Article: Green crusaders

Tuesday July 8, 2008

Ecoknights was founded on the dream of making the world a healthier place.

By MAYBELLINE YEO

ECOKNIGHTS. Remember that name for you would probably be hearing more about it in future. It’s tagline “crusading for the environment” aptly sums up what this young green group is all about.

Formed a mere two years ago by a circle of friends with a shared passion for Mother Earth, this organisation is aiming for programmes that involve communities and industrial players.

The knights behind the group are from various backgrounds.

Ecoknights conducts youth programmes about the environment.

“Our team consist of biologists, creative designers, engineers and businessmen, to name a few. What brought us together is the dream of making the world a healthier place,” said founding member Yasmin Rasyid, a biologist who used to work at World Wide Fund for Nature.

They are a young team, with the oldest member aged 38.

“Youths have so much energy and enthusiasm when fighting for something they believe in. We want to utilise that energy towards a common goal,” enthused Yasmin.

Ecoknights offers internships and voluntary jobs to anyone interested in and passionate about the environment.

According to Yasmin, when it comes to the environment, it’s all about empathy. “When you don’t feel it, there’s no need to care for it.”

Hence, the knights are emphasising on awareness programmes, particularly those targeting youths, so as to build more eco-conscious citizens in the future.

Ecoknights is currently holding a film competition, Eco Film Fest 2008, which brings together budding filmmakers, environmental activists, scientists and the government to produce entertaining yet educational documentaries or films about the environment. The festival with the theme “Climate Change – A Call For Action” is open to Malaysians aged 18 and above.

Yasmin assured that video quality would not be an issue for the competition. “The films need not be in high resolution. Our rules are pretty much flexible. It can be anything from animations to scripts, short films, documentaries or even a music video. We are really just interested in the creativity of getting the message across,” she declared.

Five finalists will be selected to attend two workshops. One workshop is on equipment usage, storyboard development, producing, directing and managing the process of filmmaking. The country’s top filmmakers will share tips at the workshop.

In the second workshop, the finalists will analyse current environmental issues so that they get their facts correct in their films. They would eventually become Ecoknights ambassadors.

The winner will walk away with cash prizes, a course at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara) and flight tickets to an international film festival. The winning documentary or film will be submitted to the International Documentary Festival Association (IDFA) based in the Netherlands.

Public screening of the contending films will be held for free throughout October at Aswara at Jalan Tun Ismail in Kuala Lumpur, Palate Pallete Restaurant and Bar at Jalan Mesui in Kuala Lumpur, KL Motopark at Bukit Jalil, Help University College in Damansara, Selangor and Taylor’s College in Subang, Selangor.

The Eco Film Fest 2008 is an attempt to create environmental awareness in a fun and entertaining way.

The Eco Film Festival itself will be held on Nov 1 to 2 on the lawn of Aswara. There will be workshops for the public, displays of eco-friendly products and a hybrid vehicle as well as sale of organic food. A special treat is the screening of international eco-films Kilowatt Hours, Who Killed The Electric Car and Crude Awakening.

“We feel that the public needs to be educated as well as entertained when it comes to increasing awareness. We want to make an impact on people’s lives in a fun way,” explained Yasmin.

With a holding capacity of only 800 people per screening, those who are interested in watching these films must register for a spot at the Ecoknights website.

Yasmin is also excited about Ecoknights’ upcoming project, the Sekolah Hijau Award. It is a competition between schools that conduct environmental projects such as a garden plot or a recycling scheme. The winners will be rewarded with a trip to an eco-discovery camp to learn more about the environment.

Lastly, Yasmin has some advice on how individuals can play a role in saving the environment. “Simple things like changing your light bulbs to energy-efficient ones, turning off your plug points when not in use and separating your trash for recycling can all make a difference,” she said.

For more information about Ecoknights and its activities, go to www.ecoknights.com.

This article was taken from: The STar Online: Lifestyle: Focus 8 July 2008