Article as below:
www.mbipv.net.my/news1/2008/September/AS2414%20Pusat%20Tenaga.pdf
www.ptm.org.my
With the world’s supply of fossil fuels increasingly depleted, the price of energy rising and at the same time the world are taking steps to weather the global warming, the greenbuilding movement has rapidly matured over the past few years.
There is a rating system called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for high performance buildings. As Malaysia moves toward a developed country in 2020, the energy requirement will be very intensive. Expert said that the commercial and residential buildings in Malaysia account for about 13% of total energy consumption and 48% of the electricity consumption. Hence there is a need to apply energy efficient strategies in reducing the building’s energy consumption.
As a good example, TNB built a Zero Energy Building (ZEO) which carries the primary objective- minimize the use of energy and efficient utilization of energy source. The cost of building construction was higher 10-15% than the conventional design but significantly low operating costs will more than offset this.
Due to our depleting oil field, this is vital for the government to construct or encourage more energy efficient buildings in the future. From Internet, I found that the KL Securities Commission headquarters was the winner of ASEAN Energy Awards for Energy Efficiency Building and KLIA was the runner-up in 2004. These buildings are shining example of Malaysian high-tech and energy efficient building success. I am proud to say that the country is moving towards a correct and bright direction in the future if continuing pushing this concept into their any mega project.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
E-waste in China
Article as below:
For years, the environmentalists and the media have highlighted the danger to Chinese workers who dismantle the world’s junked electronics. People in the world refer it to “e-waste”. As the heartland of “e-waste”, China having a serious environmental problem due to the disposal of electronic wastes from all over the world.
This ugly business is driven by pure economics. The developed countries have a strict environmental regulations had make them paid much and they are trying to reduce the cost of disposal. China is one of their best options. It’s ten times cheaper to export the waste to developing countries. In China, poor migrants from countryside willingly endure the health risks to earn some money. They are melting the wires to recover the copper and cooking computer motherboards to release gold. They smash the picture tubes by hand to recover glass and electronic parts, releasing the lead dust to air.
Experts said that about 90 percent of e-waste end up in dumps that observe no environmental standards, where shredders, open fires, acid baths and broilers are used to recover gold, silver, copper and other valuable metals while spewing toxic fumes and runoff into the sky and river. They estimated about 70 percent of the 20-50 million tons of electronic waste produced globally each year is dumped in China, with most of the rest going to India and poor African nations.
As noted by UNEP (2005):
“Every year, 20 to 50 million tones of electrical and electronic equipment waste( “ e-waste”) are generated world wide, wich could bring serious risks to human health and the environment. While 4 million PCs are discarded per year in China alone.”
The rapidly growing “e-waste” stream must be solved together by the governments, not just strengthen the regulations. They must seek the cooperation of NGO like greenpeace to overcome this problem.
This ugly business is driven by pure economics. The developed countries have a strict environmental regulations had make them paid much and they are trying to reduce the cost of disposal. China is one of their best options. It’s ten times cheaper to export the waste to developing countries. In China, poor migrants from countryside willingly endure the health risks to earn some money. They are melting the wires to recover the copper and cooking computer motherboards to release gold. They smash the picture tubes by hand to recover glass and electronic parts, releasing the lead dust to air.
Experts said that about 90 percent of e-waste end up in dumps that observe no environmental standards, where shredders, open fires, acid baths and broilers are used to recover gold, silver, copper and other valuable metals while spewing toxic fumes and runoff into the sky and river. They estimated about 70 percent of the 20-50 million tons of electronic waste produced globally each year is dumped in China, with most of the rest going to India and poor African nations.
As noted by UNEP (2005):
“Every year, 20 to 50 million tones of electrical and electronic equipment waste( “ e-waste”) are generated world wide, wich could bring serious risks to human health and the environment. While 4 million PCs are discarded per year in China alone.”
The rapidly growing “e-waste” stream must be solved together by the governments, not just strengthen the regulations. They must seek the cooperation of NGO like greenpeace to overcome this problem.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Nokia-recycle your old phone and get a tree named after you
Article:
As we all know, a lot of staffs can be recycled other than just being dumped, such as aluminums tin, glass bottle, plastic bottle, paper. These mentioned things are typical recyclable items. How about our daily use cellphone? Although between 65% and 85% of a cellphone can be recycled, recovery rates remain dismal due to poor awareness among the people. This fact is confirmed by cellphone manufacturer giant, Nokia. According to a market survey, a cell phone life span is about average 2.5 years. Thus we can imagine there will be a significant amount of used cellphone being dumped into the wasteland without going through a proper recycle process. This is considered one of the E-waste which causing damage to our environment.
