cities.

Girish Karnad, the wordsmith who never shied from stating a contrary opinion

June 10, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Karnad has been the voice of a generation that fought against religious dogma. He championed dissent, even when it was against him, teaching us about the quiet dignity of being adversarial without being disrespectful.

BBMP, the misunderstood eco-warrior

May 30, 2019 Amogh Rayanker

The real reason BBMP does not pick up calls is its concern for the environment, says the author

Bengaluru non-profit builds play spaces from scrap

May 30, 2019 Sakshi Rao

As children’s play spaces are shrinking, the non-profit Anthill Creations has been transforming government school playgrounds and open spaces in the city. Anthill uses scrap materials to build durable, innovative play structures

“We were told our son wouldn’t get admission in college”

May 27, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Amidst the frenzy about tenth standard exam results and top scorers, what happens to the children who get average marks? In this conversation with Citizens Live, parents of Chiraag Shetty who scored 59 percent, talk about the pressure they face, the struggle to get college admission for Chiraag, and how the system could change

Bengaluru’s Rex is gone, but not forgotten

May 23, 2019 Amogh Rayanker

Recently, Rex theatre in Brigade Road wound up after 80 long years, to make way for a multiplex. As Rex and other single-screen theatres are disappearing from Bengaluru, the author reminisces about his experiences at Rex

Planting forests in Bengaluru: Bimal Desai tells you how

May 15, 2019 Manasi Paresh Kumar

Bimal Desai has fought for years to protect Cubbon Park and other green spaces in Bengaluru. Now he is creating forest patches across the city using the Miyawaki method. In this conversation with Citizens Live, Desai talks about his initiative, and how every Bengalurean can replicate it to make the city green and liveable again