The Irony: How Air Conditioning Works In ISM

 Yena. K  

March 20, 2024

‘Don’t forget your hoodie,’ I often tell myself before going to school. Whenever I forget to bring my hoodie, I definitely feel less productive in class. My body locks up, cuddling itself into a big ball, then would lose interest in whatever task I had given- the brain too apparently froze up!

After all, I was not the only one to feel that way.

I asked multiple middle school students of International School Manila (ISM) if they find the classrooms chilly or cool. Here are a few comments that they made: 

• “It is cold in certain classrooms.”

• “Very cold.”

• “Not really.”

• “Yes, and a lot of students don’t know how to change the temperature, so it stays that way.”

• “In some classes, it’s like I’m in Antarctica!”

What is the Ideal Temperature in Classrooms?

Cornell University states that 21-26°C is the range of ideal temperature for air conditioning. One study has demonstrated that excessively hot and cold temperatures have an immediate effect on the students’ ability to learn and focus in class. This is because of the body’s thermal discomfort, making the brain to prioritize in maintaining homeostasis- organisms’ adaptation to keep the body internally stable from external conditions, eventually fogging the students’ ability to concentrate on their schoolwork. 

A 2014 study on high school students shows how air conditioning temperatures can have an impact on how they perform and score in exams. When the air conditioner was set at 27.1°C, the students scored an average of 72%. As the temperature dropped to 16.1°C, the average became 76%. At 22.2°C, which is within the ideal temperature range, the students received the highest scores, reaching up to 90% (SitelogIQ). 

What If I’m Not Cold?

You may not wear your hoodie or cuddle up your body for warmth. Maybe you even feel snug and sweaty, and that is okay. Our bodies are all born differently and we have various levels of comfort and reactions to certain temperatures. ONiO explains the reasons behind why we have distinct levels of appropriate temperatures and what factors affect body temperature: 

• Age

This can be easily observed between children and the elders, as younger people tend to have higher metabolic rates than older people. Metabolic rate is the rate in which the body converts food to energy on average; higher the metabolic rate, higher body temperature they have. This is proven by how the age group of 65-75 have higher maximum body temperatures than the 75-85 and the >85 age group.

• Sex

Although it is found that there is no significant gap between male and female body temperatures, in 1993, a study discovered that female participants have a slightly lower body temperature than male participants. It can also be noted that female body temperature increases during ovulation and pregnancy, while decreasing at the start of the menstrual cycle.

• Time of the Day

Corresponding to the level of metabolic activity, body temperatures can change throughout the day. It is usually lowest during sleep and increases as the day progresses. 

• Exercise or Physical Activity

When the muscles become active, they generate heat to balance out unnecessary energy in the body. This is because the body has the tendency to stay in a normothermic state, where it maintains a normal body temperature. 

• Stress

Certain stress hormones can increase the body temperature as an adaptive response to confront possible threats. Adrenaline, for example, increases the body temperature in the liver- one of the most metabolic active organs in the body.

• Meals

Adding on to the age factor, the increased metabolic rate to digest food in the body causes its temperature to go up. If you feel warmer and cozier after 20-30 minutes of a meal, that’s why!

ISM’s Sustainability Program

As an eco-friendly school that advocates a sustainable environment, ISM has regularly educated the students to become positive contributions to our Earth. There is the Eco-Council where middle school students work to spread awareness about sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the school community. Some programs that the Eco-Council has led include the Seed Saving Drive, BYOC Campaign, and Recycled Materials Donation Drive. 

Learn more about the ISM Sustainability Eco-Board: https://sustainability.ismanila.org/home

What We Can Do to Make Changes

Within a reasonable reach, how can ISM make positive changes to the school community? Here are several suggestions from the Aircon Advisory Centre: 

• Be Aware of the Temperature Setting

Each reduced degree on the thermostat consumes more energy. If the school can moderate temperatures or provide air conditioning guidelines in classrooms, it can crucially reduce energy consumption. Meaning that finding a balance between convenience and efficiency through regulations and continuous effort is the key to achieve a sustainable community.

• Use Natural Ventilation

Circulating air, by opening the door, windows, or placing fans, could provide cooling in the classrooms. Especially during the dry season, doing this can reduce our dependence on artificial cooling, which is vastly common today. However, it is important to be flexible in the rainy season and on extra-hot days of the Philippines!

• Green Roofs

Green roofs are natural insulators that cover the  entire roof with vegetation and plants. They reduce the conduction of heat, provide insulation, and create a cooler indoor environment, in addition to being sustainable. In the long term, it will lower the demand for air conditioning and reduce the wasting of both energy and money that can be used more effectively.

