At the launch of the 2008 World Habitat Day and World Town Planning Day celebrations on October 6, 2008, at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, the Housing and Local Government Minister spoke of the establishment of a mechanism to ensure gazetting of green lungs, so that states will not overlook this matter which can result in open areas being sacrificed for development. Under the present requirement, developers must reserve 10% for green lungs from the land area earmarked for development.
A timely reminder indeed. What with resources becoming scarcer but population keep on multiplying, the desire to protect our environment is no longer an option but a necessity. Again, it is the developed countries leading this campaign. Some so-called underdeveloped and developing countries may find the measures as proposed by the ‘rich’ nations difficult to accept, due to the opposite pull of economic development against the desire to preserve natural resources. Education is the key.Appropriately, the above launch involved the younger generation whom the newspapers affectionately called them ‘child ambassadors.’ Old habits die hard. But, children will remember and carry their experiences into their adulthoods. Young people of today will inherit tomorrow’s world. Universities, colleges and schools are the foundation to be commended for identifying and conducting more environment protection extra curriculum activities.
The authorities are always making themselves look good by launching programs and conducting conventions in grand styles on the preservation of our environment but after that very little follow up is done.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that education is the key, but look at what the public schools and universities are doing and you'll be sick to your stomach.
When I was a teacher, I was the only person who took the initiative to collect as much paper as I could to send for recycling. Teachers, especially would always print much more than needed and later just dump them into the dustbin (especially during the end of the year or at the beginning of a semester when they had to clean up their desks) and the gardener just burned them openly and the principal just pretended that he didn't see it. When I looked at the amount of paper dumped and burned, it actually burned my heart.
And then, my son in the Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia UPNM, had to look at students just throwing chunks and chunks of papers, files, writing material and you name it just because the exam was over and everyone was graduating. My son could only take his and one of his friend's back home and told me how sick he was.
That's how they are educating people. my friend!
Somehow, I find that Malaysians in general are not too concerned about our environment. We really have some bad habits. Hopefully, the authorities will continue to educate them
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