Article: Green – it’s the new black

Saturday June 21, 2008

JUST A MINUTE
By JOANNA ABISHEGAM

THERE was a time when I used to enjoy shopping. I’d meander through the aisle of our local Sainsburys, mindlessly chucking green beans from Kenya and pineapples from Costa Rica into my trolley, as they took my fancy. I’d buy strawberries in winter and pumpkin in the summer, and never worry about things like food miles, ethically sourced ingredients and organic produce. To me, a carbon footprint was nothing more than some poor sod who had stepped into a vat of photocopy toner.

These days however, it’s a whole different ball game. The weekly shop is fraught with stress. Have we remembered to bring our own reusable shopping bags? Are the eggs free range, the light bulbs low voltage, the loo-paper recycled, the wine fair trade and everything minimally packaged?

Do I look like a lentil munching, sandal wearing, tree hugging hippie to you?

The green revolution has hit Britain with a resounding whack. Green is glamorous, sustainable is sexy and you either toe the line or face the wrath of the insufferably greener-than-thou establishment.

“Conforming” is a dirty word in my vocabulary. However, when the argument is sound and ethical, it’s really no point bucking the trend.

So when The Economist said that the “green agenda” was the hot colour right now, you can bet I put on my emerald garb and got ready to party with the best of them!

Britain’s ethical consumerism market in the last few years has grown to £29.3bil, with some £4bil coming from food and drink sales.

According to the Institute for Grocery Distribution, shoppers are increasingly prepared to pay a premium for high-quality organic, free-range or fair trade products.

The Institute predicts that the trend is growing so fast that soon it will apply just as rigorously to other household items like toothpaste, soap and tea towels.

The research has even gone on to identify the different types of ethical shopper. These include:

· The Showboaters – those affluent, middle-class urban eco-warriors who have reluctantly parked the Hummer in the garage, bought out the Prius and are working hard to be seen doing the right thing, because it’s oh so trendy dahling!

· The Guerillas – the real lentil munching brigade, who boycott brands, sport zero-carbon hemp sandals, know a dozen ways to cook seasonal curly kale and are constantly grumpy – due, no doubt, to the chafing of their unbleached cotton ‘fair trade’ knickers.

· And last but not least (and the category I most identify with, unfortunately) is the Lapsed Activists – the poor souls who forget to take stuff off standby and unplug the mobile chargers (Note to self: must do better!)

However, because the green market is growing at an annual rate of 7.5% (the conventional groceries market is doing a staid 4.2% in comparison), boardrooms across Britain are sitting up and taking notice.

Upping the ante to address customer’s environmental concerns, major supermarkets are making more commitments to extensive long-term environmental improvement, and Waitrose is a prime example. The supermarket chain has begun a ground-breaking trial that could lead to its entire fleet of lorries being powered by rapeseed oil.

Tesco, that bastion of consumerism, is investing £2mil in supporting locally sourced products and opening five regional buying offices to facilitate this. It plans to halve its energy consumption by 2010 and is spending £100mil to develop renewable energy.

Marks & Spencer will spend £200mil over five years on a wide-ranging eco-plan which promises to change the way the chain operates. Initiatives include transforming the 460-strong chain into a carbon neutral operation; banning group waste from landfill dumps; using unsold out-of-date food as a source of recyclable energy and making polyester clothing from recycled plastic bottles.

In recent years, many of us have learnt how to become more environmentally responsible at home. Millions now recycle their domestic rubbish, tens of thousands have installed water butts and thousands, us included, now grow some of our own produce at home.

Living the green life can be fun, rather than the hair shirt it is painted out to be.

I can’t say I’m not a little wistful when I substitute my politically incorrect leather Gucci handbag with the ‘I’m not a plastic bag’ Anya Hindmarsh cotton tote sold for a fiver at Sainsburys. But I console myself with the thought that its green credentials are so hot, it was the official goodie-bag at the 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar-night party!

· Joanna Abishegam-David is a Malaysian born journalist and writer who lives and works in London. She can be reached at joanna.david05@gmail.com

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Bizweek 21 June 2008

Article: Nurturing eco warriors

Sunday June 15, 2008

A TOTAL of 106 children aged between seven and 12 took part in a colouring contest organised recently by Kolej Disted-Stamford, Penang, to mark World Environment Day.

The contest, themed “Bring Back the Green”, was organised in collaboration with the Penang Children's Library.

Six children from St Joseph’s Home, and 10 from the Ramakrishna Ashrama, participated for free.

“We need to help children learn to be more eco-conscious and environment-friendly,” said event organiser and DISTED assistant librarian Fairunizan Akbar Malik.

Saraswathi (in green) showing the students how to make vermi-compost with earthworms.

“By getting young children to be more aware of what is happening to the environment, we’re nurturing a new generation of eco-warriors to protect the earth,” she added.

Assistant librarian at the Penang Children’s Library, Siti Khatijah Osman, said: “The event also aims to foster goodwill among children and parents from various races.”

Consumers Association of Penang education officer Saraswathi Devi also gave a talk-cum-demonstration on organic farming using vermi-compost, using earthworms, to the participants and their parents.

“For a start, children can learn to recycle organic waste and grow a plant.

“This is the first step to developing a love for nature and greening the environment,” said Saraswathi.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Education 15 June 2008

Article: Teaching children to be environment friendly

SOME 106 children aged seven to 12 had a whale of a time painting their interpretation of greening the earth to mark World Environment Day recently.

The children from St Joseph’s Home and Ramakrishna Ashrama were also taught to value life and the environ-ment at the event organised by Kolej Disted-Stamford with the cooperation of Penang Children’s Library and Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).

Kolej Disted’s assistant librarian Fairunizan Akbar Malik said the contest, themed ‘Bring Back the Green’, was primarily aimed at encouraging the children to be eco-conscious and environment-friendly.

“By getting young children to care for the environment, we are nurturing a new generation of eco-warriors to protect the earth,” she said.

Penang Children’s Library assistant librarian Siti Khatijah Osman said the event encouraged the children to mingle with students from other schools and helped foster goodwill among the children and parents from various communities.

CAP’s education officer Saraswathi Devi gave a talk cum demonstration on organic farming using vermi- compost.

“A step towards greening the environment is to teach the children on ways to recycle organic waste and grow a plant,” said Saraswathi, who taught them how to use earthworms to make vermi-compost.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 8 July 2008

Article: Yuen’s green creations are not for sale

Thursday July 31, 2008

COLOUR ME GREEN

By THO XIN YI
Photos by CHUA KOK HWA

Turning junk into art is not unheard of, but Penelope Yuen is one of those few who live by the earth-saving rule.

The self-taught graphic designer had been very keen in creating things from junk since her teens, and that had attracted disapproving looks and later, admiration from the people around her.

Not just a knapsack: Yuen with her eco warrior, Pokok.

“I chanced upon a broken chair by the street and took it home, thinking that it was such a waste to throw it away as I could fix it in some ways.

“At first, my mum asked why I was bringing lap sap (junk) home but after she saw how I transformed the chair by painting it up and making it look new, she was very surprised and said it was very beautiful,” said the 36-year-old.