According to Nokia, if each of the three billion handphone users globally recycle one phone each, we can save 240000 tonnes of raw material from being mined, produced and distributed. The amount of greenhouse gases saved would be equivalent to that of removing four million cars from the road. To compliance the concept of sustainable development and to commit the society and environment responsibility as part of the corporate culture, Nokia has set up Kiosks in public places in Malaysia for the consumers to drop off their old or unused handphones for recycling. To reward those who do so, Nokia will plant a tree in their name at Sebangau National Park in central Kalimantan. The collected handphones will be sent to two recyclers, one in Penang and another in Singapore. Recoverable materials include plastics and metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, chromium, lead and nickel.
In this program, Nokia has pledged to plant 100000 trees in Sebangau under the NEWTrees Initiative, a collaboration with WWF Indonesia and Equinox Publishing. The consumers will be informed the exact coordinates of the particular “named” planted tree and instructions on how to view the tree via Google Earth.
As a conclusion, Nokia had show a good example to the world how a corporate tradeoff between their business and the conservation of the environment. By launching this program, Nokia can educate the consumers about recycling and protection of the rainforest. Consumers also can be satisfied due to commitment to the forest conservation and play a role in the environment champion campaign. Thus, the branding of Nokia can be enhanced too. This is really a brilliant idea. What I have to say is “Bravo, Nokia!” Keep it up.
According to Nokia, if each of the three billion handphone users globally recycle one phone each, we can save 240000 tonnes of raw material from being mined, produced and distributed. The amount of greenhouse gases saved would be equivalent to that of removing four million cars from the road. To compliance the concept of sustainable development and to commit the society and environment responsibility as part of the corporate culture, Nokia has set up Kiosks in public places in Malaysia for the consumers to drop off their old or unused handphones for recycling. To reward those who do so, Nokia will plant a tree in their name at Sebangau National Park in central Kalimantan. The collected handphones will be sent to two recyclers, one in Penang and another in Singapore. Recoverable materials include plastics and metals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, chromium, lead and nickel.
In this program, Nokia has pledged to plant 100000 trees in Sebangau under the NEWTrees Initiative, a collaboration with WWF Indonesia and Equinox Publishing. The consumers will be informed the exact coordinates of the particular “named” planted tree and instructions on how to view the tree via Google Earth.
As a conclusion, Nokia had show a good example to the world how a corporate tradeoff between their business and the conservation of the environment. By launching this program, Nokia can educate the consumers about recycling and protection of the rainforest. Consumers also can be satisfied due to commitment to the forest conservation and play a role in the environment champion campaign. Thus, the branding of Nokia can be enhanced too. This is really a brilliant idea. What I have to say is “Bravo, Nokia!” Keep it up.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Solar Energy New Era???
Articles as below:
The crude oil price has been skyrocketing recently. Everyone suffer for that except those oil fortunes market speculators to seize upon this opportunity to earn more profit. Even our beloved Malaysia Government had to announce restructure of the oil subsidies to overcome this problem. But I would like to ask is there any better solution to all of us? Are we just waiting and do nothing? Are the leaders taking any responsibility rather than saying OPEC should be responsible to control the oil market? Anything related to our country policy to make the situation worsening?
Just because the short sighted of our leaders, not thinking carefully about the possible effects and what happen in the future, when the oil crisis strikes the world, Malaysia straight away caught into trouble. Then they told you that government need to use the money prudently and can’t subsidize the petrol like those days anymore. Perhaps, government will bankrupt and no money to be allocated for development. But when they using the money which mainly contributed by our country petroleum industry, did they study properly and think carefully before begin any project? Look at our City, congested with private vehicles and inconvenient public transport, our government doesn’t show the will to make a better transportation system. What they did is encourage more and more national cars appear on the road, more and more privatization highways mushrooming in the city. This all related to the energy demand. The government said they are concerned about the energy sustainability but no concrete action has been taken.
