NIGHT FUSION - MY NEW ADDICTION !!

One night in September, a friend called and asked me to tune into Capital Radio 93.6 FM. There was an interview going on with an artist. So, for the first time I tuned into a radio channel from my phone. This is how I knew about Capital Radio 93.6 FM.

I was looking for an English show. And soon I knew about an English show which comes from Capital Radio 93.6 FM. Name of the show is Night Fusion sponsored by Wataniya. This show is hosted by an awesome RJ, RJ Bad Boy.

Night Fusion is a show which plays all the latest and hottest English songs. The show airs on every night Saturday to Thursday at 21 hours to 23 hours. Every night a topic is included in the show and participants share their views about the topic.

From Saturday to Wednesday participants can request any song they like. But Thursday is the playlist night. Bad Boy will bring on a playlist and participants have to choose a song from the list, therefore no new requests on Thursdays.

This show is mainly focused on youths in Maldives and also to those who are studying or living in abroad. Night Fusion is the best English show airing on in Maldives.

I have been listening to the show from October. And now I am a big fan of the show and a big fan of Bad Boy as well. I can say I am addicted to the show.

In order to participate in the show, you can call, text or even join to the shout box by login into www.capitalradio936.com. And also you can request any song and you can contribute topics for the show via Bad Boy’s fan page on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/rjbadboyfanpage). 

Follow Bad Boy via twitter @RJBadBoy.

Increase in expatriate workers in Maldives - A plague? (1)

Maldives is a small nation consisting of a population of 350,000 people. Recently, the population of expatriate workers has increased s to 80,000. This means 25% of the population is covered by them. Simply, for every 3 Maldivian there is one expat. Most of this foreign-born population consists of Indians and Bangladeshi. This increasing rate of expatriate workers in Maldives is much higher than the rate of some developed countries like Dubai. This hasty increase in expatriates has got a lot of problems in Maldives including social, economical and political as well. Before highlighting these problems first we should know why the expatriates appeared.

Traditionally fishery was the main occupation in the Maldives. Economy was based on fishing industry. Transformation to a modern economy was never in our ancestors mind. This is because Maldives is not blessed with many natural resources other than its beauty and rich seas. And also there was not much connection with the outside world. This narrow thinking has kept them in a ‘nut shell’ until the Maldivian economy started propelling into a modern economy from a fishing economy. This rapid change has occurred within a generation. This fast transformation of economy left a serious gap between the skill needed to operate a modern economy and the amount of nationals trained up to the required skills. In order to fill this gap expatriate workers turned up.

In addition to this, construction is one of the most important economic sectors in Maldives now. This sector has grown rapidly in recent years due to tourism sector and other developments. Contractors mostly rely on foreign labour markets (India, Bangladesh, Nepal etc). This is because number of locals engaged in these works was low. According to the information provided by Ministry of higher education employment and labour, by the year 2003, 6,502 expatriates have brought to Maldives for constructions work. Higher education and high skill levels are not required in this sector. Therefore, this is how less educated or low skilled expatriates started to appear in Maldivian economy.

Furthermore, Tourism is the most dynamic economic sector in Maldives. The country mostly depends on this sector. When tourism sector started in Maldives, there were fewer locals educated in the same field. Therefore, for this sector also there was a need of expatriates. Here the only difference compared to the other two sectors is, expatriates employed in this sector should be highly educated. Ministry of higher education employment and labour says that, by the year 2003, the amount of expatriates brought for this sector was 9,420. This is how expatriates appeared in Maldivian economy through this sector.

Other than economy, expatriates have appeared in our social life as well. Recently people in Male’ or people in capital islands of atolls use to accommodate children from islands in order to educate them. These children do almost all the household works. But from recent years, families are moving to developed islands. Because of this, those people were not getting locals to do those simple household works. As a result people started seeking for foreign people who would do these works. For this works, most number of females was brought. Other than the females, most of the males engaged in these works are doing it for part time.

Expatriates have appeared into our politics as well. When the number of expatriates increased rapidly, there is little percentage of people disobeying the law. Number of illegal expatriates was increasing day by day. There are around 30,000 illegal expat workers in Maldives today. These expats are working in the black market for low prices without informing to their local employer. 

To be continued . . . .

Refuse, Reuse and Recycle !!

