On the hottest days, I feels like I can’t breathe anymore. And in the broad daylight like these, suddenly a storm goes by with no head up. Stares out at the unsettled turquoise sea, its moods and rhythms increasingly unpredictable, as its rising proximity threatens to the weather in Phu Quoc lately.
The most noticeable thing is the higher UV concentration in the air. Although it is not as dusty as the city, the air is no longer as fresh as before. As the ocean rises, salt water permeates into the aquifers that provide our drinking water. A rising ocean brings higher tides, and with increasing storm intensity, reduces crop yields and weakens trees. The life of the islanders also struggled.
(Photo by Ái Đi Lạc)
Not to mention, the precious coral that supports our tourism and nurtures our fish-stock perish, as the ocean warms and acidifies. Seen from the air, Phu Quoc looks like paradise: a slim scar of sand densely planted with coconut palms, and ringed by shallow emerald waters. But up close, the fragility of the land reveals itself. The golden sand spills on to the concrete, the blue sea is contaminated with trash and nylon bags, the lush green grass is struggling to survive. That is really heartbreaking.
Climate change is a work of man, yet nature has to bear the consequences. Witnessing their house being affected, the locals' aunts and uncles and even the children in the alley are trying every day to turn the situation around. And you can be part of a plan to help Phu Quoc.
Reducing plastic, collecting waste, and not littering are the first steps to reduce CO2 emissions, protect the marine environment and people of Phu Quoc. Nature has a strong regenerative power, let's join hand to clean up Phu Quoc together, and have more to to come and slow travel with us.
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