Dear Editor,
The historic one-day trip of US President Barack Obama to Jamaica is indeed an event Jamaica will always remember, and we can pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Jamaica was a courteous host and we cleaned up house and welcomed the visitor with open arms. He was a gracious guest who truly displayed that he felt connected to Jamaica and came with a few nice gifts.
But that is just what he was, a guest and not a saviour. He did not forgive our debt. He can't create prosperity and jobs. That is a job for our leaders. But he did leave some pearls as to how small nations can succeed through transparency and education.
A focus of the bilateral and multilateral talks was energy. I could not help noticing that Obama shed his jacket when he visited the Bob Marley Museum and also when he came to the town hall meeting at UWI. I recently learnt of the policy of Japan, where they have banned government workers from wearing jackets and ties. Within two years of this "Cool Biz" policy, they have reduced more than two million tons of greenhouse gases from the country's growing emissions. "Cool Biz" is based on a simple common-sense principle of not wearing suits in the summer. Major businesses have decided to keep the air conditioners at 28°C. Bangladesh recently banned government workers from wearing suits to conserve energy. People are motivated to adhere knowing that they are doing something to help climate change.
In a tropical region, we should be mindful that these clothing customs and practices were put in place by people who had come from cold regions. It was comical watching officials being interviewed on TV recently, while visiting the burning Riverton dump, wearing long-sleeved shirts and ties. They were sweltering but had to be so attired at work. Yet, how often are we in offices and people keep jackets at hand just to keep themselves warm.
Doctors in Jamaica abandoned a coat and tie for a bush jacket almost 50 years ago. Maybe we can encourage our leaders to adopt "Cool Biz" and creating this simple awareness. As Confucius said: "The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
This letter is an open question for debate to the nation's researchers and policymakers in climate change as it may be an uphill task to shed the social norms that have evolved for nearly 53 years. Still, maybe it is time to adapt attire evolved in the region rather than the climatically inappropriate European-type dress, which is encouraged as formal wear.
Gunjan Mansingh, PhD
Department of Computing, UWI
gunjan.mansingh@uwimona.edu.jm
Climate change may need culture change
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The historic one-day trip of US President Barack Obama to Jamaica is indeed an event Jamaica will always remember, and we can pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. Jamaica was a courteous host and we cleaned up house and welcomed the visitor with open arms. He was a gracious guest who truly displayed that he felt connected to Jamaica and came with a few nice gifts.
But that is just what he was, a guest and not a saviour. He did not forgive our debt. He can't create prosperity and jobs. That is a job for our leaders. But he did leave some pearls as to how small nations can succeed through transparency and education.
A focus of the bilateral and multilateral talks was energy. I could not help noticing that Obama shed his jacket when he visited the Bob Marley Museum and also when he came to the town hall meeting at UWI. I recently learnt of the policy of Japan, where they have banned government workers from wearing jackets and ties. Within two years of this "Cool Biz" policy, they have reduced more than two million tons of greenhouse gases from the country's growing emissions. "Cool Biz" is based on a simple common-sense principle of not wearing suits in the summer. Major businesses have decided to keep the air conditioners at 28°C. Bangladesh recently banned government workers from wearing suits to conserve energy. People are motivated to adhere knowing that they are doing something to help climate change.
In a tropical region, we should be mindful that these clothing customs and practices were put in place by people who had come from cold regions. It was comical watching officials being interviewed on TV recently, while visiting the burning Riverton dump, wearing long-sleeved shirts and ties. They were sweltering but had to be so attired at work. Yet, how often are we in offices and people keep jackets at hand just to keep themselves warm.
Doctors in Jamaica abandoned a coat and tie for a bush jacket almost 50 years ago. Maybe we can encourage our leaders to adopt "Cool Biz" and creating this simple awareness. As Confucius said: "The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
This letter is an open question for debate to the nation's researchers and policymakers in climate change as it may be an uphill task to shed the social norms that have evolved for nearly 53 years. Still, maybe it is time to adapt attire evolved in the region rather than the climatically inappropriate European-type dress, which is encouraged as formal wear.
Gunjan Mansingh, PhD
Department of Computing, UWI
gunjan.mansingh@uwimona.edu.jm
Climate change may need culture change
-->