Puninda Thind

Shouldn’t every day be Earth Day? Yes, I agree that we should be able to recognize the importance of the environment in our daily behavior. But, having that one day to commemorate Mother Nature allows us to collectively participate in the movement and discuss further steps. Environmental awareness is of vital importance especially in today’s day and age where we have realized that all systems are inextricably linked. Public health, ecological conditions and social well being are not separate entities and to find solutions to problems in any of these spheres requires an understanding and application of holistic approach.

Earth Day began in the 1970’s, a period of environmental enlightenment in the United States. Gaylord Nelson, a Democratic Senator and an environmental conservationist, started the event to educate the people about pressing ecological issues. Along with Hayes, a university student, they organized teach-ins on a national level and drove the protest movements against government inaction. The intention was to expand people’s understanding of ecology and enlarge the definition of environmentalism. During the 1960 and 70’s industrialization was paramount and the impact of air and water pollution on social welfare was becoming prevalent. Scientific research on the harmful effects of chemicals on human health was being carried out and it was during this time that Rachel Carson’s monumental book, Silent Spring, which outlined the hazardous impact of DDT, was released. The green awakening allowed people to see the linkages between the industrial world and human well-being. In America, a wide variety of significant legislation was passed during this time including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act, as well as the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. Environmental laws provided protection of certain natural entities by instituting accountability for public goods.

Earth Day marks the advent of environmental movement in North America. In the 1990’s the event grew to include over 140 countries.  Events focusing on environmental education like community clean-ups, tree-planting, recycling activities are organized on the local level on this day. The theme for Earth Day 2012 is mobilization, a very apt subject in wake of worldwide political protests and uprisings which set the context of people fighting for their legitimate rights. The act of mobilization encompasses planning and cohesive action which is direly needed on a local, national and global front from citizens as well as the government.

With the pertinent issue of climate change in focus, the importance of such a day is made even greater. The basis of the movement has been education and action. Environmental issues are scientific and require empirical proof.  Such information needs to be translated to the general public so they can recognize the broader impact on their daily lives. Unless one connects the dots and become directly exposed to the effects of issues like climate change, it is highly likely that one will be motivated to act.

There are numerous environmental issues that people advocate for such as, stopping deforestation, pesticide use control, industrial management, air and water pollution, chemical disposal etc. Earth Day creates a unified platform for all activists to come together and realize the larger movement. Activities are organized all across the country to encourage citizen participation. In Mississauga, Earth Day Eco-Fest, E-Waste Drive, book swaps, clothing drive and park clean-ups brought the local community together.

Canada, being a developed nation, falls in the category of countries with mounting ecological footprints. The energy and water consumption per capita is fairly high and so is the abundance of natural resources. Our waste management program and focus on recycling has reduced the amount of residential garbage that gets discarded over the past decade. It is clear that Canada needs to continue on the path of environmental stewardship to regain its title of an environmental champion. So, let’s maintain the message of this special day throughout the year. The movement started with recognizing that there is environmental problems, spreading awareness about the issues, and now the next step is to act upon the knowledge.

Insufficient sleep can’t just leave a person groggy and irritable. Research suggests it can also make one heavier. Published in a special issue of the “The American Journal of Human Biology”, the research explores how lack of sleep can impact appetite regulation, impair glucose metabolism and increase blood pressure. The research reviewed evidence from sleep restriction studies and found a link between lack of adequate sleep and obesity. The results of observational studies revealed that less than six hours of sleep led to an increased body mass index (BMI). According to the studies, signals from the brain that control appetite regulation are impacted by experimental sleep restriction. Inadequate sleep affects secretion of the signal hormones ghrelin, which increases appetite, and lepton, which indicates when the body is satiated. This can lead to increased food intake without the compensating energy expenditure.

Gagan Batra

Early last week there was a YouTube video posted online by a teenage girl that sparked a lot of controversy among South Asians and other communities? The video featured a young girl talking about how “brown” people are all terrorists. Other derogatory and racist remarks that were made towards Brampton’s “brown” community included observations such as they all smell like curry, carry weapons in their turbans and should go back to their own country. For legal reasons I will not disclose the name of the girl responsible for the video, although it can be found if searched for online. As one can imagine, this video generated a lot of anger amongst the South Asian communities in Brampton, Mississauga, and other places. In a city as diverse as Brampton, it is ridiculous that one person can make such ignorant remarks targeted to just one of the communities in the region.