How to Keep Cool

Simple actions can easily make changes in the indoor temperatures to stay cooler. For instance, closing the blind of the windows reduces unwanted solar heat coming into the classrooms. According to Realsimple, medium-colored drapes with plastic backings reduce heat by 33% and insulated cellular shades reduce heat up to 60%- showing a huge difference. Furthermore, closing the classroom door and blocking gaps between windows or doors helps minimize the amount of space, thus maintaining a lower temperature for a longer period of time. Another effortless act is to unplug unused appliances and electronics. This will prevent the classroom from getting warmer from the unnecessary appliances’ generated heat in the air conditioned classrooms.

So What?

As every student is responsible to learn and are educated on sustainability as well as the SDGs, it is essential for ISM to lead and set examples that encourage them to take part and show understanding in climate action. Particularly, in decreasing the level of needless energy consumption that happens daily throughout the school year; negatively impacting the environment. 

The key is to find an equilibrium between our comfort and notion-based efficiency, like creating a guideline or regulation for comprehensive air conditioning settings and advocating for energy savings- eventually achieving a more sustainable and successful school community.

Girl math, girl logic. If you have been on social media platforms like TikTok when these terms were trending, you might have seen a video of a woman talking about how ‘girl math’ is considering anything bought with spare cash as free, or a woman dressed head-to-toe in pink explaining world events with ‘girl logic’. While these terms and trends are often seen as just a joke, in reality, they are far more detrimental to the feminist movement than they appear.

There is no denying that the media we consume heavily impacts our worldview and our actions, whether we realize it or not. Platforms such as TikTok are one of the prevalent places where trends spread like wildfire. Take the Stanley Cup, where worldwide revenue nearly doubled in 2023. This aligns with the rise of the Stanley Cup on TikTok. 

Terms like girl math and girl logic became incredibly popular on TikTok, with 118.1k posts under the girl math hashtag.

Focusing on girl math, the trend typically involves the handling of numbers and, more specifically, money. Usually, girl math is about giving excuses for frivolous or irresponsible spending habits. One popular use of ‘girl math’ is: that when returning a purchase, you earn however much money you spent. For example, if you were to buy a 70-dollar dress and then return it, girl math would say that you have just earned 70 dollars. 

On TikTok, an influencer going by the username Nikitadumptruck has over 725k followers and posts videos about major global events or topics such as the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions. This influencer talks about these topics with language she intends to be ‘for the girls’. She accomplishes this by using references to popular media such as Mean Girls and speaking in terms that are most commonly used when gossiping. 

Viewers have had issues with this influencer's method of delivering world news. It has been brought up how she appears to be dumbing down topics and labeling them as ‘for the girls’. Her content is harmful to the feminist movement and to all girls who want to participate in fields involving their intelligence.

Women have fought to be treated equally to men for many years in terms of intelligence, but despite this, women are still perceived as less intelligent than men. A study by the CBNC has shown that the probability that women are selected for jobs involving a “high-intellectual ability” dropped by 38.3% when compared to being chosen for jobs that did not call for a high IQ.

Girl math and girl logic are not helping this statistic, as these trends support the idea that women are less intelligent than men. Girl math makes women appear superficial, looking for any excuse to justify irresponsible spending, and girl logic furthers the concept that women cannot understand complex topics like international conflict unless they are described in incredibly watered-down terms or compared to a piece of popular media.

As trivial as this might seem, with the popularity and reach of these trends, they can influence our view of others, whether it be consciously or unconsciously. This can lead to the enforcement of sexist gender roles, diminishing women into more domestic roles as they are perceived to be less intelligent than their male counterparts, and preventing the presence of women in STEM or political fields. According to UNICEF, more than 120 million girls do not attend school, showing how girls already face difficulty gaining access to an education and, in relation to that, being viewed as intelligent.

Gender equality will never be improved if misogynistic ideas are furthered by women. ‘Girl math’ and ‘girl logic’ portray girls as stupid, unable to understand complex topics, and irresponsible. This is harmful to women's education as well as the perception of their intelligence. Women are still viewed as less intelligent, and many do not have access to education. 

If society wants to decrease the gender inequalities present in intellectual fields and general opinion, women need to stop enforcing misogynistic ideas with these trends. Not to say that women cannot have fun and joke around, but being mindful of the image portrayed by these trends is key to preventing the anti-intellectualism of women.

A survey on March 5, 2024 interviewed 7 and 8 graders in ISM and questioned them about  their homework. This revealed that on average, ISM middle school students spend 2.5 hours on a normal week doing homework. 

What about during…assessment week?

Although it is not an official title, ‘assessment week’ is a widely accepted term (among students in middle school) to describe a treacherous time. The school crams all assessments together haphazardly. Most students, no matter what grade, hate it with a fiery passion. Although the limit is 3 per day (2 on Wednesday), the school clearly is not following its own protocol. Alishba S, Shahzain S, and Janice L. have both experienced Wednesdays with an exam each block. In fact on Monday, March 18, 2024, I had five assessments. During these dreadful days, students have an average of 3 hours and 45 minutes per day simply studying. Consequently, teenagers have limited time to build themselves as people. Considering this is one of your brain’s main functions as a teen is worrying. What happens when you exit high school, college? What happens when you no longer have a constant stream of homework? What happens when you have not built up enough of yourself to find a purpose in life?

