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How Fashion Haul is damaging our environment: Explained

This is an article explaining how the new-age fashion hauls are damaging our environment.

If you are active on social media, you would know what fashion haul is. At least once, these fashion haul videos must have popped into your feed. These videos can also be there in your ‘for you’ feed. Well, you might think, what’s the big deal if these videos are there? So let us tell you that, these videos are destroying our environment. Not in a real sense, but hypothetically speaking, these hauls lead to excessive buying of clothes and that leads to the destruction of our environment. A haul is a video that is promotional and, most fashion influencers do it. The company sends them a large number of clothes to try on and review. In return, the influencers get a hefty compensation in money or its kind.

Now, the problem with such a promotion is that it provokes the audience to buy stuff that isn’t even needed by them. These hauls are heavily focused on fast fashion, which on its own is damaging to our nature. Though the hauls are bad for nature, people seem to like those content. The concept to understand here is that hauls are not only bad for our nature but are also for our budget. TikTok is a video content platform and, there are more than 1 billion views on the #clothinghaul hashtag and almost 13 billion views on the #haul hashtag. These numbers show us the reach, these videos have amongst the audience. The famous Shein is one of the most popular companies, in the haul trend. Shein hauls are popular for sure, but they are also driven by a marketing strategy. Shein has an affiliate program for influencers, that pays them a 10-20% commission for the haul post.

Now, let’s talk about the damage, that these fast fashion hauls do to our environment. According to a study, the fast fashion industry creates almost 92 million tons of waste and, consumes around 79 trillion litres of water each year. As an industry, the fast fashion industry is responsible for 1/3rd of all microplastics found in the ocean and, produces almost 20% of global water waste. These numbers will concern you, but the fact is that most of fast fashion’s waste comes from post-production. Textile waste, the waste from unused textiles and old clothes, ends up in landfills. Around 85% of all textiles wind up in landfills every year- equivalent to one garbage truck filled with clothes being dumped in landfills every second. If this doesn’t concern you- which shouldn’t be the case, there’s more than this. The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, after the oil industry. Well, if you are thinking that, then why is it always the fashion industry that is being targeted? Then the reason is that fashion is a want and not a need. An excessive amount of clothing is harming the environment and also your bank account (read: month-end balance).

The wastewater that this fast fashion industry produces, has toxic substances in it like lead, mercury, and arsenic. These substances are extremely harmful to aquatic life- where these substances are released, and also to millions of people who live by the river banks. A huge quantity of freshwater is used for dyeing and other processes, which leads to a shortage even more. To this, cotton needs a lot of water to grow, up to 20,000 litres of water is needed to produce 1kg of cotton. Another contributor to pollution is chemicals. They are used in every process, right from dyeing to result. The fashion industry also accounts for 10% of global carbon emissions. It is also seen that the fashion industry has a major part in the degradation of soil.

Apart from these environmental issues, there also exist some societal issues. The workers in the fashion industry are compensated very less and, and they work for a crazy amount of time. This is to keep up with the trends and deliver the clothes within the shortest period possible. This makes them a slave to the time, and they often end up getting burned out mentally and physically. The fast fashion and haul culture also give rise to the flex culture. Youngsters are on a quest to always have the trendiest clothes and also an excessive amount of clothing to wear.

When there is a will, there is a way. So, the solution to this problem/disaster lies in acknowledging the harm that it is creating and, showing some willingness to change. Change isn’t difficult in today’s world, where nearly everything and anything has a cool alternative available. We just need to be mindful and choose sustainable options rather than convenient options.

Why Nestle is known as an evil company?: Explained

No big company runs without controversy and hate. But the case with Nestle is a different scenario. Nestle is known for its controversies and unethical practices. It is considered to be one of the biggest companies in the world, with hundreds of products sold all around the globe. You would identify Nestle with packaged food ranges, but it is famous for its dreadful track record in baby food formula. Nestle is a Swiss multinational food and beverage company, which produces baby food, bottled water, breakfast cereals, coffee & tea, pet foods, frozen foods, dairy products and much more. Twenty-nine of these companies have sales of over $1 billion a year and have over 8,000 brands. Nestle has over 447 factories across 194 countries and employs around 333,000 people. Now you will be convinced when we say, Nestle is one of the biggest companies in the world. But as big as its size and net worth is, it isn’t the same case with reputation and ethics.

