Heap Hope Angels

This year’s theme for World Environment Day (WED) is Your Planet Needs You! UNite to Combat Climate Change. But too often we are presented with environmental problems without being given the tools to act. WED is about taking action to be a part of the solution. And the Daily do something Tipsare a great start.

We can all do our part to protect the planet by using less and acting more. Going green is not as difficult as you might think. Here we walk you through 30 easy ways to green your daily routine, from the moment you hit snooze on your solar-powered alarm clock to the point when you crawl into your eco-washed, organic cotton sheets.

Make your WED commitment today. But don’t stop at today and don’t stop here. Try to incorporate all of these into your life as a matter of routine. Get others to do so the same. And get involved!

IN GENERAL:

• Plant a tree! Help achieve UNEP’s Billion Tree Campaign target of planting seven billion trees – one for every person on the planet – by the end of this year! Three billion are planted. Five billion are pledged. On every continent in the world trees can be planted in June, so start your efforts on WED.
• Find needy homes or charitable organizations for things that you no longer need or want rather than throwing it away.

DAILY ROUTINE:

MORNING…

Bathroom:

• It would seem to go without saying, but many of us forget that we can save water in simple ways like not letting the tap run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.
• Insulating your water heater will help save valuable energy, and you can go the extra mile by installing showerheads with a low flow in your bathrooms for bathing purposes to help save water. You can also put a timer on your heaters to save power.
• Using an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors goes a long way to cutting back on waste. And plant a tree.
• Use towels for drying your face and hands instead of tissues that are used and thrown away. Also, hang your towels to dry so that they can be reused several times. You are after all clean when you use them!

Breakfast:

• Juice or yoghurt lovers can do their bit by buying juice in concentrates and yoghurt in reusable containers instead of single serving packages.
• Many of us like to leaf through the paper as we munch on breakfast, but consider reading the dailies in communal spaces like the office or coffee shops. However, if you prefer to have your own copy, make sure you recycle!
• When packing your lunch, opt for reusable containers for food storage instead of wrapping the food with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
• As you leave the house, don’t forget to switch off all the lights and appliances at the wall unit (if you have this feature) and unplug chargers as they continue to consume even if they are not charging; saving energy helps reduce air pollution.

GETTING TO WORK:

• Don’t go anywhere without your cloth bag so you can just say no to plastic whenever you shop.
• Radical as it may seem, in today’s “the easier the better” society, the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint is by avoiding driving altogether. Power down and Instead try biking, walking, carpooling, public transport or an occasional telecommute.
• If you have no other choice than to drive to work, look for the most fuel- efficient car model for your next purchase and keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure.
• If you’re one of the lucky few blessed with clear stretches of road on your way to work, use cruise control, as it saves fuel and also helps you maintain a constant speed.
• If you’re among the majority of drivers who spend their mornings stuck in traffic, consider turning your engine off if you will be idling for long periods of time. And plant a tree.
• For those who suffer from road rage, remember that aggressive driving lowers your mileage, so if you want to save on fuel and save the planet while you’re at it, accelerate gradually– something to keep that in mind the next time that bad driver cuts you off! Just count to 10 and say the planet needs me!

AT WORK:

• Do you have a morning hot drink routine? Using a washable mug is an environmentally-friendly alternative to non-biodegradable styrofoam or plastic cups.
• Leave a cup and reusable bottle for water at work to eliminate buying drinks, which get served in plastic cups, or bottled water. 80% of plastic bottles are recyclable but only 20% are actually recycled.
• When you need a pad for lists and messages, turn over an old document and write on the back of that instead.
• If there isn’t an office recycling system, start one yourself! Recycling our trash actually contributes to reducing global warming emissions. And it is estimated that 75% of what is thrown in the trash could actually be recycled, though currently only 25% is.
• When you must have a paper copy, make sure you default your printer option to use both sides. This is an easy tree-saver!
• Most computer accessories like ink cartridges and CDs and DVDs are made of materials that could be reused. Computer cords and speakers are fairly standardized, meaning they can be used for a variety of computer models and makes.
• Lower your office’s carbon footprint by seeing computers, monitors, printers, copiers, speakers and other business equipment to their energy saving feature and turning them off at the end of the day. And plant a tree!
• Turning off all unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms is an easy way to save energy.
• If you’re in search of something to personalize your workspace, look no further than the humble houseplant. Houseplants are good for the environment because they remove quantities of pollutants present in the air.

AFTER A LONG DAY:

• In the summer/warmer months, consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air-conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home. While you’re at it, in winter, lower your thermostat and put on a jumper. In summer, increase it and wear lighter clothes, you will also save money!
• Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat as it senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air-conditioner to run longer than necessary.
• When cooking dinner, match the size of the pan to the size of the heating element to lower energy wastage.
• When you are feeling at your laziest, don’t throw clean clothes in the hamper to avoid hanging them up! Wear jeans more than once…
• When you wash, use only eco-friendly products in your home. It’s best for you and the environment! And did we mention plant a tree!

