Tree Planting, 27th February 2011

Tree planting at Raja Musa Peat Swamp Forest in conjunction with World's Wetlands Day, first tree planting of 2011 at Raja Musa.

Mahang trees as the pioneer species to restore the entire ecosystem.

Borak-Borak Session by MyCJN

Calling all the enthusiastic youth out there,
You are cordially invited to join our monthly gathering, to talk about climate change and related issues.

Date: 19th January 2011
Time : 8pm – 10pm
Venue : quikbites cafe – behind Bangsar LRT station


WHO:
Anyone with an interest in climate change issues. You might feel strongly about climate justice, you might have hundreds questions on REDD+, you might have a mega plan to solve energy crisis or you might just wanna meet some new friends that share your green passion.

HOW:
Just drop by, come to listen, or have your voices heard. Share your ideas, enthusiasm, and humour. It’s a simple and casual event, with no agenda and formality, everything goes. Don’t forget to invite someone else along.

WHY:
For ideas, information, inspiration, gossips, contacts, not forgetting fun and pleasure. Together, we refine our strategies, amplify our effort, built a bigger movement, and tear down the roof with laughter.

WHEN:
Every month.

WHERE:
quikbites cafe – behind Bangsar LRT station

COST:
No fees required

For January session
General themes:
-Sharing of Cancun experience 2010
-Future plans

Jom, Borak-borak!
RSVP here http://mycjn.org/blog/?p=208

Eco Warriors Condo Recycling Initiative

After the implementation of a successful condo recycling system in 2009 in the Seri Raja Chulan System other condo’s have started to apply the same simple approach.

Check out this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_9SPx68GRs&feature=player_embedded

and find all the documented info on this site:
http://www.ien.dk/recycling/

This meeting will look at the System that was implemented in Sri Wangsaria Condo and review how Eco Warriors can support a wider role out of this in Malaysia.

Date: 15th January 2011

Time : 10am – 12pm

Venue : Sri Wangsaria Condo Bangsar Swimming Pool Area, Jalan Kapas, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

Gregers Reiman will coordinate the meeting and the local contact person at the condo is Sheau Wei.
Gregers can be reached on 012 2755630.

I cannot join you as I will be delivering a green training in Penang on the 15th.

Happy Recycling.
Matthias

Source

Climate Change Forum in Penang

All are invited to the Climate Change Forum: From Cancun to Penang- “Global Commitments, Local Actions, Penang Leads”

What have the governments of the world done in tackling climate change issues? How is climate change going to affect Malaysians? What should penangites do to face this challenging issue?

The Penang State Government is organising a Climate Change Forum entitled : Global Commitments, Local Action, Penang Leads on the 15th of January 2011,Saturday, 7.30pm at Auditorium C, Level 5 KOMTAR.


The panel of speakers are :
(1) Phee Boon Poh: Penang EXCO for Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment
(2) Dr Gary William Theseira: Deputy Environmental Management and Climate Change
Division Secretary, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry
(3) Hilary Chiew: Researcher of Third World Network
(4) Adrian Yeo: Co-founder of Malaysian Youth Climate Justice Network

The moderator of this forum is Dato’ Haji Abdul Halim bin Hussain, Speaker of Penang Legislative Assembly.

The panel of speakers have attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference Cancun – COP 16 in Mexico in 2010. They will be sharing their knowledge and insights on the climate change issues.

The forum will be held in English.

For further information, please contact 04-6505450 or 04-6505112.

Source.

DeforestAction: Battle for Borneo

Are you ready to make a difference? TakingITGlobal is working together with Microsoft Partners in Learning on DeforestAction, a global action project involving students from around the world in protecting the world’s forests. We’ve teamed up with acclaimed conservationist Willie Smits and Orangutan Outreach to develop a project that will restore a forest and provide a sustainable livelihood to the local community. You can learn more about this approach through Willie’s TED Talk ‘Willie Smits restores a rainforest’: click here.

