Story of Stuff, Full Version; How Things Work, About Stuff

Hello there green hoppers!!!
So here we are in the year 2010! Happy new year, everyone!
Just like others, I’ve written down my list of New Year Resolutions and ready to share it…

This year, I will do the following…

1. I will campaign to raise more awareness about the great apes!

2. I will reduce the amount of waste & keep on recycling!
-use less paper (remember to use the “print preview” before you hitting PRINT!)
-stop using disposable products such as paper towels and plastic cutlery

3. I will plant more trees
-with Eco Warriors Malaysia
-help neighbourhood schools with their gardens
-grow a garden at home, yes!

4. I will use reusable bags when out shopping

5. I will drink green
-use refillable cups
-avoid plastic water bottles (simpler and safer to carry water in a water container or at least minimize the use of plastic water bottles)

6. I will lose weight
-classic weight loss tips—eat fresh vegetables, haha.
(after all, green women are not supposed to get fat)

So what are your resolutions?

Love,
-Siti Hani Ahmad Zuraidi-

Matthias Gelber & Alya Husna

Have you seen December 2009 Malaysia's HELLO! magazine?
Please read about our environmental champion, MATTHIAS GELBER's work on how we can make a difference in this world. Also in this magazine is one of the youngest of Eco Warriors, Alya Husna who is now 8 years old happily smiling next to her favourite "Mat Salleh" uncle, Matthias. Matthias is the founder of Eco Warriors Malaysia, who was voted The Greenest Person On The Planet 2008 by http://www.3rdwhale.com/

He aims to plant one million trees soon......and we are all going to help.

Check out:
Matthias' blogspot - http://greenmanplanet.blogspot.com/
Eco Warriors Malaysia - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=34686317757&ref=ts

7 Deadly Plastics

Number 1 Plastics: PET or PETE (polyethelene terephthalate)
PETE is most commonly found in soda and water bottles but is used to make peanut butter jars and veggie oil containers as well. It is usually downcycled to make items like polar fleece, tote bags, fibers and carpet. Most beverage bottles are made of this stuff as it is inexpensive and lightweight, but shockingly the recycle rates are only at around 20percent.

Number 2 Plastics: HDPE (high density polyethylene)
This stuff is a bit heavier and is most commonly found in milk jugs, household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, some garbage bags, and cereal box liners. HDPE is generally recycled into laundry detergent bottles, plastic lumber, pens, and floor tiles to name a few.

Number 3 Plastics: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)PVC is found in clear food packaging, some window cleaner and detergent bottles, and the outer jacketing of electrical cables (think ethernet). It’s not as readily recycled and is pretty nasty stuff as its manufacture and burning releases toxins into the atmosphere. When it is taken for recycling, it can be turned into mudflaps, cables, speed bumps and floor mats. PVC can contain a softener (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)) which has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen - so you may want to avoid it altogether. Good times!

Number 4 Plastics: LDPE (low density polyethylene)
This is the stuff we probably see the most of, after PETE in water bottles, as it’s what goes into those plastic shopping bags. Other uses are squeezy dispenser bottles, bread and frozen food bags, and some clothing and furniture. LDPE is becoming easier to turn in for recycling and can be used to make trash can liners, shipping containers, composters and envelopes.

Number 5 Plastics: PP (polypropylene)You’ll see PP 5 in bottle caps, plastic drinking straws, some plastic food containers and medicine bottles. Polypropylene is one of the more commonly accepted plastics for recycling and can become signal lights, brooms and brushes, ice scrapers, and landscaping borders. Because it has a high melting point, it is commonly used in things that will come into contact with heat.

Number 6 Plastics: PS (polystyrene)
Another commonly found one, PS is used in carry out containers, compact disc cases, egg cartons, and “disposable” cups and plates. It is fairly hard to recycle this stuff (many areas do not accept it) and has been proven to leach carcinogenic toxins in many instances. Polystyrene is most commonly found in Styrofoam (they inject it with air to make it light and give it that texture) and can be turned into insulation, light plate switches, foam packing, egg cartons and carry out containers.