Source : United Nations Environment Programme

IT’S HARD TO STOMACH

• 800 million people are struggling to find their daily bread
• In Bangladesh a kilo of rice 56 cents, a day’s wages $1
• Children are fainting in school because they have not eaten in days
• Four children die from hunger every 30 seconds

EACH NIGHT MORE THAN 300 MILLION CHILDREN GO TO BED HUNGRY

An emerging global food crisis threatens to widen this tragedy by forcing an additional 100 million people into extreme poverty.

Knowing that children are going without food for one day is bad enough, but knowing that, because of the global food crisis, children are going without food for days on end is simply too hard to stomach.

Here in Australia we may be feeling the pinch of having to pay a few cents more for petrol and food, but it is those who already struggle to live on less than a dollar a day that are paying the worst price of all—the inability to feed their children.

WHAT IS THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS?

Like a ‘silent tsunami‘ the global food crisis has caught the world off-guard and left millions of people struggling to survive.

Throughout almost every region of the developing world people are experiencing localised food insecurity, lack of access to food, or shortfalls in production or supplies. According to the World Bank, in the last three years global food prices have increased overall by 83 per cent. In many developing countries the cost of food staples like rice, wheat and corn has more than doubled in the last 12 months.

One sixth of the world’s population, nearly one billion people, already live on less than $1 day—the common measure of absolute poverty. Of those, 162 million struggle to survive on less than 50 cents a day. Rising food prices have the greatest effect on those people already struggling with food insecurity who spend 60 per cent or more of their income on food. According to the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation Jacques Diouf, there are now over 862 million people in the world without adequate access to food.

UPDATE ON THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

Partly due to the global economic downturn, food prices have started to drop slightly after record spikes during 2008. However, it is expected that prices will remain substantially higher than pre-2005 levels and will continue to cause families living in poverty to decrease both the quantity and quality of nutrition.

As global economies begin to recover again, pricing pressures—particularly in developing nations—could even accelerate. Any decrease in food prices will most likely take longer to flow through and make a difference to the poor and will be less substantial than those seen in the markets of developed nations. The current macro-economic environment may be therefore be providing some broad temporary relief, but not a permanent reprieve from food price inflation, particularly for the poor.

Why is it happening?

All these factors converge to reduce the supply of staple foods like rice and wheat, making everyday food unaffordable for millions of people already living in poverty.

• Record high oil and fuel prices
• Natural disasters, including floods and drought
• A lack of adequate investment in the development of agriculture in developing countries
• The fluctuation in value of the US dollar
• Production of biofuels
• Increased speculation in the commodity markets
• Unfair trade practices
• Increased meat consumption
• A decrease in cereal reserves
• Food export controls
• Increasing urbanisation

Source : http://www.globalfoodcrisis.com.au

第三位是婉琦妹妹，样子美丽，嘴角总是向上翘起的可爱姑娘。从外表看去，我不晓得她是失明的，根本没有盲人的特征。与她交谈时，你也不会察觉到任何异样，水汪汪的眼睛在告诉你，她是开心的天使。

意外受重伤的她，无法即刻接受医治，因为没有医院敢收留她，真是人性可悲的一面。这场意外导致她双眼失明，她觉得人生宛如跌落黑暗的深陷，脆弱的心灵无法承受这一切。因此，她曾经一度放弃过，过着悲伤的日子。同样的家人也承受伤痛，不时还听到外人的嘲讽。这段“黑暗”、“辛酸” 的日子是非笔墨能形容。

上天是眷念这位小天使的。她坦然接受现实，鼓起勇气踏出黑暗世界，面对新的人生。她积极参加活动，从中认识到其他盲人朋友。

重拾信心后，她变得乐观、活泼开朗，在她身边的人都被她喜悦的细胞感染到，大家都洋溢在快乐的气氛里。她也加入吧生美门，为其他残障朋友服务。大家互相鼓励，互相扶持，勇敢面对障碍。婉琦认为视障并不是个大问题，他们都能自立，不会为社会带来不便。所以她希望社群能容纳他们，多关心他们。

我的感言：婉琦虽然失明，但心中存着一颗温柔的太阳。她充满朝气，如太阳花般盛开，给大家散发爱得微笑。缺陷也是美，只有乐观和感恩的人才能随时享受生活的乐趣。她是——勇敢天使！

第二位是家贤哥，外表看来很酷，沉默寡言，骑着电动轮椅，犹如狩猎的猎人。

一场车祸导致他的脊椎受伤，除了无法站立外，双手也无法控制。上天好像跟他开了一个玩笑，瞬间将一个运动好手、销售经理变成残障人士。对他而言，是一个极大的打击，犹如被雷击中，粉碎了一个美好青年的前程。