We’re working with Virgo Productions and a major TV broadcaster (to be announced) to create a 6-part reality TV series telling the story of this project, which will also be the subject of a feature film to be released in 2012. That’s where you come in! We’re looking for ten amazing young leaders to spend five months in Borneo to launch the project – connecting with the world though the web and providing updates to the students across the globe who are fundraising to make this happen.

More about the location:
Sintang is a district in the interior of West Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, where most of the original forest has long been cut or burned down. Here a new forest will be created. This forest will provide income for local people, a home for hundred thousands of protected animals of many different species including orangutans. The forest will provide good quality water for local people and protect the downstream population centres against flooding. The forest will also sequester carbon from the atmosphere and improve the local climate.

The Marakei area is close to the border of Malaysia and consists of an ex-logging area. Inside the area there are seven small villages, five on the border and two inside. All are traditional Dayak villages belonging to the Iban and to the Dayak Ketungau and Dayak Bugau tribes. There is a total of about 7,500 people in those villages, all very poor and in need of the sustainable systems with sugar palms that the project can provide.

The greatest advantage of this area is that it is under direct control of the district head so can be immediately assigned to the DeforestACTION program. In this location we will have to build a base camp with smaller ones near the nurseries, small working quarters, and facilities that will allow both workers and visitors to spend extended periods of time in the field. On the top of a centrally located 340-meter high hill overlooking the area, a new long house will be built as the centre for the DeforestACTION activities.

What you’ll be doing:
Local authorities and the local villagers are excited to host 10 young people to come to the village and live in a purpose built longhouse for 5 months. There is part-time electricity from a diesel generator. Another option is to install a photovoltaic electricity supply, ventilators and a good water filter to ensure good health for all the inhabitants of the long house. Participating in the construction of these additional facilities will provide young people with insight into the risks and difficulties for the local people and make them aware of simple solutions to these problems.

You will be paired with Dayak youth, and will be involved in the planning and setting up of the Sintang Lestari project. Most importantly, you will take part in orangutan rescues, care and rehabilitation. You will work in nurseries; collect seeds and plants, plant trees, measure trees, record biodiversity and survey local needs and water flow. You will map where to grow forests, where to build the new release camp and be involved in building and setting up the camp. You will help set up the satellite monitoring system in the existing forest and will work with the young people of Sintang who are making documentaries about all kinds of environmental issues. You’ll also be an important liaison to the DeforestAction program, sharing this work with young people around the world who are fundraising and taking action to support your work!


What we need from you:
To apply, simply submit a one minute clip telling us:
- Your name and where you’re from
- What does deforestation mean to you?
- Why you want to save forests and orangutans
- What you’ve done in the past to protect the environment
- Why you want to be in a 3D movie and TV series
- Must include the URL – www.deforestaction.com
Your clip needs to be creative, interesting and dynamic. The more hits, interest, votes and media coverage you create around your clip, the more we’ll take notice!
Post it on YouTube, and then submit it to this contest by clicking “Submit to Contest” on the right!

Source

Environmental Awareness Campaign

Hi there! I guess you guys must be missing us right? It's been such a long time since we have activity - well, if you think so, you're wrong! Just some time ago, we had an exhibition in TCSj cafeteria to raise students' awareness on environmental issues. During lunch time, our members were there to set up the notice boards and duty there to explain details about the information on the board to students who are interested in them.

This is a very informative exhibition as there are a lot of interesting topics being posted there, such as some global environmental issues, alternative energy resources such as solar energy, process of plastic recycling and important dates that are related to the environment, such as World Water Day (22/3 every year).

However, don't feel sad if you miss it! For we're going to post some of this information right here! Enjoy! =)

10 Ways to Save the ENVIRONMENT

1) Use bars of soap instead of liquid soap

It's less expensive, and it saves packaging waste. Not to mention that body wash is primarily water, so the fuel costs for transporting it are higher because it weights more.

2) Rent, don't buy, movies

One hundred thousands DVDs and CDs are thrown away each month. So you won't be contributing to the trash pile.