However, it was not until recently that she took up the hobby seriously under her Closet Crafty label.

“I attended the Utter Rubbish conference in Singapore in November last year, which brought in international designers to encourage people to use less and create more things,” Yuen said.

She then saw for herself the value in these green activities and started to create more things for the I Am Not Junk series, including notepads, dolls, pencil cases, bookmarks and bags.

The materials she used in making those attractive items were tennis balls, old socks, toilet paper tubes, tennis ball containers, old shirts, bubble foam wraps, and also plastic bags.

“I made a cross-eyed one-arm turtle and stuffed it with plastic bags. My aim was to tell people through Warrior Trootstie that he got killed when he ate a plastic bag after mistaking it for jelly fish,” Yuen said.

She also has Pokok (a knapsack in the shape of a bear) and five other warriors Dodi, Nodi, Joji, Froogi and Moot to send the green message across.

Yuen’s eco warriors: (From left) Dodi, Nodi, Joji, Froogi and Moot. In front of them are some pencil cases made by Yuen from an old shirt.

To add a fun element to her warriors, she has humanised Pokok by telling people that it was him who made all the green items.

The five dolls in tennis ball containers are assembled using old socks, tennis balls, strips of old clothes and toilet paper tubes.

“I put each warrior in a capsulated case to tell people that the air outside is contaminated and so they can only survive in the sterile air, although they really want to come out,” Yuen said.

Her creations under the I Am Not Junk series are not for sale at the moment, although many people find them cute and useful.

“I decided to take away the element of greed because I feel that if you want to do something good, it should come from the heart without expecting anything in return.

“It started as a hobby, I didn’t think much about how it would impact the environment in a positive way. But it has become more meaningful now by saving more things from ending up in landfills.

“I am doing what I love without receiving money, and it has led me to many opportunities,” she said.

Yuen recently exhibited her creations at the No Plastic Bag Concert by The Recyclists and people approached her to ask how she made the items displayed.

“I don’t mind sharing my knowledge at all. I am glad that I have met my objective, which is to inspire more people to save the environment!” she said.

Yuen is going to give out her bookmarks at her mini exhibition at the arts and culture event at Menara Hap Seng every Sunday in August.

“Visitors can also meet Pokok and ask him any questions by writing them down on paper and placing them in his notebook. He will respond via email or snail mail,” Yuen said.

Yuen said developers and other organisations could maximise their resources by reducing waste and transforming them into premium gifts.

“Instead of wasting money giving away diaries or notebooks and creating demand for more trees to be chopped down, they could use scrap materials on site and turn them into decorations and stationery, or even create a new product line to add value to their businesses,” she said.

Her future plans include creating soft toys of endangered animals which die as a result of trying to eat plastic bags, producing an ebook to illustrate ways of turning junk into art, and utilising her knowledge in remedial therapies to come out with her own skincare products.

“I am also experimenting on how to make rubber stamp ink from juices of fruits and vegetables,” she said.

Yuen’s creations can be viewed at http://closetcrafty.blogspot.com

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Metro: Central 31 July 2008

Article: Whale Protection

By MICHAEL CHEANG

Blue whales may not be as threatened as once thought but they still need protection.

ONE of the most memorable moments in Dr Bruce Mate’s career in studying whales was the first time he touched a whale, and it looked him in the eye.

“That was a powerful moment. I feel a kinship with whales ... they’re mammals, they have hair, they breathe air, they nurse their young with milk. We’re related to them fundamentally but yet, they do some things that are so bizarre compared to humans. They live in a place we think of as hostile, but it’s the only option they have. And all the threats to them are because of us,” said the 63-year-old director of Oregon State University Endowed Marine Mammal Programme.

Happy duo: Blue whales swimming in the Santa Barbara, California area. – Flip Nicklin/National Geographic

Mate, one of the world’s leading whale experts, was in Kuala Lumpur recently for an exhibition promoting a National Geographic Channel documentary called Big Blue. The two-hour documentary follows an international team of scientists led by Mate as they study blue whales, the largest animal in the world. The show focuses in part on the team’s work at an area called The Dome off Costa Rica. It was there that they encountered a new-born blue whale calf for the first time.

“That made The Dome a very unique area because of all the nine populations of blue whales we know of, this is the first time anyone has discovered a place where calves were born,” said Mate.

They also found over half of the whales at the Costa Rica site to be untagged – which means these animals had come from elsewhere.

Mate reckons blue whales are less exploited compared to other whale species because of the unpredictable nature of their haunts.

“This offshore location (where blue whales group) varies every year because it’s decided by the collision of two ocean currents. Because of that, whalers can never figure out where to go each year and that has kept them from killing all the whales.”

Whale-mate: Dr Bruce Mate with a life-size replica of a blue whale calf at the Big Blue Exhibition at Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur, recently.

Contrary to popular belief, the biggest threat to whales right now is not whaling, according to Mate. “The only species that are extensively caught are minke whales and they are still pretty common. The biggest threat to whales is probably other human activities, and us being naïve about them,” he said.

He gave an example of the well-known grey whales of the north coast of North America. If that population drops by 10% a year, no one would know if that has been the trend for the past eight to 10 years. So no one would act on it. “It will still take a really dramatic thing before people will do something about the situation. So what hope do we have for the less-known species?”

Growing up in a small town near Chicago, right smack in the middle of North America with nary an ocean in sight, Mate’s personal journey began with a high school biology teacher who made the subject special and inspired him to go into marine biology.

At 24, he attended a conference where a speaker said no one knew the migration habits of sea lions. “I thought at the time, ‘Surely he can’t be an expert. After all, these are really big animals. How can we not know that?’ ” Mate recalled. “A week later, I found out he was correct, and just decided, ‘Well, I’m going to do just that!’ ”

Mate then developed a tagging device to track sea lions and earned his doctorate at the University of Oregon in 1973 by studying sea lion migrations. His work drew the attention of whale experts who suggested that he design a way to tag whales.

“It took me about two years to learn how to attach things to whales, and later I began tracking grey whales off the coast by driving down the highway,” he said.

He then received funding to pioneer a satellite tracking system that has since become crucial in learning about blue whales.

“The first satellite tags we put out were in 1983 and 1984 on humpback whales off the east coast of Canada. Today, we’ve tracked blue whales for up to 538 days and sperm whales for up to 30 months,” he said.

Every population of whales that he has tagged has made a huge change in our understanding of whales. “The first big population we did was on Wright whales. We thought they were slow-moving, near shore and surface skin breathers. We found out however, that they are fast, went off-shore routinely and go deep regularly, which was totally opposite of what we assumed,” he said.

Mate said the satellite tagging technology coupled with National Geographic’s revolutionary Crittercam has enabled scientists to learn more about blue whales in the last decade than they had in the past 100 years. The Crittercam (essentially a video camera) is mounted onto the whale’s back on an extended pole so that it overlooks the whale’s head. It is recovered when the whales surface.

“Thanks to the Crittercam, people are going to see the whale’s perspective in this film. It gives us a lot of details about what the animal does during its dives, so we understand a little more about how it lives, and how we can behave to make its life better and help the population recover ... because we now have eyes and ears on the animal.”

