同路人語602-教育移民認識山火 Educate immigrants on bush fire

各位讀者，新年好！  

                對於澳洲人來說，去年真的不容易過。持續四個多月的山火，奪去了超過28條寶貴的生命、燒毀了數以千計的房屋、極大面積的山林野地被燒光，帶來對環境鉅大的破壞。聯邦政府對氣候政策的冷淡，被視為是這次災難的元凶，不過實際上我們都知道氣候的轉變，是生態轉變累積的結果。而人類對大自然生態的破壞，卻以無法估計的速度在發生之中，甚至遠超人類所能想像、明白及認識。

                例如塑膠被發明及生活初廣泛使用時，人類對它所帶來的污染及影響，並不理解，到今天世界各國限制它的使用，已是數十年後的事。又例如我們一直相信太陽能板發電是清潔能源，到今天我們漸漸明白制作太陽能板的過程也帶來極大的生態破壞。不過我相信人類要對管理世界持負責任的態度，因此「節約」的生活態度是我們所支持的。聖經表明人類是受託管理世界的管家，並不是地球的主人，因此對環境持保育的態度，也是我所支持的。

                莫理森總理在持續酷熱及山火不絕的情況下，看來要對環保政策作出調整，才能解決社會增強環境保育的要求。這些對澳洲的經濟發展同時也會帶來壓力。在上一次大選中，不少人指出設訂環保政策時，不能只計算改變帶來的成本，也要去計算不作出改變時，社會是已經在付出極大的代價。我覺得不管科學家是否能百分百肯定山火的成因是由於地球變暖所造成，政府在氣候政策作出調整，是一個現在不能否定的議程。

山火是澳洲社會的一部份，新移民卻大都沒有多少認識，因此澳洲社會也要加強移民群體對山火發生、危險及所帶來影響的教育。新移民多是城巿居住者，極度欠缺對大自然保育認知。我記得最初來到澳洲時，沒有想過把過多樹木及枯枝燒掉，是保護森林正常生長的方法。原因是在香港，我們根本就沒有森林，政府只會宣傳大家廣種樹木，而在澳洲我們則要學會森林管理。

                聯邦政府在撥款宣傳防止山火時，更要加強在移民社區中的社區教育，不然的話他們會很難明白那些管理山火政策，究竟是否有需要或是該如何選擇。　

周偉文 社長

Educate immigrants on bush fire

Happy New Year to all!

2019 was a difficult year for a 4-month long bush fire had taken away 28 lives, ruined thousands of homes and burnt out massive area of woodlands resulting in tragic damage to the environment. The federal government’s lack of environmental plan was blamed for loss, yet global climate change issue has been around for long. Mankind has been spoiling the earth habitat in an unprecedented alarming way beyond our own comprehension.

Say when plastic started to be extensively used for domestic living purpose nobody envisaged its pollution impact until decades after warnings came in to contain the problem. And same as with solar panel was mistaken as green energy until we now realise its production itself is destructing the environment. Mankind should be responsible for the management of the earth by saving our environment. The Bible says God makes us the steward of the earth thus we must sustain our living environment.

PM Morrison is under pressure from the public amid this bush fire disaster to regulate national environmental policies. This also comes with a great economic impact. In last election, people pointed out the cost of setting some environmental policies as well as the cost on the society if not setting any. I think the government cannot get away with some responsive changes irrespective of whether scientists can prove or otherwise this disaster was merely from global warming.

                Bush fire is part of Australian life; so immigrants largely from urban cities are unfamiliar of this nature must be educated about its danger and consequence. When I first came, I did not understand why burning down excessive dried out bushes could be a wise move in forest management. Because I lived in Hong Kong where there was no forests and we were only told to plant more.

When the government is going to fund publicity campaign on bush fire prevention,  make sure the immigrant communities are covered as they have no idea on the what and why of those bush fire management policies.

Raymond Chow, Publisher