Songs for Policymakers: Connecting with Music

In this episode I will be interviewing Swami Vishnumayananda who runs the Ramakrishna Mission Branch in Shivanahalli Village near Bangalore. We will be discussing the new school they have implemented that focuses on giving students an education paired with environmental consciousness by providing them a hands on learning experience with nature. We will also be discussing how their belief in religious harmony and community building originates from the natural world as seen in the biodiversity of the 80 acre forest surrounding the school.

RK Mission Website: https://rkmission-shivanahalli.org/

Interview with Mr. Prateek Tiwari CEO of Living Greens in Jaipur, India with co-host Giuliana Bresnahan. Living Greens Organics Pvt. Ltd. is a startup that promotes urban rooftop gardening with their portable farming system. In this episode we will be discussing the challenges in current farming practices in India, the dangers associated with chemical farming, and how Mr. Tiwari’s company can help make organic farming an option for everyone. http://thelivinggreens.com/index.html

Feeding India is a non-for-profit organization aiming to solve hunger issues by channeling leftover/extra food from individuals, events, and corporate office to those in need. In this episode I will be interviewing Feeding India food distribution volunteers Ravi and Indranil about the relationship between food insecurity, poverty, and the environment.

If you have food to donate from an event/want to learn about how you can volunteer to help distribute food in your city, get in touch at Feeding India's Hotline: +91 098711 78810

Learn more on their website: https://www.feedingindia.org/

Interview with Indian music composer Ricky Kej at his home in Bangalore India. Ricky is a Grammy award winner and US Billboard #1 artist. He uses the language of music to inspire policy makers and communities to make sustainable changes. Ricky is most well known for his recent album “Shanti Samsasra” which was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President François Hollande at the UN COP21 Climate Change Conference in 2015. The album is a compilation of works with over 500 musicians in over 40 countries. The album touches on narratives including the human elephant conflict, the island nation of Kiribati going under water, the biodiversity of the Maldives, and many more. We will be discussing these themes as well as the role of music in implementing policy and behavioral change at the local and federal level.

Check out Ricky's Sustainable Development Nursery Rhymes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0pvFdFYydiDjIUFdKVbeELpppzg-VkLs

Listen to Shanti Samsara here: http://shantisamsara.com/

Interview with Dr. TV Ramachandra, coordinator of the Energy and Wetlands research group at the Indian Institute of Science, about the worsening of air and water quality in Bangalore due to unplanned rapid urbanization, corruption within the waste management system, and a very low environmental literacy among community members.

Here is a blog post I wrote about Bangalore's waste management flaws and potential solutions: https://umichenginabroad.tumblr.com/post/176334443901/mean-marge-has-taken-over-bangalore

Preview of Season 1: Summer 2018
Heena goes from Berlin to Bangalore in 14 weeks and conducts a series of interviews along the way....