车祸后，他般若两人，活在黑暗之中。他悲伤、自卑，不愿意接触他人，只躲在房里看电视和漫画、播无聊电话给朋友来消磨时间。最后，信仰改变了他的想法。信仰让他重拾信心，重新站起来，面对人生另一个起点的开始。

他开始学习照顾自己。当中他费了半个小时的时间脱下他人生的第一条裤。对他来说，这是件很辛苦的事情，但他不放弃，凭着信念和坚持，从新振作起来，现在只需分钟就把裤子穿好了。

为了帮助其他朋友，家贤哥加入了美门残障中心。他希望为弱势一群献上爱心和关怀。虽然加入美门，但同样地也会面对不同的障碍，但他不畏惧。他的梦想是希望自己有能力驾车，不需再麻烦别人载送，去哪儿都方便。

我的感言：家贤哥虽是一脸严肃，但说话倒是头头是道，态度稳重，看得出是办事精明稳练的人。信仰给他信心、给他重生的机会，但最重要的莫过于他自己的决心和坚强不屈的精神。从那里跌到，就从那里站起来，一次不成功，不代表永远失败。他是——信心天使！

在阳光天使活动里，很高兴能分享残障朋友的故事。聆听者可能觉得那是感人的故事，但诉说者却觉得那是心酸的回忆。不过残障朋友都很乐意与我们分享他们的心路历程。

第一位出来的是，一个外形“特别”，患上头脑麻痹症的大男孩。他来到大家的面前，第一句话就说：“我很高兴，今天好像中头奖！”他说话有点含糊不清，很吃力，所以需要秀贞姐诠释。秀贞姐告知大家，与他沟通并不难，只需耐心就行了。他是一个很善良、有勇气的孩子，是团体里的开心果。难怪他这次获得最佳“阳光天使”奖。

问他今年几岁？他逢人就说年年25岁！他好风趣好幽默，是一个乐天派的小伙子。Tommy 说：“妈妈怀孕7个月的时候，不小心跌倒，导致早产。医生告知孩子的神经受损，无法成为一个健全的孩子。”他还幽默地说：“就变成现在这个样子咯！”他还做了一个可爱的模样，弄到大家捧腹大笑。

他喜欢别人与他交谈时讲真话，虽然刺痛，但真心，能了解他的心声。他曾面对两极化的人，即：认识但听不懂他的话的人；不认识但听的懂他的话的人。听到这里，心感无奈，我也不是一样，同是天涯沦落人！不过，我相信只要用“心”去交朋友，一定找到知心的朋友。

目前Tommy 在美门中心负责环保的工作，制作酵素。由于双手不很灵活，切水果时就面对问题。所以他希望有心人可以协助他完成这个有意义的任务。工作时间是每个星期六和日下午3点至5点。

我的感言：Tommy，虽拥有缺陷的身躯，但却有一颗善良、纯真的心。只要他勇敢面对自己和他人，他的人生将是如彩虹般灿然，如星星般耀眼。他是——心灵天使！

请问志工是什么？这是讲师第一句发问的问题。

志工——义工？服务人群？献出爱心的人？爱帮助别人的人？有慈悲之心的人？做有意义的事的人？志工真正的意义是——生活形态。不管身在哪里，把志工当作“生活的一部分”。“服务”的对象不只是人群、动物、植物或环境，而是服务于地球。

志工需要什么条件？好心、爱心、细心、用心、耐心、体力良好、刻苦耐劳、愿意牺牲等等，这都是主要的条件吗？也许吧。肯定的一点是愿意付出，不求回报才是重要的。

志工的挑战——“救世主”？

志工的任务就是服务人群，振救地球（好像有点夸张），为人所而不为（指的是好事）。可惜人往往就是自我为中心，自以为是，没有站在他人的立场，客观地看待一件事情。所以常常在不适当的环境做出自己认为对的事。其实“服务”是指让对方增加付加价值的意思。

志工也要学会如何去“接受爱”和如何“付出爱”。

我们都很愿意付出爱，但一般都是一厢情愿，因为对方未必接受你所付出的爱。你希望把最好的东西与他人分享，把最美好的一切送给他人，但你有“问”过对方是否喜欢，是否愿意吗？无可否认爱是私心的。我们应该要学会“先问后行”，先了解对方所要帮忙的事，了解他们的感受，而不是依照自己的意思行事。好意不成，反而弄巧成拙，把事情给搞砸了。有句话（广东话）说：“好材烧烂灶，好心做坏事”，你明白这个道理吗？

