I’m a green consumerist

I am a green consumerist. I live in a semidetached house with all the modern conveniences such as electricity, plumbing, a telephone, even Internet access. I grew up in the city so I certainly cannot live without them. However, I make sure my electrical gadget do not contain anything likely to harm the ozone.

Unfortunately, I buy nearly everything I use but I make sure that I use green products which are environmentally friendly. For instance, I buy biodegradable garbage bags, detergents and cereal in recyclable boxes. I take a cloth bag to the mini-market. I cannot grow my own vegetables because I do not have the space or the know-how. I try to buy organically-grown vegetables although they are expensive. I am very aware of how goods are made and how they are packaged.

I definitely disapprove of the modern consumer lifestyle which people always wanting and buying more things. I am surely not a throwaway buyer. I keep my home appliances until they break down! Like most Malaysians, I have a car but I try to use public transport as often as possible. My main concern is that manufacturers are damaging the environment, not cutting down on wastage and not conserving our planet’s limited natural resources.

Man with a mission

As a child, Dino Sharma loved the outdoors. He was fascinated with rivers, mangrove swamps, forests and beaches. He had many pets such as birds, turtles and fish. Although the word ‘conservation’ was not yet in his vocabulary, even then, he sensed that one day he would be involved in protecting animals from human destruction.

Since 1990 he has worked for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). He is the Senior Head of the Animal Species Conservation Unit. He plans and manages conservation projects in Peninsular Malaysia. Part of his job includes training graduates in conservation biology and identifying priority species for conservation. Today, Dino is living out his childhood passion.

Dino has had many interesting moments in the wild but one incident stands out in his memory. One night, he watched eighteen leatherback turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. Dino remained with one of them throughout her nesting process. She was majestic, calm and focused, posing no threat to anyone.

Dino was overcome with sadness on reflecting that human beings were eating her eggs and destroying her habitat. That night, a special bonding took place between man and creature. In Dino’s own words, ‘ I vowed to do all I could to help her and other marine turtles survive well into the future.

Leisure time

Ravi, Amar ad Duncan enjoy going to the park in the evening. It is just within walking distance from their residence. They love sitting by the lake watching the swans gliding gracefully on the surface of the water. They have gone boating over a thousand times before. Nowadays, the only watch other people ride the tricycle boat. What they enjoy most is feeding the fish breed. The bread is sold by an old man sitting under the pine tree.

    At the jogging track, there are many joggers, young and old. Some are doing exercises by the side. In the field, there are children throwing Frisbees. They are giggling and enjoying themselves. Some of their friends are flying kites. As the park is very breezy, it is easy to fly kites.
    Many tennis buffs play the game at the court provided. Next to the tennis court, there is a go-kart track which is often crowded with both people go-karting and cheering spectators.

There is also an ice-cream stall that attracts people from all walks of life. They enjoy spending their leisure time here because of the many activities the park offers.

Keranji Island

During the school holidays, my family and I went to Keranji Island. From the mainland, we took a one-hour ferry ride to Keranji Jetty.
    From Keranji Jetty, we headed to Sri Biru Resort which was just within walking distance. Dad really loved the resort’s unique architecture. It was designed like a Minangkabau traditional house. At the resort, we were greeted by its friendly staff. They also served us mango juice as a welcoming drink.

    Right after we checked in, we went swimming. That was the first time I encountered such blu unpolluted sea water. Perhaps they gave the name Sri Biru because of this deep blue water. The beach was enchanting with its white sandy shore.

    On the second day, we cycled to Kampung Penyu. As I remembered, that was the first time I cycled with all my family members. We had a really wonderful time. Once we reached the village, we were shown the turtles’ rearing centre. We saw many turtles there, especially the ‘Penyu Belimbing’ which got the name from their star fruit-like shape. My little brother and I loved touching the turtles. They were so tame.
    The next day, we had a picnic at the Permai Waterfall site. The spray from the falling water created a misty sight and cools the surroundings. We swam in the pool of the waterfall and sat on the boulders while eating the sandwiches we brought along. It was most refreshing and totally different from the busy city back home.
    Finally we had to leave the island and took the ferry back to mainland. We have had the most memorable five-day vacation and hope to visit other islands too.

Project Paper

I prefer doing the project paper using the computer compared to writing it manually. There are many reasons for this. Firstly, it is neater. Typewritten pieces of work look more presentable compared to handwritten ones. This will create a good impression on the reader.
    Secondly, using the computer will make it easier for us to edit our work. The computer has certain features which can help us check the grammar and the spelling of the text. Thus, a well-written paper will enhance the quality of our project.

    Thirdly, we can use various features to illustrate our work. This will make our document look more attractive and thus more interesting to read. We can also highlight some ideas using different font size or types.
    Most of all, I like doing my assignment on the computer because it is environmental friendly. I do not waste paper as I only need to print the final copy of my assignment, a copy which has been edited and proofread thoroughly by myself with the help of the computer.

Trip

During the recent school holidays, the cadets of Sekolah Menengah Iskandar Shah went o a camping trip to Hutan Lipur Damai. Thirty students and four teachers joined the trip. They were guided by six PERHILITAN staff.
    The team had its camping site in Zone 2, Teluk Batik. There were also students from other schools camping at other zones. The cadets set up their tent by the riverbank. After that, they went jungle trekking. They could endure the rough trails because they had undergone physical fitness traiing earlier. The PERHILITAN guides also showed them some animal tracks. They were lucky to spot deer tracks.
    When they returned to their camp, they had rice and sardines for dinner. Later that night they formed a circle around the campfire and sang the cadet songs. They had an enjoyable time.
    The next morning, the students went river trekking. This activity was more adventurous than the ordinary jungle trekking. They need to use more energy to wade in the water. Nevertheless, the refreshing water kept them energized. They passed three waterfalls which were really breathtaking. They also saw many lovely strange plants along the way. They returned to the camp feeling exhausted but contented.
    At midnight, they had to do another activity meant to test them. This was called ‘solitude’. Each cadet was placed far apart from each other in the jungle for one hour. Imagine the fear they felt being all alone in pitch-dark surroundings.
    On the last day, the cadets packed their things to return home. They had an enjoyable time during this expedition. It was a good learning experience for all of them.

Chocolate SquaresChocolate Squares

The ingredients for this recipe are easily available at home. First of all, grease the container with some butter or margarine. Then, take Marie biscuits and break them into small pieces. Make sure that the biscuits are not crushed too fine until they become crumbs.

    The next step is to mix the biscuits with Milo. If you love chocolaty taste you may add more Milo. Mix them evenly. Then pour in the condensed milk. At this point it is a bit difficult to stir this mixture since the condensed milk is quite sticky. Do this slowly.

    When the mixture is well-blended, press it using a wooden spoon so that it becomes firm and compressed. After that, chill it in the refrigerator for about an hour. Finally, you may remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into squares. It will be easy to cut these chocolate squares since they are already hardened. Serve the chocolate squares preferably for evening tea.