Number 7 Plastics: Everything elseOk, this is a weird one. In an attempt to label everything, they came up with number 7 for things that don’t fit in 1-6. Some of the products that carry a 7 are 5 gallon water jugs, bulletproof material (hopefully you won’t need to recycle this stuff), computer cases, dvds, and a whole host of other things. A lot of local recycling programs won’t take number 7 for the obvious reason that they don’t immediately know what’s what. This is a bummer because as of right now, many compostable products carry a number 7 on them and are therefore getting tossed. Crazy but it’s true. It should also be noted that Polycarbonate which carries a number 7 and is used in many baby bottles and reusable sports bottles (think Nalgene), as well as those office water jugs, can contain the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A which has been shown to leach out due to age or heating over the long term. Ain’t science fun?

Towards A Greener School Environment

If you had the choice to spend the day outside or go to school and sit inside all day, which would you choose? Spending time outdoors might be more fun, but school is important as well. Students spend a large amount of time during school sitting behind a desk in a classroom. I read somewhere on the internet that this can lead to “Nature Deficit Disorder”, or a lack of connection with the environment.

Tree planting can never be much more fun. 35 people turned up at the Taman Pertanian (mini garden in my school) to plant 25 precious trees, among which are mango trees, guava trees, soursops and hibiscus. Planting trees is a basic way to get started greening school grounds. Plus, gardens are a great way to teach students by getting them outside of the classroom and introducing them to local plants, animals, and ecosystems.

These trees are actually sponsored by the students of SMKS9 for the tree planting activity that was organized by the Kelab Pencinta Alam, Eco Warriors of SMKS9 and also TrEES (Treat Every Environment Special).

This wonderful activity is actually part of a campaign to raise awareness not only among club members but also the whole school community about the importance of keeping our Earth green.

We have to put in mind that forests were put on Earth for a reason; they help to maintain a delicate balance between all nature’s elements and the importance of biodiversity. And remember, trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, and store water in their roots. They also provide shade for shiny Malaysia too. We are actually helping to produce more oxygen.

I would like to this opportunity to thank my family who gave me a lot of green ideas and encouragement. I would like to say a big thank you to my mom especially, Datin Rossiti Aishah who brought me all the way to Sungai Buloh to get the trees, sent the trees to the school in her cute little Kelisa, go to the D.I.Y. shop to get the gloves and the most important thing; she came for the activity to give a talk on biodiversity and she even taught us how to plant the trees the right way.

And thank you, Kakak [Dr. Amira Adlya] for helping my friends water the plants. Haha.

Overall, I must say that this activity was a success! Everyone showed great enthusiasm for making

our school greener environment.

Our beautiful and handsome generous contributors:

♦ Farah Nadhira ♦ Sofia Maizura ♦ Nursyaza Syazwanie ♦ Alya Farina ♦ Ainaa Nadhirah ♦ Dura Munirah ♦ Nor Ayuni ♦ Fatin Nabila ♦ Ruzana Aqilah ♦ Syazana Nawawi ♦ Noradilah Idris ♦ Raina ♦ Syazwan ♦ Amir ♦ Nur Filza ♦ Laila Amerah ♦ Nur Fatin ♦ Nadya ♦ Husna Aini ♦ Izzah Farihah ♦ Nabilah Radzi ♦ Wan Arina ♦ Deanna ♦ Hanisah ♦ Amal ♦ Alia ♦ Aishah ♦ Atifah ♦ Ridwah ♦ Hanini ♦ Raihan ♦ Raja Zarin ♦ Aisyah ♦ Aliana ♦ Izatul ♦ Mira Edora ♦ Elyna ♦ Aleeza ♦ Nur Aqilah ♦ Iman ♦ Solehah ♦ Aiman Hamizah ♦ Aimi Sara ♦ Siti Sarah ♦ Nur Amirah ♦ Syarmin ♦ Nadhira ♦ Nur Afiqah ♦ Sarah ♦ Muaz ♦ Nur Adilah ♦ Ewan ♦ Amirah ♦ Adreana ♦ Nurul Syahira ♦ Nur Amirah ♦ Faris ♦ Aziz Faisal ♦ Shamsul Shamsuddin ♦ Benjamin ♦ Teacher Syed Ahmad Thani ♦

Much love,

-Siti Hani Ahmad Zuraidi-

Manja Today

Manja on a platform

When I wrote a short story about “Manja the Orangutan” three years ago, Manja was still part of the animal show at Zoo Negara. Now, Manja and Kiti (Manja’s sister) no longer perform in compliance with animal rights worldwide. Everyone knows that an animal that is made to perform tricks or any kind of acting is subjected to restraint and some form of discipline that includes food rationing and in many cases, physical abuse. In order to stop all these cruel acts whether intentionally or unintentionally, any form of animal training is considered inappropriate and inhumane.

