a new baby and global warming

A new baby and global warming
I woke up to a brisk morning and found only the youngest sister moving about. Quickly I was brought up to date. My other sister who lives nearby went into labor early this morning. We ate breakfast quickly and hustled to the clinic on the top of the hill. Once there we waited patiently and my host sister drenched me in a strong perfume. We waged whether it would be a girl or a boy. The family was pretty sure it would be a boy. I had a strong feeling that it would be a girl but we all decided either way the baby will be loved and we were all excited.
I brought my Where There Is No Doctor book to the clinic in case something went wrong. Let me first tell you about this book. This is a village health care handbook that covers everything from diarrhea to tuberculosis. It explains procedure in simple words with aid of very detailed drawings, some of which I wish I had not seen. I could learn how to build an outdoor latrine, making sure it is well ventilated, how to put in a catheter and even scarier how to perform circumcisions; if the occasion just happened to present itself. I have no medical background but with this book I should be able to handle any of those procedures. Or so it claims. The only thing far scarier than the Where There Is No Doctor book just might be Where There Is No Dentist which does actually exist. Another important lesson that the book states in bold that I wanted to share is, DO NOT GET YOUR CHILDREN USED TO DRINKING CARBONATED BEVERAGES.
The thought of using the book made me sick. I’m not a fan of blood or pus so I’d rather not partake in medical procedures but if someone has to I suppose I would. Luckily the mid wife was perfectly capable and my fears were subsided.
I found myself picking the place apart. The one bathroom was filthy, there was blood on the floors, they were un-swept, and it was cold. The baby would be cold. The fire was started and the rooms were smoke filled. To start the fire my sister suggested throwing in a large plastic bottle. I looked at the clinic person for comfort seeing if she thought it was a bad idea to be burning plastic in an enclosed space where a child was just born. I received a blank stare as she sat at her desk, her head resting lazily on her hand. She saw no problem with it or why it might be a problem and just said, it’s going to go up the pipe anyways.
The baby was born into a world of melting plastic and cheap perfume.
I know burning plastic isn’t a direct influence on global warming but what about pollution, cancer, resperatory problems? I actually was a little aggravated and said in English in an overwhelmed mixture of concern and frustration with the problems of pollution and the diminishing quality of our environments health, “What about Global Warming!?” Then I laughed at myself for being irrational. In this moment a truth manifested itself to me. Teaching the concept of global warming and climate change and pollution to a majority of the world is extremely difficult and calls for a basis of understanding of some basic principles in science and environment. Teaching global warming to people who have never had the opportunity for education would, as I imagine, be mind boggling and appear foolish. We are expected the world to make a change and take on more environmental choices. The ones who have the opportunity and I believe the responsibility to do so is the wealthy, educated countries. Those who have the ability to make some sacrifices and chances, those countries that significantly influence others. The underdeveloped and developing worlds are consuming our products, our plastic products, our un-biodegradable, polluting products. This is being done at such an alarming rate and without any education of its harmful effects or proper disposal methods. Burning of plastic is very much a part of daily life.
There was however a valuable lesson learned about fire safety, the danger of carbon dioxide poisoning. My host mother wasn’t aware that it’s important to have a room well ventilated. How fire eats oxygen, a vital component to our survival. She just thought because you are cold you start a fire and close the doors and that’s fine. We sit in smoke filled rooms often.
While the father patiently waited outside, the baby was born around 3 pm. It was a girl and she would forever be called Maysam. She is truly beautiful, as babies are. She came with a full set of black hair.
After the baby was born I went over the mid wife’s house to hang out for a bit. We made friends. She is my age and is studying Economics in Meknes. She speaks English pretty well and we agreed to meet up often.