Thian Si Ying

Private Citizen, Singapore

Today's Date: 14 July 2009

1. What interaction with an animal and/or nature in your life has had the biggest impact on you?

Probably earthworms, although I do not really favor them as well as others because they’re often treated as ‘not-so-likeable’ earthy creatures, under the soil. But I do really admire them. I watched Discovery Channel once in my friends’ house and there was this documentary show about earthworms. My friends shriek when they saw how worms are actually like. This documentary was actually talking about these little creatures having to munch on food composts, or maybe most may call it as trash or garbage as their daily diet. “They eat almost everything.” The lady states.

As you know, planet earth is in danger of lacking of land and places because of the rubbish and trash pouring into landfills everyday, or maybe not just landfills, just bare land like some countries which people habitat in where rubbish and trash are thrown in. Plus, gases which are released from landfills example, Methane and many others, are actually greenhouse gases which ‘cause global warming, a fatal condition whereby icecaps will melt and flood low-regions or even resulting to weather conditions which might happen uncertainty.

Yet, these ‘disgusting’ creatures actually help us to dispose our daily food waste, like example, fruit and vegetable skins or even food we throw away when we cannot finish them. They serves as our ‘rubbish bin’ in a way or two and a ‘helping hand’ to reduce the waste building up. I would really admire them because such tiny creatures, also yet treated as ‘unimportant’ animals to people, actually could really make a big difference in saving our planet unlike all of us, we are not even making any effort saving our planet, this is where we live, we have to preserve it and protect it for our the future generation, as well as they can follow our steps and continue to preserve our planet, the only planet which can withstands survival. If this planet is going to be destroyed, it’ll be finished just like that, under our hands.

2. Did you have a favorite place in the great outdoors during your childhood?

Probably the beach. I like listening to the sound of the sea waves and to actually take a stroll and sense Mother Nature, it brings us closer to nature in a way or two, indeed. Riding the bicycle and enjoying the sea breeze is also a kind of pleasure, to actually relieve one’s stress and troubles.

Now? Maybe just a plain green field. Although there’s nothing unique or special about a plain green field but you can actually enjoy the silence, the serenity as well as nature’s presence. It’s a place whereby you can just lie down and gaze at the sky without any disturbance or worries. I should say that nature is Man’s best friend nowadays because people are often stressed out with work or maybe school, especially in this modern society where competing is crucial and people would probably be having a high chance of getting mental disorders like Depression. Even a plain green field like that could really help to one’s busy man’s life.

3. As a former zookeeper, I would love to know what your favorite animal is, and why?

As I say, although I used to hate earthworms, but now, I guess I’m favoring it because of its ‘special diet’.

4. What do you think is the greatest environmental challenge facing us now, and what do you think will be the greatest challenge in the future?

Global warming is the biggest threat the planet has ever faced and it’s happening now which isn’t a good omen for our future generation. As all of us now are actually not contributing any effort to save our planet, our future generation will suffer when it’s their turn to save the planet at the last minute. We should start doing our part to save the earth from now onwards so that the condition will not worsen if our future generation was to ‘take over’.

5. If you could give everyone one piece of advice regarding the environment and our natural resources, what would it be?

It’s never wise to start when the condition has worsened to the undesirable state. The earth is ours and there’re no other planets which we can survive in, we’re the only ones who can save our planet. Start conserving the natural resources from now onwards or we would be left with nothing in the future, its Mother Earth’s resources; we can’t use it for just this generation of ours.