Let’s skip the whole ‘the planet is dying’ guilt trip, shall we? We both know the climate situation is messy (and if you don’t agree then stop reading right here), and if you think — “what can I even do? Nothing,” while sipping your green tea using a straw, here’s something that you can actually do. Ten somethings, to be exact.

These are low-effort, no-nonsense, actual swaps, garnished with a healthy dose of my passion. These won’t wreck your life or bank account, but they will for sure make you feel a bit better about yourself (like they do for me).

Let’s begin.

TL;DR

1. Replace menstrual cups instead of pads/tampons
2. Go for metros, buses, cycles, and even walk around instead of firing up your 7-seater SUV for every small thing
3. Discover sustainable options using apps like Ecowiser
4. Walk to the grocery store instead of ordering online
5. Stop asking AI to create an avatar for your social media. Stop using ChatGPT for every small thing.
6. Try switching to a vegan diet
7. Don’t throw away things that can be reused
8. Turn off your devices and appliances and unplug them
9. Try to use local apps on your PC rather than the web alternatives
10. Shop less. You have everything you could possibly need.

If you’re interested in understanding the reason behind every swap and how to make them a no-brainer, continue reading. As a bonus, you get to enjoy my sass too (you’re welcome!).

1. Sanitary pads and tampons → menstrual cups

What: Menstrual cups are small, flexible cups made of silicone that collect rather than absorb menstrual flow.

Why: Even if you use biodegradable pads and tampons, you generate a lot of waste. Regular options? Even worse for recycling. And let’s not forget those embarrassing moments when your neighbor’s dog gets a little too interested in your trash bin (yes, they’re attracted to that smell).

Menstrual cups are a one-time investment — buy once and you’re good for 2–3 years, depending on the brand. They’re super comfortable too! I struggled with the feeling of pads, especially being sensory-sensitive. Ever since making the switch, I’ve been producing less waste, being more eco-friendly, being kinder to my senses, and — bonus — saving money!

2. Private transport → public transport

What: Choose metros, buses (especially EVs), or carpooling instead of driving alone.

Why: I get it — public transport isn’t always convenient. Connectivity can be poor, it takes more time, and reliability isn’t guaranteed. But some options are reliable, like the metro. I’ve figured out the route from my flat to office and noted a couple of timings, so I leave accordingly.

Consider the downsides of private transport: nightmarish traffic, higher accident risk (yes, it is a fact), and zero me-time while driving because you’re constantly stressing about that one uncle in his SUV who doesn’t believe in indicators (been there, felt that).

What I’ve noticed after making this shift is that I’m much calmer. It’s allowed me to give up control — there’s nothing I can do about traffic, I don’t even need to worry about it! My brain is free for those 20 blissful minutes. It’s a blank space in my day that I can fill with anything or nothing. It’s when I mentally prepare for office and properly disconnect afterward, which might not happen when you jump straight from work stress to driving stress.

Sure, sometimes you might not have enough time, but if you plan ahead, it’s easy to pencil in 10 extra minutes for commute.

When using public transport, opt for EVs when possible — the bus I take to office is an EV. My Delhi-Jaipur commute? EV bus (thanks for existing, NueGo).

3. Find sustainable options

What: Use apps that help you discover eco-friendly alternatives.

Why: Apps like Ecowiser (India) and Commons (outside India) give you sustainable alternatives to common products you use, making it easier to make better choices without hours of research.

4. Online groceries → walk to grocery store

What: Choose your feet over your apps for nearby errands.

Why: It saves you money and is healthy. It also prevents impulsive shopping — trust me, I’ve learned this firsthand. When you walk to buy groceries, you’re more likely to stick to your list than when endless options are just a click away.

5. ChatGPT/Claude → Google search

What: Use traditional search engines for simple queries.

Why: Every AI search consumes over 10 times as much energy as a Google search. Sure, Google search also adds to the emissions, but not as much, here’s the math on this:

Every Google search you make uses a tiny bit of energy — about 0.0003 kWh according to Google’s own report. That’s just enough to power your bedroom light bulb for 2 minutes. No biggie, right?

But let’s not forget that Google gets 8.5 billion searches daily, which means, 2,550,000 kWh of electricity EVERY DAY. That’s about 2000 times more than what an average Indian uses in an entire year!