Chokey's foot

Do not allow our fun with animals be at the expense of the animals used to entertain. What we see is the show. Behind the scene, during training many of these animals go through beatings and even pinching as I have witnessed myself. In more extreme cases as in the training of elephants (not in Malaysia, thank god), they are kicked and probed with bull hooks. There are many examples of these especially in circuses and TV films and commercials. In order to feature great apes in films, TV programmes, and advertisements, trainers typically take docile baby apes away from their mothers and beat them into submission. If the animals fight back, food will not be given. Using great apes in advertisements, movies or attractions perpetuates the idea that animals are ours to use in any way deemed fit as long as it makes money or provokes a laugh.

Chokey sucks Hani's fingers

Chimpanzees, orang-utans and other great apes are extremely intelligent and their complex physical and psychological needs and desires, such as seeking a mate, raising a family, foraging for food, basking in the sun and establishing their territories cannot be met in captivity.

Chokey loves to be touched

So, the next time you see an animal show; just think about the training that goes with it... Animals, like humans do not like to be mocked at and made fun of. They do have feelings. It has been scientifically proven that animals do endure stresses and pain.

Last Saturday, I went to visit Manja and the orangutans in Zoo Negara. I mentioned earlier about the very much needed public support to help Zoo Negara in its finances in order to provide well for the animals, our Malaysian animals because there isn’t enough money to build comfortable and more humane exhibit enclosures for the orangutans.

So, for now the ten orangutans gets the opportunity to stay in the biggest enclosure on a time divided schedule. A male orangutan cannot be in the same enclosure with a male. Since March this year, every Saturdays and Sundays the four Bornean orang-utans, Manja, Awang, Punky and Kiti get their chance to move around and climb up the platform posts as they would in the forest canopies as compared to being caged up in the little cages. The others are Chokey, Sulung, Anna, Salmah, Rokiah and her daughter Tsunami. They are Sumatran orang-utans.

Kiti with her antics

Thanks to Encik Ishak, En Parvess, En Ramli and Dr. Mohd Ngah for the effort. Moving the big apes from cage to cage, as I have witnessed needs a lot of patience and coercing because physical contact is not appropriate and illegal. Keepers have been bitten and injured during these processes. Imagine getting Awang who is over 300pounds heavy and he is the dominant male! But he is happier now. For years, I have been visiting him and the rest of my hairy children in their small cages. Now they get to play around awhile in the bigger exhibit enclosure.

Punky and Kiti waiting for treats

Please, please.....to the rich corporate banks and the kind public and especially our government heads, please let us all provide well and kindly to the animals in ZOOS. These animals have no choice but to be there unless we release them back to the wilderness, if we have any wilderness left.... These are our own national, very Malaysian treasures that no other nation has...the Malaysian Bornean Orangutans.

Awang and Manja....

Please make generous donations to Zoo Negara....Please.....

-Rossiti Aishah Rashidi-

Apa yang telah anda BUANG hari ini?

Bahan buangan organik seperti sisa dapur dapat dilupuskan dengan segera melalui proses pereputan. Malangnya, tidak untuk bahan buangan inorganik sperti plastik. Jangka masa pereputan untuk bahan inorganik adalah panjang sehingga melebihi jangka hayat kita. Sesetengah tidak dapat direputkan langsung! Oleh itu, sekiranya anda membuang sesuatu bahan/barangan, tolong fikirkan kesanya dalam jangka massa panjang terhadap alam sekitar kita. Sila gunakan barangan yang diperlukan sahaja & gunakan dengan bijak.

Surat khabar: 2 - 4 minggu

Sisa dapur: 3 - 4 minggu

Rokok: 3-4 bulan

Putung rokok: 3 bulan

Kertas: 3 minggu

Kertas berlilin: 3 bulan

Kayu bercat: 10 tahun

Barangan kulit: lebih dari 100 tahun

Tin minuman: 200 - 500 tahun

Botol plastik: 400 - 1000 tahun

Botol kaca: Tidak dapat ditentukan

Beg plastik: Tidak dapat direputkan

Sumber: Global Environment Centre

How is Chokey now?

