Green Living & Energy
Indoor air in smog season: what actually lowers PM2.5 inside a home
Delhi's air began October at its worst level in four years. Here is what reduces fine particles indoors, ranked by how much it helps.
2 October 2026 · 9 min
Pillar
Green Living & Energy
Home energy, insulation, water and travel decisions worked through with real numbers instead of vague promises.
Energy choices are where good intentions meet arithmetic. This hub walks through draught-proofing, heating settings, appliance running costs and small-scale solar with the actual figures behind them, so you can see which changes are worth a weekend and which are worth a loan.
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Green Living & Energy
Why North India's air turns every October, and what a household can control
Crop fires get the headlines, but weather, traffic, dust and festivals all stack up. Here is how the season builds, and the parts that are ours.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
What a balcony or small garden can do for biodiversity
World leaders meet for the COP17 biodiversity summit from 19 October. A few pots, chosen well, give insects and birds a real stopping point.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
Container plants that feed bees and butterflies
No garden needed. These pot-friendly plants give pollinators nectar through most of the year in Indian conditions.
2 October 2026 · 7 min
Green Living & Energy
Compost fallen leaves instead of burning them
Burning leaves adds smoke just as the air gets worse. Composting them makes free, rich soil food instead.
2 October 2026 · 7 min
Green Living & Energy
Green crackers explained: what they are and what the rules say
Green crackers promise less pollution, but they still pollute, and rules change every year. Here is what to know before Diwali.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
The carbon footprint of a festive season, and the biggest levers
Travel, food, shopping and lights all add up during the festive season. A few choices matter far more than the rest.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
COP31 in Antalya explained for households
The UN climate summit runs from 9 to 20 November in Türkiye. Here is what is being negotiated, in plain language, and why it reaches your home.
2 October 2026 · 9 min
Green Living & Energy
Electrification at home: what COP31's push means for kitchens and heating
Moving cooking, heating and transport from fuels to electricity is a major theme of this year's climate talks. Here is what it looks like in a home.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
Chhath Puja and river pollution: cleaner offerings
Chhath honours the sun at riverbanks and ponds. Here is how families keep the rituals while protecting the water they gather beside.
2 October 2026 · 7 min
Green Living & Energy
Solar water heaters in a North Indian winter: worth it?
Solar water heaters work in winter, but less well on foggy days. Here is what to expect and how to size one sensibly.
2 October 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
Winterising a balcony garden
Cold nights, fog and short days change what a balcony garden needs. Here is how to protect plants and keep something growing through winter.
2 October 2026 · 7 min
Green Living & Energy
The draught-proofing weekend that cut our heating bill by a fifth
What we sealed, what it cost, and the thermal readings before and after — with the two jobs we'd skip next time.
27 July 2026 · 11 min
Green Living & Energy
Small-scale solar: the honest maths for a rented flat
Balcony panels, plug-in kits and payback periods, worked through for three realistic household sizes.
29 June 2026 · 12 min
Green Living & Energy
Cutting Home Energy Use Without a Renovation Budget
Not everyone can afford insulation upgrades. These lower-cost changes still made a measurable difference to our energy bill.
23 February 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
Water Conservation That Doesn't Feel Like Deprivation
Most water-saving advice feels like a sacrifice. These changes reduced our usage without changing how showers or washing-up actually felt.
16 February 2026 · 6 min
Green Living & Energy
Starting a Balcony Garden in a Rented Flat
Renting limits what you can plant permanently. Here's what actually grew well in containers on a north-facing balcony.
9 February 2026 · 7 min
Green Living & Energy
Making a Home More Energy Efficient Before Winter
A one-weekend checklist for tightening up a home's energy efficiency before the cold sets in, based on what we actually did.
2 February 2026 · 8 min
Green Living & Energy
Understanding Your Home's Carbon Footprint in Plain Numbers
Carbon footprint calculators give confusing, inconsistent numbers. We compared several and worked out what's actually worth tracking.
26 January 2026 · 9 min
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