And let’s look at Google’s Gemini-powered search results. According to Alex de Vries (a data scientist who’s done the math on this), a single AI-powered search gulps 10 TIMES more energy than a regular search. We’re talking 3 kWh per search — that’s 20,000 times more than what an average Indian uses annually.

So next time you’re tempted to ask AI something just for fun, maybe think twice? Your regular Google search might not be perfect, but at least it won’t contribute as much to melting the ice caps!

Do you really need an AI search for that? What if you tried Google instead? Better yet, try the Ecosia search engine that supports reforestation. Or — wild idea — used your common sense? Limiting AI dependence not only reduces your carbon footprint but also keeps your brain healthy in the long run.

6. Non-veg diet → veg options

What: Mix more plant-based meals into your routine.

Why: Alright, I might have just invited some tomatoes thrown my way, but hear me out: agricultural value chain and land use changes produced a third of global emissions. 85% come from agricultural activities, which produce nitrous oxide and methane, both of which cause global warming.

Here’s how it works: the land required for cattle rearing is increasing, and forests are being cut down to make room. We’re not only losing carbon sinks but that land can’t be used for anything else either.

Livestock farming accounts for a whopping 14.5% of global greenhouse gases — that’s no small potatoes (or should I say, no small steaks?).

Here’s the irony for us Indians — we actually have the world’s largest cattle population but consume the least beef globally. What does that mean? Our cows live longer lives, releasing methane into the atmosphere for years. Plus, cows in our tropical climate produce less milk and meat, taking longer to reach market size, which means even more emissions per kilo of product.

When we clear forests for cattle grazing, we’re not just losing trees — we’re releasing all that stored carbon and destroying habitats for countless species. The Amazon is losing football fields of forest every minute, much of it for cattle ranching.

And here’s something that might make you lose your appetite completely. I was watching this documentary a couple of months ago which described the human cost of cattle farming. In Brazil’s Amazon, illegal land grabbers identify forest plots, cut down trees, start fires, plant grass, and introduce cattle. They’ve carved over 40km of illegal roads since 2017 in protected Indigenous territories.

These invaders then threaten, intimidate, and forcibly evict the local folks from their ancestral lands. In Rio Jacy-Paraná reserve, nearly all original inhabitants have been driven out by armed cattle ranchers.

Environmental agents get surrounded by hooded men carrying gas bottles and receiving death threats. The situation has gotten so dangerous in some areas that the military and federal police had to step in.

I’m not asking you to go full sadhu mode tomorrow — even cutting back on meat for a few meals a week makes a difference. Maybe try that vegan paneer butter masala instead of chicken sometimes? Your planet (and eventually your wallet) will thank you. Trust me, some of those veg recipes are absolute bangers! You should just know how to pair them to improve the taste and culinary experience by 10 times.

I’m not saying go 100% veg overnight — even reducing meat consumption helps. Maybe try Meatless Mondays? Your planet (and wallet) will thank you.

7. Reuse, reuse, and reuse once more

What: Give new life to items before tossing them.

Why: Recently, I was tired and hungry and ordered a Taco from Taco Bell with a chocolate shake. The shake came in a plastic bottle — something we often throw away while buying expensive mugs and sippers instead. But I’ve seen my mom collecting these containers to share food with her sisters during visits. So I saved my bottle, and now I use it for my protein shake.

Instead of buying new handwash bottles (adding to waste), get refill packs. Almost every major brand sells them now. I’ve even moved to handwash tablets that dissolve in 250ml of water — zero additional waste!

Yes, microplastics are still an issue — but let’s tackle one challenge at a time.

8. Turn off those appliances

What: Be mindful of your resource consumption.

Why: It’s common for us urban folks to leave water running while brushing (side-eyeing my brother who definitely won’t read this), or never unplugging laptops from chargers. I’ve seen people charging laptops beyond 100% — not only is that wasting electricity, but it also some types of batteries. Set a hard limit at 80% to improve battery longevity.

Small actions by millions create massive impact!

9. Websites → local apps

What: Choose applications that run locally on your device when possible.

Why: Every time you open a website, it adds to emissions due to the electricity required to power servers and data centers. You’re using electricity to power it up and sure, it might seem minor, but — Google gets 8.5 billion searches daily. Do the math.

When possible, swap web apps for local ones: replace Coda or Notion with Obsidian, Google Docs with MS Word, and so on. Cloud computing might be trendy, but it’s not always environment-friendly.

10. Shop less

What: Think twice before that “add to cart” click.

