Long live the Earth, 7 July

It's Earth Day today, and to mark this event, there will be a live concert organized in seven different countries. I am not too sure how organisers will ensure that the event be held in an environmentally responsible manner (e.g. are they using energy saving lightings? Will audience pop those irritating party poppers and litter the whole place? etc), but at least through this event, the media are giving more attention to educate the public of the need to protect our Earth.

Generally, Singaporeans are still pretty lukewarm to the calls for environmental protection. Actually, it is not a tough thing to do. Just review your daily practices, and see how small actions can contribute significantly. And I am not an environmental fanatic, but rather, just someone who thought I should start doing a bit.

But how?

1) Reduce:

• It's no longer IN to just RECYCLE. Now the term is to REDUCE. Saying no to excessive number of plastic bags will make a great start. Why bother having a plastic bag to contain the small stuff that you have purchased, when you can simply put it into your bag? Also, placing your groceries into recyclable bags will cut down on the number of plastic waste generated. Be it reducing the usage of just one or two plastic bags, it DOES make a difference.
• Switching off air-con, lights and equipment when you are the last one to leave the room. Saving electricity saves energy, and protects our immediate supply of fuel.

2) Reuse:

• Put your creativity to use, and think of how you can add some personal touches to the plastic bottles and turn them into a pen holder, or a vase.
• Printing jobs should be done on both sides of the paper. Single-sided papers should be used for scribbling, jotting etc.

3) Recycle:

• Don't just throw those stuff into the bin. Sort them out and recycle! It takes a bit of your time, no doubt. But it's not an excuse not to do it.

And to sum it up, I think this is a pretty good themesong for Earth Day.