The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.112)

2019 • 07 30 pecial Feature to quit as she advances in age. Her vision has deteriorated, owing to eye strain caused by long hours at the sewing machine. She had also suffered from sinusitis, a condition that has improved after undergoing an operation. However, the surgery resulted in deafness in her right ear and impaired hearing in her left ear that necessitates the use of a hearing aid. Recently, she has been experiencing acute pain in her lower back due to a spinal problem. Apart from all these afflictions, she is also susceptible to osteoporosis. Burdened by persistent ailments, daily walks around the block to collect recyclables are no longer feasible for Kan Len. “Although it’s no longer possible for me to carry out recycling work around the neighbourhood, I continue to support environmental conservation from home. I would spread the word on recycling practices to my neighbours, besides encouraging them to preserve their recyclables instead of discarding them as trash. Little did I expect my efforts would lead to bags of recyclables being left on my doorstep,” she said. Now, Kan Len’s apartment unit is starting to look like a recycling centre with bundles of recyclables deposited outside her door every day. After preparing her family’s meals for the day, she would settle herself on a small stool in a corner to sort the collected recyclables accordingly and organize them neatly. However, she would often notice traces of non-recyclable refuse among the load of recyclables left by the residents. She was initially tolerant and disposed of the trash herself, but as the proportion of trash grew, she realized that it is necessary to raise awareness among the residents on the difference between recyclable items and non-recyclable refuse. She was initially hesitant to confront her fellow residents for fear of unintentionally sounding offensive, but it dawned on her that the Earth would only stand a chance at restoration if its inhabitants work together in protecting the environment. She eventually mustered her courage to educate fellow residents on the proper method of handling recyclables in order to reduce wastage. Her sincere efforts finally bore fruit, as the content of trash buried among recyclables has progressively decreased. Some residents would even take the initiative to sort the recyclables in advance. Kan Len spends most of her waking hours sorting recyclables, leaving her with barely any time to socialize with her neighbours. Nevertheless, she perceives this as a blessing in disguise. “I’m so occupied with recycling work that I don’t have any time left for gossip, effectively keeping negative karma at bay,” she quipped, before citing another unexpected advantage of immersing herself in recycling work – a peaceful life free of conflict. Kan Len organizes the recyclables gathered from her neighbours neatly along the walls to avoid obstructing the path.