Why: And no, I’m not just trying to prevent you from going broke! The entire shopping process, from browsing websites to production and delivery, has a significant carbon footprint. This includes energy used for data centers, manufacturing processes, packaging, and transportation. Each step contributes to overall emissions.

Let’s face it: most of us have enough clothes to last a lifetime. We don’t need something new for every occasion. We’re overconsuming. If you absolutely must buy something, consider window shopping to reduce delivery emissions.

But honestly, try to resist — you don’t need that specific thing that badly. Trust me — been there, done that, have the barely-worn clothes to prove it.

Small changes add up to big impact. Which swap will you try first?

10 swaps you can make today for a more sustainable life was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The essence of any bond lies in the freedom to say, listen, and embrace a simple “no”. Doesn’t matter which bond — family, friends, found family, romantic relationships, work relationships.

“No, mom, I’m tired and simply cannot cook dinner tonight.”

“No, can’t hang out; I’m just so tired and not in the mood to step out — raincheck?”

“No, I cannot do this tiny favor.”

And what breathes life into this “no” is the response:

“It’s fine, I’ll handle the cooking.”

“I don’t like it, but I understand that mood, been there. Let’s meet later.”

“Okay, thanks for letting me know.”

It’s very simple on paper. It’s even better when someone’s hyping you to do it. But many of us — conditioned as we are to please others — find it hard to.

“Instead of explaining to them why I’m so tired, I’ll just do it. Less hassle.”

“I’ll just make up an excuse: ‘Hey, mom’s not feeling great, gotta handle stuff at home. Next week?’”

“It’ll just take an hour and I’ll have to stay back by only 40 minutes: Erm, sure.’”

Yet, in these moments of honesty, we discover the true nature of our relationships.

Because here’s the thing about genuine relationships — those that empower you to say “no” and accept it without judgment — they allow you to be yourself. That’s when you drop the act. No more little white lies. No more playing “nice.”

You can just be kind — to yourself and to others.

And that’s the big difference between being nice and being kind. Nice feels good, for like, a hot second, but it doesn’t last. Being kind? Yeah, it might (and often) sting — remember how hard it is to say no and have your own back? — but in your quiet moments, you’ll be so glad you did it.

Oh, and while niceness often sacrifices your needs for others’, kindness honors both yourself and others. Who knew?

Because if your relationships don’t have the room to say or hear “no,” I’ve got news for you: They’re not going to last.

And if they do, they’re not as genuine as you think. Our society normalizes dysfunctional relationships, in fact, encourages them. So you’ll always have those people who smile and nod to your face, then talk smack behind your back — and hate themselves for not saying “no”.

And you? You might find yourself burnt out, resentful, and disconnected from yourself. It’s a slow erosion that — if you haven’t realized yet — sucks.

When you say “no,” you’re asking for a choice (and offering it). Because, yes, here’s another sign of a healthy relationship — choice.

Do you have the choice? Saying “no” is how you exercise that choice.

Or do you “have to” say yes because you’re “expected to”, even though you “don’t want to”?

Can you say no? Or would they throw a tantrum if you say no? Or would they pretend to be okay, but silently plot revenge? What would you do if the roles were reversed?

If you’re mature enough to deal with a slight rejection, you empower people to be truthful. That’s how you build true, sustainable loyalty. The no-frills relationship. The come-as-you-are friendship. The we-love-you-as-you-are familyship.

Sure, you also lose people — but I’d rather be alone than pretend. And it’s a choice we have to make at some point in life.

i once drew dreams in colors bold and bright — 
saffron, blue, green, and white
until my girl didn’t come home one night
now my colors are fading, from bright to light

but it’s been several nights since then
i know, i used to be her late night friend

she’d portray scenes of the days she saw
as she healed people, steady and slow
to take away the horror, leaving her raw
i’d soothe her with monotony when she’d draw

but, but it’s been several nights since then
a cold dread settles in me every time the clock hits 10

tonight, air settled on me dry and dreary
it whispered news of blood, leaving me weary
it couldn’t simply be my girl, could it?
no, for what the air described is horrific and scary

but, but it’s been several nights since then
and the corners of this room are shrouded in darkness

air heard whispers that chill my lead,
“what was she wearing?” “was she drinking instead?”
I want to scream, to make them understand
the girl who loved colors and her healing hand.