One of the biggest threats now for whales is collision with vessels. Mate said that half of Wright whale deaths were due to this.

“If you add that to natural mortality, you’re at least doubling what nature does. And for an animal that breeds only once every three to five years, the population might not recover. We have to do something about the mortality that we’re causing or that population is going to go extinct.”

Even though blue whales aren’t as threatened by ship collisions, they still found four blue whales killed each month while working at the Gulf of California. The threat to blue whales is more a combination of krill harvests, the potential whaling interest, shipping and noise pollution from the oil and gas industry, and military activities.

Mate reckons that whale conservation is an international endeavour since the animal moves through the water of four to five nations.

“A chain is only as strong as the weakest link. We all need to co-operate to keep all resources in good shape. And because of the popularity of whales, they are a good poster child for the environment,” he said.

“In 1972 when we had the first con­ference on the environment, blue whales were a symbol of human stupidity, the abuse of nature and over-harvesting. We thought that there were so few blue whales left that they would never be able to find each other to breed and calf.

“We know now that there were more (at the time), and I’m happy to say that blue whales are doing much better than we thought, and in many areas they are doing better because we stopped hunting them in 1966.

“But if we’re going to sustain these things, then we have to have a certain measure of protection and regulation. We should be thinking as if we are caretakers of the planet for our grandchildren whom we’ve never met yet because if we don’t have that attitude, it won’t be there for them.”

Fast facts

• Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever inhabited the Earth. They are larger than any of the great dinosaurs.
• They can weigh up to 200 tonnes (heavier than 40 Asian elephants) and can grow up to 30m long – that’s the equivalent of two city buses, bumper to bumper, and longer than a basketball court.
• Blue whales dive for 10 to 20-minute intervals and feed at depths of up to 100m. They consume an average of four tonnes of the shrimp-like krills in a day, the equivalent of 64,000 hamburgers.
• They have a heart the size of a Mini Cooper that can weigh close to 450kg. A human could actually crawl through its major arteries.
• It is one of the loudest creatures on the planet, and can produce sounds as loud as a jet engine (blue whale: 188 decibels; jet engine: 140 decibels). It can also communicate with other whales up to 1,600km away.
• Blue whales spend almost all of their lives underwater and surface for only seconds at a time to fill their lungs. The sprays from their blowholes can be higher than a two-storey building (about 10m).

Catch Big Blue on National Geographic Channel (Astro channel 553) on April 24 (6pm), April 25 (10pm) and April 26 (1pm).

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 21 April 2009

Article: Fading Flashes

AFTER the sun sets, riverine villages in Kuala Selangor will light up. In the darkness, the synchronous flashing of the insect Pteroptyx tener illuminates the berembang (Sonne­ratia caseolaris) trees like Christmas lights.

The phenomenon was a well-kept secret until a foreign entomologist documented it in the early 1970s. A local villager, the late Jalaluddin Mohd Isa, started taking tourists on his wooden boat to see the sparkling trees in the 80s. In the early 90s, the Malaysian Nature Society mooted the idea of firefly ecotourism.

Accounts of the amazing experience spread far and wide and in a short span of time, a visit to Kampung Kuantan in Kuala Selangor topped the ecotourism chart in Selangor. While fireflies are commonly found in riverine ecosystems, it is the synchronous flashing by the species P. tener that produces the most spectacular effect.

Light show: Firefly watching has drawn hordes of tourists over the years.

But this natural wonder faces constant threats – from the construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam to waste pollution and now, the destruction of its breeding habitat.

Jalaluddin’s son Razak says once the habitat is gone, so will the fireflies and the promising ecotourism activities. Spin-offs from firefly watching tours include seafood restaurants and homestay programmes that benefit the local economy.

“We pleaded for the river buffer to be adhered to but the developers did not heed the guidelines. Some landowners are unaware that their lands have been planted with oil palm or banana,” he says.

Boatman Mohd Shahir Saidun who grew up watching the fireflies notes that there has been a significant decrease in the beetle population in the past two years. “It used to be really spectacular. Almost all the trees would be lit. But now, we can count the number of trees (with fireflies aggregation). We feel helpless. I don’t know if I can hold on to this job for long,” says the 22-year-old who earns RM500 a month for the nightly three-hour job.

Razali Shamsudin, 57, claims that the landowners have migrated and so are not concerned about the fate of the firelies. The homestay operator from Kampung Tanjung Siam, upstream of Kampung Kuantan, says there are 12 families offering homestay packages.

Another boatman, Ali Hashim, 35, admits that it is embarassing when visitors are not satisfied with the “light show”.

“They came from far and went away disappointed. We are disappointed too but there’s very little that we can do. It’s a shame if we lose this natural wonder to greed and ignorance,” says Ali.

The manager of Kelip-kelip Trading, one of three joint-operators of the firefly watching business, is convinced that agriculture development can co-exist with ecotourism as long as the habitat is protected.

“What we see now is total disregard for guidelines and the relevant authorities are slow in responding,” he says.

For former boatman Abdul Malik Puteh, the destruction of the firefly habitat has dealt another blow to his earning capacity.

He has been collecting rumbia fronds for making thatched roof, earning RM50 a day.

“Now that the land is cleared, that source of income is gone. I now have to travel 4km further to collect nipah fronds instead,” he says.

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus: 21 April 2009

Article: Buzzing Beetle

THE dominant species of firefly in Kuala Selangor is the synchronous flashing Pteroptyx tener. The other two species are P. valida (non-synchronous) and P. malaccae (synchronous but rare).

The life span of P. tener from egg to adulthood is four to seven months, with almost 60% of its lifetime spent as a predatory larva. Their flash frequency is about 3.7 flashes per second and their timing is precise.

At night, the females deposit their eggs in the soil and among moss and decaying plant material in the floodplain. Between 80 to 150 eggs are laid each time. The larva survives by preying on small mangrove snails.

Source: Entomology Unit, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 21 April 2009

Article: Survey on plastic bag ban

PENANG will conduct a survey over the next few months before deciding on whether to ban the use of plastic bags in the state.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state would adopt a ‘progressive approach’ to formulate a solution that was acceptable to everyone.

He said this when opening the ‘Plastic Bag: To Ban, or Not to Ban?’ public forum at the Penang Caring Complex on Sunday.

Starting them young: Five-year-old Seng Shi Jan throwing a plastic bottle into a special plastic recyling bin during the forum.

“We want to strongly emphasise the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).

“If you only focus on recycling, you are merely minimising the problem as opposed to solving it,” he added.

“This forum is part of our efforts to get the stakeholders’ feedback before we develop a comprehensive policy that will accommodate different aspects of solid waste management including public health, cultural, environmental, economic developments as well as social capital and equity aspects in society,” he said.

Lim added that a recent check by the state on six major supermarkets and hypermarkets in Penang showed that a total of 25.2 million plastic bags were distributed last year to consumers.

“This amount doesn’t include the millions used by other retailers and hawkers.

“Tourists complain that Penang is dirty with plastic bags littering the streets, drains, rivers, beaches and sea. Hence, there is a need to take action now,” he said.

