Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Be Mindful Of Our Achievement
Be Mindful Of Our Achievement
The recent price hike in petrol has again generated a new wave of debates and suggestions as to how we may be able to conserve this precious natural resource and be more environmentally friendly. There are suggestions that we leave our cars at home and walk or cycle to work or take a bus.
I remember a few years ago, our company engaged an environmental consultant to provide presentations and seminars to all employees that we should be more environmental friendly and consuming less of our natural resources. The idea was noble and it was also a corporate commitment towards saving the earth. Amongst the presentation, the presenter said that while most people chose to drive to work, he always left his car at home and caught a bus to work. His part in saving the environment is to be applauded. However, he continued to remind all participants that as he was able to catch the bus to work instead of burning petrol on the single driver car, everyone must follow suit failing which we were just environmental vandals. Many participants chose to remain passive and silent. Nevertheless, I pointed out to the presenter that while we applaud his very noble and patriotic act, not everyone was as lucky as him staying in a posh suburb well serviced with public transport, and where it was a minute walk to the bus stop and another minute wait for the next bus. I asked him for suggestion as to how most people staying in the rest of the suburb where it was half an hour walk to the nearest bus stop and another hour wait for the next bus, which often never arrived. I can remember I did not get a satisfactory answer or suggestion.
In more recent news, a politician has announced that he will ditch his government funded luxurious car and will take public transport like bus or taxi to work. It is well known that those government cars have large engine capacities that consume much more petrol than an ordinary family car. Again his part in saving the environment is to be applauded. However, the details is that he get paid a sum of money equivalent to the yearly earning of an ordinary worker to compensate him for the bus fare. It must be noted that not many employees will have their bosses agree to double their pay packets if they agree to take public transport to work. And I certainly do not think many employers will be happy to see their employees spending long hours during office time waiting at bus stops to and from attending business meetings.
We have read about many successful businessmen proudly display their achievement. While there may be those who started from nothing and achieved success through sheer perseverance and hard work, many of them were give a head start during their younger age by inheriting a small fortune from their families and received business mentoring right from very young age. Again not many ordinary people have that advantage of a head start.
We can be proud about our achievement and success and our contribution to save the environment and encourage other to do the same. But have we considered the environment under which we are subjected to which fostered our success? We need to be mindful that the right environment is a big contribution factor to our success and achievement. In the height of one’s success, let not forget that we are just doing our part in doing the right thing.
The recent price hike in petrol has again generated a new wave of debates and suggestions as to how we may be able to conserve this precious natural resource and be more environmentally friendly. There are suggestions that we leave our cars at home and walk or cycle to work or take a bus.
I remember a few years ago, our company engaged an environmental consultant to provide presentations and seminars to all employees that we should be more environmental friendly and consuming less of our natural resources. The idea was noble and it was also a corporate commitment towards saving the earth. Amongst the presentation, the presenter said that while most people chose to drive to work, he always left his car at home and caught a bus to work. His part in saving the environment is to be applauded. However, he continued to remind all participants that as he was able to catch the bus to work instead of burning petrol on the single driver car, everyone must follow suit failing which we were just environmental vandals. Many participants chose to remain passive and silent. Nevertheless, I pointed out to the presenter that while we applaud his very noble and patriotic act, not everyone was as lucky as him staying in a posh suburb well serviced with public transport, and where it was a minute walk to the bus stop and another minute wait for the next bus. I asked him for suggestion as to how most people staying in the rest of the suburb where it was half an hour walk to the nearest bus stop and another hour wait for the next bus, which often never arrived. I can remember I did not get a satisfactory answer or suggestion.
In more recent news, a politician has announced that he will ditch his government funded luxurious car and will take public transport like bus or taxi to work. It is well known that those government cars have large engine capacities that consume much more petrol than an ordinary family car. Again his part in saving the environment is to be applauded. However, the details is that he get paid a sum of money equivalent to the yearly earning of an ordinary worker to compensate him for the bus fare. It must be noted that not many employees will have their bosses agree to double their pay packets if they agree to take public transport to work. And I certainly do not think many employers will be happy to see their employees spending long hours during office time waiting at bus stops to and from attending business meetings.
We have read about many successful businessmen proudly display their achievement. While there may be those who started from nothing and achieved success through sheer perseverance and hard work, many of them were give a head start during their younger age by inheriting a small fortune from their families and received business mentoring right from very young age. Again not many ordinary people have that advantage of a head start.
We can be proud about our achievement and success and our contribution to save the environment and encourage other to do the same. But have we considered the environment under which we are subjected to which fostered our success? We need to be mindful that the right environment is a big contribution factor to our success and achievement. In the height of one’s success, let not forget that we are just doing our part in doing the right thing.
