“We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment.”
Margaret Mead
Our environmental journey hasn’t been an easy one. We have progressed in many aspects, but we are paying the price — one we didn’t expect and realise we cannot afford to. As mankind progresses, the environment deteriorates. Like an ungrateful child who has turned against his mother, we callously strip Earth of the treasures it provides us with.
In the feature story The Battle for Sustainability (p36-71), we lay plain the effects of prioritising economic development over environmental concern. With the spotlight on plastic pollution, we trace the history of this man-made monster and discuss how various factors like mindless consumption, cultural beliefs and poor waste management have led to the severe pollution of five rivers in Asia. We reveal some shocking statistics of our plastic usage (p18 and 45) and how plastic recycling works in The Reality of Recyling Plastic (p34-35). We then explore viable solutions to our plastic problem on pages 60 and 61 as well as in Changing the Face of Plastic Waste (p88-89). Emissions from burning fuel for energy are major contributors of climate change. We hope Thinking Twice About Travel (p72-77) and You Can Make a Difference (p100-103) will inspire you to take action to mitigate the impact of our incessant demand 3for energy.
When G. S. Callendar insisted that global warming was imminent some 70 years ago, many must have thought he was out of his mind. But his lone voice prompted scientists to examine his claim, and C.D. Keeling’s findings prove him right — the level of carbon dioxide in the air was rising year by year. What this has shown is one person can make a difference, and you can too. The clock is ticking; the time to act is now.