Now they felt the pain. They start consider other energy resources. (Renewable or non renewable) Malaysia government suddenly becomes brilliant and concern about sustainability. A lot of ideas appeared such as nuclear energy, national hybrid car (suddenly invented), solar energy and etc. As we all know, Malaysia is locate near the equator. We are so lucky that Malaysia has enjoys many sunny days throughout the year. We have abundant solar energy resource but we don’t appreciate that. Like typical human being, we prefer the easier way and we choose to dig out the fossil oil from the deep sea bed. Of course the leaders won’t know what sustainable development is, they just focus on exploring more and more oil fields.
As a conclusion, instead of continuing subsidize the petrol, we must seriously think about others energy resources. The best solution will be the adoption of solar energy use with serious concern and determined effort. This sustainable solar energy policy definitely will go a long way in addressing the country’s energy future.
Low Kian Yung
P.S. Interesting information as below:
Monday, August 4, 2008
Water issue in Selangor!!!
Articles as below
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/7/12/central/21646904&sec=central
http://yeinjee.com/malaysia/2008/free-water-is-not-really-free/
As we all know, the water supply issue always become an interesting topic in Malaysia. This issue even aroused a lot of controversy after the 308 Politic Tsunami. The Selangor state government's announcement of free 20 cubic meters of water to the state people had rise up a lot of questions.
Actually Selangor is already becoming an importer of water, from Pahang state and other neighbour states. They themselves don't have enough water supply for their own state. It should plan for the sustainable use of its own precious resources. Seem water is the state's revenue, they should take care of it and must have certain measures to preserve it. Free water might encourage wastage of water indirectly. It is not easy to teach our people to consume the water prudently. This must be taken into account. I wish the state government has studied well before the announcement. This matter must be a technical study and should not involved any political intervention.
Beside that, the state government should instruct the water supply company to reduce the non revenue water (NRW) amount in the water supply system. If I am not mistaken, 40% of the water in the system is categorized NRW. This is mainly because the leakage of the old pipes and a lot water stolen cases. To get the reduction, the government must show their political will that they can achieve it with the cooperation of the water companies.
The state government should employ strict measures to penalise distributors that have a large amount or NRW. The water company will be forced into this reducing NRW and coming with continuous improvement of the services. Great profits will definitely be the result. This is a win-win situation for both. From now on, the government should have/study/ plan a long term sustainable management for the water resources and implement it seriously.
As a conclusion,we all must appreciate how lucky we are as a Malaysian who not facing a serious drought in our country before.The water crisis which happened few years back should become a lesson to all of us.
P.S. Another interesting web site which i found. Happy surfing:)
http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Development/water/
Low Kian Yung
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/7/12/central/21646904&sec=central
http://yeinjee.com/malaysia/2008/free-water-is-not-really-free/
As we all know, the water supply issue always become an interesting topic in Malaysia. This issue even aroused a lot of controversy after the 308 Politic Tsunami. The Selangor state government's announcement of free 20 cubic meters of water to the state people had rise up a lot of questions.
Actually Selangor is already becoming an importer of water, from Pahang state and other neighbour states. They themselves don't have enough water supply for their own state. It should plan for the sustainable use of its own precious resources. Seem water is the state's revenue, they should take care of it and must have certain measures to preserve it. Free water might encourage wastage of water indirectly. It is not easy to teach our people to consume the water prudently. This must be taken into account. I wish the state government has studied well before the announcement. This matter must be a technical study and should not involved any political intervention.
Beside that, the state government should instruct the water supply company to reduce the non revenue water (NRW) amount in the water supply system. If I am not mistaken, 40% of the water in the system is categorized NRW. This is mainly because the leakage of the old pipes and a lot water stolen cases. To get the reduction, the government must show their political will that they can achieve it with the cooperation of the water companies.
The state government should employ strict measures to penalise distributors that have a large amount or NRW. The water company will be forced into this reducing NRW and coming with continuous improvement of the services. Great profits will definitely be the result. This is a win-win situation for both. From now on, the government should have/study/ plan a long term sustainable management for the water resources and implement it seriously.
As a conclusion,we all must appreciate how lucky we are as a Malaysian who not facing a serious drought in our country before.The water crisis which happened few years back should become a lesson to all of us.
P.S. Another interesting web site which i found. Happy surfing:)
http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Development/water/
Low Kian Yung
Saturday, August 2, 2008
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