In the 1970s, Nestle expanded its baby formula market to less economically developed countries, targeting the poor population. The company began to advertise its baby formula as superior to breast milk, which is unethical for many reasons. They attempted and succeeded in manipulating the customers into believing that their baby formula was more beneficial for infants than breastfeeding. They even have a track record of bribing medical specialists to approve this on their behalf. They ran ad campaigns encouraging mothers to replace breast milk with their baby formula. Nestle even hired ‘saleswomen’ across the developing regions of Asia and Africa, to give medical advice to mothers and hand them a free sample of baby formula. The company strategically weighed the baby formula in a way that would only last up to the day when mothers get dependent on the formula and stop lactating. This horrible PR stunt led to the death of infants, due to malnutrition. Something even worse was that the mothers in the poor households started to dilute the formula with more water, to make it cost-effective. By doing this they were unknowingly starving the children and making them weak. Due to malnutrition and no access to clean water, many infants died of diseases. This tragedy was even named “Baby Killer” by the media.

Nestle is one of the leading producers of packaged water bottles. They are produced with single-use plastic, leading to the pollution of the sea. A study also found that most of the land and water waste was the plastic bottles produced by Nestle. We all know that plastic bottles cause damage to our environment, but even the water inside the bottle was causing damage to the environment. Nestle was deriving the water from the ground and is blamed for exploiting the groundwater of the areas that need it the most and seeing it for their profit. Nestle is also accused of taking the water sources of the countries, where people are forced to drink dirty water as their clean water source is acquired by Nestle.

Nestle is known for selling a wide range of chocolate goods made from cocoa obtained by child labour. During the 2000s, Nestle was accused of using child labour to produce cocoa for their chocolates. On the accusation, the company claimed that most of the unpaid child labour was working on their parents’ farms. They gave the reasoning that the farmers cannot afford school fees and need all the working hands possible to afford food, shelter and other necessities. However, this reasoning is absurd and was ruled out, as scarcity cannot be the reason for child trafficking and child labour.

With all these allegations, it’s not a big deal to call the company evil. Businesses are meant for making a profit, but at what cost is the big question that entrepreneurs have to ask themselves. We still use Nestle products in our day-to-day life, Maggie is something that deep within us know isn’t good for our health. Still, we consume them because we are used to their comfort and nostalgia. It is high time you and I make a difference, by letting such companies know, what we are here to accept and what not.

The connection between Poverty and Mental Health Problems: Explained

Poverty definitions differ according to social, cultural, and political systems. Attempts to comprehend poverty from the perspective of poor people indicate that poverty is a multifaceted social phenomenon. Poverty can be defined epidemiologically as having a poor socioeconomic status (as assessed by social or income class), being unemployed, and/or having a low degree of education. Poverty is a major social determinant of health and mental health, intertwining with all other factors such as education, local socioeconomic and community conditions, race/ethnicity, gender, immigrant status, health and access to health care, neighbourhood factors, and the built environment (eg, homes, buildings, streets, parks infrastructure). Poverty has a wide range of mental health consequences that affect people throughout their lives. Poverty in adolescents and adults can lead to poor mental health due to social stresses, stigma, and trauma.

Individuals who experience poverty early in infancy or for a lengthy period are at risk of a variety of negative health and developmental outcomes throughout their lives. Childhood poverty is linked to lower academic attainment, poorer cognitive, behavioural, and attention-related outcomes, higher rates of delinquency, depressive and anxiety disorders, and higher rates of practically every psychiatric disorder in adulthood. Adult poverty is associated with depressive illnesses, anxiety disorders, psychological suffering, and suicide. Poverty has an impact on mental health through a variety of social and biological mechanisms that operate at several levels, including individuals, families, local communities, and nations. Financial stress, chronic and acute stressful life event exposure, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis changes, other brain circuit changes (eg, language processing, executive functioning), poor prenatal health and birth outcomes, inadequate nutrition, and toxin exposure are all individual-level mediators in the relationship between poverty and mental health (eg, lead). Parental relationship stress, parental psychopathology (particularly depression), poor parental warmth or investment, harsh and inconsistent parenting, low-stimulation home surroundings, and child abuse and neglect are examples of family-level mediators.

According to the findings, geographically concentrated poverty—often in metropolitan areas—is more harmful to psychiatric well-being. Poor neighbourhoods are frequently characterised by signs of social and physical dysfunction, which can generate stress, disrupt health-promoting social bonds, and negatively impact people’s mental health. Even after controlling for individual income, neighbourhood deprivation has been linked to many of the same mental health consequences as poverty. The quality of local services and schools, as well as the physical distance between inhabitants and social isolation, are institutional and structural mediators. Collective efficacy, adult socialisation, peer influences, social networks, exposure to crime and violence, and safety anxieties are all community-level mediators. Individual-level poverty moderates the association between community deprivation and mental health, with poorer families being more negatively impacted by neighbourhood deprivation.

