Brace up to pay 20sen for a plastic bag

Two weeks ago, my daughter, Zayye came home and complained that she had to fork out 20sen at IKEA for a plastic bag after paying for a study lamp. Zayye normally says no to plastic bags when she shops for small items and she was not aware that the campaign to use the reusable green bags had started.

Penang has started the "No plastic Bags Day" on Mondays. More than 300 hypermarkets, mini-markets, department stores and other participating shops are charging 20sen for a plastic bag.

Tesco hypermarkets gives 2 extra bonus club points when customers bring their own reuseable shopping bag. Customers with reusable bags are allowed to use the expressed check out lane at Giant Bayan Baru. Boxes were provided for customers who shopped a lot and did not bring their own bags on the day. Customers are encouraged to drop plastic bags to a special bin so that these bags could be reused by other customers.

Other stores have also started the save on plastic bags campaign. Parkson Grand at Gurney Plaza will give one free tote bag for purchases of Rm2oo and above and customers can also buy these bags for RM2 each.

This is what I have been waiting for. Once the big stores start the ball rolling and educate the customers giving them no choice, then only would the campaign be effective. The time will come when everyone will accept that plastic bags are not to be wasted and thrown anywhere they like.
I remember that one of the reasons that the hypermarket Makro failed was because customers did not accept that there were no packaging to their purchases. Maybe the timing for Makro was not right and Makro did not try to educate its customers.

I notice Jusco and Tesco have also started a mild campaign in the Klang Valley. Customers are encouraged to bring their own bags on certain days voluntarily, but at present there is no charge for the plastic bags yet.

Only a concerted effort by every hypermarket and supermarket will the campaign work. An irate woman left all her groceries at Tesco Penang, when told that she has to pay 20sen for a plastic bag, reported today's Star. She will soon realise that she would have to toe the line next time when everyone starts bringing their own bags to Tesco or lose out on Tesco's offers.

Meanwhile, customers' education must continue. The media has a lot to do, to contribute to the success of the campaign.

I understand that proceeds from the sales of the plastic bags will go to the "Partners Against Poverty Campaign"

I just hope that the "Say No to Plastic Bags " will become a common feature in the future and not one off campaigns soon to be forgotten.

(Look up for other incentives to go green at the link shown)

Malaysia's Hanging garden of BABYLON?

The Star on Tuesday has an interesting article of a garden on the roof. Maybe unlike the hanging gardens of Babylon?

I remember when the former Malaysian Minister of Agriculture, Tan Sri Sanusi Junid suggeseted planting paddy on rooftops, many were cynical and just laughed at him.

He should be smiling now as a garden is blooming at the roof top of the new wing of the 1-Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, some 35 m from the ground.

The garden ( about 2,787sqm,), planted with some 500 species of rare tropical and temperate plants, has recently been opened to the public on weekends.

1-Utama director Datuk Teo Chiang Kok, an avid gardener, was reported to say, “Having a green roof insulates and blocks heat from the roof, thereby decreasing the air-conditioning required to cool the building. (This) allows 1-Utama to conserve energy and be environmentally responsible,”.

The soil mix used for the garden’s flower bed – granulated horticultural carbon – is a planting medium derived from light, compacted and carbonised sawdust that puts to use wood waste that would otherwise be rotting in dumpsites and releasing carbon. This is a green technology developed by a botanist Dr Francis Ng.

“The horticultural carbon is being tested with different plants. The most amazing result is with rice that is grown in containers. It shows that the usual way (submerging rice plants) is not the only way to grow rice.

Unfortunately, the horticultural carbon is not commercially available yet although Ng is trying to encourage the manufacturer and 1-Utama to look into commercial production.

Although the Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s Stormwater Management Manual was introduced in 2001, it remains only a guideline. Commercial building developers are not legally required to implement it in their projects.)

The owners of 1- Utama has led the way by collecting rainwater to water the garden.
The rainwater is diverted from the roof and stored in specially built reservoirs in the basement in all Bandar Utama commercial buildings, namely the extended wing of 1-Utama Shopping Centre, the Centrepoint Neighbourhood Centre, the IBM-KPMG Plaza and the One World Hotel. The harvested water is used for flushing toilets, watering plants and also supplied to the cooling tower of the air-conditioning system.

“However, the rainwater collected is not sufficient to flush all the toilets. It only saves us 30% of the total water consumption in the new wing,” says Alfred Chong, landscape manager of Bandar Utama City Centre, the subsidiary of Bandar Utama Group which manages the commercial units.

The company’s pioneering effort closely follows the growing importance given to rooftop space by city authorities worldwide.

Last month, Toronto (in Canada) approved a bylaw that requires new residential units over six storeys, schools as well as commercial and industrial buildings to have up to 50% green roof coverage. Chicago (in the United States) offers incentives to builders who put green roofs on their buildings.

