Earth Matters

Scott Poynton's passion lies in helping create more positive change in the world, and he has spent his life working to bring change in highly complex, challenging situations. The founder of The Forest Trust (TFT), Scott used his time at TFT to help some of the world’s largest companies transform the way they source their products. Though still working on forests, Scott's focus has now pivoted to people, aiming to help individuals connect to themselves, to others and to nature. He joins us to share more about his life's work, and also how you can be part of two of his new projects, Scott Poynton's Change-Makers and My Carbon Zero.

Image Source: Scott Poynton

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans and elephants have ‘co-existed for millenia’ in the Malay Peninsula. For his dissertation, Lim Teckwyn, from the Management & Ecology of Malaysian Elephants Project, studied human-elephant relations, from both social and ecological perspectives. In particular, he examined the intertwined histories of humans and elephants in Belum-Temengor, by exploring the history of elephants, the history of the people, and the history of the relationship between humans and elephants in this site. In conjunction with both International Day of the World's Indigenous People on August 9th, and ahead of World Elephant Day on August 12th, Teckwyn joins us to share his findings, and to offer some strategic suggestions in approaching elephant conservation in Malaysia.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They've been sailing and living aboard a 41ft Morgan Out Island monohull yacht called 'Sea Monkey' since 2014, after leaving their regular life behind in Brisbane. Calling themselves the Sea Monkeys, this family of four works on many aspects of aiding the problem of global plastic pollution. We find out more about their work and adventures from father-daughter duo Carlos Steenland and Sydney Steenland of the Sea Monkey Project.

They've been sailing and living aboard a 41ft Morgan Out Island monohull yacht called 'Sea Monkey' since 2014, after leaving their regular life behind in Brisbane. Calling themselves the Sea Monkeys, this family of four works on many aspects of aiding the problem of global plastic pollution. We find out more about their work and adventures from father-daughter duo Carlos Steenland and Sydney Steenland of the Sea Monkey Project.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SL Wong and Law Yao Hua, the editors of Macaranga.org, return for their monthly show, to discuss major environmental news from July this year, and to highlight events and issues to look out for in August. This month, we discuss the passing of pioneering Malaysian zoologist Dr Lim Boo Liat, and the challenges to replicate his efforts in the current academic climate. We also take a look at how the plans to expedite the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Conservation blueprint might mean for ecotourism. We also look ahead to World Indigenous Day which will be observed on the 9th of August, and explore how our indigenous communities are struggling, post-MCO. Macaranga.org is a journalism portal covering environment and sustainability-related topics in Malaysia.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC), was established in 2012 to restore tropical rainforests and address the critical rate of biodiversity loss in Malaysia. TRCRC’s mission is two-fold: to preserve tropical rainforest plant species and lead landscape-wide protection and reforestation projects throughout the country. Joining us to shed more light on the work they do, and also to discuss a new project that they are working on called People For Peat, is Dr. Lee Jo Kien, TRCRC's lead analyst for the programme.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zero Waste Malaysia have been working hard to create awareness on the zero waste lifestyle, which essentially wants people to shift from the take-make-dispose culture, and move towards practicing  environmentally-responsible habits. They have shared the zero-waste gospel to many Malaysians, and the latest feather to their cap is the launching of a Lesson Plan and virtual classroom which will educate youths on sustainability, and hopefully kick start them on their zero waste journey. We find out more about this from Sue Yee Khor, who is the Co-founder and Director of Zero Waste Malaysia, and Marylyn Poh, who is the organisation's Head of Outreach and Engage.

Image Source: Zero Waste Malaysia 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

She's known as "Mek Tuntung" among locals - Dr. Chen Pelf Nyok is the co-founder of the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia, and is a freshwater turtle researcher and conservationist based in Kemaman, Terengganu. She has long been working to help in the recovery of depleted wild populations of turtles, with particular reference to freshwater turtles, in Malaysia. She joins us to discuss her work in turtle conservation, and also to share how the pandemic is affecting conservation of turtles in Malaysia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SL Wong and Law Yao Hua, the editors of Macaranga.org, join us for their monthly show, to discuss major environmental news from June this year, and to highlight events and issues to look out for in July. Macaranga.org is a journalism portal covering environment and sustainability-related topics in Malaysia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many islands, their social, economic and environmental well being is tied strongly to the fate of a single sector: tourism. But badly planned tourism risks depleting biodiversity, degrading land and polluting the seas. Using Tioman Island as a case study, Reef Check Malaysia, the local chapter of the world’s largest international coral reef monitoring programme, released a paper titled: Tioman as a Sustainable Tourism Destination. Joining us to shed more light on this paper is Julian Hyde, the General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.