The Flight of the Draco: Exploring Gliding Vertebrates and Tall Trees

In this episode of 'Politics, Ecology, and Everything Else in Between,' host Rajeev chats with Chaitanya, a former IBM researcher turned evolutionary biologist. They discuss Chaitanya's unique journey from database engineering to the study of gliding vertebrates, particularly Draco lizards. The conversation delves into Chaitanya's research on the correlation between tall trees and the evolution of gliding in vertebrates, spanning different species across Southeast Asia and beyond. Key themes include the impact of deforestation, the role of large datasets in research, and the broader implications of evolutionary biology.

00:00 Introduction to Gliding Lizards

00:53 Podcast Introduction and Guest Background

02:04 Journey from IBM to Herpetology

04:30 Fieldwork and Research on Gliding Vertebrates

05:50 PhD Research and Discoveries

10:08 Evolutionary Biology and Gliding Mechanisms

14:51 Conservation Challenges and Future Research

28:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

"The basic idea of what a locavore is, as someone who wants to keep the money local and resources are local because local self-reliance means that, um, you are better prepared as a community for change. You're better, um, prepared for a disaster, and you're also reducing your reliance on an extractive global economy." - Megan Hobza

Locavore Action, Local Economies and Creative Reuse: An Insightful Conversation with Megan Hobza

In Episode 4 of 'Politics, Environment and Everything In Between', host Rajeev speaks with guest Megan Hobza, a grant writer, community activist, and a strong advocate of Locavore Action, which promotes local self-reliance. Their discussion touches upon important issues like supporting local businesses, the impacts of political decisions on local habitats, and the concept of 'Locavore'. Megan also describes her transformative experiments with discarded clothing to counter fast fashion and relating the principles of locavore and self-reliance to various facets of life. The conversation evolves into considerations about the changing tech landscape, digitization in India, and the concept of a solidarity economy

00:00 Introduction to Locavore Lifestyle
00:27 Podcast Introduction and Previous Topics
00:52 Guest Introduction: Megan Hobza
01:14 Reminiscing Past Experiences
01:40 Discussion on Microfunding and Rural Development
02:40 Digital Transformation in Local Trade
04:53 Understanding Locavore Action
06:45 Megan's Role in Locavore Action
08:48 Megan's Creative Approach to Locavore
08:51 History and Global Presence of Locavore Movement
09:43 Locavore Practices and Local Economies
12:00 Challenges in Urbanization and Locavore
12:09 Addressing Food Waste and Local Economies
16:05 Affordable Housing and Local Economies
16:53 Importance of Local Activism
22:53 Creative Reuse in Fashion
28:05 Addressing Fast Fashion and Waste Diversion
31:03 Solidarity Economy and Local Activism
32:21 Conclusion: Embrace Joy and Act for Climate

You can contact Megan at meganhobza@gmail.com

Thanks for listening to this episode. I would love your feedback on this podcast. Feel free to drop us a line on rajeev.nedumaran@gmail.com

Welcome to another episode of politics, ecology, and everything in between. Hey, this is Rajeev. We are back after a long hiatus, DJ, and I. For this discussion, we picked a very interesting topic. Who is a tribal. A tribal is a very interesting term. Was Tarzan a tribal. The very image of a noble Savage. Or is it an invented term? And how is it relevant today? To answer all these questions, we have my good friend DJ.

Thanks for supporting this podcast. Do send feedback to rajeev.nedumaran@gmail.com about this episode.

Understand the Geopolitics of Water with Peter Mayer

In episode 2 of Politics, Ecology, and Everything Else in Between, host Rajeev discusses the crucial issues related to water supply, management, scarcity, contamination, and its importance in geopolitics, diplomacy and conflict, with Peter Mayer, a professional engineer and water management expert from Boulder, Colorado. The discussion dives deep into topics such as the correlation between water supply and climate change, and the potential influence on geopolitics and diplomacy. Peter shares about his work in water utilities across the US and Canada, and how a unique water budget system may be a future solution for water management. They also address the implications of climate change on water resources, options for water conservation, and efficient management and storage of groundwater. The discussion further highlights potential changes in agricultural practices, lifestyle adjustments needed for better water conservation, and the future possibilities of water desalination.

00:00 Introduction and Topic Overview
00:26 Guest Introduction: Peter Mayer
01:09 Peter's Journey into Water Management
04:39 Water and Geopolitics: A James Bond Analogy
05:27 Water Scarcity and Climate Change
11:51 Water Management and Conservation Strategies
23:27 The Future of Water: Desalination and Policy Influence
25:15 Individual Responsibility in Water Conservation
28:06 Conclusion and Closing Remarks

Water is essential for all life forms and human development. Our lives depend on it. Sometimes our livelihoods depend on it. With climate change, the supply of water has the potential to influence geopolitics, diplomacy and even conflict. To discuss this very topic I am talking to Peter Mayer from Boulder, Colorado. Long time friend of Madurai my hometown and an expert in the science of water management.- Peter Mayer, Principal and Founder of WaterDM, is a professional engineer and urban water expert who has dedicated his career to advancing the science of water management. To know more about Peter and his work, head over to his website - www.waterdm.com

The Manas Incident:

Introducing a brand new podcast featuring Rajeev & DJ.

DJ (Dhananjay Katju) is a Political Ecologist from Houston, Texas, will help breakdown complex issues that affect our times and Rajeev is the curious layman picking DJ's brains.

In this opening episode, they discuss their brush with insurgency in the forests of Assam and the complicated history behind it.