Dato Sri Ang Lai Soon
THE year 2017 seems to be rather disappointing to many due to poor global economy and political tension and violence caused by conflict of ideological beliefs and religious intolerance in some parts of the world.
By and large, this country is fortunate being spared all the worst things that have happened elsewhere. We still can enjoy freedom of worship, live with other ethnic groups peacefully, express what we feel, and free from earthquakes and typhoons.
However, we also seem to usher in the New Year with some disturbing news on the weather front.
Heavy year-end rainfall almost always leads to flooding as we are unfortunately witnessing in Sarawak and West Malaysia in recent weeks.
We can imagine the difficulties the affected people are experiencing, especially as school-going children prepare to return to schools.
As unfortunate as our weather patterns have been, things are of course much worse for those living in parts of the globe often visited by even more destructive weather phenomena such as typhoons and cyclones.
Of late, such weather phenomena seem to be getting much more frequent, more powerful and therefore more destructive in nature. Perhaps even more unfortunate is the fact that some politicians and leaders in some very powerful countries are denying that unchecked human activities can contribute to changing weather patterns.
There can be no denying that removing our natural forest cover will tend to quicken the pace of rainwater run-off, swelling our rivers and causing more rapid and ferocious flooding. There is also a growing body of scientific evidence to show that there is actually global warming caused by industrial pollution and vehicles that results in greater and greater accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The end result is, of course, more frequent, and maybe more powerful typhoons and other destructive weather-related phenomena.
If such destructive weather patterns are man-made to a certain extent, we as responsible human beings must take special care to protect and preserve our living environment for our own sake.
It is therefore the responsibility of all of us to help, in our own little ways and within our own surrounding areas, to protect and conserve the exceedingly fragile environment. Those more able can of course do more by helping to educate others on how preserving the environment is very much about their own self-preservation.
We must all be more conscious about leading a more sustainable way of life and choose only products that are most friendly to the environment. It can be as simple as insisting on paper or reusable bags rather than plastic bags.
Indiscriminate jungle burning by plantations and by individuals in both the rural and urban areas as well must be stopped so that people in many countries in the Asean region particularly do not have to breathe the most polluted air known to man, and damaging human and animal health.
A greener environment is the only way to reduce earth’s volume of greenhouse gases. Of course ,it will not stop serious flooding or strong typhoons or haze or smog. However, it may stop them from getting worse and worse and bringing even more human misery.
Government and Non-Governmental Organisations like St. John Ambulance, Red Cross ( Red Crescent) ,Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Rotary, Lions and Jaycees can play a useful role in helping to create greater awareness of Climate Change .
Many years ago I initiated the “PLANT-A-Tree-A-Year” Campaign. It was a success as it was very well supported by all. Following St. John Ambulance Sarawak’s “PLANT-A-Tree-A-Year” Campaign, others including some NGOs also organised similar campaigns.
If each person can just plant a tree a year, together we can help to make all the urban areas especially greener, healthier and thus making life more bearable for everyone.
Instead of seeing trees being mercilessly cut down and hills flattened in the name of progress and development, we must preserve trees where possible, and the hills as well. Attempts to create concrete jungles must not be encouraged at all.
I hope and pray that we all resolve in the New Year to be more caring and protective of, and showing more respect for our environment because we all share this one and only planet earth!
Happy New Year.