“Our local municipal councils have a recycling rate of 33% which is among the highest in the country but the state currently generates about 1,500 to 1,600 tons of waste per day.

“At this rate, we will have used up our existing landfill site soon,” he warned, adding that in 2006, solid waste management cost constituted up to 20% of the Penang Municipal Council’s revenue collection.

“This cost continues to escalate as our waste generation increases year by year. We need to find solutions to reduce our solid waste management bill,” he said, noting that plastic bags were widely used because they were “acceptable, available and affordable.”

“They are cheap, useful, and plentiful, which brings about the problem of excessive usage and injudicious dumping of an otherwise useful product,” he said.

In his presentation, Malaysian Plastics Manufacturers Association president and Malaysian Plastics Forum chairman Lim Kok Boon said plastic as a product, contributed positively to the environment and society.

“However, plastic waste, just like any other waste, must be properly managed. Banning plastic is not the answer; the 3Rs approach is,” he said.

In his closing speech, Penang Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said this was the first time such a dialogue had been held.

“The issue of whether to ban the usage of plastic shopping bags is complex as it effects all levels of society.

“The state will consider all suggestions seriously and carefully,” he said, adding that the focus was now was on public awareness and educational campaign.

The five-hour dialogue saw some 200 participants resolving to support efforts to minimise the excessive usage of disposable plastic bags.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North, 21 April 2009

Article: Lights Out

Tuesday April 21, 2009

Habitat loss in Kuala Selangor's firefly colony

By HILARY CHIEW

The firefly colony of Kuala Selangor faces constant threats – from the construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam to waste pollution and now, destruction of its breeding habitat.

SEVERAL nibong stems straddle the creek that drains the intertidal zone at Kampung Beluntas into Sungai Selangor. Valued as a sturdy material for make-shift bridges in rural areas, nibong trees are among the floodplain vegetation cleared recently to make way for oil palm cultivation.

The land clearing detected in Kuala Selangor is situated opposite the jetty where tourists board a fleet of 31 wooden boats to view the spectacular light show – the famous synchronised flashing of fireflies on berembang trees along the riverbank at Kampung Kuantan.

Clear and present danger: Clearing of riverine vegetation at Kuala Selangor for banana and oil palm plantation has destroyed the habitat of the synchronous flashing firefly Pteroptyx tener that is the source of a thriving eco-tourism activity in the otherwise sleepy hollow. In the background is a thin line of berembang trees left standing. – ONG SOON HIN/The Star

It is learnt that 52ha of the riverine area belonging to an unknown number of private landowners are being developed for the cash crop by a local from nearby Kampung Belimbing. So far, 32ha have been stripped of riparian vegetation consisting of nibong, rumbia, nipah and fig trees, leaving only a narrow strip of berembang trees lining the bank. In some parts, the clearing is right up to the river edges.

“The clearing work started last May and is scheduled to be completed by June. Work is slow because the soil is very soggy especially after a rainy spell and this can sink the excavator,” says a source at the site.

“Some parts of this land has been left idle for the last 80 years and this is a good source of income for landowners. It costs the developer RM1,500 to clear one acre (0.4ha). This is not an illegal activity,” he says. He claims that the developer has obtained the agreement of 24 landowners for a 15-year lease.

It is unclear if the berembang trees were spared in keeping with the guideline of 50m river buffer or as a convenient screen for the destruction.

Drastic changes

News of the destruction at Kampung Beluntas follow a spate of clearing along the riverbank highlighted by various media in March. In fact, periodic clearing has been occurring since 2007, according to researchers at the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM).

Funded by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, a team from FRIM was given RM200,000 to monitor the habitat for a two-year period from 2006 under the Integrated River Basin Management project to develop a systematic monitoring method for the firefly population.

Although fireflies aggregate along a 10km stretch downstream of the 110km Sungai Selangor, nine sites along a 1.6m stretch of riverbank was surveyed on a monthly basis. Tree lines on the opposite banks were photographed for comparison over the months.

“As we observed more and more clearing at the monitoring sites between Kampung Kuantan and Bukit Belimbing last November, we wrote to the Kuala Selangor District Council,” says the team leader Dr Laurence Kirton.

However, the entomologist from FRIM acknowledges that human modification of the riverine habitat along Sungai Selangor is not a recent development. In 2005, he analysed satellite images of a 5sqkm area around Kampung Kuantan and found that almost 70% of the land has been modified or developed.

Drastic changes to vegetation along the river can result in decline of firefly and snail populations because the firefly larvae and their prey snails depend on natural riverine vegetation for survival.

“A lot of people think the berembang tree is enough (for the fireflies) but that’s not true as they need the natural habitat to survive,” says Kirton.

Female fireflies lay eggs in inland moist soil. Firefly larvae spend a substantial period of their seven-month life cycle in the floodplain before morphing into adults. The common mangrove snail is their main source of sustenance.

Besides habitat loss, Kirton warns that increased utilisation of land for agriculture also poses a threat to the firefly population as pesticide usage in plantations and orchards can harm the fireflies. He points to a survey between 2002 and 2003 that recorded downstream pesticide levels in Sungai Selangor to have exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency limits for freshwater aquatic organisms.

Paper sanctuary

At the height of the opposition against the construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam (completed in 2002), the survival of the firefly colony at the river mouth was one of the major concerns. It was feared that extraction of water would reduce freshwater flow downstream and cause salt water intrusion into the estuarine, thus adversely affecting the downstream ecosystem.

The Selangor Government provided a RM1mil grant to the Malaysian Nature Society to assess the environmental impacts of the dam and draft recommendations to mitigate the adverse impacts.

The 16-month study suggested continuous monitoring of the water level downstream, release of sufficient water from the dam during dry periods, establishment of a buffer zone along the river and continuous environmental monitoring. While the impact from the dam has yet to be fully ascertained, it appears that indiscriminate land clearing is threatening the firefly colony of Kuala Selangor.

The socio-economic importance of the fireflies’ touristic value had prompted the state to designate the site as a sanctuary and to undergo rehabilitation. The Kuala Selangor Local Plan (2007-2015) notes the need for a 50m river buffer and controlled development within a 400m radius from the river edge.

Securing private land has been highlighted as a vital step towards ensuring the wellbeing of the fireflies but until today, this critical aspect has yet to be resolved. Kirton says the state could acquire the land or provide incentives to land owners to prevent conversion of the land to other uses.

“Currently, land owners who are not direct beneficiaries of the firefly ecotourism do not bother about the effect of leasing or selling their land to oil palm or banana growers. The Govern­ment has to channel revenue from firefly watching activities into conservation of the habitat and there must be recognition of the importance of the firefly colony at the community level,” he adds.

Bukit Gasing state assemblyman Edward Lee says the district council and land office are currently determining the land status. He agrees that a comprehensive land management scheme is needed to resolve the problem. He says the state is looking into legal provisions for issuing stop-work orders as the affected areas are private land.

Related Stories:
Fading flashes
Buzzing beetle

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 21 April 2009

Article: Vantage Point

Stars on the menu

By ANDREA FILMER,

Photos by WAN MOHIZAN WAN HUSSEIN

Vantage point: A restaurant owner has joined forces with USM's Astronomy Club to build an observatory for amateurs at his hilltop eatery in Bukit Genting, Penang.

