The Environment. How much attention do we actually devote to something that is such an integral part of our life? Are we even aware (or do we just prefer to be ignorant) of how much damage our daily actions cause the environment in which all living beings depend on to ensure the continued sustainment of life?

The things we take for granted such as a comfortably air-conditioned room, the refrigerator that keeps perishables fresh for a longer period of time, and even just getting into a car and driving to the nearest kopitiam for breakfast... all these have become so imprinted in our daily life that we hardly take heed of the fact that our actions constantly contribute to the deterioration of the environment.

Well, one might say, all these 'new-fangled' notions about protecting the environment may be well and good in Western countries in which they originated... but most of the steps formulated in order to minimize damage to the environment isn't really applicable to Malaysians.

Well, here are a few simple lifestyle changes the average Malaysian (and yes, even a Malaysian teen) is able to make in order to 'go green' and do their part in slowing down the process of pollution, global warming and other ailments in which the environment - as an unwilling patient - has to bear.

• If you're just purchasing a packet of crisp, a canned drink or other small and easily portable items such as magazines and newspapers... decline using a plastic bag to store your purchase in. You're probably going to be taking it out of the bag soon anyway.

• Re-use clean plastic and paper bags. Used plastic bags could double as garbage bags (that way, you save on buying new plastic bags) and paper bags are great for crafts as well as for putting gifts in.

• High quality drink cartons, once cleaned and dried, can be cut up to make attractive and practical bookmarks. Cartons which have an inner foil coating are also to an extent waterproof. Pretty product boxes may also be used. Just punch a hole, string a ribbon through and voila... you have yourself a homemade bookmark! ^^ (Adele: This comes from personal experience and isn't just lifted lock, stock and barrel from a craft book)
  

• Try to walk or cycle to close destinations. Petrol fumes pollute the environment. It's also a good way to save on ever-rising petrol prices, and you get a workout to boot.
  

• Be a responsible shopper. Do not purchase products manufactured by producers known for severely damaging the environment, even if such products are priced lower. No amount of money will reverse the negative impact on the the environment.
  

• Trees need to be cut down in order to manufacture paper. If a sheet of paper is barely filled and can still be used, it could double up as rough/scribbling paper for math workings and such.

• Do not litter, even if what you're discarding is biodegradable. Litter is unsightly and has the potential to cause harm to the environment in various means.

• Stop consuming, buying or in anyway supporting the trade of endangered animals. Once they are extinct, there won't be any way to bring them back. As each species is inter-reliant on each other in the food chain, the annihilation of any one species causes an imbalance in the 'circle of life'.
  

• Malaysians -and especially the Chinese community - seem to have a love affair with sharks fin. Fact is: over finning is causing the extinction of certain species of sharks, and is plainly an act of inhumane cruelty towards animals. Stop the consuming and buying, and the killing will stop as well.

Ahem... and you may ask... What is this blogger actually doing for the environment? Well, actually, I have to admit... as much as I would like to use 'green bags' (re-usable cloth grocery bags) in place of plastic bags, at present it isn't too practical when it'll take at least 10 such bags to fill the amount of groceries purchased by my family from the hypermarket.

However, I have been maintaining a 4 year pledge to stop eating sharks fin. This can get a little tricky sometimes when guests and hosts alike think you're not showing them 'face' by refusing to eat this highly priced delicacy. And it does make you the butt of family jokes ("Oh, she's a greenie who's going to join Greenpeace one day. She pities the sharks so she doesn't eat sharks fin" *cue laughter* ) But vegetarian sharks fin is a yummy alternative for ex-sharks fin lovers who still get cravings =p

I learned a very important lesson when I was young as well. I confess, I loved glorious blank sheets of paper as a kid and I still do even to this day. I used to be quite the paper waster as I had plenty of time to kill at my mum's office, with arts&craft and writing stuff my hobby at that time (this was before I went to Yuk Chai and had culture shock at the amount of homework I had to complete XD ) One day, my mum's friend saw this blatant act of waste and commented "Do you know how many trees need to be cut down to make paper?" This promptly started a talk/lecture on how many trees were being cut down and the importance of trees in providing oxygen and cooling the atmosphere. It was my very first exposure to this topic and proceeded to make me feel extremely guilty. Even back in the 90s, global warming was creeping into our lives.

Therefore, while we can still minimize the damage our environment has been inflicted with and prevent life upon Earth from becoming increasingly uncomfortable and fraught with natural disasters, let us make a choice and do something beneficial for the overall health-o-meter of the environment =)