Naturally, being a South Asian woman who resides in Brampton, I was initially offended by the video. However, after further consideration, I realized that the girl responsible for the video did not do anything more than restate some of the most farfetched stereotypes associated with “brown” people. For me the most insulting part of the video is the point at which all “brown” people were told to go back to their own country. Most of my South Asian friends, like me, were born in Canada. My parents have been Canadian citizens for over twenty years, and even my grandmother is a Canadian citizen. To tell all South Asians, Arabs, Africans, and others who are not noticeably Caucasian to go back to their own countries is not only insulting, but indicative of extreme ignorance. Canada was founded by aboriginals, those people whose skin is not white in color. In history lessons since elementary school, we have been taught that the only true and original Canadians are those from Aboriginal descent. All people in Canada, even those people whose skin color is white, were immigrants at some point in time.  Canada is a country that is known internationally for its multiculturalism, its denial of racism and any discriminatory behavior on the basis of one’s nationality, culture, religion, and skin color. That being said, it is no surprise that there are still people who claim to be superior over others based on those superficial attributes.

Thus, it is inevitable that hints of racism will be present in some people, whether it is apparent or not. I do urge all people to take a step back and look at the wider context in which their preconceived notions of other races are formed. Do they come from family, school, social connections, or the media? I personally, think that in today’s day and age, media has a great influence on people’s mentalities in terms of their images of other people. I cannot remember the number of times there have been certain stereotypes enforced about people in music videos or television programs. The reason that stereotyping individuals based on their races is considered acceptable in those terms is because they are produced by popular media, a force that is so dominant in today’s society. In no way do I endorse the comments or views expressed by the teenage girl in her controversial YouTube video, but I do think that part of the reason for there being more hatred and negativity stirring towards her is due to her lack of a title or authority. Of course, in this case, the main reason for the controversy is because of the public denunciation of “brown” people as bad people. Other stereotypes are in most cases ignored. I cannot count the number of times it’s been assumed that I am good at math due to the color of my skin. The difference between my example and those negative comments made by the teenage girl in the YouTube video is apparent.

I would advise people to not take this sort of hatred and negativity based on the color of their skin too much to heart. In most cases, they are not well informed opinions, and they do not change the way that those people who are informed think. There is no way to control the thoughts and opinions of everyone in the world. Racism is a very serious issue that has been present for so long that it would be naive to think it is not present in some way, shape, or form today. However, the good news is that we live in a country that takes steps to improving people’s ways of life and preventing such racist attitudes as much as possible. Not only is Canada known for its multiculturalism and diversity, but there are laws that do not allow people to behave and treat others in any ways that demean them based on the color of their skin. The YouTube video that sparked the whole controversy has been removed, and the family of the girl responsible has made an apology to all who were offended by her words. This just goes to show, although one’s own thoughts are not controllable by other people, what can be controlled is the way we allow them to affect us.

Gagan Batra

Another school year is coming to an end. While grade school students have just recently begun a new semester, university and college students are getting ready to bid adieu to their familiar campuses. That’s right, it’s the time of year again that all students know and love: it is exam season. While most students claim that they detest this time, that it’s full of stress and sleepless nights, it does have the advantage that classes are over. Now instead of worrying themselves with waking up extra early to be on time for their lectures, students can focus on simply studying the material that they’ve already learned.

I hear complaints all the time, friends telling me that they aren’t given sufficient time to study for their final exams because classes end too late. However, in most schools, classes are known to end at least a week in advance before the final examination period actually begins. Needless to say, one can never be given enough time for something as significant as studying for final examinations. If I’ve learned anything from my years in university, it’s that finals have the potential to make or break a student. Making up a major portion of a student’s grade in a particular class, exams add to the pressure that is to pull through the year with flying colors.

COPING WITH EXAM PRESSURES

The only way to get through this tough point in time is to keep your composure! I can’t even think of the number of people I’ve known who have let all of the pressure of exams get under their skin. An important thing to remember is that no one can spend all twenty-four hours of their day studying. It just isn’t possible. Good sleep is such an important aspect to ensuring that students maximize their potential for both studying for and writing tests. Speaking from experience, there have been many times when I had not slept the night before a test and spent that time studying instead. It is not effective! Research proves that lack of sleep before tests actually impairs your comprehension and ability to concentrate. A striking fact was brought to my attention by a medical professional at my university; not sleeping for an entire night can affect one’s cognitive functioning to the same extent as one who drinks a full twelve pack of beer. In other words, one who pulls an all-nighter will undergo the same effects as someone who is considered drunk by law. So students, please remember that studying is important, but sleep should also be a priority.

Aside from sleep, the pressure in general that students are put under can be striking. Exams and tests are always stressful, regardless of what the context. Except, in terms of universities and colleges, the exams are weighted much higher. The grades students receive on exams will determine whether or not they stay in a program or institution, make the honor roll, or pass their class. At the same time, I feel that not enough emphasis is put on the actual value of learning. In most cases on the exams I’ve written, I’ve realized either during or after the exam that I had a lot more knowledge in the subject than I had given myself credit for. Although there have been some instances in which I did not do as well as I had expected, the knowledge that I gained from the experience and the class in general seemed to make up for any disappointment I would have had. It is probably naïve to think that students are in post-secondary institutions because they enjoy learning new information and love education; most students are working so hard because of the degree, diploma or certificate waiting for them at the finish line. However, I must say, at the risk of sounding philosophical, that grades are not everything. Sometimes just an experience can be enough to both satisfy and please a thirsty mind.