SINCE 2004, the Bukit Genting hilltop in Penang has offered visitors delicious Thai food, a breathtaking view, a fairyland atmosphere with hundreds of lights lit during the night and now, stars have been added to the list.

A new amateur observatory named the Pearl of Orion Observatory was completed on the hilltop this month and at 305m above sea level, it is believed to be the highest observatory in the country.

The observatory was the combined effort of the Bukit Genting Hill Leisure Park and Restaurant and Universiti Science Malaysia’s Astronomy Club.

Interesting topic: Dawson (right) engaged in a discussion on the universe with Jaime and Cameron (left).

Club committee member Stefan Dawson said restaurant owner Robert Tan had offered to sponsor both the land and funds to build the observatory in February when efforts to secure corporate funding fell through.

“The view of the sky from this location is amazing and we have a clear view in all directions, save a little obstruction in the south due to the contour of the hill.

“The observatory is also built in a completely unique design. Tan and his team came up with the design themselves after visiting some of the other observatories in the state,” Dawson said.

Perfect location: USM Astronomy Club members setting up telescopes at the new observatory.

And the effect is indeed spectacular.

The 3.0m by 3.7m observatory with a ‘roll-on roll-off’ roof is nestled between two boats-turned-chalets and overlooks the beautiful span of Balik Pulau’s lush greenery.

“Minus the telescopes,” Tan said, “about RM70,000 went into the place. My interest in building it was to help the state’s tourism sector.

“Penang has the sea, hills and the English language skills needed for the tourism industry to flourish, so there is no reason why we should be lagging behind Malacca and Singapore,” said Tan.

According to USM Astronomy Club academic advisor Dr Chong Hon Yew who named the observatory, the sliding roof was the most convenient design for an amateur observatory.

“It is cost effective, easy to use and allows a lot of air circulation so the place does not get too stuffy.

“Having an observatory here is wonderful. The Astronomy Club had several overnight stays on the hill last year but now, we definitely plan to come up more frequently for stargazing and photography.

“We also encourage school students to come or even get in touch with us for monthly astronomy sessions,” Dr Chong said.

Curious kids: The international school students taking turns to look through the telescope.

Among the first to use the observatory were 17 students from the Tenby International School in Penang who participated in a space camp recently organised by Dawson, who teaches world history at the school.

For students Jaime Gunter and Cameron McGrath, the atmosphere of Bukit Genting added to the hype of their first space camp.

“I’m looking forward to being the first to use the telescopes here.

“I hope we get to see some satellites, because normally, we only get to see them when they’re taking off and not when they’re in the sky,” said Jaime, 15.

Year 8 student Cameron, on the other hand, was anticipating other activities planned for the two-and-a-half day camp.

“We’re going to make water cannons and I want to see how high they can go.

“I also can’t wait for the jungle trek to the (Gertak Sanggul) beach. The hike is going to be winding and it doesn’t follow a straight path so I think it’s going to be really adventurous,” the 13-year-old boy said.

Admission into the observatory is free.

This article was taken from:The Star Newspaper: Metro: North, 21 April 2009

Article: Activists launch drive against eating shark fin

This article was taken from:The Star Newspaper: World W32, 19 April 2009

Article: Don't thrash this

By S.S. YOGA
Photos by RAYMOND OOI and courtesy of Heath Nash

South African designer Heath Nash uses unusual materials for his designs and work to save the environment at the same time.

MALAYSIA is one of the world’s leading producers of palm oil. However, the industry generates plenty of waste by-products, including oil palm frond, normally used for mulching.

Mind at work: ‘Naturally, I’m always thinking of what other materials I can work with,’ says Heath Nash.

Unfortunately, some plantations choose to burn them, which is illegal and worse, pollutes the environment.

Instead of resorting to such unhealthy practices, why not study the use of fronds as weaving material? The fronds could be a suitable and cheaper alternative to the traditional mengkuang/pandan (screw pines), nipah (Nypa fruticans), rattan and bamboo for making baskets and mats. This would be a sensible course of action when you consider the gradual destruction of forests and mangroves, and the dwindling supply of natural materials.

South African designer Heath Nash had this flash of an idea when his plane was landing at KLIA during his maiden trip to Malaysia and he saw the vista of oil palm plantations before him. He was in town for the inaugural KL Design Week (March 27 to April 4), as an exhibitor and featured presenter.

Sometimes, it takes someone looking in from the outside to come up with the possibilities. But then again, Nash has had practice exploring unusual materials to craft his handiwork.

The genesis for that idea can be traced back to Design Indaba, an exhibition at one of South Africa’s premier international design expos held in Cape Town in 2004. Visitors had commented that his designs did not reflect a South African identity.

Shipshape: How each bottle is cut up according to its hidden forms.

“Yes, my designs looked like they could have been from Japan or Sweden. The need for an identity didn’t occur to me before that. So I did a little investigating. For me, what reflected South Africa was the galvanised wires fashioned into craft items like bicycles and other objects which you see everywhere. Naturally, I’m always thinking of what other materials I can work with,” explained the 31-year-old Nash.

He graduated in 1999 from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at University of Cape Town with a degree in sculpture. In his fourth year, he garnered the sculpture prize by making foldable and collapsible geometric paper, and cardboard “toys” which he called “unstable structures”.

Nash decided to “look at material for material’s sake” to explore what designs could be fashioned out of them. He said that it was a radical approach that worked backwards, rather than the usual way of coming up with a design and then, looking for the material later.

That led to his use of plastic bottles, more specifically polypropylene (PP) bottles, the kind normally used for detergent and fabric softeners.

The process of experimenting with paper, folds and simple spatial structures led to his fascination with modular structures (large structures made from many smaller unitary parts). Nash used the same principles for working with paper to work with plastic, or “other people’s rubbish,” as he called it. He wanted to explore the environmental angle and use recycled parts as the underlying philosophy for his work.

Maths test: Flowers being shaped and counted.

The first functional art object to come out of his work was lampshades; the most famous being his flowerball lampshades.

“I actually learnt the technique of cutting up the bottles and fashioning my first designs from a Zimbabwean named Richard Mandongwe. I’m originally from Bulaweyo, Zimbabwe, myself.

“Mandongwe learnt the technique from his wife Juliette Katane, who came up with the technique in high school. It’s a great story because it was thanks to the work that she did with recycled plastic bottles that they both managed to bring their three children to South Africa and escape the repressive regime of (Robert) Mugabe,” he explained.

Nash noted that besides the environmental angle to the business, he wanted to have micro-economic spinoffs and spread the economic influence in the community. As such, he helped set up a company to take over the task of collecting, cleaning and cutting the bottles.

Base level: Bottle bases can also be light installations.

“It saved me a lot of time and enabled me to concentrate on the design work. It also meant that other people could reap the rewards of the business as I now buy material from them.”

He has employed three craftsmen and an administrative assistant. Business is good with mainly export orders from Scandinavia, Australia and the United States.

Nash said that much of his publicity comes from attending various design exhibitions around the globe and from ensuing media coverage. He is well known in South Africa itself.

