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  Today Online 5 Jun 07
The green spirit
Eugene Tay

World Environment Day is marked globally today, with activities to remind us of our impact on the environment and also what we can do to improve and protect it.

Everyone can do something. For a start, we could consider these six steps:

One: Respect life and renew our bond with nature. Without respect for nature and its biodiversity, there will be no desire to protect them. Developing respect means recognising that all living things have a right to live on this planet and we should not harm them.

Two: Improve our environmental awareness and knowledge. A good start is to read up on local and global environmental issues, what are the trends and problems, and what needs to be done. Ideally, a holistic view of the environment should be adopted so that the interdependence of various problems can be understood.

Three: Practise the 3 Rs — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Doing so in this sequence is important, as source reduction is usually the best way to minimise wastage. Reduce by not creating the wastage or minimising it in the beginning. Reuse by using each item several times or for another purpose. Recycle by sending the waste to be processed as a resource.

Four: Spread the message and influence others like family members, friends, classmates or colleagues. We can also influence the organisation that we belong to, be it a school, company or social group, to be more environmentally friendly.

Five: Support local environmental initiatives and groups. Instead of expecting the Government to take care of the environment, it is time for us to take responsibility. We can participate in Government initiatives and campaigns or support local environmental causes, non-governmental organisations and environmental groups.

Six: Use our rights as citizens and consumers. As citizens, we have the right to participate in the formulation of Government policies regarding the environment. This could be through dialogues or feedback and through the media. As consumers, we can provide feedback or remind companies to be more environmentally friendly.

We can all commit to take a step this World Environment Day.

The writer is a student pursuing a Master of Engineering (Civil and Environmental) at the Nanyang Technological University. He also volunteers with Environmental Challenge Organisation.
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