The gist of what I’m getting at is that sometimes, pressure can be good motivation. However, a lot of the time, the pressure needs to be controlled, and you need to remember to come back to reality and prioritize. Sleep is a necessity and no one, not even students during exam time, should use the excuse that they are too busy to sleep. Furthermore, grades are inevitably an important aspect to any student’s life, but the reality is that sometimes just gaining the knowledge is valuable enough. This insight does not apply only to students; it can be used in any context. Remember, when you are studying or working hard at something, there is a reason why it requires so much time and energy; what lies beyond the finish line once you’ve accomplished something is inexorably worth it.

The federal government’s decision to cut $377 million in foreign aid over the next three years will affect 12 of the world’s poorest countries, according to news reports. These include Afghanistan, Pakistan and seven African countries. According to sources within the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Benin, Niger, Cambodia, China, Nepal, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to lose virtually all Canadian aid funding. Reductions are planned for five major aid recipients: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Mozambique, Pakistan and Tanzania. The government’s job cuts have put the jobs a quarter of CIDA’s 2,000 employees on the line. Until recently, Afghanistan was the largest recipient of Canadian aid in the world, receiving more than $200 million per year by 2011. This money was spent on projects such as building and repairing schools, training Afghan civil servants and providing polio vaccines.

A newly-released study, still inconclusive, sheds light on whether women from certain ethnic communities are undergoing abortions upon finding out the sex of their fetus. Conducted by St. Michael’s Hospital, the study analyzed 766,688 births in Ontario and found mothers born in South Korea and India was “significantly” more likely to have boys for their second child. In the case of a third child, the male-to-female ratio was even more unbalanced for Indian-born mothers, who had 136 boys for every 100 girls. In contrast, the ratio for Canadian-born mothers was 105 boys for every 100 girls — regardless of whether it was their first, second or third-born. The study also says “in the absence of another plausible explanation, male selection remains the most likely reason for the higher male-female ratios.” Interestingly, however, male-to-female ratios for second and third remained largely the same for mothers from Pakistan — India’s neighbor. According to the study, this could be because abortion is religiously prohibited in Pakistan, a Muslim country for the most part.

Bangladeshis in Toronto have been preyed upon by a money wire transfer service called Doulat Enterprise Inc. The company’s owner and two employees are suspected of ripping off clients for transferring money to Bangladesh. Toronto police investigated the case following several complaints from the Bangladeshi community accusing the company’s owner Doulat Khan of pilfering their monies for private gain. Close to $130,000 was taken from clients and police suspect that more victims have been deceived. Last week the three suspects, Doulat Khan, 58, Amanot Khan, 55, and Leeton Elahi,42, all from Toronto, were charged with fraud, and laundering the proceeds of money. They have to appear at the Eglinton Avenue East court on May 15 to face the charges.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4107, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook.

Kareena Kapoor will join the bandwagon of soft drink brand endorsements. According to the media reports, actress Kareena Kapoor has signed an endorsement deal with a lemonade brand apparently for a whopping amount of Rs 5 crore. Kareena is currently endorsing as good as 16 brands including the latest one. Apparently, Kareena signed the lemonade endorsement once she learned that her previous contract with some cola c o m p a n y has expired. Other than Bebo, other Bollywood stars who are endorsing the soft drink brands are Genelia D’ Souza, Akshay Kumar, Asin, Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last Sunday. This is the first visit to India by a Pakistani head of state in seven years. According to both the leaders, their brief meeting was satisfactory. Zardarialso extended an invitation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singhfor a reciprocal visit. Singh and Zardari said their talks covered all bilateral issues between their countries. Prime Minister Singh said both nations were willing to find “practical and pragmatic” solutions to issues between them. Following his talks with Singh, the Pakistani leader travels to Ajmer Sharif, the shrine of a revered Sufi saint in Rajasthan state. The private tour comes in the wake of Pakistan’s recent promise to grant India “most favored nation” trading status. Engagements between the two neighbors were suspended in November 2008 after the terrorist assault on Mumbai, which left more than 160 people died in 2011, New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to resume talks.

An avalanche came down on a Pakistani army battalion headquarters near the Indian border last week, burying 124 soldiers and 11 civilians, with no sign of survivors. The snow deposited by the avalanche was up to 25 meters deep over an area a kilometer wide according to army spokesman, Major-General Athar Abbas. The victims were trapped in one of the harshest environments on earth, at an altitude of 4,500 meters near the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram mountain range. The area is one of the world’s most militarily tense frontiers, where the Indian and Pakistani armies have confronted each other over disputed territory for decades. The army listed the names of the missing soldiers and civilians on its public relations website.