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Are you sweltering or freezing? | |||||||||||||
This week the BBC World Service is running a series of programmes on climate change and Outlook is asking listeners to contribute. One of the first to contribute has been a young Bangladeshi called Rezwan who submitted a recording of his thoughts about the climate in both his native country and in Germany where he's studying. While scientists might talk of global warming, Rezwan began by talking about how colder weather was having a big effect in Bangladesh. "Here any temperature below 20 degrees celsius is considered a winter temperature," he said, "However in recent winters, temperatures are dropping below ten degrees on a regular basis. In some parts of the country it is becoming as low as five to six degrees celsius. And it is difficult for people to be at this temperature because none of the houses have insulation or a heating system."
He said that many poorer families have limited warm clothes or rugs to protect themselves from cold weather. "They live in bamboo huts or mud-constructed houses," he said, "Even in urban areas, people inside uninsulated concrete structures suffer in the cold. "Just set your thermostat to 8 degrees and feel what it must be like to live with just one warm piece of clothing." Rezwan, who has a blog page called 3rd World View, contrasted this with his experience in Germany where people have had to withstand record high temperatures. "I have seen how people - especially the elderly - suffer here," he said, "Many houses and shops do not have proper ventilation or airconditioning. "They are just built to protect people from the cold." As in Bangladesh, people are dying because of the extreme temperatures. "Now all across the world we have untimely and extreme temperatures in winter and summer time," he said, "So we need to look at this science critically and think of preventive measures before it's too late." How are you being affected by climate change? What changes have you noticed? What can individuals do to stop the world heating up? | ||||||||||||||
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Listen to Rezwan on Outlook
Visit the YourStory page from the BBC World Service
