The growing appeal of smaller weddings

With reference to Rana Afifi's piece Normalising smaller ceremonies: Young Emiratis welcome Dubai wedding programme (January 18): This is a good initiative by Dubai's Community Development Authority. Any programme that reduces the financial burden on couples and gives them a chance to start a stable life is a sensible move. Sound money management advice to young people will help them in the future.

Abdur Rahim Darwesh, Peshawar, Pakistan

Sportspeople aren't the only ones who have to watch for injuries

With reference to the report Rafael Nadal suffers setback on injury return after withdrawing from Australian Open (January 7): Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold also has to miss the next couple of football matches due to a tear in the lateral ligament of his knee. But it's not just tennis players or footballers who have to be careful to prevent injuries on the court or field. The stakes are naturally higher for professional athletes but everybody needs to take proactive steps to maintain healthy joints and bones. It's a gift to our future selves. Carrying excess weight puts additional stress on the joints, particularly the knees and hips. Water helps maintain the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints, reducing friction and supporting smooth movement so adequate hydration is essential.

By incorporating regular exercise, a balanced diet and by maintaining a healthy weight, we can enhance the quality of our life. Strong, resilient joints and bones are the result of staying active, eating well and giving up smoking – as it decreases bone density and interferes with calcium absorption, which is essential for bone health. With each passing year, we need to be more mindful of movements and bad posture to prevent unnecessary strain.

Dr Priyank Gupta, joint replacement surgeon, HCG Hospitals, Ahmedabad, India

Ram Temple should be a reminder of India's rich diversity

With reference to Taniya Dutta's article India's Hindu Ram Temple: History, Ayodhya dispute and legacy for Modi explained (January 16): This was a well-detailed report on the Ram Temple and the week-long celebrations for its inauguration. Despite the hurdles over the past decades, the present government has taken decisive action.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has achieved a lot in the past two terms, including the Moon mission. But to many Indians, the temple inauguration may well overtake that.

As an Indian, I wish that this great event reminds us of the unparalleled diversity in India – the religious, linguistic, cultural, ethnic diversity of more than 1.4 billion citizens. Given the vastness of this great nation, living together in harmony with each other continues to be the highest achievement.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

It's up to you to go green

Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.

“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”

When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.

He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.

“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.

One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.

The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.

Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.

But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets