Microplastic Pollution: A Silent Killer in the Making
I was only a few years old when Sri Lanka opened its economy in the late 70s. The influx of plastics into the island was among the few visible changes I remember…
Author: Prof. Hiroshan Hettiarachchi
February 4: Has It Ever Been Relevant?
The first Independence day celebration I could remember as a kid was 1984. I still remember it simply because the celebrations took place in my hometown, Kalutara. It was an extravagant half…
2022: What a Momentous Year for Sri Lanka
We all knew 2022 would be a challenging year for Sri Lanka even before its arrival. But no one expected it to be this difficult, hurtful, unpleasant, yet memorable. The country was…
Love for Saree or Fear of Change?
A statement made by a teachers trade union has opened up another social debate. This is about the female teachers’ school attire. The union points out that just like in any other…
Celebrating World Food Day with No Food on the Table
Since I live far away from Sri Lanka, digital media has been my main source of information about the country for years now. Reading articles online has given me an opportunity to…
Protesting in Style: The Arrival of a New Generation
It is clear that some positive changes are happening in Sri Lanka. I am not talking about the hardships the country and the people have been facing. We all know no solution…
Cutting Heavy Wastage to Reduce Food Shortage
A new year usually brings hope and optimism but when we welcomed 2022, another worrisome issue had surfaced – the imminent threat of a food shortage. When the sudden fertilizer policy changes…
Making Cash from Trash
The organic fertilizer ship from China was one of the hotly debated topics in Sri Lanka. The quality of the fertilizer shipment, which resulted heated exchanges between the stakeholders, almost sparked a…
Smashing Fertilizer Myths
About a decade ago, a statement by a medical doctor in the United States made overnight headlines. He was a popular television personality too. When he learned about the presence of arsenic…
Going Organic in a Planned, Sustainable Way
The new fertilizer policy introduced by the government has attracted heavy criticism from all sections of society; it has also received attention from the intellectual community. There is a good response from…