Tuesday 28 October 2014

Save Yourself

With all the anthropogenic problems associated with the oceans, there is a lot we have done & a lot more we can do. But how do we progress from here & is there still time?

Let's not touch on legislation, treaties or agreements. Sometimes they seem too far-fetched, we lose ourselves in the complexity of numbers & we lose the concept of the role we play as inhabitants of the Earth. So let's talk about us; what we, as individuals, can do to save the ocean. As insignificant as you think you may be, it starts with you & me.

Here are 3 easy tips for YOU to make a BIG difference with SMALL actions:

Make safe & sustainable seafood choices
Yes, seafood is on the top of everyone's 'TO EAT' list in Singapore! We offer mouth-watering delicacies, like curry fish head, chilli crab & barbecued stingray, that are available at your neighbourhood hawker centre. But the next time you're craving for that local delicacy, think twice (or maybe thrice)! Consider the over-exploited species of seafood that are continually being sold due to their high consumer demand. This ensures the sustainability of their kind. Sounds easy, yes?

Take care of the beach
Going to Sentosa or East Coast Park may be one of your family's favourite pastime. I'm not asking you to stop going to the beach, I'm asking you to enjoy, appreciate & respect the beach - to clean up after yourselves without interfering with the wildlife or corals present. Let's create a culture of taking care of the beach & a sensitivity to the impacts we have on the environment.

Oh, & just so you know, we also have local beach clean-ups which you can sign up for here!

Educate & inform
The oceans are a vital resource in this inter-connected & complex ecological system we live in. A healthy ocean would mean a healthy environment. Information is endless, knowledge is priceless! Find out about the oceans, find out about its associated problems, find out what else YOU can do! & after you've done all of that, tell people about it! Spread the word & keep going & going... People keep telling me 'curiosity killed the cat', but they almost never mention the other half of it, that 'satisfaction brought it back'. So, I urge you go be curious & discover! & make a difference now, today!


They say that time & tide waits for no man. I can't tell you if there is time for us to turn around & make our oceans a better place (oh, how cliché, right!), neither can I tell you that I am hopeful of my future (yes, that's YOUR future too). But I can tell you that hope starts with us, like a little spark that ignites within your heart. So in this wave of action (or inaction) we've caught ourselves, it's time to decide if you want to be a destructive tsunami or a splash of hope!

You see, we try our best to fight the cancer in us, unknowing that we are the cancer of the Earth; unknowing that the cancer in us is but a manifestation of our actions. Perhaps the hurricanes & floods are but a means of chemotherapy. Why, then, do we wage this war against ourselves? What are we really fighting for?

References

  • National Geographic,. (2014). Protecting the Ocean -- National Geographic. Retrieved 28 October 2014, from http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/protect/
  • National Geographic,. (2014). 10 Things You Can Do to Save the Ocean -- National Geographic. Retrieved 28 October 2014, from http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/take-action/10-things-you-can-do-to-save-the-ocean/
  • Nparks.gov.sg,. (2014). National Parks Board. Retrieved 28 October 2014, from http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_visitorsguide&task=parks
  • Un.org,. (2014). United Nations Global Issues. Retrieved 28 October 2014, from http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/oceans/
  • Hall, M. A., Alverson, D. L., & Metuzals, K. I. (2000). By-catch: problems and solutions. Marine Pollution Bulletin41(1), 204-219.

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