Nuzha Naashidh
[ECOCARE Maldives]


http://ecocare.mv/

Plastic is a well known obsession which is made out of oil by a chemical process. This is light in weight and is used to make different objects. Since 1852, the discovery of plastic by Alexender Parkes, it has become an irrefutable part of human life. Plastic bags are made of a petroleum product which is known as polythene. The shopping bag which we get from the super market is a good example of plastic which almost everyone uses daily. Around 90% of grocery bags are made of plastic. This small and light object creates an huge impact on the environment and as well as its inhabitants. These impacts are being discussing from long ago, yet the usage is not affected much.

How many? Why is it an environmental hazard?

Plastic bags are very familiar with both retailers as well as the customers. This is because plastic bags are cheap to produce, easy to carry, abundant in supply etc. It is a hygienic means of carrying food and other goods. Annualy almost one hundred billion plastic bags are being used in United States of America itself. Its being thrown away on to road, garbage area, parks, waterways and beaches, due to the excess supply and low cost. As a result, our landscape gets messed. And when these bags are burned out, it produces a toxic substances leading to air pollution.

Approximately 70% of the world is covered with water. Throwing bags creates a massive impact on our marine eco system. Thrown bags can wash up to thousands and thousands of miles of coastline.

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable which remains forhundreds of years . Each year around 100,000 animals are killed due to plastic bags. Including the turtles, dolphins, whales and penguins . Mostly the death occurs due to the ingestion of bags, which they consume as their food.

As mentioned before, plastic bags are made of polythene which is a petroleum product. Petroleum is lacking its quantity by each passing day. Due to this the whole world is in search of renewable energy. This petroleum is vital for our day to day life. If the petroleum vanishes, it will nearly freeze the whole modern world. Therefore a crucial thing should not be misused in producing harmful substances.

http://ecocare.mv/

To overcome the environmental hazard-how?

One way to prevent this environmental hazard is recycling or reusing it. By doing this disposition of these bags to soil and water bodies will be reduced. Photodegradation is a chemical process used to disgrace plastic bags. But during this process appearance of small toxic forms which causes high impact on our environment. However, by reusing the plastic saves our environment from those substances. To carry out this process, a huge ground is needed where there will be no any harm to biotic life.

In addition to this, one of the simplest things each individual can do is carrying out their own bag to the market. It should be made out of a material which is not harmful to our environment and biodegradable. This can be done by keeping few folded bags, so that whenever something is needed we can acquire it. Some people feel difficult and useless to carry their own bags with them. It is important to provide awareness programs and educate those thinkers. Plus to encourage and motivate those citizens, using their own bags, which is also inspiring for others to do so.

Moreover using a substitute like liquid wood (named as arboform) can be helpful. It is a thermoplastic prepared by using natural fibers, wax and lignin (which is non toxic, rich in renewable source and can be degradable). Arboform is made by using the waste materials of paper factories. However, the carbon dioxide released due to the usage of arboform remains unaffected as it discharges the same amount of carbon dioxide which a plant leaves into the atmosphere. Arboform can be discarded like woods and before disposal it does not need any difficult process to change its chemical position.

LETS BE THE CHANGE!

The planet we live is shared with number of living creatures. A single bag which we throw can remain somewhere on the earth for around thousand years.Which can be disasterous. If each and every single individual practice simple tasks like carrying own disposable shopping bags, reusing bags, moving on substitutes can make a vast difference on plastic bag consumption. As Mahathma Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Learning Skills for Open Distance Learners

Learning could be defined as “the acquisition of knowledge or skill through education and experience”. As the world is changing, it is our responsibility to learn things and be informed well. There are certain barriers while learning or for a learner. It includes things like having stress, low motivation, time management problems etc. For a student of any college or school it is important to know how to tackle the barriers of learning. In this essay I will be focusing on the important skills I have learnt through ODL (Learning Skills for Open Distance Learners) and how these skills have brought a change in my academic life.

One of the most important things I learned in this module is identifying which type of a learner I am. Everyone has their own learning style and it is beneficial for a student to know about the learning style. This is because; this helps in knowing how to gain information from sources. Knowing about the learning style makes it easier to pinpoint the difficult areas. All these years I have been studying without knowing my own learning style. Now I am able to know in which way I should work in order to do the learning more effectively. This in case helps me in improving my results as well.

Goals are defined as “setting realistic, easily achievable steps in place towards fulfilling something that you want”. Goals can help a person to be focused on a particular thing he wants to achieve. Goal setting is known as the fundamental of attaining success in any endeavor. While studying it is important to set short term goals like, grades he wants to achieve in a semester or trimester. After knowing to set goals it has become easy for me to work towards my destination in achieving good results.