His work is even covered in the school curriculum in high school in the subject of design technology.

“It’s an honour, yes, but it’s also good that children are taught new ways and encouraged to experiment with different ideas to make a living. I’ve had many meetings and queries from students on how to go about this. In fact, it was my high school teacher who encouraged me and nurtured my passion for the arts,” he added.

Strip me: Strips from PET bottles fashioned into a lampshade.

Nash noted that the British Council’s International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year award, for which he was the South African finalist in 2006, provided a huge impetus for him. It opened his eyes to the fact that his work could be accepted and acknowledged at that level.

The jury in London described his work as “highly creative and uniquely able to integrate design, craft and art. Heath Nash presented an intelligent synthesis of scrap into beauty.”

His creativity has extended to different plastic materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), commonly used for drinking bottles, which he cuts into strips. Nash is looking at the possibility of collaborating with traditional bamboo weavers in Japan, using these PET strips. He’s even going outside his comfort zone and looking at how wood waste from the furniture industry can be used in his work.

When he was in KL, all Nash could think about was the materials used for handicrafts produced in our country. Nash was pleased as punch to discover the Karyaneka Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex where he went on a shopping spree!

As someone who’s used to thinking out of the box, Nash is contemplating persuading the industries who use these plastic materials to actually fashion the bottles according to his requirements.

Now, that would certainly fit into the theme of his exhibition here: “This feels like the future!”

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: Lifestyle:Living, 20 April 2009

Image:Ownership tussle

Back To Previous Page

Date : Monday, 20-April-2009

by Azman Ahmad

Young tourist Adam Zachary seems to be a prize catch between his parent and a gibbon in Koh Samui, Thailand.

This image was taken from:The Star Online: Thumbnails 20 April 2009

Article: Beijing to start building new panda breeding base

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World W36, 20 April 2009

Article: Dinosaur exhibition captures visitors’ imagination

Monday April 20, 2009

From Creepy Crawlers to Prehistoric Beasts

KUALA LUMPUR: Dinosaurs like the menacing meat-eating Tyranno-saurus Rex as well as giant furry spiders came to life and awed visitors to the Backyard Monsters and Dinosaurs Are Back exhibition.

Visitors were impressed by the life-like interactive models of dinosaurs and gained insights into the world of various insects such as ants, beetles and the praying mantis.

Awesome display: Visitors reacting to the size of the ‘unicorn beetle’ on display at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

The exhibition features exhibits of 11 dinosaur and 25 insect structures from Denmark.

“We decided to present this exhibition because it will help educate people, especially children, about pre-historic creatures.

“It is important for us to know history and enrich our knowledge,” said F&R Exhibition and Conference Sdn Bhd chairman Admiral (Retired) Tan Sri Abu Bakar Jamal.

The exhibition, organised by F&R Exhibition and Conference, is supported by the Education Ministry and the National Cancer Council. It will be held until May 17.

“Children will also be less afraid of insects when they get to know them better,” he said after launching the exhibition at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre in Mid Valley Megamall yesterday.

Gigantic encounter: Haikal Hakimi, four, was taken by surprise when his mother Hairani Sehab, 31, took him up close with a ‘dinosaur’ at the exhibition.

Businessman Ashaari Mohd Nasir, 34, who was at the exhibition with his two-year-old daughter Alia Sabrina, said it was an interesting experience to see models of dinosaurs moving compared to watching them in the movies.

“My daughter is a huge fan of dinosaurs and loves watching Barney. That’s why I brought her here,” he said.

Housewife Jacqueline Chew, 45, said she brought her two daughters to see the displays for them to have a better understanding of the creatures.

“My daughters are learning about insects in school so this will be good exposure for them,” she said, adding that her seven-year-old daughter Alyssa Patamakanthin was very fascinated with dinosaurs and reptiles.

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Nation 20 April 2009

The video was taken from: You Tube

Article: Monstrous auction

Monday March 30, 2009

By KEE HUA CHEE

The next big thing in collectibles are really huge – monstrous in fact. They are the skeletons of great dinosaurs and prehistoric flora and fauna.

THE awesome skeletal frames of long-gone monsters are no longer the domain of national museums. You, too, can own a fully assembled dinosaur at the upcoming April 7 sale at Christie’s showroom in Paris. They will even arrange for shipping and assembly, and entertain any queries you may have on legal issues.

“This prehistoric sale is very new as our first was in 2007 when it set 12 world records with sales of €1mil,” says Capucine Milliot, Christie’s spokesman.

Sabre-toothed tiger hunting an oreodont (23.5 to 53 million years old) Estimate: €80,000-120,000

“Last year we sold €2.2mil and set 11 world records, so prices are slowly moving up. The Triceratops, christened Cliff, fetched nearly €600,000 and is now at the Museum of Science in Boston.”

There are over a hundred lots in the upcoming sale featuring exceptional skeletons and reconstructed, fossilised scenes of prehistoric life. Those who watch National Geographic, Animal Planet, History Channel and Discovery Channel will be awe-stricken to see the skeletal remains of those artfully animated creatures that roamed and roared so realistically on TV. Imagine touching and examining their very bones and knowing they can be yours. Now all you need is to find a corner, a very large one, to display it.

You will need room for a re-enactment of a sabre-toothed tiger jumping in the air in the act of killing an oreodont, its usual herbivorous prey, shrinking in terror at its impending doom. Think Ice Age and you get the drift. These skeletons are around 25 to 50 million years old and are estimated at RM500,000.

A sabre-toothed tiger skull is RM200,000. Sabre-toothed tigers are not that rare but a well-constructed specimen is. Only three museums in the world have such a complete skeleton: Los Angeles County Museum, National Museum of Natural History in Washin­g­ton, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Another space occupier is the spectacular and rare diorama of a mother dinosaur guarding her eggs. Dubbed “Dino Nursery,” this clutch of nine Psittacosaurus babies with their mother is dated 65 to 135 million years old.

“It is rare to find such a scene as the eggs are intact with the mother guarding them. The burial of this family could only have occurred under unusual and rare cataclysmic events like landslide, mudslide or volcanic eruption that annihilated them instantly without too much disintegration,” explains Milliot. Its rarity comes at a price tag of RM1mil.

The ‘Dino Nursery’ showing the mother Psittacosaurus with nine hatchlings. Estimate: €180,000-€220,000

Aquarists will go gaga over the stunning skeleton of the Opthalmosaurus (160 to 200 million years old and costing RM900,000) which resembles a dolphin from the Ichtyosaur family. Its eyes were the biggest of all marine species.

Most dino skeletons, once mounted, are not easily moved but this is displayed museum-style in three dimensions so you can admire the bones from every direction. Best of all, it is set on rollers so you can effortlessly move it from one place to another.

If you are into dramatic displays, nothing comes close to showing off the gigantic jaw of the planet’s biggest shark ever, the prehistoric Megalodon that has been shown on National Geogra­phic repeatedly over the years.

A Carcharodon megalodon shark could reach 13m in length. This jaw has 168 grasping, serrated teeth and opens at 2.2m at its highest, so you can actually use it as a doorway. Estimated at a cool RM700,000.

