The beauty in being green

Travel host and former MTV VJ Denise Keller loves all things sustainable, writes Zuliantie Dzul

“I MISS Malaysia,” utters Denise Keller, travel host and former MTV VJ of her second home.

“Malaysia is beautiful, the food is awesome. I mean, come on, nasi lemak, it’s like a small green packet of joy!” she exclaims, eyes as bright as her smile.

All these years, I have only seen her on MTV. Now she’s sitting across from me at the hotel lobby in Pranchinburi, Thailand, where pulp and paper mill company Double A is kick-starting its 1Dream1Tree campaign.

Launched in July this year, the campaign aims to raise awareness on sustainability in paper production by planting trees on unused land in the district. To do that, Double A works together with rice farmers who will plant and nurture the trees for the paper company, and in the process, give the farmers additional income. Keller has been chosen to front the initiative.

She’s delighted to be involved in the campaign as she’s always been a strong believer in all things sustainable. “The key to achieving a more sustainable existence is for people to take individual responsibility for how they manage the environment in their everyday lives — making the right decision by choosing sustainably-produced products, among other things. Double A’s 1Dream1Tree program is a perfect example of that, empowering Malaysians to join the dream to preserve natural forests and Mother Nature.”

We have just returned from a visit to the house of a farmer involved in planting paper trees for Double A. There, Keller proved she doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty as she sat on the ground next to a rice field to plant a tree.

CITY SLICKER

Keller is sweating despite removing the shirt she’s wearing over her tank top, an indication of just how hot Pranchinburi is. Yet, she is full of energy. Even after a long day of both planting trees and filming for Double A, she is still glowing and looking fresh. “I thank my mum for that. She has amazing genes,” she says, laughing.

Keller, who is of Malacca-Chinese and German parentage, realised her passion for the environment when she was filming Passage To Malaysia, which she hosted for TLC, part of the Discovery Channel network, in 2008. “I rode in a helicopter across Borneo. I was looking out the window and thought how beautiful and stunning these forests are. I’ve never seen anything so incredible in my life, you know, being a city slicker,” confesses the Singaporean, scratching her nose with her well-manicured fingernails in soft pink nail polish.

It dawned on her just how fast the forests were disappearing. “I heard about deforestation and saw things I don’t like seeing. It made me conscious about the environment I live in, and not just in Singapore,” she confides.

She then decided to make a concerted effort to do something, beginning with penning a letter to former US Vice President and environmental advocate Al Gore. When Keller was invited to attend the Asia Pacific Climate Summit on behalf of Singapore, she didn’t hesitate. “That’s when I really learnt the science and the facts,” she says of the Summit. “I got to talk more about what’s happening.”

LITTLE THINGS

“I don’t know if I’m an eco-warrior. It sounds very aggressive,” she chuckles. “I just like being ‘green’. I like telling people that there are little things you can do to be green. You can start small by recycling or not using plastic. It’s little things like that.”

But being green depends on how you view your responsibility about your environment, she notes.

“I mean, your home, your bedroom, even your office can be your environment. So how can we be more mindful of each and everything we consume every day? It doesn’t have to take long. It can be like five minutes. Think green for five minutes,” she adds.

In Thailand, Keller reveals that the journey with Double A has been incredible. “Not only was it educational, but it was also inspiring to learn more about the farmers and the custodians of our planet. They really are our unsung heroes. For me, that’s a meaningful take away. It keeps me humble.”

NO REGRETS

For this bubbly 34-year-old, no one day is the same. “The way it works, it’s always different. I love learning and experience new things. It’s hectic, always go, go, go! But I do a lot of sports, meditation and yoga to cool that down a bit,” shares Keller, who is a certified yoga instructor.

Even with erratic schedules, Keller always finds time for her family. “I made time, there’s no excuse, as busy as I may be. It’s a discipline,” she says, stressing that she never makes excuses to miss out on time with her friends and family.

Of her words to live by, she shares: “I think, looking back, the most important thing in life is to never have regrets. Just go for it, life is short. You only have one shot. It’s very Eminem (referring to the song, Lose Yourself). But whatever you do, make it incredible, make every day like it’s your last. That’s how I live and that’s where I get my energy from.”

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