I came across this book by Hope Jahren in Bedok library and couldn’t stop myself reading it.

As much as I want to know more, reading it is actually depressing at the same time. How the world has changed during the past century, how agriculture has changed, how the ocean has changed, how the growing and processing of food have changed, how the air we are breathing in has changed, how the energy we are consuming has increased etc… It’s not easy to learn about the shocking statistics and facts, and to continue to live ignorantly. This is especially so while I’m now here in Singapore, where the Covid-19 pandemic is quite under control, and it’s a developed country with sufficient clean water for all, nicely lit up city at night, plastic bags are everywhere and don’t (but might soon) cost 20 cents, there are always endless queues outside the stores when Apple launches some new products etc.

We can continue to live this way, and raise the next generation to be like ourselves, but soon there won’t be more generations to come as the earth will no longer be suitable for any lives.

I know people get eco-anxiety – a fear of ecological damages or environmental disaster, and this fear is no good when we aren’t collectively, or the countries around the world aren’t working together to do something about it. But still, the fear is needed, and the fear can be reduced when we play our parts, and then start to influence those around us, hopefully.