they say, “girls shouldn’t be out at night”
but, she only smiled bright, saved lives, made wrongs right.
now she’s a statistic, a headline so grim
her story on brink of end, her light growing dim

my tip grows dull with each passing day
as air speaks of degradation, violence, and rape
it speaks of molestation, murders, and monsters
and i shrink. how can i draw dreams when nightmares foster?

it’s been many, many nights since then
she never came back, her laughter never rang again
yet her story is not done, it’s only just begun
i’ll write in blood-red ink, till new dawn has come

the tears refuse to come, but my heart won’t settle
if war is what it takes, i’ll fight every battle
i’ll make sure her story is known and heard
for my girl is more than just news and numbers

i once drew dreams in colors bold and bright
but now i sketch protests, a nation’s plight
for every girl lost, for every woman wronged
i’ll write their stories till justice is brought

We don’t talk enough about manipulation as a survival technique. It’s wrong to tweak the situation to work out in your favor. To omit truths. To tell lies. But what when that’s what’s keeping you going day after day?

This world and life are far too complex to be seen through a black-and-white lens. Anyone who believes otherwise hasn’t experienced the enormity of their struggles or put them in context. Or maybe life has been too giving, too loving to them. Maybe they can afford to live in a world of absolutes.

But what about those who can’t?

What if without manipulation it’s hard to live day after day? To draw a free breath? To just be?

What if, without omitting truths, the events become larger than life and larger than person, and overwhelm and drown them?

What if telling lies gives them enough survival juice to live just one more day? Just one.

Without context, truths remain half lies. Context puts everything in the picture and there’s no bigger punisher than guilt; every punishment is a waste without guilt.

Of course, context doesn’t excuse every lie. It can’t justify thieves — thieves of joy, money, life, will to live. But what of those whose only victim is a rigid, unbalanced system? What of those suffocating under the weight of dogmatism and authoritarianism?

That’s why I refuse to be black and white about mistakes. No punishment can ever compare to that slow death within.

So every time I’m happy, I remind myself of all the hills I’ve climbed, hills I’ve made, hills I’ve ignored to reach there. The thought humbles me and dims my smile, but it gives me hope. Just one more day.

The only reason I can still look myself in the eyes is because there was a man, whose eyes, when I bared my soul to him, still had the same loving care. He still looked at me tenderly, as if I’d crumble if he even breathed too loudly. He didn’t; he didn’t flinch, didn’t move, didn’t push me away; he said, it’s okay.

“It’s okay, you aren’t hurting others, you are saving yourself.”

And with that, he released the breath trapped in my lungs. In my weak moments, I let those words put me to sleep.

Yesterday I read this quote on Instagram: “War is a game played by maniacs who kill each other. Locate the man who profits by war and strip him of his profits — the war will end.” (Woody Guthrie, American singer-songwriter and anti-fascist)

(I follow robslitquotes and he keeps dropping such posts almost every day on my feed.)

Then I got to know about Rafah and the ongoing ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ Instagram story trend. Such silent, but strong way of showing support; and, with over 30 million folks participating, Instagram can’t even fine your account.

I got to reading about Rafah and found out, that literally everyone has been asking Israel to stop now. From the International Court of Justice to even the US, the supporter, is condemning the attack on civilians. Israel’s neighbors that were silent in the beginning days are quite vocally telling everyone how ridiculously unhappy they are. (I’m using super simple words to describe their comments, because their words are just that: super simple.)

Reading that Mint report reminded me of a common scene with bullies in high school: The bully relentlessly targets a child, and the surrounding students plead with the bully to stop. Their discomfort grows with each act of aggression, some even resorting to threats or calling for a teacher. But even the teacher's intervention amounts to nothing more than a scolding. No one takes meaningful action until the bullied child makes themselves scarce.

This then reminded me of how the uni students in the UK and US were protesting—are protesting—demanding the universities stop working with powers that be — companies financing and benefitting from this war.

This was early May. Then around the same time, I came across this Drilled Media report that brought into light the relationship of top universities (Princeton, Harvard, Tufts) with fossil fuel companies (BP, Shell, Chevron, etc.). This, in turn, came on the heels of US Senate Budget Hearings.

(Simplified TL;DR: Basically, the Senate found out Big Oil has been “downplaying and obstructing climate action,” which now makes it very hard for the Senate to budget for it (and that the Ivy League Schools might just be helping the Big Oil firms (of course, not all Ivies))).

It really brought into perspective the students’ protests, with this primer on information pollution helping me understand the fuck that was going on (I’m not sorry for coarse language).

