Polluted cities taking initiative to tackle global warming

Many amongst us are apathetic towards global warming. Is it because global warming has not revealed its ugly side to us directly? Or is it because we simply could not care less? In my opinion, it would be far too late for mankind to salvage the situation if we see the light only as we start paying compound interest for our utmost inconsiderate actions and nonchalance

Rapid climate change, as experts put it, is “the single biggest threat to the future of humanity”. The carbon footprints that Man’s activities have left on our planet’s atmosphere will most certainly prove to be indelible and detrimental in time to come. In fact, from what I have read elsewhere, scientific research has shown that if mankind keeps up the nonchalant attitude, the oceans would have dried up so badly we would hardly be left with any seafood for consumption.

One of the biggest obstacles I believe polluted cities face in reducing carbon emission would be the mindset that the part each individual plays is too minute to make any difference at all. This alone, I believe, can possibly be fatal to man’s efforts of tackling global warming.

I strongly believe that each and every individual has an important role to play. Definitely, the power of a solitary individual is hardly worth mentioning. However, just envision a situation whereby all Singaporeans work together in achieving this common target. An individual is weak and powerless. But as we talk about the collective force of a large group of people, it would most certainly be able to cause a great impact. Nevertheless, to make this possible, the contribution of each individual is still essential!

Secondly, I feel that the governments of the more heavily polluted cities in the world ought to take a more active approach towards tackling the problem. Governmental action on climate change is certainly one of the most important factors involved. As New York Mayor Micheal Bloomberg said in an interview: “We need no new technology, we need no new invention, all that is required is political will.”

Industrialisation, a major contributor towards carbon emission, is at the same time a large stockholder of what is required to sustain a healthy economy. However important sustaining economical welfare may be, I feel that environmental issues as such should never be compromised! I adamantly feel that governing bodies around the world should focus a great deal more on this issue of global warming than they are doing currently. Therefore, I feel that the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol was indeed one worthy of praise. At the same time, perhaps more money could be invested in research on adopting renewable energy sources, increasing recycling levels, reducing city waste etc.

For centuries, planet earth has provided for mankind almost all that our specie requires. Therefore, I feel that it is only fair every single person do their part in tackling global warming. Remember, whatever damage we inflict on our planet right now, we ourselves would suffer the repercussions in the years to come. We can be the ones making the difference here.

- The Straits Times, 17 May 2007

Love for art pays her cancer bills

I was deeply heartened as I read this short article in The New Paper a few days back. This encouraging story of a brave cancer patient, Ms Chun Wee Ping, has shown me what it means to find that smallest flicker of hope even in the most desperate of situations, and to stand up bravely against the innumerable challenges we may possibly face in our lives.

To divert her attention away from the intense pain she was suffering, Ms Chun focused much of her time on painting. This proved to be more successful than initially expected- besides helping to take her mind off her illness, the money she earned from auctioning her artwork on ebay covered a majority of her medical bills.

Ms Chun’s story is certainly, in my opinion, one that can serve as a major source of inspiration towards all other cancer warriors.

Experiencing the same horrible side effects of treatment (chemotherapy, radiation and surgery), including weakness, nausea, diarrhea, and hair-loss, she continued producing 4-7 pieces of artwork weekly. Dealing with the side-effects of treatment would certainly be an ordeal for any ordinary person, but Ms Chun quite amazingly created something extraordinary out of those dire circumstances.

A friend of my mother was fighting cancer a couple of years back. From what I could see, it was a tough and strenuous battle for her, having to cope with taking care of her young children, as well as the treatment which caused her a great deal of somatic distress. Having seen for myself the amount of distress cancer could bring to a person, it is somewhat shocking to see how Ms Chun was able to overcome this obstacle so positively. Wasn’t she undergoing the same treatment as other cancer patients? Wasn’t she encountering the same side-effects? However, it is exactly the way in which her optimism was always able to shine through, and her strength in fighting the illness that really impresses me.

In the course of her battle, Ms Chun was an epitome of courage and vigor. Life is never meant to be a bed of roses. We should always be resilient and stand strong against the adversities that attempt to strike us down time and again. Ominous the circumstances may seem, certainly not all we have is lost. Ms Chun, for example, continued pursuing her passion in painting while fighting her illness. Not only was she able to derive utmost joy from painting, the $15, 000 she received from selling them was an unexpected bonus for her.

In one’s life journey, things do not necessarily go our way all the time, or even half the time for some people. However, I feel that we should regard all the obstacles as building blocks of our own character, and as Ms Chun herself so aptly puts it, “Stay positive, always looking up towards the light.”
- The New Paper, 11 May 2007