We’re in this together
During the United Nations climate talks earlier this month, Syria announced it would sign the Paris agreement on climate change. This means the US is the only country to reject the global pact. Isn’t it ironic? With its love for big cars, big houses and big everything, the US has contributed more than any other country to the atmospheric carbon dioxide that now has our planet in a choke hold. According to US-based nonprofit organisation Climate Interactive, Americans started burning fossil fuels at higher rates, much earlier than the rest of the world, and the country is responsible for almost a third of the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. China has four times as many people as the US, and it does not even come close in terms of carbon emissions – it is responsible for one-sixth of the world’s emissions. When we all know better, and are trying to pool our resources, innovate and create cleaner, greener sources of energy, why is the US backing out now, at this crucial juncture? If this plan fails, it can spell the end of the entire planet – and the last time I checked, the US was part of it.
From Ms Heather Ryan
Abu Dhabi
Epidemic of ignorance
It is time the world stopped harping on US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull America from the Paris accord, and stepped up to do something about it. The international environmental organisation Global Carbon Project came out with a report recently, stating that industrial carbon emissions are expected to hit record highs this year, after a three-year plateau. One of the reasons is China’s continued use of coal – it is currently the world’s largest carbon emitter. Another reason is that while several countries have reduced their emissions, it has been offset by rising pollution from developing countries as they undergo industrialisation. Now, smog in New Delhi is causing schools to shut down, and in China, there’s even a term called ‘the Beijing cough’, which many city inhabitants have developed because of harmful pollutants in the air. Why are we doing this to ourselves? What will it take for humans to listen to what the Earth is trying to tell us?
From Mr Ahmad Salah
Sharjah
BJP’s stand in Darjeeling
It’s beautiful, green and serene with hills that sing. Darjeeling – a district of West Bengal that is known for its tea, lush scenery and wonderful cuisine, is today strife-torn with residents struggling to make ends meet. The people want a separate Gorkhaland, which is being fueled by the feud between the State’s and Central governments. The Supreme Court has allowed for the withdrawal of seven companies of central paramilitary forces, to be diverted for use in election duties in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The problem is not new but had subsided, as people fell into a daily economic rhythm. Apparently, sentiment flared when Bengali was imposed as compulsory in schools. How much of this is fact and fiction, well one has to keep in mind the various media reporting the issue – each of them has political affiliations. So, are we getting a complete picture? We’ll see in a few weeks’ time, post Gujarat elections and how the ruling party BJP fares in them. That will have an impact on their attitude towards other issues nationwide.
From Mr Inder Kumar
Sharjah
Times, they aren’t changing
Ten years ago, Amazon launched the Kindle. Everybody said paperbacks were dying. No more libraries, no more browning, dog-eared books. People were launching blogs, and turning to self-publishing. No doubt, the publishing market has changed over the past decade, but I don’t think it has changed the way people read. Those who love to read still love to scour through shelves of bestsellers at the airport bookstore, or local library. The other day, I saw a pair of preteen siblings carry an entire hardbound Harry Potter collection to the counter – and they’re supposed to be an iPad-addicted, technology-dependent generation! So perhaps, there’s hope for books still.
From Ms Sophie Vita
Sharjah
Are weight loss apps working?
The war against weight gain has gone digital. Now, there are apps that count your steps, check your heart rate, track your calories, and apps that tell you whether you’ve slept well and how that affected your metabolism. With this information at our fingertips, we should all be as fit as the reigning Tour de France champion Chris Froome – or at least aspire to be. However, with me, it seems to be having the opposite effect. All this data overload is making me feel quite optimistic about my weight loss plan, and I’m having more celebratory cheat days than ever before! Maybe it’s time to switch off the apps, get on the treadmill and go back to old-school portion control. The only thing that speaks the truth in this scenario is the weighing scale. And if the needle is not budging, no amount of calorie counting or ‘Goal achieved’ badges on your apps will help.
From Ms Cassandra Smith
Dubai
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