Earth Hour 2009

Well well well...so we have suddenly decided to become green isit? To care for our Earth isit? Turning off the lights on 28th March are we?If Mother Earth can talk she probably would go NYAAA SENG!

I just get the feeling that this whole Earth Hour thingy smacks clear of exploitation for the sake of attention. From the ridiculously produced promos runnning on Astro( our so called icons and celebrities shouldn't try TOO hard....it comes out as being embarrassing) to people wanting to have a BBQ session outdoors during that hour (switch off your lights but have open burning outside...brilliant!), this whole hoopla is really sad. After March 28th? Back to our normal habits.

This reminds me of the time when I was working for the Environmental Protection Society Of Malaysia (EPSM) back in the early 90s. It was run by Gurmit Singh(i slap you if u make a Phua Chu Kang joke) and his wife Tan. ( i slap you some more if u make a Chinese+ Bai marriage joke)

Gurmit was/is the foremost environmental expert in Malaysia. We had reporters coming in seeking his opinions cos he wasnt the type that recycled (no pun intended) opinions about how Malaysia is treating Mother Earth. He was a true environmentalist. Many private companies wanted to sponsor EPSM but he turned them down as they always wanted him tone down his scathing remarks on how the government policies are ruining the environment ( he even once went kayaking on the Klang river with a gas mask on!)

We the staff could not turn on the fan simply.You cannot turn the fan to more then 2 speed. All electrical outlets had to be switched off carefully to avoid wastage. Our office was at SS2. One day he told me to go collect some materials from Damansara Utama. He called me up to his attic..thinking he was about to give me money for cab fare, he instead gave me a bicycle pump and pointed to an old bicycle! You try cycling from SS2 to Damansara at 2pm in the afternoon.

Detergents were used to a minimal, we sold organic produces from Tan's organic farm, we had charity nites where we sold our ALAM magazines to raise funds for the society.

I had to catalog and organize all the working papers he brought back from his conventions he attended. It was a cramped up terrace house he lived in doubled up as the center. We were young, idealistic and full of confidence we were going to make a difference. I dont know about my impact on the environment, but my stint there impacted me deeply.

After about 1 1/2 years, i decided to join the corporate world for a "proper" job.. he threw me and my colleague a farewell dinner! This hard man, who raised hell when we used one sided photocopies, who never allowed us to use the aircond in those sweltering days, who skimped and saved on transportation took us to Kelana Sea Food for a great dinner.

I was sad to leave but will always remember what it means to be a true lover of the environment..eventhough im NOW probably contributing to the Earth's destruction more then i should..for that one half years we were LIVING Earth Hour everyday...not just for one ridiculous hour.