Earth Matters

Kaki Repair is a movement to encourage people to repair their spoilt belongings, rather than throw them away and get a new one. Mind you, it's not a repair shop, but a place to learn to fix stuff by yourself. We find out more about this non-profit movement advocating for us all to recycle, reduce and reuse from Johnson Lam, the founder of KakiDIY and the brains behind KakiRepair.

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Scientists at the University of Nottingham Malaysia are busy working on a range of research projects, from using papaya leaves to cure dengue, to working out conservation plans for wild elephants in Peninsular Malaysia. Joining us to discuss the University's progress in these areas of research, and why it's relevant to all, is Professor Graham Kendall, the Provost and CEO of the University of Nottingham, Malaysia.

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Gibbons are often considered the forgotten ape, swaying in the shadow of their great cousins, the orangutans, gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees. They are an endangered species, threatened primarily by loss of their forest habitat, but also other factors like the illegal wildlife trade, the use of their body parts in Chinese medicines, and poaching. Mariani Ramli (Advisor, Gibbon Protection Society of Malaysia and Project Manager, Gibbon Rehabilitation Project) and Dr. Susan Lappan (Visiting Fulbright Researcher, School of Biological Sciences, USM, Malaysia, and Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology, Appalachian State University, USA) are two people working in the area of gibbon conservation, and they join us to discuss the importance of increasing conservation efforts for gibbons.

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World Environment Day, commemorated worldwide on the 5th of June, was established by the UN to specifically advance its own environmental efforts. “Beat Plastic Pollution”, is the theme for World Environment Day 2018, and is a call to action for all of us to come together to combat one of the great environmental challenges of our time. Joining us to discuss how we can commemorate the day in our own little ways is Andrew Sebastian, the co-Founder & CEO of the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY).

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In many developing countries, environmental action and protection is seen as a burden to development, and presented as unaffordable. As the new Pakatan Harapan-led government takes control, we discuss a list of issues that warrant attention and action to protect Malaysia's natural environment, and the steps needed to rejuvenate it. Our panel of experts discussing this and more are Surin Suksuwan, a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, Preetha Sankar, an Advocate and Solicitor focusing on environmental law, and Dr. Louisa Ponnampalam, a marine biologist with The MareCet Research Organization.

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The Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) is a civil rights organization based in the United States, working to secure legally recognized fundamental rights for nonhuman animals such as apes, cetaceans, and elephants, through litigation, advocacy, and education. We discuss the NhRP's legal attempts to use the writ of habeas corpus to attain legal personhood for animals with Steven Wise, the Founder and President of The Nonhuman Rights Project and Kevin Schneider, the NhRP’s Executive Director.

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As our new government gets cracking on rebuilding the nation, a group of concerned conservationists are reminding the Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan to not forget the importance of our natural environment. They have set up an online petition to call upon the Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan to maintain and strengthen a dedicated environmental portfolio within the cabinet. Joining us to discuss this is Surin Suksuwan, a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and he is also the Regional Director of Proforest.

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Bats have a bad reputation, mainly due to misinformation and misconceptions. In reality, they provide important functions for the environment, among them pollination for vital crops and seed dispersal. Lim Voon-Ching is a researcher who co-authored the paper, “Pollination implications of the diverse diet of tropical nectar-feeding bats roosting in an urban cave” which was just released earlier this year. She joins us to discuss her findings which point to the many ecosystem services bats provide, while also explaining why we need to dispel the negative myths surrounding bats and learn to co-exist with them peacefully.

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Initiated by the Global Environment Centre, the National River Care Foundation aims to support efforts by interested groups to protect and enhance river ecosystems, by empowering them to pursue their own river conservation initiatives. We find out more about the Small Grant Programme that helps communities get started from Dr. Kalithasan Kailasan, the Coordinator of the River Care Programme, and Dato' Ir. Haji Hanapi Mohamad Noor, the Vice Chairperson of the Malaysian Water Partnership and Steering Committee Member of the Global Water Partnership-South East Asia.

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The Rimba Project is an education/outreach programme based at the Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden, at the University of Malaya. Founded in 2014, the Rimba Project addresses emerging challenges in urban ecology and conservation by advising the UM Estates department on best practice in campus greening; by supporting education and outreach at Rimba Ilmu; and by undertaking new research in urban nature/wildlife conservation. This month, they are organising the Klang Valley City Nature Challenge (KV CNC), to engage as many people as possible to document as much urban wildlife as possible. We find out more from Benjamin Ong, the founder of the Rimba Project and Muhammad Najmi bin Mohd Ayob, a senior volunteer with The Rimba Project.

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