It has been estimated that if all the roofs in a major city were “greened,” urban temperatures could be reduced by as much as 7°C.

Originally, a green roof was one where vegetation partially or completely cover the roof surface over a water-proofing membrane.But the term has since taken on an expanded meaning to include green technologies that are introduced on that space, like harvesting of rainwater and harnessing solar energy through a photovoltaic panel.

High rise dwellers will soon be growing their food on roof tops next. Tan Sri Sanusi's dream has come true! Now who's laughing?

Dry and Hazy Days are Back

El Nino is here again. We are in for more hot days. It was reported that in the STAR yesterday that Malaysia experiences a hot and dry season in June, July and August with temperatures ranging between 33 °C to 34 °C. However, with the El Nino phenomenon, temperatures can rise by an additional 3 °C.

The Natural Resources and Environment Minister, Datuk Douglas Uggah said with such hot and dry conditions, any open burning activity could worsen the air quality.

It was showed that there was an increase in the number of hot spots in Sumatra and Kalimantan with 996 and 108 hot spots respectively.

With the dry spell with less rain, comes the warning to use less water as the water levels at the dams are receding. So every one is urged to use less water.

City folks must not wash themselves too often nor wash their cars using water hoses but are advised to use pails instead. To water the plants, it is best to recycle the water you use washing the vegetables and stuff at the kitchen sink.

Today I was annoyed to see a motorist throwing a lit cigarette butt from his car. Didn't he realize that in the hot weather that was a dangerous thing to do? In the past, lots of bush fires have been caused by reckless motorists in this way.

The public must be warned that the Department of Environment is increasing air and land surveillance to monitor open burning activities. Enforcement on smoke, gas and dust emissions from motor vehicles and industries will also be stepped up.

So, buck up everyone.Go check your vehicles. Contribute to a healthy air quality by maintaining your vehicles to reduce black smoke.

Industries are also required to comply with standard environmental rules. They must refrain from discharging their effluents directly to the atmosphere or waterways.

It is time for everyone to care for the atmosphere that we live in. Pity the young children with respiratory problems and the old folks with less efficient body systems. Every time there is a haze, there will be more people at the hospitals with respiration problems.

Let's all be more responsible-use less water, recycle the water, service your vehicles regularly, don't litter and do not contribute to open burning during these hazy and dry days and beyond.

Plastics that Melt Away

This is unlike the chocolates that melt away in your mouth.This is a dream come true.Imagine all the plastic bags from Giant, Tesco, Jusco, Carrefour and the takeaways you lug home are now soluble in water.

The Star reported that a team of researchers at the Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) has invented an award winning material called the Greenphylic Water-Soluble Degradable Plastic, a polymer similar to plastics but dissolves in water.

The project bagged the Gold Medal of the 19th International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition on May 19.

It also won the Best Invention for Universities/Research Institutes category, World Intellectual Property Organisation Best Invention Award and KASS International (a Malaysian Intellectual Property firm)Best Invention Award.

UTP had earlier in November, 2008 won the Gold Medal at the Belgian and International Trade Fair for Technological Innovation in Brussels.

The project is led by Prof. Ramiah Jegatheesan of the Electrical and Elctronic Engineering faculty, UTP.

Winning the award has increased the potential of the new material being commercialised.

Plastics are a source of pollution to the environment and are still harmful even when they degrade. And once they have broken down into smaller molecules, they can contaminate the soil and water tables.

According to Prof Ramiah burnt plastics produce dangerous gases which can cause serious health problems. In addition, discarded plastics clog drains and sewerage pipes.

The new invention Eco Plast is a resin consisting of a synthetic polymer material made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, polyvinyl alcohol is a colourless, water-soluble, flammable resin belonging to the family of organic polymers. It is derived from a vinyl polymer.

The resin is used in sizing agents that offer resistance to oil and grease upon paper and textiles; to make films resistant to attack by solvents or oxygen; as a component of adhesives and emulsifiers; and as a starting material for the preparation of other resins.

“Polyvinyl alcohol is a water-soluble synthetic polymer which has excellent film forming, emulsifying and adhesive properties. It is odourless and non-toxic, has high tensile strength and flexibility as well as high oxygen and aroma barrier.

However, these properties depend on the ambient relative humidity. With higher humidity, more water is absorbed. The water, which acts as a plasticiser, will then reduce its tensile strength, but increase its elongation and tear strength,” explained Prof Ramiah.

Eco Plast dissolves in water at normal room temperatures of between 25°C and 35°C. If the water is heated, the dissolving time reduces considerably.

In normal thickness, Eco Plast dissolves in water within 60 minutes at a water temperature of around 25°C. It will dissolve in 15 minutes if the water temperature is 40°C. If the water temperature is increased to 50°C, the dissolving time will take only five minutes.