The next thing I learned in this module is managing stress. Stress is defined as “the normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way”. Stress can be caused due to work loads, family problems, finances, health, social relationships, friends, etc. High stress level reduces the concentration level of a person. Therefore, it is important to know how to manage stress in order to be an effective learner. By using the strategies like organizing myself, relaxing, enjoying, having a better environment to study has improved my concentration level and it helped me to reduce the stress.

In each and everything a person do, he should be motivated. This is because without motivation no one can do a task in a better way. Motivation is the desire to achieve something. A student should be well motivated towards studies in order to get good results. In ODL I have learned motivational strategies like setting goals, building positive attitudes, using active learning strategies, etc. These strategies helped me in developing a positive attitude toward my studies.

To be an efficient learner it is important to learn the above mentioned strategies. It helps in building positive attitude towards studies and also these strategies help in gaining better knowledge. Learning cannot be complete without knowing these skills. In a Chinese proverb it is said that “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere”.

WhEn yOuh aRe goNe..!!!

http://www.google.com/

'Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. very dark, but there were stars points of light and reason...And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything.'

PS. This is my favourite quote of Edward Cullen in twilight saga. This is related to me even. So I just thought of sharing it with you all. This is dedicated to someone and I do not want to mention the name, I guess he himself will know after reading it. I still love you like before...

Evaluating the new Maldivian exchange rate system..

Introduction
Globalization; a well known phenomenon throughout the world has escorted to a crucial continuance in increasing international trade (movement of goods between different countries). This gives countries like Maldives an opportunity to be exposed to goods and services in the international market. Maldives is small and an import oriented economy, where around 75% of the economy depends on imports. In order to trade, exchange of money takes place based on a particular exchange rate. Therefore an exchange rate could be defined as “the price at which the national currency is valued in relation to a foreign currency” (Latter, 1996, p.9).

Fixed exchange rate regime was the exchange rate policy used in Maldives previously. At that time the exchange rate was 12.85 Rufiyaa per US Dollar (MMA, 2011). In April 2011, there was a shift from fixed exchange rate to a managed floating exchange rate. The central bank or the MMA did not leave the exchange rate wholly to market forces. It means the MMA is having some degree of intervention into the market. With this change, now the exchange rate is authorized to fluctuate within a band. The midpoint of the band is 12.85 and there is an increase and decrease of 20 percent from 12.85. That is between 10.28 Rufiyaa and 15.42 Rufiyaa (MMA, 2011).

Exchange rate policy has been labeled as one of the most significant up-and-downs in the economies of developing countries. There are different theories used for forecasting the movement of exchange rate. However, there is not any best theory as different countries are having different economic environments. There are two discrete types of exchange rate; fixed exchange rate (“a type of exchange rate regime wherein a currency’s value is matched to the value of another single currency or to a basket of other currencies, or to another measure of value, such as gold” (Wikipedia, 2011)) and floating exchange rate (“a market-driven price for currency, whereby the exchange rate is determined entirely by the free market forces of demand and supply of currencies with no government intervention whatsoever”(articlesbase, 2007)).

Why choose a floating exchange rate? 
In theory, a floating exchange rate allows an automatic balance of payment amendments. For example, if a country is having a balance of payment deficit then the depreciation of currency should take place. As depreciation leads to making exports cheap and imports more expensive, accordingly demand for home goods will increase and demand for foreign goods will decrease following a decrease in balance of payment deficit. Conversely, to abolish the balance of payment surplus currency should be appreciated.

In addition to this, floating exchange rate permits the monetary authorities more freedom to use interest rate as a monetary tool to manage domestic economy. This helps to protect the domestic economy from world economic fluctuations. For example, in 1992 UK moved to a floating exchange rate system and this allowed a high cut in interest rate. As a result UK was able to come out of a prolonged recession (Tutor2u, n.d).

Moreover, floating exchange rate is a more accurate reflection of the value of the currency. It will reduce the trading of domestic currency in the black market comparing with times when the currency was fixed too high. For example, introducing exchange rate in Seychelles in the year 2008 resolved the black market exchange (IMF,2011).

Other than these, floating exchange rate lowers the foreign exchange reserves. When the exchange rate is fixed, a country will have to hold large amounts of foreign currency. This is done in order to defend the fixed rate. These reserves have a high opportunity cost on the economy. For example, reserves can be used in giving subsidies.