Another stunner is the Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus), shown in a dynamic posture of grappling a salmon in its paw. Mounted atop an elevated stand, this eye-catcher is possibly the best buy at only RM100,000, the cost of a Parisian couture gown.

Not everything is a hundred grander. The earth was populated by bizarre beasts and creepy crawlies like trilobites, urchins, sea sponges, star fish, crabs and shellfish. With a starting price of only RM3,000, almost everyone can bid.

Of modern origins is Malaysia’s contribution – a glass case of five giant stick insects that resemble the leaves they move in. At RM2,500 they seem pricey as we can get them at souvenir shops but these were preserved decades ago.

Another curiosity is the mineral agate naturally shaped like eyes. Known in the trade as “Porteno gaze”, these unusual and unique pair with their mesmerising gaze is offered at a starting price of RM15,000.

Classified as a national treasure in Madagascar, the Aepyornis egg is another great acquisition. This giant elephant bird became extinct in the 17th century and was the basis of the garuda and roc of Sinbad the Sailor. Marco Polo described them as “strong enough to carry off elephants,” hence its moniker. Though it weighed up to 500 kg and stood under 4m, it was flightless but its eggs had a circumference of over 1m. Its eggs were bigger than any dinosaur’s and it is believed no creature could physically lay a larger egg due to its biological physiognomy. One sold for RM420,000 last year but this egg is estimated at only RM60,000.

This could well be the ultimate Easter egg and what better way to invest your nest egg?

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Lifestyle: Focus 30 March 2009

Article: Johor Zoo welcomes new inhabitants

By MEERA VIJAYAN

THE Johor Zoo saw a hive of activity recently when it hosted a Hari Mesra Zoo to introduce several new animals to the public.

The new additions to the state zoo is a range of primates including the mandrill, chimpanzee, black macaca, capuchin and the banded longur.

Zoo manager Zakaria Razali said the animals were obtained through an exchange programme with other zoos, adding that he was particularly enthusiastic over the coming of a pair of mandrills.

Slithery : Teenagers steeling their nerves to stroke a large snake on exhibition.

“The mandrills from West Africa are the world’s largest type of monkeys and are distinctive because of its bright blue and red colouring seen in adult animals.

“A key feature in the animal’s social behaviour is that the blue colour on their pad, buttocks and chest intensifies while red dots sometimes appear on their wrists and ankles when the animals are excited,” he said.

Zakaria said the zoo was lucky to get the mandrills through the exchange programme as they are endangered species.

Primates are also easier to care for and to breed compared to birds which have a higher death rate, he said.

Besides the new animal exhibits, other activities to keep visitors occupied included an Explorace competition, colouring contests, and a fishing competition.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia student Noor Hidayah Zakaria, 21, was among those who were rushing around trying to find clues to the Explorace competition.

playing with the parrot in the cage.

“I’m trying to find the checkpoint with my group mates. Its not hard, but tiring,” she said before rushing off.

Another visitor interviewed, businessman Adnan Abdul Samad, 43, who was busy fishing at the zoo pond with his son Hishamuddin, 9, said that he had already caught over 20 fish in about two hours.

Hishamuddin said it was more fun hanging out at the zoo with his father than sitting at home watching television.

Meanwhile, ice cream seller Tarmizi Usman, 24, said that he was enjoying brisk business at the zoo and expected to sell 250 ice creams compared to the usual 150.

“It is a hot day, so many people enjoy the icy cold treat,” he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: South & East 28 March 2009

Article: All because of a curious puppy

2009/04/20

By : Evangeline Majawat

KUALA LUMPUR: First, they strangled a four-month-old puppy to death, then they threatened its owner.

A puppy named Maya, belonging to Indonesian national Sri Indria, was killed on Friday after it entered a neighbour's house in Kampung Padang Lalang, Langkawi.

The incident took a dramatic twist when the neighbour's son, who had killed the pet, came to Sri's house on Saturday armed with a metal pipe and spoiling for a fight.

Sri called the New Straits Times to say she had returned from the pasar malam at 7pm on Friday to find Maya missing.

"I was only away for about an hour. I knew something was terribly wrong when I didn't see her," she said in the telephone interview.
After a futile search around the kampung, her neighbour, who lives about 50m from her house, told Sri very angrily that her puppy had entered her house.

When Sri asked for Maya, her neighbour brazenly told her "we have killed it".

Sri turned back to enlist her sister's help before returning to the neighbour's house to look for Maya's carcass.

They found the dead puppy in the undergrowth with a wire noose around its neck.

"They watched my sister and I look for my puppy. They were still scolding me as we carried the carcass home."

Sri, whose Malaysian husband runs a travel agency, did not lodge a police report initially as she took partial responsibility for the puppy's disappearance.

She was forced to lodge a report after the neighbour's son threatened her the next day.

A distressed Sri rang the NST to say that he had come to her house armed with a metal pipe, shouting for her and her husband. He was angry that the incident had reached the ears of the media.

"I'm so scared. I'm home alone and I'm pregnant," she cried.

A friend later took her to the police station to lodge a report and there Sri and her neighbour settled matters.

"I've made peace with them. What they did was wrong but I understand why they did it. It's the culture and religious beliefs."

This article was taken from: The New Straits Time Online: Local News 20 April 2009

Image: Feeding Frenzy

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World 19 April 2009

Article: Viets held for heron poaching

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: Nation 19 April 2009

Image: 2 Headed Snake

This image was taken from: The Star Newspaper: Star Foto Folder: World 19 April 2009

Article: Male leatherback turtles facing extinction

Published: Saturday April 18, 2009 MYT 8:45:00 PM

KERTIH: The threat of leatherback turtles becoming extinct is getting more serious with no male turtle to incubate some 200 leatherback turtle eggs buried for hatching at the Rantau Abang Turtle Sanctuary.

Terengganu Fisheries director Munir Mohd Nawi said the leatherback turtle eggs could not hatch because they needed to be incubated by the male turtles first.

This was despite the landings by leatherback turtles at Rantau Abang, Dungun, on June 12 and 23 last year, he told reporters at a gotong-royong function at the Ma'Daerah Sanctuary Center here Saturday.

The programme, conducted with the cooperation of the BP Petronas Acetyls and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), involved the participation of 800 local residents and students.

On turtle landings recorded during the first three months of this year, Munir said there was an increase of five to 10 per cent from the corresponding period last year.

He said between 36,000 and 40,000 turtle eggs were laid in the state late year and most of them were laid by the green turtles.

Meanwhile, head of the WWF Terengganu Turtle programme, Rahayu Zulkifli, said WWF would launch a "Don't Eat Turtle Eggs" campaign to save the turtles from extinction. - Bernama

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 18 April 2009

Article: Team up to plant more trees, reps urged

Saturday April 18, 2009

By K. KASTURI DEWI

PENANG assemblymen should work with the local business community to plant more trees in their constituencies, state Landscape Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said.

He said they could get local businessmen to finance the purchase of tree saplings.

"This is one way of encouraging the local community to plant more trees in their neighbourhood," Wong said after planting 15 Tecoma tree saplings at an open space behind the Sunshine Farlim Hypermarket in Kampung Pisang, Air Itam yesterday.

Wong, who is also state Housing and Town and Country Planning Committee chairman and Air Itam assemblyman, said the activity was a joint effort between his service centre and the Penang Municipal Council in conjunction with World Earth Day on April 22.

He also said the state Forestry Department planted some 25,000 tree saplings of various species in the first three months of the year.

Last year, the department planted 54,126 trees all over Penang, he added.

This article was taken from:The Star Online: Metro: North 18 April 2009

Article: Glorious blooms

Saturday April 18, 2009

By ANDREA FILMER

THE wondrous sight of flowering trees in full bloom along roads in Penang is anticipated to be even more stunning in future with thousands more of the colourful Tecoma trees to be planted by 'spring' (February and March) next year.

Penang Forestry Department director Mohd Puat Dahalan said the department was identifying areas on the island and mainland to plant 20,000 Tecoma saplings.

"We have received instructions from the state govenrment to start an extensive project of planting Tecoma trees around the state.

"Tecoma flowers are very beautiful and come in a variety of colours. In fact, their bloom is said to be even greater than the Angsana trees that we have now," he said, when contacted.

He added that Tecoma trees had broad, dark green leaves and large crowns that would provide much-desired shade from the heat.

"They can grow up to more than 10m tall and about 30cm in diameter. Currently, we have a few hundred Tecoma trees in the state but we are planning to go full swing with them soon in both the city and the outskirts," Mohd Puat said.

Penang, known for its old-world charms, is the home of several hundred mighty trees, the majority of which are Angsana and Pokok Hujan-hujan (also known as Pukul Lima or rain tree) that were planted by the British.

As the blooming season peters out, withering flowers are turning stretches of roads and pavements into carpets of vivid colours — purple, yellow, pink and white. Tecoma trees normally start sprouting flowers when they are six.

When contacted, state Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the state had decided to go ahead with Tecoma tree planting as they were picturesque and manageable.

"Angsana trees grow to be very big and tall, so maintaining them is a bit difficult.

"Tecoma trees are easier to manage and their bloom is incredible," he said.

"They are often compared with the cherry blossoms in Japan, so we think having thousands of them here will be an attraction for tourists and potential Malaysia My Second Home residents from Korea, Japan and China," he said, adding that Penang would be turned into a 'mini-Japan' during Malaysian spring.

"Like the Angsana, Tecoma trees are seasonal and bloom twice a year—normally around March and a lesser bloom in June or July.

"We are arranging for Tecoma trees with purple, yellow, pink and white flowers, and the first hundred will be planted at Bayan Mutiara in conjunction with World Earth Day on April 22," Phee said.

He added that the trees would provide the perfect environment for the upcoming medical hub in that area.

"The medical hub will be a place of healing and the flowers will be perfect to provide a little softness to the concrete," Phee said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 18 April 2009

Article: Missing Snakes Ground Qantas Flight

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World 17 April 2009

Article: Obama: Bo has star quality

This article was taken from: The Star Newspaper: World 16 April 2009

Article: A green passion

Sunday April 12, 2009

By RICHARD LIM

IT is not always a chip off the old block.

Although her mother is a land developer, marine biology student Wong Shu Kuan, 22, has her heart set on conserving Malaysia’s coral reefs.

One of the lucky seven Malaysian undergraduates selected to represent the country for a study of the United States Institute on the Environment (Usie) in Hawaii – the birthplace of US president Barack Obama.

“I’m looking forward to observe negotiations between the US government and the NGOs,” said the second-year Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) student when met before her departure to Hawaii.

“Each side will have their priorities and compromise must be made to arrive at a middle path.

The group of students engaging in a gleeful discourse before departing for Hawaii.

“Also, Obama promised so much and it’ll be interesting to see how his administration is delivering on his campaign promise.”

It is interesting that despite being an animal lover, Wong only acquired her passion for all things green at university.

“I love dogs and I originally wanted to study veterinary science,” she added. “However, this course was offered to me instead and I credit my dedicated lecturers who got me interested in environmental issues.

“They explained how our actions impact the environment and how neglect has led to climate change over the years.”

Wong also stressed that more environmental drives or foreign exchange programmes are needed to instil more awareness on issues like the greenhouse effect and waste management in local campuses.

Funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Usie is hosted by the East-West Center, Hawaii, in collaboration with over 20 organisations including the University of Hawaii’s Environmental Center, Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment and the Nature Conservatory.

Participants were competitively selected from Fiji, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Singapore by US embassy staff.

Like Wong, Universiti Teknologi Johor urban and regional planning student Abdul Hafiz Sheik Abdul Hardy, 21, cannot wait to start.

“I’m interested in discussing the effects of urbanisation and I hope to exchange ideas with the other parcipants,” he said.

“I’ll be presenting my ideas on the effects of urbanisation. Some orang asli settlements in Johor have made way for development and I’m interested in highlighting their plight.”

Abdul Hafiz was referring specifically to the Tanjung Pelepas port development and the Tanjung Bin power plant project.

“Many orang asli in Tanjung Pelepas are fishermen and their catch has since reduced,” he added. “We need to look into viable ways for them to change their economic activities, like switching to agriculture.”

The other selected Malaysian undergraduates are Universiti Malaysia Sabah environmental science student Chow Geh Tsung, 23, Universiti Sains Malaysia applied biology student Chuah Chiew Yen, 23, UMT marine biology student Qiistina Shakireen Azman, 21, and UMT marine science students Yew Min Terk and Lin Wai Hwa, both 22.

Also present was US acting deputy chief of mission Robert Kuntz who congratulated the students.

“This is the right time for all of you as the Obama administration is focused on environmental issues,” he said.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Education 12 April 2009

Article: Obamas pick 6-month-old Portuguese water dog

Published: Sunday April 12, 2009 MYT 12:55:00 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's decided: the Obamas have chosen a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog to be the first pet.

In what was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets, President Barack Obama's daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, have settled on a black and white pup, a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press Saturday night.

The dog, a gift from Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself, will make his big debut Tuesday afternoon. The Washington Post reported in its online editions Saturday night that Obama's daughters chose the name Bo for the pup because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent reference to the singer "Bo" Diddley.

White House aides told the AP that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive deal on the dog story with the Post. The officials, who demanded anonymity because of the deal with the Post on exclusive details, said the dog was not in the White House as of Saturday evening.

Throughout the day Saturday, celebrity Web sites and bloggers had been abuzz with rumors of the first family's selection of a Portuguese water dog; one site even claimed it had pictures of the future first pet.

The president, for his part, earlier had embraced the frenzy: "Oh, man, now, that's top secret," Obama joked Friday to reporters. Obama promised his daughters a puppy during the campaign.

"This is Washington. That was a campaign promise," Obama said when he appeared on Jay Leno's talk show last month, as the audience roared with laughter. "No, I'm teasing. The dog will be there shortly."

The president and first lady had said their choice was down to either a Portuguese Water Dog or a Labradoodle because they were considered good pets for children who have allergies, as Malia does. - AP

This article was taken from: The Star Online: World Updates 12 April 2009