To break the intricate linkages between economic inequality, poverty, and poor mental health, practitioners must use a multi-level, prevention-focused strategy that targets the underlying causes. Mental health practitioners can work cooperatively with clients to enhance health for all through meticulous screening, clinical care, referral to social services and psychosocial programmes, and community- and population-level advocacy.

Kochi: Gateway to Kerala

About Kochi

A small place in Kerala, also known as God’s Own Country – Kochi, is one of the cosmopolitan cities of Kerala. This city is known for different things, by different people. It is the treasure of spices for some and others, it is the commercial capital of the state. Kochi is recognised as the Gateway to Kerala, due to its scenic views and green landscapes. Along with its beautiful landscapes, it’s also famous for its ancient charm and its deep history. Kochi, also known as the Queen of Arabian Sea, had been serving as the main port city, not only for Kerala but also for the Indian Peninsula, for centuries. The Kochi Kingdom is said to date back to the 12th century. The geography of Kochi is a mix of backwaters, hilly areas, coastal cities and plain terrain. The native language spoken over here is Malayalam. The people over here have adapted the western culture a lot. Now, you can see the traces of both- western and ethnic cultures, in Kochi.

Places to visit in Kochi

With its scenic beauty and rich history, Kochi has a lot to offer when it comes to tourist spots. Here are some of the tourist attractions, that you shouldn’t miss on your trip to Kochi!

St. Francis Church: This church, known as St. Francis Church, was the first European church to be built in India. It was constructed in 1503 by a group of Portuguese Franciscan friars. It was a wood and mud structure dedicated to St. Bartholomew. In 1524, Vasco da Gama was buried here. Although his remains were taken back to Lisbon, after 14 years, his tombstone remains intact in this church.
Fort Kochi: Fort Kochi is another important sight to visit in Kochi. It has a picturesque view to it, with the colonial buildings that define the story of centuries-old history. Fort Kochi has a reputation for being invaded, looted and controlled by various European powers. The Portuguese in 1500, the Dutch in 1663 and the British in the 18th century. Even though the place had its problems, these invasions have added a lot of depth to this place.
Mattancherry: Mattancherry is the western part of the Kochi corporation. It was a hub for the trade of various aromatic spices. Due to the frequent invasions through the sea, the invaders have left an ineradicable mark on the landscape, culture, society and art of this place. Mattancherry also has a reputation for being welcoming to every migrant community- all thanks to the erstwhile kings of Cochin.
Hill Palace, Thripunithura: Hill Palace is the official residence of Maharaj of Kochi. It was built in the year 1865, and it includes forty-nine colonial buildings. These buildings spread across over twenty-thousand square feet. These buildings are structured in a way that blends the Dutch and traditional architectural styles. The oldest building among them has the heritage museum.
Marine Drive: Kochi is famous for its backwaters, and Marine Drive is one of those beauties. It is the beautiful stretch of the backwaters and the harbour, which looks majestic in the daylight and serene at night. The Marine Drive adorns the lights from the ships, making it a beautiful sight to the eyes.

The use of AI and ML in finance.

AI is the new age revolution that we are seeing in all kinds of industries. The industry of finance is not any different and, it is seeing a rise in the use of AI and ML for its services.

AI is an abbreviation for Artificial Intelligence, which refers to the automation of the actions done by humans, which commonly requires human discernment and intelligence.
ML is an abbreviation for Machine Learning. Machine learning is a branch of AI that uses statistical models to make predictions. It is a subset of data science that gives the ability to learn and improve from the experiences without them being programmed.

It’s the 21st century and it is all about data. Data without benefit is a cost more than it is a help. Data storage is available but is not for free and, it has a cost to it. Machine learning enables us to gain that from the data.

Now, let’s talk about ML in the finance sector. Machine learning is a vital part of the financial services provided by finance companies. It is applicable in the sectors of managing assets, risk management, credit score rating, underwriting, and many more financial services. Machine learning is often used in detecting and preventing fraud, trading, portfolio management and, financial advisory services to the investors.

Large banks, insurance companies, and fintech are now employing AI/Ml in practically everything they do. There is a visible reduction in the reduction of costs and risks.

AI offers a lot when it comes to automation and OCR is one of them. Optical Character Recognition(OCR) helps in increasing the efficiency of mundane and time-consuming tasks that were typically handled by employees. Digitizing documents, processing forms, or extracting relevant information from documents are examples of OCR.

Machine learning proves to be accurate when large volumes of data are being fed to the system. These large volumes of data are processed and delivered much faster than the otherwise manual method.
Though ML has the benefit of handling data with efficacy, the drawback lies in the history of the data. The history of data about cancer would be still relevant to us but, the financial market is an ever-changing atmosphere and hence the history of data might or might not be relevant to us anymore. Now that we have seen both sides of the coin, let’s move forward to see the uses.