Why avoid floating exchange rate? 
According to the J curve effect, automatic balancing of balance of payment depends on the elasticity of goods which a country imports. For example, Maldives is depending on imports. Therefore the price elasticity of demand for imports is very low; people do not have an alternative. So no matter how expensive foreign goods are they consume imported goods causing a deficit in current account and also it creates a high inflation in domestic economy.

A floating exchange rate can worsen the inflation. If a country is having a high inflation rate compared with others, this in turn reduces the export of that country. For example, in Maldives it now costs more than before to produce a can of tuna. Therefore the trading partners of Maldives may turn to other countries which produce tuna that are cheaper with low rates of inflation. Loss of competitiveness worsens the current account balance.

Furthermore, floating exchange rate creates uncertainty for the businesses and it might reduce the domestic investment and the foreign investment (Foreign Direct Investment). For example, a business about to invest in building a yacht, under a fixed rate, the investor knows exactly how much it will cost in Rufiyaa because the rate is fixed. In contrast, under a floating system the price will change daily so that the final cost would be much higher than previously expected. This will discourage the investors.

A look back on the Maldivian Exchange rate 
According to MMA, Maldives joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1978 (n.d). With the support and help from IMF, on 1st July 1981 Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) came into existence (MMA, n.d). The main duties of MMA were to check the availability of money, providing the money supply and to adjust the value of money. Therefore the exchange rates were fixed by the MMA from that year itself. Exchange rate was there even before the existence of MMA. The following graph (figure 1.1) shows an overview of the exchange rates in Maldives from 1960 to 2008.

 
Source: International Financial Statistics (IFS) of IMF
 Comparison
According to Meltzer, till august 1971 Japan sustained a fixed exchange rate. After the collapse of Bretton Woods system, in 1985 and also due to a high inflation in the economy, Japan adopted a managed market economy where there is some degree of interference by the central bank (n.d). This change in exchange rate brought a vast improvement in Japanese economy. These improvements include a stable economic growth, decline in inflation and low unemployment (Meltzer, n.d).

After the introduction of Australian currency, they maintained it under the Bretton Woods system. It is a fixed exchange rate done by using the Dollar standards (Wikipedia, 2011). With the breakdown of Bretton Woods system, Australia moved from a fixed exchange rate to a floating exchange rate in 1983 (Wikipedia, 2011). This change brought positive economic effects into the economy. The positive effects include appreciation of Australian Dollar and an increase in economic growth.

Seychelles maintained a fixed exchange rate till 2008. According to IMF, Seychelles was facing numerous economic problems like balance of payment debt crisis, decrease in living standard, decrease in economic growth, black market exchange and so on (2011). Therefore with the help and suggestions by the IMF, Seychelles shifted its fixed exchange rate system to a floating exchange rate system (IMF, 2011). This intern caused several progresses in Seychelles economy. The progresses include resolution of black market exchange, improved economic growth, improved balance of payment and so on (IMF, 2011).

From recent years, Maldives is having indiscipline fiscal policy. This got worsen after the tsunami in 2004. According to IMF (2009), due to the tsunami, government expenditure increased to 60 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2008. The global recession was mid- 2008. This lead to weakening the balance of payment as the tourism industry was hard hit because of the global recession. At the same time world oil prices increased causing an increase in inflation in the economy. In order to overcome these economic problems, change in exchange rate occurred.

Procedure
A survey form was given to locals who have some idea about the exchange rate. In order to get accurate and valid results, it was important to select the people having knowledge about the topic. Some options were given in survey form and also they were being asked to write their own views, if they had any. For further information refer to appendixes of this document.

Result
In this survey around 25 people were asked about their views. Results are done based on their views, whether they are in favor of the change or not. The results are shown below in figure1.2.



DiscussionsMundell-Fleming model argues that an economy cannot simultaneously maintain a fixed exchange rate, free capital movement, and an independent monetary policy. It can choose any two for control, and leave third to the market forces. As for examples, recently most of the countries started moving from a fixed exchange rate to a floating exchange rate. Most major currencies are having a floating policy including US dollar, Yen and Euro.

In favor of the changeInternational Monetary Fund (IMF) has admired the decision of floating the exchange rate in Maldives. “Today’s bold step by the authorities represents an important move toward restoring external sustainability” (IMF, n.d). “IMF staff support this decision made by the authorities. We remain in close contact and are ready to offer any technical assistance that they may request” (IMF,n.d). Therefore it is argued that IMF would not guide a country in a wrong path.