This morning I was anyway very angry, it was probably this anger that provoked the question (spurred by Guthrie’s quote and the Mint report, I’m sure): “Who’s benefitting from this war?”

Sure, it took me some time to question this, but when I finally went down the rabbit hole, here’s what I found.

The cost of the war

Occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) lies right above a sizeable reservoir of oil and natural gas. This region that encompasses Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has been occupied by Israel since 1967. Now here’s where things get really interesting:

A UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) study found in 2019 that natural gas of over 120 trillion cubic foot was discovered in the area and recoverable oil is estimated to be about 1.7 billion barrels. It translates to upwards of $500 billion.

The study was aptly titled: The Economic Cost of Occupation for the Palestinian People: The Unrealized Oil and Natural Gas Potential.” It notes: “This offers an opportunity to distribute and share about US$524 billion among the different parties in the region and promote peace and cooperation among old belligerents.”

But Israel’s occupation prevents the Palestinians from benefitting from these resources. These kind of funds were enough for them to fund socio-economic development and live above the poverty line.

“The longer Israel prevents Palestinians from exploiting their own oil and natural gas reserves, the greater the opportunity costs and the greater the total costs of the occupation borne by Palestinians become.”

“What could be a source of wealth and opportunities could prove disastrous if these common resources are exploited individually and exclusively, without due regard for international law and norms,” the study warns.

Interesting, innit? Of course, Israel is raging a war and clearing off the Gaza Strip — $500 billion is at stake. It makes capitalistic sense. Let’s not talk about the blood and fear and death of the innocent people on BOTH the sides, I don’t think we can attach any cost to that. And I don’t think the big bosses care.

Context

Now, let’s spruce things up a little bit and give you some more context.

In 1995, Israel and Palestine signed a historic agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip—the Oslo II Accord, also called Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement.

The agreement was supposed to mark a step towards the implementation of the land for peace principle — Israel was expected to cede control over parts of the occupied territories in exchange for peace and security guarantees from the Palestinians.

But both the sides criticized the agreement and it was never fully realized.

A key point in the agreement was the issue of maritime jurisdiction. It granted Palestine control over the maritime area up to 20 nautical miles for activities like fishing, off the coast of Gaza Strip. But Israel retained the overall responsibility for security and airspace control over the Gaza Strip’s maritime area. So whatever control Palestine had was in the name only.

Then in 1999, Palestine struck a deal with British Gas Group (BGG), who uncovered a large gas field in 2000, Gaza Marine.

Experts estimate that this natural gas field contains enough gas to power Palestine, with enough left to export. But the field was not exploited from 2000 to 2007 because of security and economic negotiations.

In 2007, BGG backed out from the deal. But right before the Gaza invasion in 2008, the Israeli government re-negotiated the deal and BGG was brought back on board.

Now, since the invasion in 2008, Israel has established a de facto control over Gaza’s offshore reserves. This deprived Palestine of their fair share of revenue, forcing them to live below the poverty line.

“The opportunity costs of Israeli occupation—with ongoing restrictions on mobility, access, and trade—exclusively in the area of oil and natural gas have accumulated tens, if not hundreds, of billion dollars,” a Daily Star report said.

UNCTAD also estimated that Palestinians, under occupation in the 2007-17 period, have lost $47.7 billion in revenues leaked to Israel.

In 2023, Israel ordered the development of the oil field, while reportedly, the Arab citizens protested and rejected the energy “stolen from occupied Palestine.”

Coming back to the current war

The strategy of expelling Palestinians out of Gaza Strip would give Israel open access to drill the reserves of gas and recoverable oil. And yes, Israel benefits from all that oil, but really, it is not alone.

This brings US into the picture — hard to forget how US fanned the flames by supporting Israel with ammo (honestly, I used to like Biden). Sure, they needed to answer the terrorists, but to become terrorists themselves? I find it hard to justify that and I am a self-certified people pleaser, I try to justify everything.