According to Prof Ramiah, the resulting water that is used to dissolve the Eco Plast does not contain any toxic elements and thus there will be no harmful effect to living beings or the environment. This water can be disposed off into the kitchen sink as normal waste water.

Eco Plast can be used to manufacture carrier bags that are useful for grocery items, to pack medical pills, produce gloves and for packaging of other substances.

At present, Eco Plast is two to three times costlier to produce compared to plastic.Once it is commercialised and manufactured on a large scale, the cost will reduce substantially. Furthermore, there is no cost involved in disposing of this material.

UTP have filed for patent and are currently in the process of commerciali­sing the product.

Rich Man's Daughter goes Green

It is fortunate to go into business if you have a rich Dad to provide the resources.



Saturday's Star newspaper article by Thean Lee Cheng on Dian Lee Cheng Ling's Bluwater property development project caught my attention. Dian Lee is the eldest daughter of property tycoon Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew of Mines Resorts.




Clearwater Developments Sdn Bhd was set up by Dian and three partners in 2006 and their first project was serviced apartments, Clearwater Residences in Damansara Heights. Since then, she has added three brands to the group – Clearwater, Bluwater and The Heritage.


Bluwater Estate, to be sited on a 240 acre former mining land in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, is an eco-friendly development comprising of leasehold gated and guarded development. This is Dian's most ambitious project to date.Dian is now in New York’s Pratt Institute attending a seven-week course on Sustainable Designs.

It cost quite a sum to be enrolled in one of the premier design school for interior design and architecture in the United States but money is no problem for Dian. She has also brought along her toddler son Jedi and his nanny with her.

The Bluwater project will be focused on four aspects, according to Dian, 'water, energy, landscape and waste management'. Environmental Resources Management Ltd, a provider of environmental consulting services, has been appointed to help in designing Bluwater.

All the 1,000-odd households will have solar heaters. The use of bicycles and buggies to go to the clubhouse instead of cars will be encouraged.

Rainwater harvesting will also be a common feature for all owners. There are plans to keep the lake as clear and clean as possible for water sports.

“We will spend RM2mil on trees and a lot more on landscaping to make this place as green as we can. We will also encourage better waste management, essentially the reuse, recycle and reduce concept with different bins for different types of waste. Our sewage system will not be linked to the lake.” says Dian.

While I am still dreaming of an ideal and sustainable home, here is someone already going to built not one but more than a thousand.

Well,friends,don't forget to incorporate the ideal home characteristices when you design your new home.Let us all contribute to prolonging life on Earth.

Solar Air conditioners

One does no longer need to feel guilty using air conditioners to cool down during hot weather spells now that a local company has come out with a solar cooling air conditioners.

RACHAEL KAM's article in the Business section of Saturday Star is welcome news for people seeking to save on their electricity bills.

It was reported that Solar District Cooling Sdn Bhd (SDC) – has introduced an environmental-friendly and cost-saving solar cooling system.

Established six months ago, the company is eyeing Cyberjaya as its first location to build a solar district cooling plant to power the air-conditioners at the corporate offices and residential homes in the area.

SDC managing director Chan Jian Wen says the company spent about a year on research and development to come out with the system.

After Cyberjaya, the company is targeting hospitals, district councils, airports as well as the Iskandar region in Johor Baru to introduce the solar cooling system.

It is believed that SDC is the first company in Malaysia involved in the solar air-conditioner system business.

The new solar cooling system is initially targeted at corporate clients with roof top space. Next will housing developers.

It is reported that the absorption chiller being used in the solar cooling system only needs about 5% of the energy required for a normal chiller. A lot of electricity is saved by using the solar cooling system. As 60% of a normal office and home electricity consumption goes to air conditioning, the savings would be very substantial.

As I have commented in earlier posts, it only needs the public sector to show the way. Once the government accepts and uses solar technology on a large scale, the private sector will follow siut. Demand is thus created and the technology will be cheaper based on economies of scale.

I just hope that the SDC's technology really works. The future will be so much better for all of us if it does.

Property Players Go Green Too

Green is the way to go for industry players, was one of the headlines in the Star (business) on Saturday, 23rd May.

The Green Building Index (GBI), Malaysia’s very own certification scheme for sustainable buildings, was officially launched on Thursday. This is part of the efforts initiated to green the property industry.

The GBI, developed by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and Association of Consulting Engineers (ACEM), will encourage developers of housing and commercial projects to adopt environment-friendly features such as energy-efficient elements, rain harvesting and conservation of original land form and vegetation.

It is noted that although the cost of developing a green building may be more than that of a conventional building, maintaining and operating it would be cheaper in the long run.