Floating exchange rate gives more accurate value of Rufiyaa than in fixed exchange rate. This is because in floating system, value of Rufiyaa is determined by the market forces of demand and supply. Due to the artificial fixed exchange rate of Maldives, economic development minister argued that “we do not really know, based on the breadth of the economy, what the value of the Maldivian Rufiyaa is right now” (Robinson, 2011).According to finance minister Ahmed Inaz, the reason for this modification is to form government policy in such a way to increase the value of Rufiyaa and to bring down the exchange rate to Rufiyaa 10 (Robinson, 2011).

Also Floating exchange rate will overcome the Dollar shortage crisis. This is because the rate will stabilize at the point where the supply equals demand. Therefore market will not leave any gap. Maldivians have been facing Dollar shortage problems from recent years. This happened because of the excess amount of Rufiyaa in the market than that of the amount of Dollar. Therefore, people will be having more Rufiyaa to demand for Dollar. As a result demand for Dollar increased causing a shortage. According to Ahmed Shiyam Mohamed(chairman of Suntravels) shortage of Dollar in Maldives is not due to low foreign income into the country, but it is due to the excess 300 billion Rufiyaa which was printed by the government from 2004 to 2009(Latheef, 2011).

Against the change 

Due to floating exchange rate, Rufiyaa has been devalued, at least in the short-term. As a result import price increases. Therefore the floatation adds both imported inflation and domestic inflation to general price level. For example, three months ago a can of Enfalac (baby milk) 900g was for 275 Rufiyaa, but now the price is 325 Rufiyaa. Therefore there will be a huge impact on the general public due to this inflation.

In theory, a floating exchange rate solves the foreign exchange shortage problems, but it actually depends on several factors. For instance, Maldives is not having any legislation to control foreign exchange (MMA, 2011). There is no restriction on imports of capital goods for both locals and foreigners. Everyone is free to import. And also locals are liberated to maintain their foreign currency accounts anywhere they want. In this case, what Maldives get as foreign income will not be available in the market, creating a shortage.

A floating exchange rate resolves the black market exchange. However, this cannot be applicable in all the situations. In Maldives there was a Dollar shortage. Due to this black market exchange was active. In order to do this floatation government did not inject any amount of extra Dollar into the market. It means government did float the demand, but not the supply. As a result the black market exchange still continues.

Conclusion
As mentioned before, exchange rate is labeled as the most significant up and downs in the economies of developing countries. Without fiscal stability, financial stability and monetary stability, no exchange rate system can function well in the economy. Therefore, for a country like Maldives it is important to smooth the progress of more efficient functioning of the market. This can be done by a good law enforcement strategy and also by reducing the dependence on Dollars. At the same time it is important to think about the long run rather than thinking about the short run. An economic policy cannot show its effect within few days. Therefore it needs strong support from all parties in the economy.

The fairy tale in colour.. !! ღღ

It’s your wedding day

Flawless  and fine,

Wishing Prince William & Kate Middleton

A happy marriage life !

"Two souls with but a single thought,
 Two heart that beat as one"

(¯`•.•´¯)
*`•.¸(¯`•.•´¯)¸.•´ ♥
  ☆ ♥ `•.¸.•´ ♥ º ☆.¸¸.•´¯`♥



                 CONGRATULATIONS !!

WHY I LOVE YOUH ??

'You are what I never knew I always wanted'

How you love me like no other.

The way you always look deep into my eyes.

The way you look at me when I get all dressed up.

The way you are not scared to defend me.

The way you care about me and protect me from everything.

How you put me before everyone, before even friends.

How you would do anything to satisfy me.

The way you tell me about your feelings and never get afraid to share anything.

How we both get along so very well.

The way you make me feel like I am special.

The way you make sure that I have everything I want and need.

How you give me inspiration in everything I do.

How you always watch out for me.

The way you stare at me as if I am the most beautiful women in the world !

How you try to keep me as yours.

The way you make me forget all sadness.

The way you make me feel proud.

How you never get mad at me.

The way you understand me like no other.

