When you hear the word hero, what comes to mind? Someone with a cape and super human strength or the valiant individuals who rushed into the burning World Trade Centre on September 11th?
Most people would be more than a little reluctant to declare themselves heroes. Webster’s definition of a hero is “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent, endowed with great strength or ability.” At least that’s what kids tend to think. We can forgive them for thinking Marvel or DC.
What Makes a Hero?
A hero is someone who shows great courage. Every day, there are ordinary people who act like heroes when they courageously defend or protect others. They may not have super powers but they have a heart for the people and they rise above their capability to carry out extraordinary, selfless acts. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to change the world.
The Unsung Heroes…
Rising up in times of disaster
When disaster struck during the Sungai Kim Kim pollution this year, almost 2,000 people as well as the aquatic wildlife were impacted. Employees of a private construction company selflessly volunteered to suit up in protective clothing to supervise the river and carry out decontamination works while members of the Red Crescent Society provided medical assistance to the victims.
One person can make a difference
Indonesian Tiza Mafira saw a growing problem with single-use plastic bags in her country and decided to do something about it. She started the Indonesia Plastic Bag Diet Movement and launched a petition in 2015 to reduce the use of plastic bags. In 2016, a nationwide trial for banning plastic bags saw a 55% drop in the use of plastic bags.
Changing mindsets
Afroz Shah is best known as the man behind the world’s biggest beach clean-up. His battle began when he bought an apartment at the Versova Beach in Mumbai. Today, he cleans beaches and mangrove swamps weekly with a group of volunteers, and visits schools to educate children about what they do.
Fighting an ocean of plastic
Hugo Tagholm credited his enthusiasm for beach cleaning to the days he spent searching for buried treasure along river banks with his father and brother. In 1991, he joined the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), one of UK’s most popular marine conservation charities. In 2008, he became the CEO for SAS and helped to develop policies on pressing environmental threats like plastic pollution and climate change.
Turning the toxic tide
Sasina Kaudelka wanted to make a difference and take action where pollution is concerned. In 2015, she co-founded the Ao Nang chapter of Trash Hero in 2015 which won the Thailand Green Excellence Award for its outstanding contribution to green tourism. Each week, she would meet up with local volunteers to clean the beaches in Ao Nang and around the river near Krabi Town.
Labels for ‘plastic’ clothes
Long-time ocean activist Stiv Wilson spearheaded a US campaign against plastic microbeads after witnessing the effects of plastic pollution while working for non-profit organization 5Gyres. He is also pushing for a bill in California that will require clothing with more than 50% polyester to have a label stating that it sheds, in order to stem the flow of microfibers into waterways.
Ordinary people often selflessly volunteer their time and skills – and sometimes even put themselves in harm’s way – to protect and defend others or our environment. These are the real heroes in our world. And the amazing thing is, all of us have the capacity to be this hero.