What Will Happen If We Lose Trees?

The writer believes that a beautiful camaraderie
makes life a wonderful journey.

            In the blink of an eye, the beauty of Cameron Highlands has been washed away by mud floods and landslides. The four people who died in the disaster have paid the price for the illegal land clearers and loggers' irresponsible acts. 

        While Cameron Highlands is recovering from the damage, we need to prevent the same from befalling other places.

            The perpetrators may be brought to justice, but the crime is likely to be committed again by others in other areas.

            When one’s right is violated, we take the matter seriously and defend the victim, but how many of us would help save nature when its habitat is threatened? 

           We cannot imagine our life without the person we love but will we feel the same if we lose trees, which are sources of our oxygen?

There is no doubt that human beings need nature to live. Maintaining good relationships with other people is as important as strengthening our ecosystem. The practice of illegal logging will only disrupt the ecological balance while the presence of illegal dumpsites near a river can cause water pollution and bring discomfort to residents living around the area with the pungent smells.

It is our responsibility to preserve the environment and the wildlife.

As biologist Edward O. Wilson said: “The earth is our home. Unless we preserve the rest of life, as a sacred duty, we will be endangering ourselves by destroying the home in which we evolved, and on which we completely depend.”

The writer and friends in Cameron Highlands 7 years ago.

Previous campaigns to save the environment might have been effective but it did not last long. Some customers say “no” to plastic bags only on Saturdays but use them on other days. Children are taught theories about the importance of recycling and discarding different products in different-coloured bins, but, ironically, they can only find black bins around the school area to place the items.

Also, some people behind the wheel behave in an uncivilized manner by throwing litter out of their car windows. These drivers are insensitive, ignorant and selfish. 

We need to appreciate nature, which keeps us happy and healthy before natural disasters strike to leave us feeling horrible and terrible.  

And, without a sense of humanity, the mood to create a greener world will only be seasonal, and not eternal.

             Courtesy of New Straits Times

12 November 2014