Ozone depletion – a life loss phenomenon

Nuzha Naashidh
[ECOCARE Maldives]

http://www.haamadaily.com

Ozone layer is a thin layer of gas above the earth’s surface which acts as a shield from the harmful ultraviolet B radiation emitted by the sun. It is formed 15 to 30 kilometers above the earth. Ozone is known to be a particular gas present both in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and at ground level. There are two discrete types of ozone; the Stratospheric Ozone (or “good” ozone) and the Ground-level Ozone (or “bad” ozone layer). Ozone is highly reactive molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms bound together. Due to its high reaction with the molecules it displays a destructive side when it comes into direct contact with the life forms. Today, one of the most discussed and serious environmental issues are ozone depletion.

Causes of Ozone depletion

The reduction in the amount of ozone present in stratosphere is known to be ozone depletion. From 1979 to 1990 there was approximately a reduction of 5%. This reduction of ozone is caused by increase in the level of free radicals such as hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide radicals and atomic chlorine and bromine. Almost 80% of the total depletion of ozone in the stratosphere is caused due to chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). CFC’s cannot destroy with the reaction of other chemicals and it is not washed away by the rain. They can stick in the atmosphere for 20 to 120 years or more.

One important cause or reason for the ozone depletion is global warming and climate change. Scientists believe that Global Warming will lead to a weaker Ozone layer. Global warming may increase the atmospheric heat distribution. This leads to increase the cooling of the stratosphere. This cooling increases ozone depletion in polar areas. Cooling of stratosphere means stratosphere will be observing less UV rays from the sun causing the troposphere to warm. If this continues, the recovery of ozone would not take place though the chlorine and bromine starts to decrease. In 1980’s researchers first discovered the “ozone hole”. This was found above the Antarctica. The “ozone hole” refers to a large area of stratosphere with relatively low amount of ozone. The Antarctic hole now measures around 9 million square miles. It is almost the size of North America.

Effects of ozone depletion on health

Ozone layer prevents the earth from sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. When the ozone depletes, amount of UVB rays reaching the earth will increase. Ultraviolet rays of the Sun are familiar with a number of health related issues on humans and as well as on animals. The most important of these are the increased risk of developing several types of skin cancers including malignant melanoma, basal and squamous cell carcinoma. The incidences of cataract and skin cancers continue to rise in many countries, with significant societal impacts and costs to health care systems. These UV rays cause adverse effect on eyes. It causes infectious diseases and it damages the respiratory system as well.

Effects of ozone depletion on environment

Ozone depletion affects climate, and climate affects ozone. Increases in the concentration of green house gases will affect the amount of ozone present in the stratosphere. It leads to decrease the temperature in the stratosphere and it accelerates circulation patterns. As a result total amount of ozone present in tropics will decrease and at mid and high latitude total amount of ozone increases. Therefore this will affect the planet's climate. Wind patterns and rainfall could change, resulting in climatic changes throughout the world.

An important component of the marine food chain known as phytoplankton can also be affected by ozone depletion. The ultraviolet rays can affect the survival of these microscopic organisms by affecting their orientation and mobility. If this happened, it will affect the other animals that are above plankton in the food chain. As a result oceans will be hit hard. Researchers also have attested changes in the reproductive rates of young fish, shrimp, and crabs as well as frogs and salamanders overt to excess ultraviolet B.

Conclusion

Ozone layer depletes due to natural reasons even and it varies geographically and by season. Each natural reduction in ozone level has got its own recovery too. However, recently the scientific evidence shows that the ozone shield is being depleted beyond changes due to natural causes. Increasing concern for the causes and effects of ozone depletion led to adopt the Montreal Protocol, in the year 1987. This was adopted in order to decrease and control the industrial emission of CFC. This international agreement showed a positive effect. It has succeeded to a great extent. In order to mitigate the problem, more cooperation and understanding among all the countries of the world is required.

UNIQUELY ME !

"Dreams are the touchstones of our character."

- Henry David Thoreau

There is one person I know best in the world. She is a shy person. She is funny and got hold of even the slightest moments to be diverted. She is the second one from the family. She often imagines herself to be a great character from her favourite films.
 

She was born on the 18^th of November 1991, in a small Maldivian island named Kudahuvadhoo. She sometimes feels so pessimistic about things which annoy me even. She is very sensitive to other people’s feelings and feel sympathy easily. Her mother is a house wife and her father is a business man.
 

My friend is known as a person who loves travelling. She loves outdoor events, trips, seeing different places, culture and languages.  She wants to fly to her height. These things often annoy her parents. Therefore, these things are not possible for her.
 

