SPCC stories ── Why we chose to protect the earth (1) Gloria's Story!

We are ordinary people, no more special than anyone. But we chose to stand up for the Earth, and YOU can be a part of us!

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Gloria's story

When I was younger, I used to love going to zoos to look at the diverse range of animals there. The polar bears, white tigers, koalas, giant pandas…all of them were so fascinating in my eyes. However, as I grew older, I started to realize a horrifying truth. These animals are actually taken away from their natural habitats and transported to the confinement of zoos. What’s worse, they are endangered species, so people don’t get to see them in the wild that often. That’s why zoos choose to keep these kinds of animals – to attract more people to come and gain profits. You don’t see pigs or cows in zoos, do you? Not only that, I once saw a picture of a polar bear with her cub standing on a thin sliver of ice in a vast ocean of water, reminding me of the pressing issue of global warming and the tremendous damage that humans have caused to the environment. That’s when I knew we had to do something about this, otherwise, it would be too late.

Our ignorance to Earth's sirens

Nonetheless, despite the fact that Mother Nature has given us numerous warning signs that the Earth is slowly withering away due to our appalling actions, we remain unmoved because of our mounting avarice. Just as we would ride in the comfort of our private cars rather than using public transport, we would litter on the streets constantly for maximum convenience. Ordering more food than we need, only using one side of a sheet of paper, buying stuff we never use, using plastic bags instead of bringing our own shopping bags, throwing rubbish straight into trash cans in lieu of putting them into recycle bins… all these shameful acts are just the tip of the iceberg. We do so many harmful things to our environment every day, but how many of us have really considered the consequences of doing so, or even thought of making a difference? The sad truth is scarcely any. Understandably, actively standing up for the Earth is an exceedingly challenging task.

Still, I have full confidence that if our eyes were opened up to what our detrimental deeds are doing to our planet, we would eventually take measures to prevent this problem from worsening any further and ultimately save ourselves.

I know this sounds “cliched”, but truly, in order to protect the environment, we all have to contribute towards this goal, no matter how insignificant you may think you are. As the saying goes, many a little makes a mickle. In order to travel 100 miles, you have to wield the courage to take the first step. Just like how making the world a better place seems like a vague and impossible task at first glance, all we have to do is to take one step at a time, starting from you. And if all of us work together to save the Earth, I am certain that we will be able to improve ourselves, the environment, and even the world we know and love in due time. It’s high time for us to wake up to what we’re doing to our planet and stand for what’s right.

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I feel inspired after reading Gloria's story. I have not gained such determination when I was in Form 2. We need people from all forms, all gender to join the mission with us!