Social media addiction

Mrinal Chatterjee

Window Seat 

Social media addiction among children is no longer a speculative concern. It is an emerging public health risk, linked to rising anxiety, disrupted sleep, impaired attention, and, in extreme cases, dangerous real-world behaviour. What begins as casual scrolling can evolve into compulsive use, shaped by platforms designed to capture and hold attention.

The digital revolution has brought both opportunity and peril in a country where over 800 million people are online. Children, once shielded by family and community, are now vulnerable to the unseen predators of the virtual world.

Addiction, exploitation, cyberbullying, and mental health crises are rampant, yet parents and policymakers remain dangerously behind the curve. What was once a tool for learning and connection has become an invisible force that shapes behaviour, manipulates attention, and exposes young minds to the web's darkest corners.

As India’s youth are pulled deeper into this digital abyss, the question is no longer whether we can protect them but whether we will act before it’s too late. The price for neglecting this crisis will be broken futures, and the window for intervention is closing fast.

The Unseen Environmental Crisis

Tyres are essential to our daily lives. Yet, their hidden environmental cost is often overlooked. Studies show that it is triggering temperature rise in places like Ladakh. The process is called the "dark carbon" effect. As they wear down, tiny fragments of synthetic rubber — known as 'tyre wear particles' also enter water bodies and waterways, contributing to pollution problems.

These particles, which account for nearly half of all microplastics in aquatic systems, contain toxic chemicals, including 6PPD-Q, a substance linked to the deaths of fish species and may pose risks to human health. However, a promising solution is emerging.

Researchers at the University of Mississippi are exploring the use of agricultural waste, such as pine wood chips and biochar, to filter tyre wear particles from stormwater before they reach rivers and oceans. This low-cost, scalable approach can potentially reduce pollution and support local economies. In a world increasingly concerned with plastic waste, this simple yet effective solution could possibly change the way we tackle tyre-related pollution.

Can’t Live without AC?

Entire India, except the high Himalayan regions and some hill stations are experiencing severe heat waves. Ninety four out of 100 hottest cities and towns of the world are now in India. Some record that!

Everybody is saying, can’t live without AC now. However, those who say 'we can't live without AC or an electric fan' should remember, AC was invented in 1902; and electric fan in 1882 and human beings have been around for 3 hundred thousand years.

India's first modern AC was installed at the Rambagh Palace in Jaipur in 1936. That was just 90 years ago.

And if you want to bring down the surface temperature; plant and rear more trees that provide shade and protect and maintain water bodies. Installing more ACs will further increase temperature.

Death Cleaning

Recently, I came across the term ‘death cleaning’. Apparently "Death cleaning, or döstädning in Swedish, is a decluttering process where you get rid of unnecessary belongings to spare your loved ones the task of doing it after your death"

You can start around 65, but you can do it at any age. I just reached 65, and I have started doing that.

It does sound morbid; but believe me, cleaning is therapeutic. Cleaning also is giving me a sense of control when you are not able to exercise control over what's happening in your life.