志工们，从现在开始，用你的“心”去做每件事，先询问对方所面对的问题，再聆听对方的心声后，才开始你的“爱”的行动吧！

参加“阳光天使”第一项任务就是和残障朋友一同到户外“巡视”。目的是在路途中，拍下残障朋友所遇到的障碍和问题。

进行这个活动不仅让残障朋友和队友发挥团结精神，挑战无形的障碍，还让公众人士知道残障人士的不便之处。

我们分成5个小组，分别前往4个不同的地点，即Times Square、Sungai Wang、Lot 10、和Low Yat Plaza。大家可以选择步行或驱车前往目的地。

我队选择了步行。活动一开始，越过马路就是一个大障碍了。要越过车水马龙的道路，可不是件容易的事。大家不但要顾前顾后，真的是前路“忙忙”呀！再加上行人交通灯失灵，过马路简直是件苦事。除了越过马路，路边的路堤的状况也凹凸不平。残障朋友要使劲力气才“跨过”路堤继续前进。对他们来说，到市区、商场等地方是件很艰难的事。不信，下次到商场留意一下，看看有多少巴仙是残障人士！

驱车到商场的残障朋友虽少了过马路的麻烦，但想找一个车位泊车就是一个大问题。很多给残障人士专用的车位都给“正常人”占用了。这种不道德的行为处处可见。有些商场所设的电梯有分单双数，而且指示不明显，一旦没察觉，大家就白跑一趟了。

此外，公共电话和提款机也带来不便。坐在轮椅上的残障朋友根本无法举手去按钮，非要劳动别人出手相助，才能办好事情。如果遇人不淑的话，情况可遭了。

在公共场所里，有些厕所没有安装供弱势朋友使用的扶手。当人有三急的时候，他们该如何解决呢？

社会到底有关心这群弱势朋友吗？谁该替他们争取应有的福利？你和我吗？大家都忽视了他们的存在价值！我们应该付出爱心体恤、关怀、照顾身边的弱势朋友，公平对待他们，因为大家都是“地球人”！

5月1 日是个意义非凡的日子。不是指劳动节，而是我有幸参加美门残障关怀中心所主办的3天2夜“以爱化碍”阳光天使运动。

我度过了一个有意义又充实的三天。时间虽短，但足以令我领悟到残障朋友如何凭着非一般的勇气和坚持，跨过种种心理和生理的障碍，迈向美好的未来。这可不是四肢健全的人可以做到的事，反过来我们要虚心向他们学习。

这次的活动除了与残障朋友一起相处、听讲座和玩游戏外，还要模仿残障朋友进行日常的生活，如蒙住双眼行走、吃饭、上厕所、坐轮椅代步。在短短的2小时内尝试当一个残障人士，使我处在彷徨、无助的世界里！我感到很害怕，尤其蒙上眼罩时的那一刻。由于耳水不平衡，当眼前一黑的时候，整个人好像要向后倾，站不稳脚，双手立刻向四周摸索，设法捉住东西，稳定自己。幸好团友协助，才顺利完成这个“煎熬”的任务。

“失明”的那一刻，我感到很软弱，身上的勇气忽然间消失了。我无法以一个健全的人去不面对障碍，心中感到惭愧。

虽说去当义工，为弱势一群服务，但总觉得是受比施多。从残障朋友身上学习到如何以乐观、坚持、毅力和勇气来面对逆境；遇到挫折，永不气馁。这些坚持不懈的精神，我会牢记在心，作为我的人生借镜。

This was too good of a life lesson not to pass on! A carrot, an egg and a cup of coffee…. You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?”

“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots.. She did and noted that they  were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity … boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected  to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been  fragile.. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

“Which are you?” she asked her daughter.

“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my  strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but  changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a break-up, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

昨天和外子、家婆一起学外丹功。

一位学员问家婆有没有带杯子来，家婆微笑地说：“我的儿子媳妇带给我了。我照顾了儿子三十年，现在是时候他们照顾我了。”

外子说：“妈妈照顾了我三十年，我要照顾她五十年。”

~~~

一位同事在新年期间到一家老人院探访。

院里的老人家，大多数是因为单身而年老无依，却有一些是遭到孩子的遗弃而被迫住到老人院里。其中，有一位老人家有十四位儿女，有一些儿女家财万贯，却没有一位儿女愿意照顾这位老人家。

从老人院回来，同事辛酸地说：“怎么可能这位爸爸可以养育这么多孩子，这么多孩子却无法照顾一位爸爸？”

~~~

父母一生的劳碌，就是为了想给孩子们有一个更舒适的生活环境。这也是父母一生中最重要、也最风险的一项“投资”。有一些人投资成功，但有更多的人投资失败。

这个世界上，有多少被孩子遗弃的老人家？有一些靠拾荒为活，有一些靠乞求为生。随着时代的进步，老人院也一家、一家地开。科技发达时代，养儿防老还是不是做父母的一项明智的投资？