Most people know that global warming is a serious problem, but not everyone takes other environmental problems seriously. People think: "Oh, one more plastic bag won't hurt." But one plastic bag becomes a 1,000, and then our planet's problems magnify.
When my friend went to Norway she came back telling me: "Ayra, my friend told me that when she went fishing with her dad, that there were no more fish to catch and that the water was full of glass bottles, plastic bags, candy wrappers and all sorts of other litter."
The truth is that if we keep polluting like this, there won't be any more fish left in the sea or lakes; there won't be any more animals left. There would not be any more plants left. With no more animals or plants left, we have to face it: we all are going to die.
When I think about it, there is only one thing I have in mind and that is all of this is caused by litter, pollution and climate change.
Really, if everyone would put their mind to it, the grass would be greener, the air would be fresher and most of all, we would be healthier.
Global warming is nothing but a sign, a sign saying that everyone should wake up and realise that this is our planet and if we do not start taking care of it, the planet will stop taking care of us.
Ayra Thomas, Year 6, Dubai International Academy, Dubai
Revisit riding ban at horse club
Horseback riding is an integral part of Emirati culture. It therefore saddens me greatly that Dubai is taking this view towards such a valuable organisation as Mushrif Equestrian Club (Mushrif Park out of bounds for riding club, April 16).
I fail to understand how riding through a park can damage the general landscape? Having ridden out with MEC regularly for the past six months, clearly defined paths and tracks are always adhered to. I hope that Dubai reconsiders.
Karla Pleasance, Duba
A valuable lesson on career goals
I remember how terrible I always felt when I thought I had to sacrifice a career to have a family (My Life: To wed or to work, June 2011). But I've since realised that, inshallah, if you want both you can have both. All it takes is being really good at managing time and priorities. I wish they taught us this lesson in school.
Qamar Bashar, US
Real 'luxury' for women is equality
Given The National's generally progressive coverage of women's issues, I was distressed to read Rym Ghazal's opinion piece lamenting the quality of food produced by women in their own kitchens (A woman's place is in the kitchen? Only if you want good food, April 19). While the piece makes weak overtures towards acknowledging that many women must balance their work and home lives, the article's overall tone hearkens back to an era that I had hoped we were leaving behind.
The piece is disturbing to me on many levels, but for starters, I would suggest that rather than being "impatient" with their "stressed wife, balancing work and housework", husbands and children can make themselves quite useful in the kitchen if the pace of the meal preparation is not to their liking.
More importantly, many women do not consider "quitting their jobs and dedicating time to their homes and partners" a "luxury" as the author suggests.
For many women with career ambitions and fulfilling jobs outside of the home, myself included, the luxury is a husband who will cook dinner for the family when we're working late.
And trust me, he can take as long as he needs.
Vienna Rosalind, Abu Dhabi
Time to close the book on cleric
It is hard to understand why Abu Qatada, the "radical cleric" who arrived in the UK from Pakistan in 1993 and claimed political asylum has been found to be "highly dangerous" by the British Courts but not deported to Jordan (UK arrests radical cleric Qatada in new deportation bid, April 18).
There might be doubts concerning his life and his human rights if deported, but Jordan has the right to have this radical cleric, putting him on trial for involvement in 1998 terror attacks, and of discussing his inspiration to terrorists.
Ali Sedat Budak, Abu Dhabi
Mutual respect for people is possible
The killing of a Muslim public figure in Moscow was tragic (Did hatred fuel Muslim's death? April 19).
Xenophobia is a problem in Russia. But as the UAE has demonstrated, equality among peoples is possible.
It is sad seeing that other parts of the world have not learnt this valuable lesson.
Gaye Caglayan, Dubai