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.