She is an environment lover. She loves animals. She would very much want to own her own pet one day. She is also so much interested in photography. She loves taking photos and expressing the world to others by means of photographs.
 

She wants to be an environmental activist, a successful Photographer, a volunteer, etc. Some of her dreams and ambitions are far-fetched, but not altogether impossible.

One important question is that, how do I know so much about a particular person? It is because I have written about myself.

EARTH HOUR 2011 (This earth hour, go beyond the hour) !

Source from www.youtube.com

This earth hour, go beyond the hour !

Earth Hour 2011: 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March, celebrate your action for the planet with the people of world, and add more to your Earth Hour.

Earth Hour Maldives : http://earthhourmaldives.blogspot.com/

EARTH HOUR 2011 (official video) !

Source from www.youtube.com

This Earth Hour 2011: 8.30pm, Saturday 26 March, celebrate your action for the planet with the people of world, and add more to your Earth Hour.

Earth Hour Maldives : http://earthhourmaldives.blogspot.com/

SPECIAL RING !

www.google.com

 It’s a symbol of everlasting memories

A symbol showing how much you mean to me

It binds you and me together

Being it on my finger reminds me of you all the time

It reminds me of how much we share and care for each other

With all the dreams, hopes and memories

It will always be locked on my hand

This special ring means the world to me

ENERGY CONSERVATION

 Nuzha Naashidh

[ECOCARE Maldives]

Energy is known as the ability to do work. It causes things to happen around us.  Energy is more than just a commodity. It is a privilege. There are two types of energy: Renewable energy and non renewable energy. Renewable energy is a source of energy which cannot be exhausted. We can get renewable energy from sun (solar energy), from the wind (windmills), from the water (hydro power), from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs (geothermal) and even from firewood, animal manure, crop residues and waste (Biomass.). Non renewable energy is a source of energy which cannot be filled up in a short period of time. Most of the energy sources which we use today are non renewable energy, which includes natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy.

Why to conserve energy?

The principle of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be changed from one form to another. The only thing that can happen to energy in a closed system is that it can change its form from chemical energy to kinetic energy. Today, conservation of “energy” refers to the conservation of the total system of energy over time. Energy conservation is important because it is not just beneficial for one person but it will also contribute a lot for the whole world. In spite of its great importance, energy conservation is not an issue that we think about in our day to day lives. The choices we make about how we use energy will impact our environment, our lives and as well as the lives of the future generations.

The greatest importance of energy conservation is to reduce the excessive use of oil and natural resources. Almost everything we do uses energy - lighting, cooling, transportation, cooking, even entertainment.  We depend on energy to make our lives better in every way. One fearful fact is that some scientist says that after 60 years, our natural fuels will completely be exhausted. It means energy is not available in limitless supply. Every time energy is conserved, we are also helping a lot on reducing the use of our available natural resources and preventing further damage to the planet we live in. Therefore we need to maintain our quality of life by using the energy resources wisely.

Global warming is something that does not bother people so much because they are too busy with the everyday hustle and bustle of life. Climatic changes due to global warming are one of the biggest threats facing our planet today. Climate change is actually happening and it is happening now. Reduced use of energy source is essential in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. Energy conservation policies aim to minimize the use of fossil fuels; by that prevent the rate of adverse climatic change resulting from it. Therefore energy conservation is not just about saving the money spent on electricity. Every single conservation act weigh in a lot to the preservation of the environment.

How you can help conserve energy?

•    Turn off lights when not in use.
•    Replace traditional light bulbs with fluorescent ones. They may cost more, but will save so much more in the long run.
•    Turn off power supply and unplug electronics not in use.
•    Regularly replace home air conditioning filters. This may change according to the type of filter you are using. It is important to know the instruction found on the packaging.
•    Close vents and doors of unused rooms.
•    Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly. Replace them with newer models, which have automatic defrost cycles and are more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
•    Try to buy things which can be refilled.
•    Reuse shopping bag.
•    Plant a tree. A single tree will absorb one ton of Co2 in its lifetime.
•    Move onto renewable energy.
•    Use of energy efficient cars and other vehicles.

Energy conservation is not a one person job. Even then a person continues in doing their part has the capacity to influence a big change. When we each do our small role, it can do big things for the environment. It will be a great contribution from us to our mother earth and to our future generations. This can be achieved by educating and motivating the entire society. By targeting school and college students for conveying knowledge in this field, the future consumers and decision makers can be prepared to play an expressive role in energy conservation through their better habits and behavior.