Have we built a world that moves too fast to sustain itself? World Wildlife Day (3 March) celebrates the unique roles and contributions of each creature to life in, and on earth – from microbes to people.

Life takes place between the opposing and complementary polarities of Yin and Yang, one receptive, one expressive; dark and light; within and without.

“Some roles in life require us to be more receptive… that is the Yin aspect. Other aspects require more action and expression… that is Yang,” explains Dato’ Joey Yap.

Most of us understand imbalance in personal terms – burnout, stress, hustle. This excess Yang energy stems from too much action without time for restoration. 

Zoom out and see modern society. The world we’ve built is based on the assumption of linear growth without end, quarter on quarter, year on year – producing, consuming, upgrading, innovating. Such is Yang energy. 

In contrast, all types of natural ecosystems are self-sustaining. For example, the Unesco-listed Gunung Mulu National Park alone has 17 vegetation or forest types, a rich diversity of habitats and soils, including a stunning natural cave system. Its diversity of flora and fauna is mesmerising. 

Mulu has been self-generating and sustaining for millions of years – there are no ruins to be found here, unlike with ancient human civilisations and abandoned megaprojects. The built environment, on the other hand, serves productive Yang economic activity almost exclusively. And yet every single thing of the built-environment comes from the earth.

Yin and Yang are not about choosing nature over progress but about matching the rhythm of activity and renewal. Cutting down the forest does not mean regrowing a forest elsewhere like a housing project; it fundamentally alters landforms, waterways, Qi, and Feng Shui. 

When human activity is divorced from natural systems, the balance tilts, leading to habitat loss, declining biodiversity, and climate change, which indicate clear signs of instability. 

World Wildlife Day reflects on how we live as part of the planet, rather than just seeing it as an environmental issue. “Everything that comes into physical existence…comes with Yin and Yang. Duality creates existence,” says Yap. By honouring this duality, human society and nature collaborate and thrive in harmony. 

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