Little Cozy Corner

I was watching Oprah today and I didn’t realise that one of the easiest way of lending a helping hand to clean up Mother Earth is to stop using paper cups. Who would have thought, eh?

When I was working back in Kulim, paper cups were a must. At first I thought that this would be the end of my sorrows of having to print out nasty side comments and stick it on the wall beside the sink with ‘Please wash up or at least rinse your mugs after use because no one wants to come to work over the weekend to mouldy mugs’, or at least something along those lines. But in actual fact, what I really wanted to add in as well was, ‘If you can walk all the way to the kitchen sink with your cup, then I’m sure stretching your arm a wee bit more so you could place the cup in the sink would make it easier for the cleaner as well as me not needing to do it for you - that’s not my job’. Sadly, I never did it although maybe I should have.

Anyway, everyone wanted me to get paper cups because it was simply convenient. There was no need to wash up after and you needn’t bother to throw it away either because other people do it for you. In the beginning I thought it was handy but then I got tired of picking up after these big babies at work because they weren’t grown up enough to clear their table and their excuse is always too busy at work. So because I’m in the office 9 to 5 everyday and although it’s not my job to clear these papers cups, I cannot not do it because I’m in charged of overall cleanliness and I just hate to see mugs left on the table for days on end. I remember once this guy went on holidays and he didn’t rinse his cup, he left it on the table. It was getting really stinky but I wanted to teach him a lesson. Sadly, I caved in when I saw ‘things’ growing. Ugghh…..how disgusting!!

These paper cups were used for everything from coffee to tea to plain water. In fact, on average I think one person used at least 3 cups a day if not more if they were in the office because coffee gets them going. Worst still if they are on the night shift or had to work late. Omg, I remember once coming back to office in the morning and the bin was filled with paper cups and we had almost run out because of it! It was insane….people didn’t care to reuse when you can if you had just taken water but nup, next drink they take will be in a new cup. At one time, I just couldn’t find paper cups anywhere and boss was jumping my back about it. I should have seen this episode of Oprah beforehand so that I could roar back at him and try to get the message across.

Since we have mostly permanent staff, they should all bring their own mugs and be resposible for it. Didn’t rinse your mug? Tough luck - rinse it or no coffee for you. And paper cups should be reserved for visitors only. That way, we cut down on wasting money and save the planet. But it would have certainly been at the cost of my temper and patience but I’m willing to risk it.

So take this idea back to your work places and enforce it. You will find that though many will not agree with you but they’ll get used to it. They won’t die - I promise.

YAY!!! I was so happy to hear about this so early in the morning. Finally, a move that will definitely create a positive impact on the environment.

Although it is still in the discussion stage, it is good to hear and see that something is being done. I really hope that this ban pulls through because using 4 billion plastic bags a year is no laughing matter when a lot of them end up in the rivers due to selfish and ignorant people. I’m pretty sure that this ban will not go down well with the supermarkets and it hasn’t.

I guess another option besides banning the whole idea would be to produce recycleable plastic bags. I know they exist coz my chemist uses them but I don’t know if the process that is required to produce these bags will causes more problems in the long run or not, so that remains to be seen or thought about by the government. There’s a poll currently being carried out asking the question :

What should replace plastic bags?

I personally think that the use of the green bag [It's used rather extensively here in Australia. It is merely a bag, most of the time green,  which is used over and over again, but I'm not so sure what it's made of.] would be the best because obviously paper bags won’t be able to handle heavy stuff. I’m not so sure what other replacement there is…

I know that it’s impossible for one person to save the world and as I mentioned in a recent campaign that I took part in, it takes many people who are willing to make little changes that will set the ball rolling.

I’m no rich tai-tai [house wife] but I knew that the least I could do on my part, seeing that I can’t really get any hands-on experience at the moment, was to donate a little bit towards a newly found organisation called Orang Utan Outreach, managed by Richard Zimmerman. Actually, he found me after I wrote an article for PK Tan’s campaign! lol And with this soft spot I have for orang utans, I decided that a small donation towards this labour of love was the least I could do seeing that all it took was a few PPP posts. I know many of you out there are still into PPP and with PayPal, making donations is SO simple.

So if you find that this is something you’d also like to take part in, please head on over to donate a wee bit of ALL that money you’ve made from ALL those sponsored and make a difference. It really gave me a wonderful sense of self satisfaction and a wonderful way to start the new year….don’t get all NATO, ok? [NATO = No Action, Talk Only, in case you didn't know! :P] And if you want, and so you should….grab that banner on my sidebar and join me.