Remember Chokey? He is the handsome orangutan my daughter fell in love with. Actually, everyone who sees him adores him. I love him too. Knowing him has been an eye opening experience and most educational about how fragile life is for the wild in Malaysia and around the world. Even convicted prisoners who are kept in jail are served their rights and privileges. But many innocent animals caged up are at our mercy. Many have criticized zoos around the world for some of the terrible living conditions and abuses. But truly, the blame is on all of us. The animals have lost their habitats, the human greed is ravaging the earth and exactly how can we stop this massacre. That is exactly what is happening. So, what can everyone do? We always read and hear that everything has to start with “ME”! Yes, me! I educate my children and in the process discovering so many new things myself. I learnt and discovered a lot of things I never knew before. I thought I was teaching my children.... I was actually learning. And learning through the eyes of my children has been as real as can be.... so pure and honest about how they truly feel about life and all things living in it.

So, back to Chokey, our darling. We don’t get to see him as we use to. He is older and bigger now and for the safety of all parties, he is in his little cage..... I mean really little. This photo, I took a few months back, says it all. The enclosure is about five feet by 10 feet wide, or narrow should I say. You don’t get to see him, not even his shadow if you visit the Zoo Negara because he is not in the exhibit area but a holding cage because there aren't enough funds to build exhibit enclosures for all the animals and there are many many more animals caged up in these small cages. Zoo Negara needs public support (there are some really good people working there) and kind donations from the public would really help.We also need serious commitment from government heads if we want to be a nation of caring and loving people and be guardians of this beautiful earth and all its creatures.

Just a friendly reminder...... Reduce, Reuse, Recycle ..... Rethink!

-Rossiti Aishah Rashidi-

My Greens

I enjoy gardening and I have planted four angle beans along some of my fences and it has been very rewarding. Nowadays, I get healthy organic beans from my own garden. I also have lots of screw pine, kafir lime, calamansi (limau kasturi), cekur, daun kaduk, yam in pots, banana trees, papaya, mango and a cashew tree bearing beautiful fruits. So, imagine how much I’ve saved and enjoyed.... some things money just can’t buy. Because of all the trees I’ve planted, I get beautiful chirping feathery visitors in my garden everyday.... heavenly! Kingfishers, wrens, doves are regulars in my garden. They also visit to splish splash in the bowls of water I lay for them in my backyard.








-Rossiti Aishah Rashidi-

Taman Negeri Selangor (Selangor State Park)

http://trees.org.my

Treat Every Environment Special Sdn Bhd. (TrEES) is a local non-profit environment organisation established in February 1995. With over thirteen years of experience working on environmental issues, TrEES believes in engaging diverse sectors of Malaysian society, at both the local and national level, to work together in conserving the environment.

'The project towards the establishment of Taman Negeri Selangor (Selangor State Park)' was an initiative to protect the State's forests and water supply and was jointly funded by TrEES and the Selangor State Government. The project was a result of TrEES lobbying the State Government, together with the community, for more than 10 years.

In this innovative approach to the project, TrEES and the Town and Country Planning Department of Selangor as project facilitators engaged over 30 different stakeholders including government departments and NGOs, to work together to make the park a reality.

The park is the source of 98% of Selangor's, KL's & Putrajaya's water supply and is crucial to Selangor maintaining its self-sufficiency in vital natural resources.

In August 2005, the Selangor State Government, together with the Deputy Prime Minister (who is now our Prime Minister), officially declared 107,000 hectares of the study area for gazettement as Taman Warisan Selangor. In 2007, over 91,000 hectares was gazetted as 'State Park'. TrEES is a member of the Technical Committee for the park and continues to lobby for the remaining areas to be gazetted.

Keep Holding On

Recorded by Avril Lavigne
Written by Lavigne and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side,
you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through,
we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you,
I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through,
we'll make it through

So far away
I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side I will fight and defend,
I'll fight and defend

PS: I WILL FIGHT AND DEFEND

-Siti Hani Ahmad Zuraidi-

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour in our home in Shah Alam.