Letter from the Editor
In the late 1990s, everyone wondered what the new century would hold. Would we ride flying cars as the Jetsons had predicted? Would we transform into a society devoid of humanity like in the science fiction film Gattaca? Would everyone own an Aibo, the robotic dog released by Sony?
Twenty years on, suffice to say the future is here and it looks different to what I had imagined it to be. As I write this, everyone is facing the new normal—we are all locked down in one way or another as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. We may be able to work from home efficiently through Slack and Zoom, to entertain ourselves while under quarantine by watching Netflix or Tik Tok and, more importantly, to harness tracking and communication technology to help combat the virus. What the current situation drives home, however, is that life on earth is governed by one true leader: Mother Nature.
Nowadays, it is impossible to think about the future without nature and sustainability being at the forefront. The term “global warming” has entered into common parlance, but the concrete steps to combat climate change are still fractured at best. That is why filmmaker Craig Leeson moves with such urgency, telling audiences that actions speak louder than words in his next documentary, The Last Glaciers. “We’re reaching this tipping point. And we know that it’s going to collapse life support systems. Yet we’re continuing to make decisions that are not altering the course that we’re on,” he says in our cover story on page 168.
Elsewhere in the issue, we look at the intersection of future, technology and sustainability through the rise of alternative education models like the Green School in Bali (page 176) as well as study the urban planning practices in Asian cities (page 186). Closer to home, dining content director Don Mendoza spotlights the next generation of local culinary heroes who are redefining the flavours and approaches of modern Singaporean cuisine (page 218).
Life may be stranger than fiction right now, and the pandemic has been a harsh wake-up call for all of us. However, it emphasises that what we do today will shape tomorrow. Let’s take comfort—and be empowered—by the fact that the future is quite literally in our hands.