GLOBAL WARMING

This is an article I wrote that was published in Gulf News- a newspaper in UAE. This was written when I was 13 years old.


While most of us would like to think that we aren't a part of the problem, the fact is that if you drive one of the many vehicles on the road, you are contributing to global warming.

Global warming is defined as an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's air and oceans, which is a big threat to the future of the world. Everywhere you turn, there is something describing the dangers of global warming. We have finally begun to realise the effect we are having on the planet but, unfortunately, as far as I know no one has been trying to reduce it by recycling or reducing. No one seems to be worried about the future. We aren't looking ahead at how all this could affect future generations and because of that, the planet is going to be in trouble. So why are we waiting to be blamed?

Prevention is always better than cure. Global warming has started and there isn't a way to stop it. All we can do now is reduce it as much as possible but it's a shame that no one is seriously considering ways to do that.

Do your part

People may think that it is impossible to live without air conditioners here because of the heat, especially in the summer. But I think that people can find ways to cool down. However, they wouldn't be able to do that if global warming reaches its peak.

Here are some other things that everyone can do to help reduce global warming:

- Reduce, re-use and recycle, the triple R's. It seems easy to do, so why aren't people doing that? By recycling half of their household waste, people can safe up to approximately 1,088 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide annually.

- Drive less. When you drive less, you emit fewer emissions. Other than saving fuel, walking and biking are great forms of exercise.

- Turn appliances off. When you leave a room, turn off un-used lights as well as appliances such as the television, stereo and computer. If you're not using them, then they shouldn't be plugged in.

- Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide throughout its lifetime.

The final thing that everyone can do is spread the message about global warming and its consequences. That way when people are aware, they can find ways to reduce the carbon dioxide levels before it's too late. It's the least we could do for our poor Earth.

http://youtu.be/6CcM8wcspmM

His name was Stallone. Rescued during a dogfighting raid, this pitbull terrier won the love of everyone around him. The heartbreaking story of this victim sheds light on the extreme cruelty he, and other dogs like him, endured - fight after fight.

DO NOT WATCH IF SENSITIVE .

FREEDOM

Today, during English class, we had a deep discussion about what the word ‘freedom’ meant to us students. Though my friends just laughed it off casually and answered with whatever came into their mind, it put me into a deep, deep thought. When it was my turn to answer, I voiced my opinion of how freedom meant being able to take some decisions that we are really sure of. Freedom is the ability to stand on our own feet and not depend on others. My friend gave a similar but different opinion on that matter. She said, according to her, freedom meant being able to soar in the sky like a free bird. An image of a free bird soaring high in the sky with no responsibilities and no tension drew itself into my mind. It felt good. Freedom.


When I came back to reality and actually thought rationally about it, a free bird I not free from responsibilities or fears or tensions. Who are we to judge? Then what exactly is freedom? The various answers my friends gave were somewhat funny. One said, freedom is being able to chat in private without our parents watching over us. That, I do not agree to. Myself being a teenager, I know what a teenager is capable of doing online. It’s not a very pretty thing to say in a blog. If not properly looked upon and taken care of, a child can grow up in a wrong way. A million examples are portrayed in front of us in our society and surrounding. I have friends who are doing very wrong things that will bring shame to them and their family. Therefore, I am growing up a little and agreeing with the parents when they keep a watch on what their teenager is doing online in the privacy of her room.

I’m sorry for deviating from the topic of freedom. I don’t promise to stay on the topic though. A scene vividly came into my mind when the teacher told us about freedom. It was a scene from a movie. A wounded man was a battle ground fell to the ground and he screamed “FREEDOM” before he died. The scene sent a chill down my spine. Freedom is basically having rights. Having the power to be who you are. Not having to fear something or someone but god. When one of my other friends said that freedom to her meant being taken seriously, that led me into a totally different angle of thoughts. When she spoke, we could actually hear from her voice that she was hurt. She sorrowfully said about how her parents listened only to her elder sisters and not to her. It seems her opinions were never taken into matter. She was treated as a nobody. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had broken down into tears then and there. Some parents do that and knowingly or unknowingly, a child is hurt. She told us about how her parents ask her elder siblings about what colour the room should be painted, which type of cell phone he should buy, where they should go out for dinner etc. It seems they never bother about her suggestions unless it is solely relating to her. I can understand this situation if she was a 6 year old kid. But mind you, she is 16 years old. Her older siblings are 18 and 20. How does being 2 to 4 years elder than a person make that person anymore wiser? Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t.


I had a similar case in my house yesterday. My elder sister had gone for her evening classes when my dad brought home a new iPhone 4G. Now mind you, I already have an iPod Touch 3rd gen. An iPhone and iPod is not much different except for iPhone letting you to make calls and send texts. As my father was not much of a tech-whiz, I took the iPhone from him and started making homely (creating a mobile account, setting iTunes etc). My father’s first reaction surprised me. He asked me to wait for my sister to come because she would know what to do more than me. A full year of using an iTouch, and my father expected my sister (who owned no Apple product) to know better. If I actually had the power to do so, I would have slammed down the iPhone and walked away. Don’t worry, I didn’t do it. I suddenly remembered that when I had purchased my iTouch, my sister was the one to configure it and make it ready to use. I didn’t get the chance to configure my own gadget. Would you blame me for being mad? I wouldn’t!


That’s where parents go wrong. They forget who to give importance and what kind of importance. Somewhere along the path of growing up, maybe my parents forgot that I wasn’t a kid anymore.

DEVIATED! Haha! Anyways what I just wanted to say is that freedom has a lot of meaning to different people. For some, it is being able to voice an opinion. But for some other, it may be equal to being born. Every day in our life is a fight to get recognized and taken seriously. Everyone wants to be free. Freedom is an everyday fight to be who you are.

“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” - Albert Camus

FUN SIZED

Let me tell you how it feels
Let me show you how it deals
I am not skinny, I am fat
Not so thick haired, I know that

I am kinda’ short, about four-one
What they don’t say, short is fun!
I got no Gucci, or Prada in my closet
Woolen X’mas sweaters, to be honest

I can open a pickle jar
I am strong, I got some scars
I don’t act feeble to get him near
Men will come and go, I have no fear

I am not skinny, I don’t really wish
But I can make a guy wish I was his.
I can walk on the road, make-up free
Unlike you, face pack times three

I can walk, I can sing, feel the ray
You are a plastic doll, nothing more to say
I am real, nothing fake, everything fair
I’m free, I’m alive, don’t you wish you were ?

IRRITATINGLY PERFECT

Let me tell you from the beginning
How much you mean to me
Just seeing you in the morning
Magically brings a smile across my face

I don’t want to lie and say
That you bring the rainbow after the rain
You don’t always know the right thing to say
But you do always make me feel great

It just comes along with friendship
Anger, resentment and love
You hold my biggest pet peeves
You act like a little child

You really don’t know how to sing
On the other hand neither do I.
Maybe that’s what brought us so close
Or maybe it’s the way you listen when I talk.

It surprises me when you listen
(Though you have a blank expression)
For hours my exciting stories
About how my turtle ate a fish.

You act like a know-it-all
You want to be the UN secretary
You eat up all my Doritoes
The moment I open the packet!

Then what makes you my best friend?
I have wondered so many times!
Maybe it’s the way you are
You are irritatingly perfect.

You complete my mission called ‘life’.
Helping me survive the crazy twists and turns.

Looking back I take back what I said…
Maybe you do bring the rainbow after the rain.