these amazing women in my life

24 Mar 2007 was a memorable day for me.

In the morning, I attended the talk organized by Creative-O on environmental issues. And I learnt abt a NGO called Roots & Shoots (www.rootsandshoots.org) which invests its time & resources in educating the young abt caring for the environment. I was very moved by the short interview introducing the founder of the group – Jane Goodall, someone who has devoted much of her life to researching & caring for chimpanzees.

i am so inspired by her, i have this urge to get autobiograpghy on her and find out more.

The good news is one of the amazing beng sisters, beng chiak, is going to start the local branch of Roots & Shoots.

article from zaobao.com
英国著名黑猩猩研究家珍古德创办“根与芽”环保计划 要在新加坡扎根
游润恬
　　“根向地下无尽地伸延，形成稳固的基础。芽虽然看起来娇小薄弱，却能够为了寻觅阳光而破土移石。”
　　英国著名黑猩猩研究家珍古德（Jane Goodall）博士以这两句话，形象地勾勒出选择以“根与芽”（Roots & Shoots）为一项环保教育计划命名的原因。
　　根与芽计划的主要教育对象，是从幼稚园到大学的学生，宗旨是鼓励年轻人主动关怀大自然、动物及社区。
计划的中文宣传手册印有以上古德博士说过的话，包括以下阐明：“如果我们为地球所制造的各种微调是一道道坚固无比的城墙，遍布世界各地生根萌芽的千万颗种子，就足以改变世界。”
　　古德（73岁）自从在1986年淡出研究界后，便把更多时间和精力投入在倡导环保及人权上。她刚于去年底在新加坡成立国际珍古德教育及保育协会（JGI）的第25个国际分会。该协会很大一部分的工作是推动根与芽计划。
　　本地分会才几个月大，台湾分会却已成立近十年。台湾分会执行长郭雪贞前天抵达新加坡，准备展开一系列中英语讲座，向本地人介绍根与芽计划。
当初决定加入这个组织，部分原因是受珍古德博士讲的一句话所感动：“每个人有意识或下意识做的每一件事情，都会对环境有很大的影响。”
　　爱护环境、关心社会可说是个价值观，同其他价值观一样应该从小灌输。根与芽计划最小的对象是幼稚园。
郭雪贞说：“从小就让他们接触环保意识很重要，这样他们长大后，一辈子所做的决定，也许就能不一样，跟他父母做的决定不一样。教育就是要教人们做出不一样的决定。”
　　在她看来，要解决规模庞大的环境问题，始于个人每天所做的决定。她说：“一个人的力量虽然单薄，但两个人、三个人、十个人一起行动，影响就不一样了。这个行动可以从很小的生活选择起步，比如今天出门，我该搭公车（巴士）、骑脚踏车还是走路？”
　　她认为一味反复宣导没用，“最有效的方法是让年轻人有亲身体验，让他们知道行动能带来改变”。

In the evening I went for the xin yao sing along at National Stadium! It was my last time singing there since the old dame will be demolished soon. It brought back memories of singing there during the Youth Festivals.

As always, there was a lone butterfly spotted. It meant something for some of us.

Spy was jealous bcos he couldn’t be there. So to compensate, we had our own sing along in the kitchen the next morning. While I was brushing my teeth.