If a building is constructed with the right green designs and features, energy costs could be reduced by 50%, which is a substantial saving as energy easily makes up 25% of a building’s operating cost. Together with other forms of savings, green buildings can cut operating costs by about 60%.

GREATER adoption and use of environment-friendly planning techniques, designs and “green” materials in property projects will go a long way towards promoting green practices in the country.

Rather than depending on legislation to make it mandatory for industry players to incorporate pro-environment design features in their projects, it will be more effective if industry players voluntarily adopt green and environment-friendly designs and concepts in their projects.

The Government’s initiative to ensure new government buildings feature energy-saving and other pro-environment measures is a good start to promote the green culture among property industry players.

It Rained but only Slightly

Today was a bit better. All praise to the Almighty for relieving us of the torturous heat.

After a loud clap of thunder and lightning this afternoon, I thought a thunderstorm was brewing.

But, alas, the rain was only a slight drizzle. But it was enough to cool the atmosphere.

Looking on the positive side, the hot weather is ideal for people who are renovating their homes. It is also good to wash your clothes as it will dry in the shortest time. Would you believe that in Mekah, a wet towel, hand washed, could dry in 10 minutes during the hot weather? Well, I experienced it during the hottest summer of 1987 while performing the Haj pilgrimage.

Anyway, we have to make the most of the situation. Drink plenty of plain water, filtered or boiled. Avoid going out in the hottest part of the day and eat less spicy food. Cold salads are great.

We only have ourselves to blame for the global warming phenomenon we are facing now. It needs a lot of education and change of attitude for the common man and a lot of political will for nations to combat this phenomenon.

It is HOT, really HOT

The past few nights have been really hot. My bedroom is like a hot oven. Normally, I could sleep with the fan switched to level one and got up in the morning with a leg cramp because it was too cold.

The noon temperature in downtown Kuala Lumpur was 40 degrees C. Just like Mekah or Madinah in Saudi Arabia! Our trip to PJ for lunch left us dehydrated and exhausted.

I am told that it is the South West Monsoon that is causing the heat wave. And it is expected to last until September.God help us.Our electric bill is going to escalate because we can no longer sleep without the air conditioners.

If our home which is normally cool is now hot, what about those people whose houses are normally hot? Perhaps it is time to design more environment friendly and cooler homes and not make more heat sinks. Time to read more on green buildings.

New Regulations for Garbage Disposal

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/4/29/central/3782260&sec=central

Beginning June, 1st 2009 the Kuala Lumpur City Hall will make it mandatory for all households in Kuala Lumpur to have 2 garbage bins. One for organic and the other for inorganic materials. This is very interesting. As my house in just a few metres away from the City Hall boundaries, it does not come under City Hall's purview. Thus, I am not directly affected.

I am happy to note that Alam Flora, the Solid Waste Management Company, will provide the 2 bins. It only needs a little initiative for you to separate your garbage. Failure to do so will result in your garbage being left uncollected. As Alam Flora only collects your garbage, it is up to City Hall to enforce the ruling. I can only imagine the wrath of the people when they discover that their garbage is not being collected and dogs and cats having a field day foraging through them.

In the meantime, it is up to City Hall to send fliers to educate City folks on the new ruling.

For those who are still in the dark on how to identify between organic and inorganic waste; here's some tips:

Organic wastes are those that rots and turns bad very fast naturally. In a normal household, it include kitchen wastes from food preparations:

• vegetable scraps; stalks and leaves
• fruit peelings (banana skins, potato skins, etc)
• onion peelings,
• egg shells

Inorganic Wastes are:

• styrofoam containers
• plastic materials
• disposable diapers
• aluminium tins
• steel cans
  
• leather shoes
• stockings
• clothes
• newspapers
  

Inorganics, except for styrofoams and certain plastics and used diapers and sanitary pads, can also be recycled if there are separated and sent to Alam Flora collection centres.

Once the new ruling sets in full swing, most of the garbage problem in Kuala Lumpur can be solved with every one's cooperation. Some cities in the US have made it compulsory for its citizens to separate their garbage. It is now up to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to lead the way in Malaysia so that other cities will follow soon.

For Kuala Lumpur, the scarcity of land for landfill within its borders is a serious problem. It cannot continue to rely on neighbouring States to provide land for it to dispose the garbage discarded by KLites.

City Hall already has a composting facility. Thus, the organic wastes from homes together with the city's garden wastes can be used as raw material feedstock for this facility. This is short of getting the city dwellers to make their own compost themselves.

I can hardly wait for Alam Flora to get the Selangor local government authorities to follow City Hall's initiative. Complying the separation of garbage ruling is no problem for me, as I am already selling my inorganics to Alam Flora and composting my organics. In fact, the local authority should give me a rebate for not contributing so much garbage to their landfill.