April 22, 2020

HARI BUMI tahun ini memberi peluang untuk kita semua merenungkan hubungan kita sebagai insan dengan alam keseluruhannya.

Mesej penting yang cuba disampaikan oleh alam semula jadi, lebih-lebih lagi seiringan dengan krisis penularan wabak sekarang ini, sepatutnya menginsafkan umat manusia akan segala kerosakan yang telah dan sedang dilakukan.


Sambutan Hari Bumi tahun ini menjanjikan perubahan persekitaran dengan memfokuskan makna hubungan antara alam, iklim dan pembangunan lestari, selain melihat kembali tumpuan isu sebelum ini tentang penyelesaian berasaskan alam seperti perhutanan dan perlindungan bakau.

Penangguhan COP26, ataupun Persidangan Perubahan Iklim Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu 2020 jelas merupakan tindakan rasional tatkala dunia sedang berhadapan dengan pandemik COVID-19.

Tidak dinafikan, kita berada di ambang kepupusan di mana kerosakan alam sekitar sukar dipulihkan. Kita harus menjangkakan cabaran biodiversiti dan krisis iklim akan tetap ada walaupun penularan COVID-19 mulai reda, namun cita-cita COP15 dan COP26 mesti diteruskan dan dibawa ke tahun 2021.

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ENERGY efficiency and energy conservation might sound similar, however, there is a huge difference even though both achieve the same goal.

Energy efficiency refers to the usage of energy-efficient products such as LED bulbs and electrical appliances with 5-star energy rating.

On the other hand, energy conservation refers to the reduction of electricity usage without having to change any energy appliances at home. This is especially handy during the MCO since we are advised not to go out thus changing to energy-efficient products would be harder given that we can’t move around freely and it would be difficult to find an open hardware shop.

KUALA LUMPUR - Penghantaran semula kontena mengandungi sisa plastik yang dicemari bahan buangan terjadual ke negara pengeksport mencatatkan jumlah amat memberangsangkan, kata Menteri Tenaga, Sains, Teknologi, Alam Sekitar dan Perubahan Iklim (MESTECC), Yeo Bee Yin.Bagaimanapun, beliau berkata, statistik dan maklumat penuh mengenai perkara itu hanya akan diumumkan beliau pada sidang media di Pulau Pinang, 20 Januari ini."Apa yang kita buat ialah dalam sejarah dunia ini adalah kali pertama secara besar-besaran satu negara memulangkan balik kontena sisa plastik ini kepada negara asal."Walaupun kita telah mengambil masa yang panjang tapi kita telah mencapai apa yang tidak dicapai negara lain," katanya selepas melawat Wisma Bernama sempena sambutan Tahun Baharu Cina di sini hari ini.

Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are working to educate the public on the effects of plastic on humans and flora and fauna.It is ultimately up to us to conserve the environment by not using plastic. Over the past few years, the government and other authorities have taken steps to clamp down on the use of plastics. The use of Styrofoam packages has been minimised as not many eateries are providing them. Besides that, shoppers used to pay 20 sen for each plastic bag bought at shopping malls on Saturdays. Now, they pay 20 sen regardless of the day. This has instilled better awareness in Malaysians to bring their own bags when they go shopping.The use of plastic straws is also declining as many eateries are not offering them. Many customers who buy food from stalls and restaurants are bringing their own containers, especially stainless steel containers. This is practised by the dabbawalas in India, who deliver lunches. Stainless steel containers keep the food warm and are healthier. Malaysians should use their own containers when buying takeaways. Eateries should give a discounted rate to those who bring containers.Malaysia chaired the inaugural Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) summit in November, so it will be good for us to start the year by eradicating plastic waste. Of the 17 SDGs, not one focuses on plastic or plastic waste. Goal No. 3 of the SDG is to ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all.

One of its goals is to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination by 2030. Since plastic cannot biodegrade, it will be ever present in the air, water and soil unless we eliminate plastic waste. Similarly, goal No. 12 is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. Among its goals is to achieve the environmentally-sound management of chemicals and waste, reducing their release into air, water and soil. Other SDGs include goal No. 6 on water and sanitation; No. 13 (climate action); No. 14 (life below water) and No. 15 (life on land). These touch on the environment and provide humans and living things with livable surroundings. The issue that consumers need to look at is waste management and for the authorities to collect and dispose of plastic waste at recycling centres. It sounds simple, but if we play our part, we can leave the next generation a plastic waste-free nation.

