Oysterbay Johor
Some months ago I was having happy hour oysters at Gibson, after I had just finished reading Eating Chilli Crab in the Anthropocene - a book about environmental issues in Singapore. I asked our friend, the bartender, where the oysters were from - and with second hand passion for oysters from the sister bar Humpback downstairs he informed me that they were probably from the US West Coast.
I imagine that once there was a king who loved novelty and sought out luxuries from across the world. However that king lived in an innocent age where he did not yet realise that when mimesis takes its course and all people want to eat the wonderful novelties from across the planet, we will be destroying the planet and its novelties in the process. Nevertheless, I do think such life affirming, joyful desires are something to be encouraged. It is awesome that we want to feel connected to the Pacific ocean from here in Singapore, and it is awesome that we assemble the technology and enterprise to do it. But, it is high time we learn to recognise a new luxury, to replace this get-out-of-my-way wealth accumulation. And our technology and enterprise should manifest this new vision.
It is a luxury to have the supply chains that serve you be transparent, traceable and characterised by love and mindfulness. It is a luxury to eat what is local. It is a luxury to be able to leave this planet with the confidence that your net impact on the environment was actually good and not bad.
I was reminded of a holiday the rest of my family took while I was away in England studying. Johor Poseidon Oysterbay is a floating raft ("rakit") in the Johor river. Before I went there if you gave me a map and asked me to draw the Johor river I would not have been able to do it.
They needed a minimum group size of 6 so we asked around and assembled a group of friends.
This trip to oysterbay was a part of my practice of environmentalism. There were at least a few environmental connections:
- Patronising local oyster production rather than that which is air-flown across continents
- Driving rather than flying for a weekend trip
- Bringing your friends along with you and making environmentalism fun for them
- Being attentive to the natural environment by attending to the water and sky, and by partaking in fishing and eating local produce (we noticed a worrying number of dead floating fish, probably from dredging operations)
During our time on the kelong, we accidentally dropped a few pieces of litter into the water. A pingpong ball was lost by a first time player, two or three fishing hooks with some line were stuck to the riverbed by first time fishermen, and the Branded Handbag dream card from The Singaporean Dream slipped through the wooden planks that made the platform under us. I've always wondered what the psychology of those who litter is - and it was humbling to realise, if you spend time near the water, you are going to drop things in it.
This trip helped me put my dollars and senses into what I want to manifest. When people say they are powerless to change society, ask them who they regularly hand their money to.
I've got more to undo if I want to offset my littering. I will not be able to get that specific fishing hook out of the water. Perhaps I can attend a coastal cleanup and pick up a few hundred piece of trash to make up for it.
And I don't particularly want to discuss it here but I should mention we feasted a lot and the hospitality was great. Please go and see it! There's so much to do in Singapore and Johor.