Anyway, coming back to the point:

You see, the US has an ongoing agreement with Israel — the United States-Israel Energy Cooperation, established in 1996. Apparently, the US Congress found that:

— it’s in the highest national security interests of the US to develop covered energy sources

— Israel is an ally of the US

— The special relationship between US-Israel manifested in a variety of cooperative scientific research and developmental programs

— These programs have made possible many scientific, technological, and commercial breakthroughs in the fields of life sciences, medicine, bioengineering, agriculture, biotech, and communications, and others

— enhanced cooperation between the United States and Israel for the purpose of research and development of covered energy sources would be in the national interests of both countries;

— United States-Israel energy cooperation and the development of natural resources by Israel are in the strategic interest of the United States

— the United States can play a role in assisting Israel with regional safety and security issues;

— the United States and Israel should strive to develop more robust academic cooperation in energy innovation technology and engineering; water science; technology transfer; and analysis of emerging geopolitical implications, crises and threats from foreign natural resource and energy acquisitions, and the development of domestic resources as a response

Now, I’ll drop my invisible mic.

Who’s benefitting from this war?

Besides US, Israel, and the oil and natural gas companies, you mean? Well:

The private weapons sector that blooms during the war and because of the US Pentagon’s increased reliance on this sector. The Pentagon has to increasingly rely on private contractors in the post-9/11 period, with a dramatic rise in the funding and revenues for weapon contractors. But the benefits of this surge in spending has been highly concentrated to just 5 major weapons contractors: Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, and Northrop Grumman. Why must Boeing worry about its flights when it’s making money from weapons? But anyway, let’s not get sidetracked. These companies recieved over $250 billion in contracts in FY19 and 20 alone. Erm, also, the stocks of Raytheon has risen over 30% in the past six months. General Dynamics is at 20%. Capitalism at its best, folks.

In fact, “In the Russia-Ukraine military conflict, the big five giants not only sold large amounts of military equipment to Ukraine, but also used the opportunity to market their products to other European countries. They also obtained more contracts and funds from the US government,” a report said.

Wall Street biggies like Morgan Stanley and TD Bank are approaching this very humanitarian crisis as a “profit-making escalation”. Here’s what a report in The Guardian says:

Wall Street is hoping for an explosion in profits. During third-quarter earnings calls this month, analysts from Morgan Stanley and TD Bank took note of this potential profit-making escalation in conflict and asked unusually blunt questions about the financial benefit of the war between Israel and Hamas.

“Hamas has created additional demand, we have this $106bn request from the president,” said Von Rumohr, during General Dynamics’ earnings call on 25 October. “Can you give us some general color in terms of areas where you think you could see incremental acceleration in demand?”

“You know, the Israel situation obviously is a terrible one, frankly, and one that’s just evolving as we speak,” responded Jason Aiken, the company’s executive vice-president of technologies and chief financial officer. “But I think if you look at the incremental demand potential coming out of that, the biggest one to highlight and that really sticks out is probably on the artillery side.

The comments are seemingly in contradiction of each company’s “statement on human rights” and explicit endorsements of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”

That next day, Von Rumohr assigned a “buy” rating to General Dynamics’ stock.

It’s honestly refreshing to look at the other side of the war (while, admittedly not suffering in any way, so yes, my point of view, though informed is very detached) and not just talk about the death and gore. Sense the sarcasm.

Who benefits from the Israel-Gaza conflict? was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Local APIs are like the elves in the Harry Potter series — working hard to do everything, but always invisible. So, elves, err, I mean, local APIs allow apps on any device to communicate with the hardware.

Our devices are programmed in a standard method so they can behave in the way users desire. These ‘standard methods’ can be POSIX — Portable Operating System Interface, more on this later — which establishes a layer of communication that is standard across different operating systems. Or it can be SUS — POSIX, but for macOS.

Now, how do local APIs interact with software libraries and modules?

Let’s say you want to create a desktop application that displays weather data:

1. Local APIs: You’ll use OS-level APIs (local APIs based on POSIX or SUS (for macOS)) to manage the application’s window, draw graphics on the screen, and potentially access networking APIs.
2. Software Libraries: A graphics library might simplify drawing charts and visualizations of the weather. A networking library would help you fetch weather information from an online service.
3. Software Modules: You could use a pre-built module that specifically handles formatting weather data in a visually appealing way.

So, local APIs provide an essential layer of communication with the device/system hardware. Software libraries and modules build upon the work done by local APIs to:

• Software libraries: To add a layer of convenience and higher-level functionality. Software libraries are collections of pre-written code that offer common functionalities across different applications. For example, Java’s standard libraries or Python’s NumPy.
• Software modules: To promote code organization and reusability. Modules are self-contained units of code with well-defined interfaces, often focused on a specific task or set of related functions. For example, modules within Node.js (npm) and Python (PyPI).

