YannaSpeaks

[yannaspeaks]

                               (SCREEN) TIME IS GOLD

Would you rather lose your sense of smell or would you rather forfeit your gadget and internet privileges? As with almost all ventures that were forced to go online during this pandemic, the “Would You Rather” game has an online version in https://wouldurather.io/ and this was one of the questions thrown to its presumably young, bored players. The game result came as no surprise, with 70% of its players choosing to suffer from anosmia (loss of smell) rather than spending their time without their gadgets, which have become the fulcrum of their existence. 

The excessive use of technology is now the number one concern among American parents, overtaking drugs, sex and bullying, according to American Family Survey. The communist government of China has taken a more drastic approach to this problem, by imposing a one-hour online gaming restriction for all its minors. Developmental pediatricians worldwide have also sounded the alarm on the ill effects of early and excessive screen time in brain development, and recommended zero screen time (other than video-call with family) for babies and toddlers up to 2 years of age, and no more than one hour of screen use for children aged 2 to 5 years. For ages 6 and older, healthy habits are encouraged and activities that include screens should be limited. To be clear, the term screen includes computer monitors, cellphones, gaming consoles, other gadgets, and even television.

It cannot be denied, however, that while online learning and remote work are the new normal because of the pandemic, no student will survive one academic year without the help of technology and screen-aids; no business will stay afloat without adapting to the new normal of doing their business online. But these benefits should be weighed against the adverse effects of technology overuse to an individual’s well-being, physiologically (sleep deprivation from blue lights, myopia and headache, back problems, and diabetes due to inactive lifestyle), mentally (rising suicide cases among the youth or flash-induced epilepsy), and even financially (Shopee, Lazada and food panda, if you’re at the buying end). 

According to Melvin Kranzberg, “technology is neither good, nor bad; nor is it neutral.” By this statement, he means that technology is neither good nor bad, by nature.  But whether its use will yield a good or bad result will be determined by the humans who harness technology and use it to better or to destroy their lives. This truism is particularly true when it comes to screen time. Computers, cellphones, and gadgets are only as good as the person using them. If these technologies are used productively for research and studies, to promote and help businesses thrive, and to maintain good communication lines among coworkers, friends and families, then screen time would not have been a global issue among parents, pediatricians, and governments, in raising children in today’s technology-driven world.

Along this line, it should be stressed that “screen time” is a two-word phrase. The duality of the first word - screen - has been the topic of many books and studies. But the second word - time – which is equally, if not more important, has been foreshadowed.

During this pandemic, when death comes even to the wealthiest of families, many realized that time is not just gold, but time is the ultimate currency. Whether on-screen or off-screen, the master of one’s fate is he who has mastered the good use of his time. It makes no difference if one is mostly off-screen but is wasting his time on old bad habits. Conversely, as long as screen time is used to explore the world, make meaningful connections, and to better lives, then that time on screen is not time wasted, but time well spent. 

[yannaspeaks]

Pandemic Stories: The Return of Green Turtles

More than a year has passed since WHO officially declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (or Covid-19) as a global pandemic. Covid-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the virus called SARS-CoV-2, which was first identified in Wuhan, China, and has killed about four million people worldwide, resulted in social and economic disruptions, and forced students like me to adapt to remote learning modalities as face-to-face classes were suspended for everyone’s safety.

But not everything about this pandemic is bad. The restricted movement of people during this pandemic, has inadvertently resulted in a decrease in emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. And nature is smiling, because wildlife creatures are returning to their NATURAL habitats, as evidenced by increased sightings of endangered species in our cleaner air and coastal waters. 

Last May 15, 2021, a green sea turtle nested and laid its eggs in the beach sand fronting my father’s rest house in San Antonio, Northern Samar. It was a large and heavy green sea turtle, bigger than a man’s trunk, and so heavy that two men had to carry it back to the sea. The caretaker of my father’s beach house was alerted of the presence of the mother turtle when it entered the house premises thru the kitchen, the brightest spot in the house during night time.

From my online research, I found out that sea turtles and their hatchlings are often confused by artificial white lights. I was also surprised to know that green sea turtles usually return to the beach where they were born in order to lay their eggs. 

As soon as my father was made aware of this fact, he decided to fence the area where the nest was located, in order to protect it from being disturbed by stray dogs and beach-goers, in short, he adopted the turtle nest.

Green sea turtles play a vital role in our oceans because their grazing behavior encourages dispersal and healthy growth of seagrasses and corals, which serve as vital nurseries for fish and other forms of marine life.  Five of seven sea turtle species, including this green sea turtle, are listed as endangered species due to their declining numbers from poaching and bycatch. 

Turtle conservation groups, both local and abroad, continue to educate the public of the danger posed by artificial white lights to the nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. Some countries even espouse “lights-out law” which prohibit turning-on of white artificial lights in areas near the beaches from dusk to dawn, or alternatively, encourage the use of orange or red lights in these areas, as scientific research has shown that turtles are less likely to be confused by orange or red lights than white lights, as these lights compete with the moon’s brightness, which serve as the sea turtle’s guide in their journey to the sea.

In our province of Northern Samar, while no turtle nesting sites are identified and declared as turtle sanctuaries, sea turtles are frequently sighted in the beaches of the island municipalities of San Antonio and Lavezares. Sadly, some end up as “pets” or as soup delicacies during fiestas. These practices should be stopped because the killing and keeping of marine turtles is illegal under Philippine law, specifically the Republic Act of 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. 

Also, these beaches with reported turtle nesting should remain unobstructed, meaning no sea wall should be constructed, so that female sea turtles can freely return to the area to lay eggs during laying seasons.

Exactly 52 days after a green sea turtle was sighted in my father’s beach house, the eggs have finally hatched. We were again lucky that the hatching happened during the day, so we were able to document the whole thing. As 100 or so black baby turtles emerged and crawled their way out from their nest, as they frantically raced each other into the sea, guided by the sound of the waves splashing, and as the baby turtles finally kissed the sea and freely rode the receding seawater, my heart is filled with joy and awe for nature’s wonder.

What nature and this pandemic made me realize is that we are all connected by the thread of life - a thread that is short and fragile. From laying, to patiently waiting for your time in the sun, to the race to success, to answer the call of the sea, life’s calling, and the providential return to your humble beginnings to complete the circle of life.

We thank the moon, kiss the sea, and make a silent promise to ourselves to make every moment in life count.