Individuals are a key player to solving the environmental problems, not just for the issue on the giant clams. We as individuals, standing alone, may seem insignificant and useless but our actions when accumulated with time and with others, can have a large impact.
If our own small negative actions can collectively have a large scale negative impact on the environment, how is it not possible that our small positive actions can also collectively once again make another difference, but this time around, a huge positive impact on the environment?
Coupled with the right attitude, knowledge on possible solutions and support from the majority of the people, I believe that YOU can make a difference – be it individually or at a group level.
So what can you do?
- Basic 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
- Reduce the consumption of energy to burn fewer fossil fuels; Reuse bottles to reduce the production demand of plastic bottles; Recycle responsibly.
- These 3Rs don’t have a direct impact on the giant clams but the 3Rs does affect global warming and pollution levels that then indirectly affect the giant clams.
- Be conscious consumers
- Do not buy or consume giant clams products, be it the shells or the meat. If you have to really try them, check for the sources of those giant clams.
- Spread the word
- Giant clams are not able to speak up for themselves and so we, humans, with the unique ability to speak, should spread the knowledge of these giant clams to more people. You may not be the one poaching, eating or using them but you’d never know if people around you do so. Even if they do not, they may not be aware of this issue. There is no loss in educating people around us about this issue or even other environmental issues. Getting people to engage and think about environmental-related issues could help them to be aware of their actions.
- As the word gets around, it is possible for it to come back to you. This would hence serve as a good reminder from time to time. It would be the same for the others as well!
- Believe in yourself
- Believe that the small responsible and pro-environmentally friendly choices you choose, do make a difference on the environment. Your consistent actions would one day turn into habits and possibly influence others around you to follow suit.
Ecosystems around the world are interconnected. When an ecosystem fails, the others (humans included) are in danger too. Saving the giant clams would save the reef systems which affect the oceans and the organisms on land (humans included). Environmental issues may not be solved but we can do our best to sustain the ecosystems for as long as we can. Our small actions can and will matter.