SMU Associate Professor of Humanities Winston Chow said, "Most of the individual actions people can do are often less visible than not using straws, and requires an effort to change behaviour for the long term." He added that individuals can take steps such as reducing their consumption of goods, materials and services which generate carbon emissions. "A major step would be to acknowledge personal activities that emit a lot of carbon, for example, overseas travel for business or tourism by aviation," said Assoc Prof Chow, whose research interests include urban vulnerability and climate change.