CRAG-gers
I seem to have left all environmental awareness behind when I left UK. The article on craggers (i.e. ppl who are members of CRAG - Carbon Rationing Action Group) jolted me as to how bad habits are so easy to fall back into.
I don't mean to say that I deliberately leave all the lights on all the time. Since young, it's been ingrained into me to automatically switch off everything when I leave a room. But I'm still a huge carbon monster, more so now than I was a couple of years back. Back in UK, I took public transport and walked a lot. In terms of electricity, I did what I could but in a land that's perpetually dark and gloomy, there wasn't much of an option to go without lights.
Over here however, I drive everywhere - to clients/work/classes etc. as public transport simply isn't an option; firstly, due to lousy service and range and secondly, just lugging my entire office with me to each client's office already requires me to take on some of the characteristics of an octopus, without having to worry about being mugged/pick-pocketed on the LRT/train/bus. Yes, welcome back to the East. Of course, driving here isn't without it's perils too; what with all the broad daylight car-jackings in addition to the hazards of mad drivers.
A couple of months ago, there was a proposal to encourage car-pooling by imposing a levy on all Single Occupancy Vehicles entering the city centre (similar to congestion charging in London). This proposal incensed many drivers as the public transport systems in place is already barely coping with the daily rush of commuters, and is certainly not ready to take on an extra few thousand commuters. I remember similar talks about carpooling when I was growing up - all of which fell flat on it's faces before anything started. Yes, we are a NATO (No Action, Talk Only) nation indeed.
When I started out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (or so the saying goes) at my new job, I had a desire to go into environmental audit, thanks to my university lecturer who sparked in me such a great interest in the matter. During my interview, it quickly became apparent that no such avenue really exists over here as we are too busy "developing" (though I use that word in the loosest sense possible) - to what end remains to be seen. What I don't understand is that if we are a developing country, then why is the quality of our education falling, our English deteriorating, our crime rate increasing etc?
Is it really necessary to destroy the environment before giving it a second thought and attempting to save it? What's alarming to me is that I can't think of many ways for me to take part in CRAG as nowadays, a lot of things are beyond my control. My computer is on because I need to work, the lights are controlled by the office/college. Lights are on at home because I need to continue work. The air-conditioning is centrally controlled by both office and school, though I really wish that they'd turn it down because it isn't exactly very conducive to work in an ice-box.
Tomorrow, I get a day off to study. I shall wake up early, drag my table and chair out onto my balcony and make full use of the sunshine. That shall be my contribution for tomorrow. Good night.
I don't mean to say that I deliberately leave all the lights on all the time. Since young, it's been ingrained into me to automatically switch off everything when I leave a room. But I'm still a huge carbon monster, more so now than I was a couple of years back. Back in UK, I took public transport and walked a lot. In terms of electricity, I did what I could but in a land that's perpetually dark and gloomy, there wasn't much of an option to go without lights.
Over here however, I drive everywhere - to clients/work/classes etc. as public transport simply isn't an option; firstly, due to lousy service and range and secondly, just lugging my entire office with me to each client's office already requires me to take on some of the characteristics of an octopus, without having to worry about being mugged/pick-pocketed on the LRT/train/bus. Yes, welcome back to the East. Of course, driving here isn't without it's perils too; what with all the broad daylight car-jackings in addition to the hazards of mad drivers.
A couple of months ago, there was a proposal to encourage car-pooling by imposing a levy on all Single Occupancy Vehicles entering the city centre (similar to congestion charging in London). This proposal incensed many drivers as the public transport systems in place is already barely coping with the daily rush of commuters, and is certainly not ready to take on an extra few thousand commuters. I remember similar talks about carpooling when I was growing up - all of which fell flat on it's faces before anything started. Yes, we are a NATO (No Action, Talk Only) nation indeed.
When I started out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (or so the saying goes) at my new job, I had a desire to go into environmental audit, thanks to my university lecturer who sparked in me such a great interest in the matter. During my interview, it quickly became apparent that no such avenue really exists over here as we are too busy "developing" (though I use that word in the loosest sense possible) - to what end remains to be seen. What I don't understand is that if we are a developing country, then why is the quality of our education falling, our English deteriorating, our crime rate increasing etc?
Is it really necessary to destroy the environment before giving it a second thought and attempting to save it? What's alarming to me is that I can't think of many ways for me to take part in CRAG as nowadays, a lot of things are beyond my control. My computer is on because I need to work, the lights are controlled by the office/college. Lights are on at home because I need to continue work. The air-conditioning is centrally controlled by both office and school, though I really wish that they'd turn it down because it isn't exactly very conducive to work in an ice-box.
Tomorrow, I get a day off to study. I shall wake up early, drag my table and chair out onto my balcony and make full use of the sunshine. That shall be my contribution for tomorrow. Good night.