With that let us see some of the applications of ML in finance, namely:
Algorithm trading refers to the use of algorithms to make trade decisions and also risk management decisions. This application of ML is vital as it makes accurate predictions and decisions which are not affected by emotions. We humans somehow fail at this factor, which now is being taken care of by ML.

Fraud detection and prevention systems were outdated for the new fraudsters. So now the ML is being used which processes large data sets and identifies any unique activity and then flags them for further investigation. It works by comparing the data points like account history, IP address, location, etc. like a jigsaw puzzle is being solved.

Robo-advisors are the applications built by ML, that provide investors with financial advice. These applications also help in establishing a strong financial portfolio, according to the investors’ goals and risk appetite. They make for a cheaper portfolio manager than the humans.

The loan/insurance underwriting is being simplified through machine learning. ML can process large databases and make quick decisions on underwriting and credit scoring, which in turn saves the companies’ time and financial resources.

The AI-powered chatboxes are also an example of the ML in finance. They have made the process of customer servicing so fast and cheaper.

Artificial Intelligence has automated processes and has drastically reduced the cost of serving customers. It has also made financing extremely convenient to avail.
According to Forbes, 70% of finance firms are using ML to predict cash flows, adjust credit scores, detecting frauds. According to the latest Economic Intelligence Unit adoption study, 54% of financial services organisations with 5000+ employees have adopted AI/ML.

Just when you think it’s over; it is probably over.

We all have the notion that we should keep on chasing something to get it. Though it’s true to some extent, it shouldn’t abound you to be there. Being stuck is one of the most uncomfortable and unsettling emotions to feel. Work over that relationship, that job, that degree, that diet, or anything until you feel motivated to do so. Once it starts draining you and doesn’t give you that kick as before, don’t feel sorry for letting it go.

Letting go of people, bad habits, toxic job environment, negative thoughts are so difficult that we give our resistance the name of “perseverance”. Perseverance comes from passion and drive, and not from guilt or resistance. Clinging on to something will make you only hate it more and won’t make it any easier. The only way to let yourself free is to let go, without any guilt.

So, the next time you feel like it’s over and you are there just because of your resistance; LET GO AND MOVE ON.

What if I go and never come back again?

How would you feel if I go and never come back again?

Would you miss me? Would you remember me and smile, or would you cry? What will you tell me in your last message? Will, you ever call my name by mistake and then realize that I am not there? Will you feel my presence in my clothes, my gifts, the voice notes that I sent you, and our photo frames? Will you smile with tears in your eyes when you hear my favorite song? Will you ever talk about me to the people around you? While talking, will your voice break as your heart did?

Will you cry at night reminiscing about times we spent together? Will you search for Mr in the sky full of stars at the night? Will you talk to me in your loneliness and of so, would you be angry with me? Will you remain the same as you were? Will you ever give me the answers to the questions I have asked? Lastly, will you allow yourself to be happy once again and be in love with life?

I am asking these questions, while am with you because I never want you to feel guilty for my absence. The day I go ad never come back, remember that I am watching you and I don’t like your crying face. Remember me for my love, for the memories with me, for the way I have made you feel; and not for the position I had in your life. Feel the void where I used be there, but never think it’s always meant to be so. Now, that void is ready to accept a new relationship, new love, even the new you.

I don’t want to be remembered for the position I held in your life, as humans aren’t meant to be forever. I hope that I will stay in your memories and my number in the favourites list forever and not in the position.

“Humans aren’t meant to be forever.”
Known (Aishwarya)

Do share your thoughts. Would love to hear from you and work with you.

Being someone’s sunshine

Today, I was having a bad day and was feeling low. Feeling low and worthless is the most difficult emotion to handle but, there is that one person, looking at whom makes me happy and brings a wide smile to my face. Today, looking at that person, a thought provoked me into thinking about life in a different way. That smile on his face made me feel good; happy and somehow I felt good by looking at a stranger rather than a family member or a friend. I was motivated and inspired to be like that one person, who no matter what he is going through is spreading smiles. The thought of becoming a person like him, someone who makes others feel peaceful and good about themselves made me happy.

Sometimes we feel safer and at peace with a stranger who is not here to judge us, as they don’t and won’t have any expectations from you. It’s so important to be and to have someone who is neither expecting nor judging anything. We all can be that person in someone’s life by merely spreading love and being accepting. These two simple traits will change you and many others’ life entirely.

Being kind is the only trait we need in our lives, others are just our wants.
~Known (Aishwarya)

Do share your views and feedback. Would love to read them. Have a nice day ahead!