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Nature Nuggets

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Today is Thanksgiving Day, a holiday observed in different countries when people usually enjoy a meal with their families and loved ones and share all the things for which they are thankful. What are you thankful for today?

Nature has shaped our world and all living things in it, including us. There are several reasons we should be grateful to nature. Although we should be thankful throughout the year, Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity to remember how nature cares for us and that we should not take it for granted. Let’s explore some impactful actions we can take to express our gratitude for nature’s gifts in this edition of Nature Nuggets.

Farewell to food waste

Whether it is a large Thanksgiving feast or an everyday meal, a lot of resources go into producing food. And yet, over one-third of the world’s food is lost or wasted every year. Prevent food waste by using up perishable foods and consuming leftovers before they go bad. When you go grocery shopping, choose ‘ugly’ produce so that these perfectly good fruits and vegetables do not end up as waste.

Repair, don’t replace

Parts of items that we discard often end up in landfills instead of getting recycled. Repairing what can be repaired reduces the waste we generate. Ask an electrician to repair damaged electrical appliances and a carpenter to repair broken furniture. Mend broken crockery and repurpose them, for example, as pots for plants. Learn to sew buttons and mend torn clothes to wear them for longer. A tailor could convert old or torn bedsheets into curtains, tablecloths, as well as scarves and other clothing accessories for you!

Embrace energy efficiency

Choosing energy-efficient appliances for your home can reduce your electricity consumption. You can also make a difference through simple changes to your home and lifestyle. For example, using thick and dark window curtains to block out sunlight in the summer can improve your air conditioner’s cooling efficiency. Keep appliances, digital set-top boxes, and mobile phone chargers unplugged when they are not in use. Watch this video to find out why.

Stand up for nature

One of the most powerful ways in which you can express your gratitude to nature is by standing up for conservation and climate action. Read, ask questions, and learn about environmental problems and solutions to become an informed participant in climate action. Participate in events such as Earth Hour and let your voice be heard. Can you write or sing or create art? You can use your talents to inspire others to take action to conserve our planet.

You can join a community of individuals like you who are working to safeguard the planet’s future. Volunteer with WWF-India or other environmental organisations whose work you admire. The Earth will thank you for taking its side!

Common Name: European Honeybee

Scientific Name: Apis mellifera

Think honeybee, and flowers come to mind, don’t they? Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plants and more than 75% of the world’s food crops depend on honeybees and other animals for pollination. We should be grateful to honeybees not only for providing us with honey and beeswax but also for ensuring we have nutritious food on the table on Thanksgiving and every day.

Did you know that honeybees have organized societies? They live together in colonies called hives. There are three types of bees—female worker bees, the single queen bee, and the male drones—all with distinct roles to play. Click here for more fascinating facts about honeybees.

Watch this video about how honeybees use dance and vibrations to communicate with each other.

The next time you drizzle honey onto your toast, don’t forget to thank the honeybee and nature for such a delicious treat!

Time to check your Nature Quotient!

Which of these statements is true?

Worker bees feed a female larva royal jelly to make it develop into a new queen bee.
Workers and queens have stingers but drones do not.
Fertilized eggs develop into females that could be either workers or queens.
A queen mates with only one drone.

Answer to be revealed in our next edition!

Previous edition answer: The correct answer is b! Haemocyanin is a copper-rich protein that gives the blood of several octopus species its blue colour. Haemocyanin carries oxygen from the lungs through the bloodstream and to the cells of the octopus’ body.

Congratulations to everyone who guessed it right!

Our urban environments are home to many animals including pollinators such as honeybees that play vital roles in our urban ecosystems. Set up bee hotels in safe places to provide bees, wasps, and other insects with a place to shelter or build a home. If you have a garden or balcony in your home, or if you have a community park or garden nearby, smart modifications can make them a haven for urban wildlife.

In 2021, Wild Wisdom Quiz transformed into Wild Wisdom Global Challenge with deeper engagement and an enriching learning experience. Around 80,000 students from nearly 1000 schools across India took part in the first round of the Wild Wisdom Challenge at the school level.

The International Finale of the Wild Wisdom Global Challenge will culminate on 2 December 2021. Fifty-one countries across the globe will compete in the battle to win the Global Challenge!

To watch the live streaming of the event, join our Environment Education group on Facebook and receive the latest updates! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/778975835966906