A FEW years back, I was comparing our country’s weather with several countries that were affected by the heatwave. At that time, the temperature was around 32°C while neighbouring countries were hitting the high 40s. I felt blessed.
That has changed. The irregular weather patterns have been going on for a few years. When it’s hot, it’s extremely hot; and during the monsoon the rains are non-stop.
We can blame it on climate change or global warming, but what caused the climate to change?
We have been warned countless times by scientists that if we don’t act now, it might be too late to save our planet earth.
Noticeably, though, more companies are trying to play a part in reducing global warming, with the numerous plant-a-tree campaigns nationwide.
But we are still harvesting more than we are planting back, and government policies can only do so much.
We, the citizens, can do more when we put our heads together. While it would not be possible to reverse the effects of climate change, we can help reduce global warming,
The first would be to use energy wisely.
More modern devices are powered with electricity and we should use it more efficiently by unplugging or shutting them down whenever not in use.
One of the energy efficiency tips shared by Tenaga Nasional Bhd is to set our air conditioning between 23°C and 25°C as this is cool enough and reduces energy consumption.
Second, redefine our waste. Over 23,000 tonnes of waste is produced daily in Malaysia, according to the Global Environment Centre.
That is 3.5 million times heavier than a bowling ball.
And almost 19 per cent of the waste ends up in our drains, clogging them — one of the reasons for our flash floods, apart from an inefficient sewerage system.
Next, we should be using more public transport or car pooling or walking. Less energy is wasted here. And finally, recycle more often.
Every little bit we do helps.
ALEXANDER GOH
Cyberjaya