What is POSIX?

POSIX gives instructions on how an operating system should be written — how it should provide certain functionalities that are common across devices. Operating systems like Linux, macOS, and others strive to be POSIX-compliant (or partially compliant to POSIX and fully compliant to SUS, in the case of macOS).

When developers create applications, they use programming languages and libraries that are provided by a POSIX-compliant operating system, so that these libraries can interact with the operating system.

How local APIs, software libraries, and modules work together was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Websites experiencing a 502 Bad Gateway error can be a nightmare, you’re losing a lot of traffic and you might not know why.

You don’t have to be stuck or stare at that almost white page. One thing you should as a PM is that there’s something wrong with the website’s server connection. There are things you can do to fix the error.

What is 502 bad gateway error

The hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) — a set of rules that regulate the web — have given numbers to every problem. The 502 status code indicates:

1. You’re working with a gateway or a proxy server. It is an intermediary or a mediator server that sits between two servers — your smartphone (or PC) and internet. As a mediator, it forwards requests from clients to servers and servers to clients.
2. The proxy server tried to work with the origin server.
3. “Tried” because it got some invalid response from the server and it showed you the error.

So the page won’t load because your proxy server didn’t the expected response from the server.

Impact of 502 bad gateway errors

As a PM, you can’t just not do anything since it has far reaching impacts, some of the important ones being:

1. It can decrease the website traffic since your users cannot access desired content anymore.
2. Users may perceive your website as unreliable, damaging their trust in your brand if it’s not fixed quickly.
3. This can also negatively impact your search engine rankings, leading to a further decrease in organic traffic.
4. If your website is an e-commerce platform or relies on advertising revenue, 502 errors can directly impact revenue generation.

Why do 502 bad gateway errors occur?

1. 502 bad gateway errors occur when your smartphone is having trouble translating the domain names into numeric IP addresses. This is a general process they carry out. But if there’s an issue with this process it can trigger a bad gateway warning. One example of this could be, when you’re moving a website from one web hosting provider to another. When you do this, you often need to update the DNS records for your domain, so they can point to the new hosting provider’s server. But it can take some time and during that time, users might still be getting directed to the servers of the old hosting provider, which is causing the error.
2. Sometimes the reason could be as simple as too many visitors overwhelming the server. this can often make the requests impossible to resolve.
3. Sometimes the reason could be problems in firewall setup, which is blocking proxy’s communication with the server. Firewall is a network security device that monitors and controls the network traffic — based on some rules. So firewalls are like the security you place at your front door to control who can and cannot enter your home. Firewalls are security for your computer network — it separates your trusted internal network, such as your home network, from untrusted ones, like internet. Based on some rules, it allows only the authorized traffic to pass through and blocks unauthorized access attempts. So if the firewall’s rules are overtly restrictive or if there are misconfigurations preventing the proxy server from establishing a connection with the server, you might face 502 Bad Gateway error.
4. You might be facing this error if your server is down for maintenance.

Depending on which type of error you’re facing, there are solutions.

Solving 502 bad gateway errors

Check the server logs on both the client side and the server side for any error messages or indications of what might be causing the error.

1. Are you dealing with a DNS problem? If yes, you might want to reach out to the DNS service provider or see if there are typos in the DNS settings.
2. You might want to use network diagnostic tools to check the reachability and connectivity of the server from your location. For example, you could run a ping test to see if messages are reaching your IP.
3. If the issue is with firewalls, you could try scaling them back to ensure all traffic flows easily. But this could have major security risks.
4. If your server is down for maintenance, all you can do is wait.

What can your users do?

1. Ask them to reload the website, sometimes it may solve the problem.
2. Ask them to clear the browser cache and try again.

502 bad gateway errors, explained for PMs was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

People die and that’s the end of the story, right? Then what happens in the moments I share you with someone else? Do you come alive for a brief second?

What happens when I share the pieces of advice you gave me with others? Do you come alive for that moment?

What happens when I write about you? When I talk about you with myself? Do you come alive and look at me with the smile I’m desperately want to see again?

And if you do come alive — every time you randomly come to my brain and my brain glosses over you — are you really dead?

If you do come alive every time I think about you, you’re not really dead, right? Even if you don’t, I’ll try to keep you alive for as long as I can. Share with you many people I can. Let everyone know just how Bhavya you were for this world.

(This also makes me wonder: Why would people want to be eternal when they could have people keeping them eternalized?)

