‘Santa should phase out coal’ and give kids stick insects instead, says doctor

Posted on : December 20, 2022
‘Santa should phase out coal’ and give kids stick insects instead, says doctor

A leading paediatrician has called for the sale of coal to be banned in the lead-up to Christmas, saying 'Santa should phase out coal' as it is bad for the environment.

Writing in the highly-respected British Medical Journal, Dr Tamsin Holland Brown has called on parents to stop giving their naughty kids coal for Christmas.

The doctor has criticised coal as a fossil fuel and says it is damaging children's health and the environment.

READ NEXT: Brutal mum gives daughter, 3, 'coal' as Christmas present for 'being a s***'

Instead, she believes it should be 'left in the ground' and replaced with gifts that connect children to nature, like stick insects.

Dr Holland Brown wrote: "Targets set by the UK and ambitious global goals such as the fossiul fuel non-proliferation treaty depend on reducing the consumption of fossil fuel. Coal is a non-renewable fossiul fuel; its extraction and combustion exacerbate the climate crisis and have been shown to have a negative impact on children's health."

She added: "The suggestion that children on the naughty list only deserve coal is outdated and potentially harmful to the environment and children's health."

Instead, Dr Holland Brown recommends parents get their children gifts which connect them to nature. This could include recycled or upcycled presents, plant-based foods, books, or "a small pet such as a stick insect".

  • Chilling metaverse warning issued to parents buying VR for their kids this Xmas

The opinion piece was co-authored by Dr Holland Brown's two children, who said that giving children coal means "the adults are being the naughty ones".

Lumps of coal wrapped in novelty gift bags are currently available to buy at a number of shops in the lead-up to Christmas.

While the 'gift' can seem like a fun joke, Dr Holland Brown does have a point in that coal is extremely harmful for the environment. But maybe it is the UK government, which just approved a new coal mine, that needs telling—rather than parents.

READ MORE:

  • Massive free iPhone update released today gives you 'karaoke mode'
  • You can now clean your smartphone in a McDonald's toilet
  • Facebook accused of 'inflaming' civil war in Africa as Meta sued for £1.6bn
  • 'Self-healing' robot survives stabbing 'torture' and walks again
  • Bizarre Game Awards saw 'weird kid' invade stage

Source: Read Full Article