What is the value of one tree? When we talk of the worth of a tree, Is it merely the sum total of the market price of each of its components? Do we value a tree because of the wood it gives us, the fruits it bears, the air it clears? Do we value the bark, the roots, the leaves? A tree can be many things, a source of nutrition, health, security, but I now see that much like human society, a tree is made up of countless tiny entities, all doing their job, all continuing the battle of sustenance. Much like human society, a tree will grow, bit by bit, inch by inch, leaf by leaf. There is no secret formula for expedited growth, it is merely principle of persistence.  And I’m glad that today I have with me a person who perfectly personifies this persistence Mr Sathya Natrajan, a former VP of Sales and Marketing at a massive MNC, who now spends his time spearheading various social interest campaigns across Pune. He has somehow managed to find to time have a successful corporate career and to do some very cool things like spearhead the Red Dot campaign which aims to provide access to sanitary napkins, he has single handedly managed to clean up an entire lake, and has managed to find time to be actively engaged with over 60 environment and social interest groups and NGOs over the past ten years. It is in fact because of his passion for volunteering that I first had the good fortune of meeting Mr Natarajan at a Fridays For Future meeting, where he very graciously and patiently attempted to explain the intricacies of our country’s bureaucracy to a group of very enthused but equally inexperienced college kids and fresh grads such as myself.  Mr Natarajan has not only managed to find an incredible equilibrium in his work-life balance, but what I admire about him is how he manages to make it look effortless. His story is one of the unique quality of understanding and being sensitive to the ”bigger picture”. With him I had the lovely opportunity to spend some time understanding his passion for volunteering, understanding the provisions of the Tree Act, a law designed to help preserve trees, and his role in furthering the conservation of trees in Pune.  how does an individual manage to deal with multiple levels of an overstructured and underpowered bureaucracy to get work done, How do laws help in protecting trees, and indeed, more fundamentally, why do we value a tree at all, are questions I attempt to unearth, in this week’s episode, of What UnEarth.  Read more about Mr. Sathya Natarajan https://www.thebetterindia.com/184882/pune-engineer-hero-volunteer-ngo-decades-social-impact-inspiring-india/ https://envalourment.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/the-dichotomy-man-mr-sathya-natarajan/ https://thelogicalindian.com/my-social-responsibility/sathya-natarajan-social-work/ https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-it-professional-cleans-mastani-lake-without-any-help-4686567/ Further reading on the value of a Tree https://greenearthappeal.org/what-is-the-value-of-a-tree/ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/flora-fauna/A-healthy-tree-worth-Rs-24-lakh-per-year-Report/articleshow/21927419.cms https://www.holdenarb.org/horticulture/calculate-the-value-of-a-tree/ https://www.thoughtco.com/how-much-oxygen-does-one-tree-produce-606785 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2927/examining-the-viability-of-planting-trees-to-help-mitigate-climate-change/ Desktop volunteering https://www.grow-trees.com/