Choose eco-friendly alternatives
These days there is a lot of information about recycling and reusing materials (“How to recycle plastic, glass, paper and household waste in the UAE”, Gulf News, October 12). It can be hard to know where to begin when so much information is out there. However, there is one undeniable fact that recycling is essential. Global consumption rates are rising yearly, and so is our appetite for new things. However, if we begin to look at the waste created by these consumption levels in a different light, then a whole new world of opportunity is revealed. Recycling is much more than a way to reduce the amount of material sent to landfills, and it is a proven method of reclaiming valuable materials that can be used in new products. Recycling is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a crucial component of a circular economy that crosses borders, politics, and economies.
People should avoid “single-use” plastics and start using eco-friendly alternatives. Prioritising reusable products is not only critical for environmental health, but it can also be cost-effective. We are aware that the effect of single-use plastics and other non-biodegradable materials can take a toll on nature and other species. We should take a collective decision to behave thoughtfully about this matter. It is not just the responsibility of a nation or a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) to preach about it. Our daily life patterns and habits have a massive effect on the environment. For example, everyone in the morning usually grabs a coffee on our way to the office. These single-use cups are tough to degrade, and it is estimated that around 16 billion coffee cups go to landfills. Our change in perspective and a quick decision can help Nature.
From Ms Anjali Bhatt
Delhi, India
Beware of COVID-19 scams
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, scammers have seized on peoples’ fear and confusion to steal their private or financial data (“How to report online fraud and phone scams in Abu Dhabi”, Gulf News, February 15). Unfortunately, even though we hear many incidents about scams and ways to prevent them, we do not take enough measures to protect our information. Many fake applications and websites claim to provide COVID-19 details and ask us to fill out our details. We should always cross-check whether the website is legit and try not to fill out all your details immediately. Seek your family or friends’ help so that you can stay out of such troubles.
From Mr Danny Daniel
UAE
Congratulations to the Indian cricket team
Kudos to the Indian cricket team or the Men in Blue led by Rohit Sharma for winning the second One Day International (ODI) against the West Indies and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series (“KL Rahul and Axar Patel ruled out of West Indies T20 series”, Gulf News, February 11). It augurs well for the new Indian Captain, Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Rahul Dravid. Glad to know that the new team would like to see Rishab Pant as the opener for the match. Time and again, he proves that he is only an “X” factor player in 20 per cent of the tournaments he plays. If we go by statistics, he has helped the team to win only 2 out of 10 matches, whether he bats at No.1 or 4. Since we have recognised openers in KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan, it would be futile to try out new combinations. Ishan Kishan has proved to be a better opener than Pant. The Indian team struggled with the new opening pair, thanks to Surya Kumar and KL Rahul, who bailed our team out of trouble. Then it was the bowlers, especially Prasidh Krishna, whose dream spell of 9-3-12-4 sealed the series in our favour. Now that Pant has failed as an opener, it would be nice to rest and go with our recognised openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. KL Rahul could bat at No.4 and keep wickets. Time and again, our Indian bowlers are bailing out our team from precarious positions. I hope the batsmen do show some determination in coming matches.
From Mr N Mahadevan
Fitness in cricket
Undoubtedly, the former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is going through a lean patch (“Washington Sundar ruled out of Twenty20 series against West Indies”, Gulf News, February 14). However, as averred by the batting coach, Vikram Rathore is a world-class batsman and could return to form during the coming matches. At the same time, it is a real worry that the all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out of the T20 series with a hamstring strain. Sundar has become the third Indian player to be ruled out of the T20 series. Before him, vice-captain KL Rahul and spinner Axar Patel have also been ruled out of the T20 series. Rituraj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda have been included in the team as their replacements. Ironically, players like Thangarasu Natarajan and Sundar seems to be more prone to get injured and miss crucial series. According to the reports, Sundar will have to spend at least three weeks at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), which could also result in him missing the upcoming India-Sri Lanka series too. Therefore, the high time players like them should take care and improve their fitness for the upcoming matches.
From Mr Vinay Mahadevan