My dream is actually to become a volunteer and join a rehab group for nursing and caring for abandoned joeys [both kangaroos and koalas]. They have that kind of groups here in Australia but I’m not sure how to go about it. However, I’ll have to keep this flame burning for awhile because it’s not something I can do right now - I already have a ‘joey’ of my own for now but this is something that I am seriously looking into doing in the future so for now, I’ll be doing some researching to see how I can get into this. If I can’t be a vet, the least I can do is be a nurse la.

Can’t remember this little fella’s name but I think he/she’s cute!!

Ps. Before I forget, WWF-Malaysia doesn’t take donations via PayPal so you may need to send in a cheque instead. I think they should seriously consider PayPal though, it really does make it very easy for more people to donate, don’t you think?

This post is very special because I feel that the new year should start off with me doing something good in the hope that this act will help ensure a good and productive year ahead. But that is not the main reason why I’m doing this post. I love animals and it breaks my heart to see how we are slowly killing off all those precious animals that God has given us by our ignorance and neglect for nature. I have a soft spot for orang utans simply because they are so human-like that many describe them as one of ‘man’s closest relative’, the others include the chimps and gorillas.

In conjunction with a special campaign happening at Malaysia Travel Guide called Protect Malaysia Wildlife : Don’t let them be history, I thought that I’d write a little something about these cuddly creatures.

These lovely creatures are being classified as ‘critically endangered’ and it’s so sad because it is due to us, humans, that they have become this way. Our constant logging and agricultural industries which seem to be booming due to societies demand have caused a drastic decline in the numbers of orang utans in our forests. On top of the logging and the booming palm oil industry, there are also illegal poachers who are always on the lookout for infants particularly for live-animal trading and sometimes, kept as pets. This, although may sound ok to you, it is illegal! Normally, the mother is killed off and these babies who cling to their mothers since birth for about 2 years are practically torn away from the carcass - it is really a very painful sight. Studies show that if these creatures are not protected and their habitat continues to be stripped away, they will be extinct in about 10 years or less. What a scary thought!

Have you seen these animals in the wild? I have. Well, not the orang utans but the proboscis monkeys. It was such a beautiful experience that happened in Kuching when Ted and I had a chance to see proboscis monkeys roaming free in a rehabilitation centre. Although it’s still not as free as free can be, sad to say, it’s as good as it can get. I still haven’t had the chance to visit the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehab centre yet but it’s definitely on my list. Truth be known, I just don’t know how to word it but to put it simply - on one hand we are destroying their habitat to feed the demands but at the same time, we are going out of our way to save the animals…I mean, so contradicting right? If it’s causing more harm than good by not only stripping the land of it’s resources and inhabitants, but also causing loss for the future generation, why are we giving in the way we are? Does that make any sense at all??

Anyway, if you think that because you are only one person and how much can one person do, think again. By helping to spread the word about awareness on the conservation of these beautiful animals, it’s a good start. If you’re hands-on person like I am, get involved with rehabilitation centres and sanctuaries and volunteer. That way, money that would be spent on paying you would be spent on the animals instead. It’s been one of my dreams to visit Sepilok but so far, it hasn’t come true. The Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre is located near Sandakan, in Malaysian Borneo. This centre was set up as a means of housing injured or orphaned Orang-Utans, caring for them and nursing them back to health before they can be released into the forest. Many Orang-Utans that end up here have strayed into logging camps or been rescued from captivity. Many are orphaned babies that cannot survive in the forest alone.

But if getting your hands dirty is not your thing then the next best thing would be to donate. There are already many organisations out there who are in the midst of raising awareness and much needed funding for rehabilitation projects so that’s a good sign. But in order for these organisation to function properly, funds are needed so donate if you can. However I know how some people feel about money. Donations can be a very tricky and sensitive thing and these people might feel that by just giving, it’s not justified. Trust me, there are people like that out there, so if you feel that way then purchase stuff which are produced to help the fund ie calendars, posters which are produced by the organisation. And another thing, please don’t ever encourage live animal trade. I bet you wouldn’t be too happy if someone were to kill you just to grab your baby and sell em’ off as a plaything now, would you?

So you see, being aware of conservation is a good start, the next step is taking action. If we don’t save our animals, who will?

A poem by Gerard D’Cruz
A modern world of urbanisation
created jungles of concrete contortion.
Impersonal people infest these places,
a sea of nothing but indifferent faces.
People never have time to say,
“Hello, good morning, how are you today?”
Factories, mills, industrialisation
created skylines of smoke pollution.
Cancerous air that seem no harm
slowly killing mother nature’s charm.
Vanishing species that cry out in sorrow
“Save us for children of tomorrow.”

Automobiles and transportation
created junkyards of iron defecation.
Empty shells that once had utility
rusty reflections of man’s futility.
Struggling now to earn his bread,
but who remembers when he’s dead?