Diary that empowers Mumbai youth to take green action daily

An illustrated composting guide. Pics Courtesy/Subhajit Mukherjee

City-based environmentalist Subhajit Mukherjee cuts no corners as we patiently await a conversation with him about his new book. "I was planting trees in an open space in Kanjur Marg. The response was overwhelming, and we ended up planting nearly 400 trees," he excuses himself. It's one of those times we don't mind a delay in the Maximum City. Unlike most personal diaries, Mukherjee's newly released My Climate Action Diary hides no secrets. "It's an ‘action' diary, not a ‘planning' diary," he clarifies at the outset.

Created with the help of crowdsourced suggestions over three months, the new book is targeted towards young readers. One of the recommendations was to elucidate the often-misunderstood Miyawaki forest concept. The diary features an illustrated layout of an ideal Miyawaki forest, colour coded for convenience. Other sections will introduce readers to calculating one's carbon footprint through digital tools. "Composting and rainwater harvesting are two simple concepts that have far-reaching benefits. I wish more people will take it up using our guide," he shares.

Subhajit Mukherjee reads the Climate Action Diary; (right) A previous plantation drive organised by the environmentalist

The book, as the title suggests, is still a diary at its core. "We've marked important environment-related days throughout the year, the same way most diaries highlight public holidays. This will allow readers to make actionable plans for occasions like World Environment Day, World Water Day, World Soil Day, among others," Mukherjee explains. With nearly 300 copies of the diary from the first batch delivered to concerned citizens, a new batch is coming fresh off the press as we speak.

"Remember those school diaries that helped you navigate school life - rules, regulations, notes, and remarks? My vision is to make my book a mainstay in the daily routine of Mumbai's promising youth. We've done enough talking and planning. It's time to put it to action," he signs off.

A colour-coded Miyawaki forest layout from the book

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