Your Voice: The war in Ukraine, one year on; physical education should be mandatory in university (short letters)

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch has voiced his support for Ukraine. He chanted the anti-war slogan “Stand united with Ukraine”, a gesture of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in response to Russia’s aggression. Time flies: it has been nearly a year since the war started last February.

The Russian military intervention has caused many deaths. Ukraine’s population is reduced. Men are forced to join the army. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than half of the children in Ukraine are displaced and around eight million Ukrainian refugees have fled to European countries. The United Nations has to shelter them and offer medical help.

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The war has also impacted the global economy. Russia is the world’s largest oil producer and energy exporter. Oil prices have increased, leading to higher transport costs and an increase in the cost of living. This adversely affects people’s lives.

Ukraine is a major exporter of wheat and corn, and the conflict has created shortages. This is especially true in countries such as Indonesia, where wheat is a staple. The war has disrupted Ukraine’s agriculture, as men are forced to be soldiers instead of farmers. This has led to hunger in the winter.

We can contribute to stopping this war by donating to the UN. Even sharing the message on social media can raise awareness.

Yan Yu-hei, Fanling Lutheran Secondary School

Should physical education (PE) be a compulsory subject for university students?

In recent years, there are more students who do not get enough physical exercise, and this is harmful to their health. I believe that compulsory PE lessons are necessary for students to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

First of all, compulsory PE lessons would maintain and improve students’ health, both physically and mentally. Doing regular exercise can prevent excess weight gain, thus preventing health risks like diabetes and obesity.

Physical exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which are responsible for generating feelings of happiness. This way, students may feel less stressed, reducing the chance of psychological conditions like depression.

Compulsory PE lessons would also foster strategic thinking. For example, when we are playing a sport like football, we need to figure out which approaches should be taken to score another goal. Exercise trains our minds as well as our bodies.

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Jasmine Wong Wai-sze, St Paul’s Secondary School

Have you seen the amount of time teenagers spend playing games on mobile phones every day?

Phones are indispensable, especially for children and teens. Hong Kong teenagers certainly overuse their phones playing online video games. A new rule has been established in mainland China recently, restricting teenagers to playing video games only three hours per week. Should we follow similar rules?

Hong Kong is known for its stressful education system. Video games are believed to be crucial for children’s relaxation so that they can better focus on their studies later.

But what if I tell you that after a teenager plays an online game, it takes them 22 minutes to regain their concentration? It is essential to set time limits for playing video games as it shortens our attention spans.

Other than shortening attention spans, it may also affect our health. With the double whammy of Covid-19 and the increased usage of electronic devices, many teenagers’ eyesight has worsened.

Though playing games is a way to relax for teens, it is the other way around for parents – especially those with addicted teens who might anger their children when they try to stop them from playing. This can result in family conflicts. Limits on video gaming are needed in Hong Kong.

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Heroine Lui Hoi-kei, ELCHK Lutheran Academy

Every single day, an astounding 1.3 billion tonnes of food are discarded, either buried in landfills or dumped into the sea. Such an enormous amount of food could be used to feed the world’s hungry population.

Supermarkets and restaurants are major culprits of food waste, as they tend to overstock shelves and produce food that goes unsold and is wasted. This can lead to food quickly going bad.

It is essential to minimise food waste, as it could feed those in need and protect the environment from harmful effects.

At a time of rising living costs, it is sad that people are throwing food away. Food waste can have damaging environmental and animal habitat impacts. When food is thrown away and decomposes in landfills, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas that is more powerful than carbon dioxide.

We should never squander food, as it is essential to our survival. When we waste food, not only are we disregarding the efforts of farmers, but we are also damaging the environment and the habitats of animals.

I did some research and found out that some restaurants donate their surplus food to vulnerable groups in Hong Kong. We should strive to give surplus food to those in need.