(Author note: Plus, who watches the DVDs they bought over and over again? Little people do. So, if you bought some already, it's ok. You can lend it to your friends, or exchange discs with them. Save your wallet, save the Earth too XD )

3) Subscribe to Online Newspaper

Each year, 10 million tons of newspapers are tossed into landfills. Subscribe to online newspaper will help saving 75 million trees (which is a lot) !

4) Download music (preferably original)

Download tunes instead of purchasing at stores. Each month, 45 tons of CDs become obsolete, outdated and unwanted and end up in landfills.

(Author note: Thus, just like the DVDs, buy those you really love only, so that we can save the Earth and enjoy the music together.)

5) Buy soft drinks in a cup

You'll reduce the amount of aluminum cans and plastic bottle. More papers are recycled and recovered to make new products than aluminum soda cans or plastic soft drink bottles.

6) Freecycle

Give items that still can be used but you don't really need them anymore and you just can't bear to throw them away. Why not give it to someone who will use it for free?

7) Avoid pre pluggers

When you buy deodorant, try to avoid antiperspirants, which use aluminum salts to seal up your pores. In addition to being a potential health toxin, aluminum takes a tremendous amount of energy to mine. If you buy one stick of aluminium-free deodorant, the energy saved could power your laptop for 30 minutes!

8)Stop junk mail

Each year, 100 millions trees are chopped down for junk mails. Americans receive 400 million tons of junk mails every year.

9) Teleconference, avoid traveling

With hotel, airfare, local transportation, meals, entertainment expenses and tips, business travel certainly adds up. Todays' technology expands the definition of face-to-face contact, making quick meeting with a client or colleague across the country, or the world possible. Online professional development options abound well - from Web seminars to entire conferences being held virtually.

10) Buy a Low-Flow Shower Hear

Not only will you save water, you will save the energy it takes to heat the water. Although you'll have to pay a little out of pocket at first considering that water heaters use 25% of the energy in an average home, this little marvel will save you hundreds every year.

Alright, now guess - why are these two pictures post here? What do they have to do with environment?

Here's the answer - See those bottles that are sticked around the cap and shirt? This is to tell us that for every 5 recycled bottles, a shirt can be made; for every 6 recycled bottles, a cap can be made too! Amazing, isn't it? So, the moral of the story is, do not buy so many plastic bottles, for they are not good for health too. If you have to buy them, recycle them. Imagine how many beautiful shirts and caps can be made out of them - do you still want to waste them?

Ok, now guess again - what is this?

This is a lamp. Yes, a lamp, which is made up of a lot of cut plastic bottles. Our environmental club members have spent one whole night just to make this. Beautiful isn't it? Its unique shape is so attractive that a lot of people went over there just to check it out. Too bad that the bulb was burnt that morning, so we can't really see how it is when it's turned on. Anyway, at least we had successfully transmitted a message to everyone in the exhibition - bottles have a lot of other usages. For example, to make a lamp. =)

However, there is a downside in this campaign. We found out that a lot of students who took our brochures about some environmental issues simply threw them away. Some had even thrown them RIGHT BESIDE the recycle bin. We hope that they will change their attitude though, or else how can our lovely Earth survive the pollution caused by human activities?

Tiger Trex Talk @ Taylor's Lakeside Campus

DID YOU KNOW?

• How many tigers do we have now globally? It is estimated that we have as low as 3,200 wild tigers globally, with India having the largest estimated population of 1,411 tigers. In 2005, we had about 5,000 tigers globally. In early 1900s, there were an estimated 100,000 tigers in the world!!
• How many tigers do we have in Malaysia? Malaysia has the second largest tiger population in the world, and one of the countries with the best chances of saving the tiger. The Department of Wildlife and National Parks ( DWNP ) estimates that Malaysia has about 500 wild tigers, but this is only about 15% of the population that existed in the 1950s. The Malayan tiger is found mainly in Pahang, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor and Kedah.

DOUBLE OR NOTHING!
Join WWF to reach Tx2 , the goal to double the number of tiger by 2022, the next Year of Tiger !!!