The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Stressed workers say they just aim to show up to work Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:48 AM PDT NEW YORK, Nov 1 — When faced with mounting pressures at work, stressed-out US workers say their main goal is just showing up, new research says.  For stressed-out employees, presenteeism, or just showing up for work, is their top goal, according to a new survey. — AFP/Relaxnews In addition, some 60 per cent of responders said they have high levels of stress at work, with another 32 per cent saying they have constant but manageable pressure at work. Only five per cent reported working in a low-stress atmosphere. Why all the stress? Mounting workload, according to 40 per cent of responders, while another 34 per cent blamed the extra strain on difficulties with colleagues. Other findings showed that high stress levels account for nearly 30 per cent of employees' missing between three and six days of work every year, with 36 per cent burning up an hour or more of work productivity every day of being stressed out. Also 53 per cent of responders said they take frequent "stress breaks" to chat with others as a coping mechanism. Source: http://www.compsych.com/press-room/press-releases-2012/678-october-29-2012— AFP/Relaxnews |
| Indian artists hope images of gods will save trees Posted: 01 Nov 2012 08:05 AM PDT  Indian artists paint leaves along the state highway during a campaign to protect the environment at the Madhubani district of the eastern Indian state of Bihar, September 28, 2012. — Reuters pic The unusual campaign, using coats of paint and brushes, has been launched in Madhubani, a northern Bihar district known for its religious and cultural awareness, resulting in hundreds of otherwise untended roadside trees covered in elaborate artwork. Artists are depicting the moods of deities, scenes from Hindu classics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, or an imaginary scene showing an elderly woman restraining a man coming with an axe to cut trees. They believe the artwork will prompt the deeply-religious locals to drop any idea of cutting down the trees out of fear of incurring the wrath of the deities. "We are using the deities as a cover", said Shashthi Nath Jha, who also runs an NGO dedicated to empowering women and child labourers, speaking by phone from Madhubani, around 1,200 kilometres of New Delhi. "We thought people will not do any harm to trees once they come across the images of gods and goddesses on them." According to Bihar state records, the forest coverage of the state, which suffers from recurring floods, is currently just under 7 per cent. The tree painting campaign began in September this year after Jha managed to overcome numerous local objections, including doubt that the campaign would last long, worries about how much the paint cost and fears the colours would soon fade. "I had to convince them a lot before they agreed to join me," Jha said. "I made several experiments to check the durability of the paint in the open. Finally we decided to apply a mix of natural and artificial paints to ensure the painting survives the fast-changing weather conditions." They work in the style of Madhubani painting, a form of Indian painting done with fingers, twigs, the points of fountain pens and even matchsticks, using natural colours and characterized by brilliant geometrical patterns. "I have painted themes of 'Sita-swayamvara' (the marriage of the deities Rama and Sita) on the tree trunks so that those willing to cut them would drop the idea," 19-year-old Kushaboo told local media. According to Jha, the initiative has drawn the attention of the international community as well, with a team from Switzerland recently visiting to study how art could be used to convey a strong social message. The government is taking additional steps to increase greenery in the region, with plans to plant 250 million saplings in the next five years and appointing "Tree Friends" to care for young trees planted along roads and other public places. But Jha said locals also had a debt of sorts to repay. "Plants and trees have brought colour to our life. Now it's our duty to put colour on them," Jha said. — Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Features To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan