By Tay Pang Chong
9 April 2011
APRIL 9 - Lay back to the scenes of movie 2012, from there, we can see the seriousness effects of climate change and global warming. It just likes a revenge of nature toward humanity. However, the environment is still corrupting and damaging unceasingly by human activities although the outcomes might be serious as what was shown in movie 2012.
According to Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha (25 May, 2010), he said Malaysians was generated 17,000 tons of solid waste daily in year 2002 and the waste generated by Malaysians has risen from 19,000 tons in 2005 to an estimated 30,000 tons by 2020. This was showing an unsustainable pattern in Malaysia. Besides that, Malaysia also has 230 landfill sites in year 2008 and will reach its capacity within the next two years.
Therefore, what we do in these few years will determine our future. If there is no action before 2012 it will be too late to save our endangered environment and one of the ways for this issue is to go green which is becoming a trend these days with companies and organizations stepping forward and disclosing their so-called “green initiatives”.
S. Piarapakaran, the Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations’ (Fomca) Senior Manager for Environment, Energy and Water said being “green” is not just about the color and it is really challenging to go green.
“Environmental friendly technology is what green technology is all about. It reduces impact to the environment due to development process and consumption pattern,” he explained.
“In essence, green technology is inter-related in every aspect of our daily life and behavior,” he explained.
Anthony Tan, the Executive Director of Centre for Environment, Technology and Development (Cetdem) also concurred that green technology is any technology that helps to reduce the threat to the environment.
In this view, the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation have a plan which to include composting the food waste in the effort to shrink waste heaps. It is encouraging households to recycle their organic waste using the Takakura composting method, a cheap and effective way to compost waste that can easily be done at home.
“About 45% of our waste is organic material. If we don’t recycle this waste, it is just discarded. Through composting, we not only can get compost, but can reduce almost half of our waste, instead of sending it to the landfill,” Corporation chief executive officer Datuk Zaini Md Nor said.
Other than that, there are consist of several programmes and policies have been introduced to public in the effort of going green such as 3R (Recycling, reduce, reuse) policy, National Recycling Day (11st, November), NO plastic bag campaign and others relevant activities.
“Malaysia’s government is very serious in tackling this environment issue within the context of sustainable development. Therefore, we need the support and corporation of the societies to achieve the vision,” Zaini added.
(For more information of Takakura composting method, please visit to http://www.smc.gov.my/thm06.pdf)
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