There are occasional benefits. If you cannot complete something during class, it can serve as a way to catch up. It can improve your time-management skills and help you learn to set goals. This is part of what makes seventh grade Social Studies particularly loved; the teachers will only assign homework if you cannot finish it in class. However if the time surpasses two hours, there is no longer any time to understand your identity. An article by STU Library said that you should spend no more than 1-2 hours of consecutive study time, as it can help you remember more information and avoid procrastination. This tracks with my personal preferences, as it leaves time for yourself. 

Just because there are some advantages doesn’t mean it cancels out the disadvantages. If homework is given in excess, it can ruin sleep schedules, social connections, and physical health. With that being said, what should ISM do? 

While it is the student’s responsibility to advocate for change, the school staff has the responsibility to hear our voices. Teachers and students should abide by ‘hour and thirty minutes maximum’ rule for better work in school. In addition, teachers should make sure they are communicating with each other to ensure there are no more than three assessments per day. With these changes, we can lower ISM’s stress levels and create a more productive, eager, healthier environment. 

Golf Courses are a Waste

Daniel F.

April 1, 2024

The tragedy made its way to global headlines, marking the textile industry's dark side. This collapse was a result of the dire ignorance of several higher-ups, who ignored the dozens of warnings about the structural integrity of the Rana Plaza.

Since then, multiple disasters have occurred, leaving devastation in their wake. This includes the Tazreen factory fire in 2012. The blaze claimed 112 lives in Dhaka and further showed us why this industry threatens its workers. It was a result of an electrical short. The fire swiftly reached the workers, where there was no opportunity to escape because of the blocked fire escapes.

Besides the incidents that have taken place, workers have to deal with perilous chemicals. Many workers are part of the cleaning and softening process, which has been shown to lead to brain, blood, and lung cancer. Besides various fatal aspects, several employees have reported ergonomic issues, which have made their hours feel longer and more tedious.

The thought of this industry shutting down may arise considering the number of horrific accidents that have occurred. However, this option is not viable. This industry provides hundreds of thousands of people with jobs. It propels Bangladesh’s economy, and the world would be severely impacted. 

However, the recent global pandemic, COVID-19, and its devilish claws made their way to the garment sector. Within 5 months of the pandemic, 96 textile workers were infected. As well as that, the deaths of workers with undiagnosed fever and respiratory issues have skyrocketed.

As the textile workers were called to return to their factories amid the pandemic, workplace fear arose once again. Many employees perceived the virus to be severe, which has led them to have mental health issues. 

Numerous organisations have stepped up to make the textile industry a place where workers don’t have to worry about their well-being.

One of these organisations is the Asian Development Bank, a bank that promotes economic and social development. It has worked closely with dozens of textile industries over many years. Currently, ADB’s priority in Bangladesh is to ensure the safety of textile employees.

Bidyut Saha, an ADB analyst who works closely within this industry, says, “Maintaining social standards is of paramount importance for the continued operation of this important export-oriented industry. ADB has been providing long-term financial assistance for enhancing social standards and safety within the workplace.”

In addition, Avesh Patil, a Principal Investment Specialist for ADB has expressed, “The textile industry is a critical component within the overall economy of Bangladesh, contributing to 85% of its exports. Due to its size, it is necessary to guarantee the safety of the textile workers.”

With this in mind, the International Labour Organisation proclaims that having a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental human right. So, it’s crucial to know that safety issues in the workplace are a vital issue in the Bangladesh textile industry that has to be further addressed.

As the world strives towards a better place where everyone works in a safe environment, action must be taken in third-world countries. Far too many people are facing the negative effects of the hazardous reality of this sector.

Everyone must remember the third-world countries. Remember the terrible tribulations they experienced. Remember that every piece of clothing you own could have been made in hostile conditions. Remember the darker side of the Bangladeshi textile industry.

 Image from Vox of Kanye West taking the spotlight from Taylor Swift while she was receiving an award.  

Image from Slate.com of Kanye West on NBC after Hurricane Katrina talking about then-president George Bush.

Now Kanye West has a net worth of about 400 Million as of May 2o23. According to Forbes magazine Kanye West’s net worth has dropped from 2 Billion after he dropped his “White Lives Matter” T-shirt for his Yeezy clothing line. At the time he also made multiple Anticemetic comments. This led to many brands such as Gap and Adidas ending their relationship with him. Along with many others, he’s worked with. 

As of 2024, Taylor Swift has a net worth of  1.1 Billion. Taylor Swift stands to make about 4.1 Billion Dollars from her Eras tour. Taylor Swift is the world's number-one recording artist.