LIFE AS IT IS

  Climate change is changing weather pattern, requiring us to constantly adapt and adjust. One way to battle rising temperatures on a personal level is to dress keeping in mind the weather of the place you live in.   Growing up in Dhaka, summer was hot but not as hot as it gets today. I spent my childhood at home and school without an air conditioner. I did absolutely fine, so were people of all ages. However, summers are now hotter than ever, not just in Bangladesh, but across the world. In summer 2022, here in Delaware, USA, where I live, I have turned on my air conditioner more than I ever did; there were days when the heat index rose as high as 105F or 40C.  As someone who adapts well to changing temperatures, I have found my own ways to survive in sweltering heat. One of them is choosing my clothes keeping in mind the day’s average temperature.  Some of you may wonder what clothing has to do with beating the sweltering heat. Well, we will soon find out!  Breathable materials Breat

It’s been a rough year for gardeners - climate change is threatening a favourite pastime, a hobby, and a passion of millions.  Early spring, sudden drop in nighttime temperature, and lack of rain have made it challenging for me to grow much this spring and summer. My cucumber vine succumbed to a slow and early death and the spinach simply refused to live. Lettuces were not growing as they should, the eggplant is still a dwarf, and the Malabar spinach did not grow past several inches. Perennials like hydrangea and white ‘Stargazer’ lilies did not bear flowers, not even one. Not to mention the squirrels, who forage in the backyard and add to the agony of my plants! In the face of climate change adversity, the only plants that are doing fairly well are the heirloom and cherry tomatoes.  People who grow crops and those who garden are often the first ones to sense any changes in climate. These people also watch these changes firsthand because they spend a considerable amount of their time i