This is how I’ll distribute my grief — like I used to distribute candies on my birthday back when I was little: offering the entire box and hoping they would pick just one, so I’ll be left with more.

The more memories I share, the more I lose, no? Aren’t memories like candy?

Where does this opposing need to share you yet keep you close to my heart only come from?

It was a December evening, and the sun was setting, but my sun might as well have risen. He told me we’d eat lunch together, so I was in his office, working.

He walked in minutes before the pinkish hue of sunset could take over the sky, with his lunchbox and asked me, “Bata kya khayegi; kya order karu canteen se? [Tell me what you’ll eat; what should I order from the canteen?].”

I got up from the table I was working on, sat beside him on the sofa with my lunchbox, and said, “Nothing from the canteen, sir, I have my lunch.”

He looked up from his phone, surprised, “You haven’t had lunch yet?” Opening the lunchbox I told him, you said we’ll eat together, so I was waiting for you. I shrugged like it’s the most natural thing to do in the world, and added, “Plus, if I don’t eat my lunch, mom will have my hide.”

“And mine would have my hide,” he said hiding his surprise, and I snorted.

He set aside his phone, looked at the watch he wore all the time, and asked, “What’s for early dinner then?”

“Stone cold mangodi ki sabji,” I deadpanned, I abhor mangodi. “Can you get this heated in the canteen microwave?” I asked him.

He called them to ask and ordered a cup of chai for himself and asked me, “Yashi?”

“Nothing, sir.”

“Coffee?”

“No.”

I am the only person, I think, who would say no to his offer of buying me a chai or coffee. Repeatedly.

One samosa and one chai, he told the canteen dude and looked at me meaningfully. “They can’t heat sabji in the microwave, so I ordered a samosa,” he told me happily.

I smiled and said, “Does ma’am know you’re having oily food?”

He sighed, “cold sabji doesn’t make a good companion with a cold chapati,” Yashi. I laughed.

We settled in a comfortable silence until chai and samosa were delivered. Then I asked, “I never asked you how Delhi was. What did you do?” And we launched into a conversation about Delhi, its unforgiving heat, his wedding, his wedding reception, the controversy around the latter two — basically caught up with everything we’d been up to since … April.

Mostly him — he always had many stories to tell and I was always an eager listener for him.

That’s when I asked the question that had me curious for a while now, “What happened to you? The other day, why were you so sick that you went home?” I, forever a diplomat.

He paused. And told me his life story. Congenital. Heart. Harsh years. Him.

Months ago, in the fresh light of the morning sun, I’d told him about mine.

Months later, in the rarely candescent light of the setting Sun, he shared his.

Whoever says bonds are made in blood? Sometimes bonds are made in rooms with gold-pink windows and grey corners, a subtle scent of tea wafting in the air, punctuated with rhythmic silence.

Whoever says you have to touch to hold hands? Sometimes you hold hands and don’t even know it; you feel it in your heart.

Whoever says people die? Sometimes, they are kept alive in the written word.

Whoever says people die? Sometimes, they are kept alive in the written word. was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ease of accessing company information is critical for networking and recruitment opportunities on professional platforms like LinkedIn.

However, the user experience may have room for improvement in enabling direct connections, especially when it comes to connecting people with companies. Here’s an example.

Short Overview

When viewing someone’s profile showing an open role, clicking the company name leads back to their experience section rather than to the company page. Users lose time re-searching names they already viewed.

By linking company names to destination sites and pages, the website can better showcase LinkedIn’s core value in facilitating professional connections.

Detailed Overview

On LinkedIn profiles, company names appear twice — near the bio and in the experience section. The first instance navigates users to the latter.

Ideally, one instance should directly link to the company page on LinkedIn to better connect users with organizations and open roles.

After all, the app is about connecting people with recruiters and companies that are recruiting. Instead of manually searching for the company, I’d like to visit the company page automatically.

Case in point:

I came across Dingle’s profile and I saw he’s hiring, so I clicked on his profile.

There, I see his company:

I click on it and I’m taken to the experience section:

Here, Paragon DCX is not clickable. So, I manually search for the company, confirm it’s the same one, click on the jobs tab and then figure out, okay, these are the roles they’re hiring for.

This wastes a user’s time and makes the discovery process cumbersome and lengthy.

What’s in a Name? Improving Company Page Links on LinkedIn Web App was originally published in Yashi G on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.