LETTER | Malaysians were relieved when the monsoon arrived with plenty of rain which has reduced air pollution caused by haze. But the crafty polluters were happy because this is a golden opportunity for them to discharge all their illegal toxic waste into rivers. This is their modus operandi as they thought the heavy rain will wash away the toxic waste.Sadly, the reality is almost all consumers in the Klang Valley have to face water disruptions. The Semenyih river treatment plant had stopped operating due to pollution again. This is like an annual phenomenon for Malaysians, especially those in the Klang Valley. Consumers have to pay the price because of the illegal activities caused by these greedy polluters.

Water and Energy Consumers Associations of Malaysians, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations and many pressure groups have been monitoring this issue every year and exerted tremendous pressures on the current and previous governments. Yet, this issue still continues to occur as if it is an annual event. The promises made by them to look into the matter are always not kept or fulfilled.Even though this issue occurs every year, there is not much action taken by the government to monitor this illegal toxic waste dumping by some arrogant and irresponsible factories and business operators. These polluters will never stop polluting our rivers as this is the cheapest method to discharge all their chemical waste into the rivers.

PETALING JAYA: With water cuts due to pollution fast becoming a regular occurrence across the country, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) wants to impose stiffer penalties on polluters.SPAN chairman Charles Santiago said tougher penalties and enforcement efforts must be in place to preserve the quality and cleanliness of the water supply.“The government must come up with policies and laws with stringent penalties, especially for factories, individuals or sewage plants dumping their waste into the rivers.“The penalties should go right up to the owners of the offending companies and they should not be allowed to run their business for five years after they have been found guilty, ” he added.This followed a water supply cut affecting 372,031 households in the Petaling district, Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang in Selangor.

Although the water treatment plant in Semenyih resumed operations 13 hours later, Air Selangor said it was the fourth incident this year involving a main plant, leading to large-scale unscheduled water cuts.As at 1pm yesterday, Air Selangor reported that 47% of supply had been restored.In June, odour pollution was detected in the raw water source in Sungai Semenyih.On July 19, another odour pollution was detected in the raw water source in Sungai Selangor.A few days after that, diesel contamination was detected in the water source in Sungai Selangor, resulting in four water treatment plants having to shut down.Although there were suspicions of sabotage, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador ruled it out as a cause of the pollution.He said the diesel spill was more likely due to the negligence of the company’s employees.Santiago said education must go hand in hand with penalties as the “biggest culprits” were those who did not understand the importance of protecting the country’s water sources.

During the week, when the whole world was marching for change to address the climate emergency, there was outrage among Malaysians after a newspaper reported that a RM3.5 billion contract had been awarded to Tadmax Resources to develop a coal-fired power plant in Pulau Indah, Klang.The report said we don’t actually need such power plants which will also pollute the environment.Was there an open tender for this contract as promised by the energy minister? So what has changed in “New Malaysia”? And what sort of “clean new energy” is this coal-fired plant going to produce? How much haze is the Pakatan Harapan government going to contribute to our Malaysian air?

Just like the many power projects I blasted during the 1990s in Parliament (See my “Damned Dams & Noxious Nukes”, Suaram 2013), experts have questioned awarding the contract to a company with no experience in the field.As with the other independent power producers (IPPs) in the 1990s, Tadmax has apparently roped in Korean Electric Power Corp to provide the technical skills needed for the project.As the news report pointed out, we produce way more power than we’ll ever need. Our “reserve margin”, or generation capacity above peak demand, was 36% in Peninsular Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: A group of environmental activists have expressed disappointment over the announcement by the government that it planned to utilise five trillion cubic metres of groundwater.They said groundwater tapping should be seen as a last resort.Executive director of the Ecotourism and Conservation Malaysia (Ecomy) Andrew Sebastian said the Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar should instead think of ways to protect natural water resources.“I am disappointed. Being a minister doesn’t mean you exploit natural resources.“You should find ways how to properly manage and protect our water resources which are very important for the country, not only for now but for the long term,” he told FMT when contacted.Xavier had said the ministry was looking into the use of groundwater resources to overcome shortages of water and to cut costs at water treatment plants.

  1. Tangani sisa pembuangan plastik
  2. Demand for action to be taken on illegal dump sites
  3. Plastic processing factory shut down for non-compliance
  4. Hutan setengah hektar musnah dicemari bahan kimia
  5. Crackdown on Pasir Gudang factories dumping chemical waste illegally
  6. On track to meet renewable energy target
  7. Half of plastic supermarket packaging cannot be recycled, Which? survey finds
  8. ‘Govt should set up environmental council’
  9. 274 kilang sepanjang jajaran Sungai Kim Kim
  10. Control use of plastic bags