You’ll probably laugh, but my first thought was “it’s a possum?”
The night before I was told how vicious possum get when they think humans are going to attack them. Who can blame them? Just across the ocean they are protected and in New Zealand- they are a pest and good as road kill. So what was I doing in bed with a possum underneath it?
Well, it was not a possum but an earthquake that shook everything including the bed, and yes I was on the bed worried, when I should have been under a door post. Who would have known?
After all, we don’t have earthquakes –our neighbours do.
It worries me to think that most of us would not know what to do if an earthquake occurred. And if it did, what would the search and rescue team look like? Admittedly we are able to provide some help to Indonesia, but how would we fare if it was more than just tremors that we felt here at home.
We’ve been protected thus far from earthquakes and typhoons but not so much from floods and landslides. Torrential rains have in the past destroyed crops, power lines, cutting of roads and rail services.
However, most of our disasters seem more man-made than natural. Mudslides from heavy logging and clearing of trees for homes and businesses are a testament to our naivety of taking care of our environment.
Though there has been an obvious change in the environment with El Nino and La Nina we tend to be complacent about weather change and how we have contributed to it. It’s often heard that Cameron Highlands or Genting Highlands is not as cold as it used to be but do we go further to want to know why and perhaps what we can do about it?
It’s impossible to change the weather. Yes, but not impossible to recycle, and to minimize our waste. To decide to truly conserve what is left of our rainforest instead of giving out licenses to destroy it.
The ‘in’ thing now around the country is to go green. Say no to plastic and bring your own bags. But what about the packaging of the food in our supermarkets and our lunch-time ‘tau pau’?
Styrofoam saucers and cling foil to wrap our organically grown tomatoes, pesticide perfect capsicum and yummy economy rice. Surely all this waste contributes to the deterioration of our environment.
Sometimes we might also think, what’s the use of recycling or minimizing my carbon footprint?
Why should I put in extra effort when others are blatantly emitting more waste?
It doesn’t matter- I won’t be here anyway when things get worse. It’s our common human thinking of I’ll-be-gone and you’ll-be-gone-before-you-know-it.
The same mentality that caused the financial crisis and the same mentality that has caused the hole in the ozone layer, global warming and the same complacency in our mentality when planning for the future.
It has a hint of corruption because it’s about robbing someone else for our own gain. And we’re robbing the future.
A few months ago we all turned off our lights for an hour, as we joined the world in darkness acknowledging and pledging our allegiance towards the fight against global warming in Earth Hour.
How much more have we done since?
In times of disaster, my heart breaks when the papers report the search has been called off. My heart breaks for the people and because I can’t help but wonder what would happen to me if I had instantly lost everything including my family. What mechanisms are in place? Will I be forgotten?
Every time I listen to a safety message on the plane I am reminded that we are to put on our oxygen masks before being able to help others, even our own children. Perhaps now more than ever it’s time to educate the Malaysian people on what to do in times of disaster and to educate the public about the help available.
It’s not just about infrastructure and rebuilding, it’s also about counseling and unseen structures of support.
From the fires in California, the tsunami in Samoa, the typhoon in the Philippines and Vietnam to floods in Italy and the earthquake in Indonesia. All these are our warning signs to buckle up and to be prepared. Because a ‘tidak apa’ attitude will not hold any water in times of disaster.
Natalie’s seriously believes that we need to be prepared and educated because more possum days might recur. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
