@sarahyltonphoto

For @natgeotravel and with support from the Earth Journalism Network, I explored India's largest lake - Lake Vembanad - in the country's southernmost state of Kerala. A UNESCO Ramsar site which supports some 1.6 million people and a rich array of biodiversity, the lake flows through "God's Own Country" wedged between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats. The topography and climate of the region have created one of the country’s top tourist destinations - a lacy web of canals and backwaters surrounded by picturesque villages, rice patties, and fertile countryside. "Kerala is one of India’s top tourist destinations, anchored by the 1,000 or so houseboats in Lake Vembanad. Captained by local boatmen, kettuvallams move to old world agricultural rhythms. Travelers sleep and dine onboard, stopping in villages to eat fish curries or learn to weave coconut pulp into coir rope...But pollution, unethical fishing practices, and emissions from the idyllic-seeming houseboats threaten the whole region. In the last decade, the lake has seen a 40 percent drop in its fish population" writes @rachna_sachasinh. Solar panels are among a new green initiative meant to address environmental issues that plague the region and to make houseboat tourism more sustainable. But is enough being done to restore the health of the lake and its backwaters? For more on our story and @rachna_sachasinh nuanced text, see the link in my bio. Thank you to @maurafriedman for the support throughout and thoughtful edit. Big shoutout to @rajkeerthy123 and @manojleelaneelakandan for the collaboration and support on the ground. Captions continued in comments section. #renewableenergy #india #climatechange #solarpower