Natalie Shobana Ambrose – (18th February, 2010 – theSun)
"It’s so hot!" "Why can’t it stop raining?" "The lightning was terrible" I’m not sure about you but I keep finding myself complaining about the weather.
Global warming, Copenhagen, recycling, climate change – it’s like we just keep hearing it over and over again. Remember last year when we turned off the lights for one hour. I recall it causing quite a confusion for some – do I turn off all my lights or just a few or will one do? Can I still watch TV? What about my laptop, can I use it, or should that be turned off too?
I remember being out in Kuala Lumpur having dinner under the stars, inhaling the pollution and being bitten by mosquitoes – thinking I really like electricity.
I calculated my carbon footprint years ago. I was confident that I’d get a good low score. After all I recycled regularly and was pretty aware of environmental issues. What a reality check that was.
Not only do I have relatively large feet for a Malaysian, my carbon footprint is massive.
Lets face it, it’s too hot to walk anywhere, cycling is not really appealing – I do value my life and Malaysian drivers (me included) do cause serious heart conditions for the few that choose to brave the cars and insurance only covers so much. I’m not fond of the motorcycle because I’m not a fan of helmet hair and I’d rather really not test the strength of my deodorant waving down multiple taxies until I find one that uses the meter.
What more when it rains? Besides, I like the comforts of my car, listening to my music, full control of the air-conditioner and my personal space.
Something taking the LRT doesn’t allow me. Besides, I can eat whatever I feel like if I want to in my car and tell a friend my secrets without strangers looking at me like I’m crazy because they can’t help but eavesdrop on my conversation.
I don’t mean any disrespect to those who rely on public transport in fact I am in awe and have full respect, because I know I can’t do it all the time. It is definitely not easy being sandwiched so close to someone you’ve just met in the train. But I do try and take public transport when I can. It definitely beats traffic jams and paying the toll and crazy high parking rates in central Kuala Lumpur, not to mention it reduces that massive footprint I have.
But this carbon footprint bugs me. What else can I do? Apparently lots more. Even little habits like filling the kettle with just enough water that is needed helps, not to mention buying local produce that is in season and stuff that doesn’t have too much packaging. The packaging part sometimes just makes everything look prettier but in reality it also fills up the recycling box.
Will all this make the weather better? Who truly knows, but it’s worth a try.
If we were living on small islands in the Pacific, climate change means losing our whole country to the rising seawaters. If we’re living in parts of Africa where logging is rampant, it means no more resources in years to come and leaving everything behind to migrate to another land causing serious security issues for countries in the Mediterranean. If we were living in the West, it means snowstorms in the middle of February when it’s meant to be warmer and don’t get me started on the plight of the polar bears.
In many parts of the world, climate change is more than just a change to the physical environment but rather a growing security issue and so complex that all the brains and experts in the world couldn’t really agree in Copenhagen.
So what does it mean for Malaysia? It means that we’ll have more freak weather and it’s scary because our thunder and lightning causes severe damage to trees and rooftops, it also means that we’ll have haze in the middle of the year unless the burning stops.
We can’t change our habits overnight but maybe we can try by carrying our own containers when we tau pau food or buy pisang goreng for a start instead of increasing profits of styrofoam and plastic bag producers.
Natalie is a little more aware of reducing her carbon footprint and will try and give up pretty packaging but not the red Ang Pow packet – Gong Xi Fa Cai.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
