Earth Matters

With a call to #Connect2Earth, the theme for this year's Earth Hour celebration aims to spark conversations on nature and the unique diversity of life we share our home with. It was also World Water Day and International Day of Forests last week, so in light of these significant days, we discuss issues regarding fresh water supply and biodiversity loss in Malaysia, and highlight the link between forests and our water supply. Joining us to shed light on all of this are Dominic Wong, the Director of Communications & Marketing at WWF-Malaysia, and also Siti Zuraidah Abidin, the Protected Areas Lead for WWF-Malaysia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gazettement of the Kuala Lumpur City Plan (KLCP) 2020 by Federal Territories Minister YB Khalid Abdul Samad late last October, was met with dismay by many stakeholders. The gazetted plan was neither the 2008 draft local plan nor the 2013 revised plan, but a “2015” version that had not gone through the processes and procedures required, as stipulated under the Federal Territory Planning Act. Back in February, we spoke to Datuk P. Gunasilan and Derek Fernandez, who laid out why they believed the wrong plan was put into action. Now, in an exclusive with YB Khalid Samad, the Minister responds to their statements, and explains the reasons behind his decision.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Malaysia, it's estimated that an average of 37,000 tonnes of waste is generated every day, with most of it piled up at landfills. Although we're always encouraged to recycle as much as we can, only five per cent of the garbage produced in this country ends up being recycled. If you're confused about what can actually go into recycling bin, we're here to help with this simple 101 on what you can and cannot recycle.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new spider species - Birupes simoroxigorum - was described in the February issue of The Journal of the British Tarantula Society, by arachnologists Ray Gabriel and Danniella Sherwood. The species is native to Sarawak, and the three European collectors who provided the specimens to the arachnologists are said to have captured the animals in the forests of Sarawak, and transported them to Europe. But the Forest Department of Sarawak says they lacked permits to collect or export wildlife. Is this a case of biopiracy? We speak about the growing illegal trade of tarantulas and more, with Dr Law Yao Hua, an insect behavioural ecologist and a freelance science writer on ecology and evolution who highlighted this case in an article in Science.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There was a lot of dismay, to put it mildly, that the Kuala Lumpur City Plan (KLCP) 2020 was gazetted last year on Oct 30th, without first getting the feedback of various stakeholders. The gazetted plan was neither the 2008 draft local plan nor the 2013 revised plan, but the gazetted local plan was a “2015” version. What does all of this mean? Joining us to explain all are Datuk P. Gunasilan, a veteran town planner and a Fellow with the Malaysian Institute of Planners, and Derek Fernandez, a City Councillor of Petaling Jaya and a lawyer whose expertise is in planning and development.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, and this ubiquitous ingredient is found in almost everything, from ice cream and toothpaste to feedstock for biofuel. A highly profitable industry, the ever-growing demand for palm oil has however also drawn scrutiny and ire for among other things, the destruction of rainforests in Indonesia and Malaysia to support its expansion. So what's the solution? Would a palm oil ban reduce deforestation or do more harm than good? We discuss this and more with Faizal Parish, the Director of the Global Environment Centre.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Living Planet Report, WWF’s flagship publication released every two years, is a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. The Living Planet Report 2018 provides the scientific evidence to what nature has been telling us repeatedly: unsustainable human activity is pushing the planet’s natural systems that support life on Earth to the edge. We find out more from Dr Henry Chan, the Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia, who will also shed more light on how Malaysia's biodiversity is doing, in particular.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over 30 years, Subaraj Rajathurai has been championing for the preservation and improved protection of Singapore's natural resources and environment. This self-taught naturalist is also an avid bird-watcher and a licensed nature tour guide, who has been sharing his love for flora and fauna to thousands of people since 1990. He joins us to share his story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SS20 Central Zone in Damansara Utama was the first neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya to implement a community-wide composting initiative. We speak to some of the residents involved in the zero waste movement on how community composting has helped the neighbourhood become more environmentally-friendly.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water, water everywhere, but is there enough to drink? Fresh water is necessary for the survival of all living organisms on Earth, and even though Malaysia is blessed with abundant water resources, are we taking this resource for granted? Joining us is Yang Bahagia, Dato' Mohd Ridhuan Ismail, the CEO of the National Water Services Commission or Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) to discuss how we need to take this natural resource of ours more seriously.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.