Malaysians, in general, have limited awareness of ecological concerns and saving our
environment is not on the average person's mind. As such, Malaysia has been best known for the last two decades for all the wrong
reasons. This article compiles alarming statistics, a wake-up call
for Malaysian citizens to start being kinder to the environment – in terms of
the water, the air, and the earth and its soil – before it is too late.
We are big air polluters
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Air pollution in Kuala Lumpur Source: leungchupan/elements.envato.com |
The Oxford Handbook of Climate Change and Society, published in 2011, states that Malaysia is one of the highest carbon dioxide emission producers in the world. Malaysia is ranked in the category of "in trouble" in terms of the ability to control carbon dioxide in the climate change performance index (CCPI). Malaysia has been rated as in "very poor" condition, ranking 51st of 61 countries.
We are big consumers
The Living Planet Report 2016 by WWF shows that the global community is
consuming the resources of 1.6 planets. With an ecological footprint of 3.7
global hectares (gha) against the level of sustainability of 1.7 gha, Malaysia
is consuming the resources of 2.2 planets.
We don’t value our forest
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| Aerial view of deforestation in Sabah Source: Twenty20photos/elements.envato.com |
Malaysia is suffering from deforestation, with major causes attributed
to large-scale land development, including construction activities. The World
Wildlife Fund claimed that up to 2 million hectares of forest disappeared
between 2007 and 2012 (mostly in Sabah and Sarawak) despite a declaration
signed in 2007 to conserve the tropical forest.
Due to uncontrolled development, 377 rivers in Malaysia have become
narrower and shallower, raising the risk of flooding during heavy rain. Much of
our urban forests and green spaces have been “sacrificed” for “development”.
Most of our urban green areas are sterile with little biodiversity.
We are the world’s top ocean plastic polluter
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| Plastic waste washes up on a beach Source: twenty20photos/elements.envato.com |
Small portions of trash tossed into the street are regularly washed
into storm drains when it rains. These then flow into rivers and other
waterways and finally into the sea, leading to microplastic pollution that is
damaging to marine life. Over 100 million marine animals die each year due to
plastic pollution in the ocean. So, instead of eating healthy seafood, we are
literally consuming microplastic-polluted ones.
Currently, it is estimated that there are 100 million tonnes of plastic
in oceans around the world, and a chunk of them are contributed by Malaysians. According
to a study by Jambeck et al. (published in the Science Journal, February 2015), Malaysia is among the top eight
highest-offending ocean plastic polluters in the world. This study
estimated that in 2010, Malaysia would produce 940 million kilograms of
mismanaged plastic waste (waste that is not appropriately disposed of or
recycled), of which 140 to 370 million kilograms would be washed into the oceans.
Malaysia is one of the 200 countries that signed the December 2017 UN
resolution on microplastics and marine litter but has to date not been seen to
do anything constructive to reduce plastic production, consumption and
disposal.
We pollute our rivers with rubbish
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| River pollution Source: twenty20photos/elements.envato.com |
Many of us don’t even consider what is being thrown away, let alone what happens to it once it leaves our bin. As is so often the case, out of sight has become out of mind. We commonly see rubbish thrown out of a car window or into a storm drain.
We may have even had the misfortune of rubbish tossed out of a high-rise building and landing on us. In January 2018, a 15-year-old boy died after being hit by an office chair hurled from the upper floors of Pantai Dalam flats. That is the most extreme extent of what Malaysians could do when it comes to littering.
Our storm drains are mainly clogged up with rubbish that the public throw. Indiscriminate dumping of trash into drains by roadside stall operators is a nationwide problem. Some street cleaners sweep dirt and debris into the outlets of roadside drains.
Construction sites in the city are not built with silt traps; if built, they are poorly maintained. As a result, sediments and debris from construction activities clog drains nearby, decreasing their capacity to channel water into rivers and retention ponds during heavy rains. Hence, flash floods in densely populated urban areas, such as those in Johor, Kuala Lumpur and some parts of Selangor, are becoming very common.
Tonnes of garbage are being dumped into rivers yearly. As a result, 33 rivers from a total of 477 rivers nationwide were marked in the Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2015 as 'polluted'. Unsurprisingly, the closure of treatment plants between 2008 and 2014 disrupted supply to hundreds of thousands in the country for more than 1,000 days.
We may have even had the misfortune of rubbish tossed out of a high-rise building and landing on us. In January 2018, a 15-year-old boy died after being hit by an office chair hurled from the upper floors of Pantai Dalam flats. That is the most extreme extent of what Malaysians could do when it comes to littering.
Our storm drains are mainly clogged up with rubbish that the public throw. Indiscriminate dumping of trash into drains by roadside stall operators is a nationwide problem. Some street cleaners sweep dirt and debris into the outlets of roadside drains.
Construction sites in the city are not built with silt traps; if built, they are poorly maintained. As a result, sediments and debris from construction activities clog drains nearby, decreasing their capacity to channel water into rivers and retention ponds during heavy rains. Hence, flash floods in densely populated urban areas, such as those in Johor, Kuala Lumpur and some parts of Selangor, are becoming very common.
Tonnes of garbage are being dumped into rivers yearly. As a result, 33 rivers from a total of 477 rivers nationwide were marked in the Malaysia Environmental Quality Report 2015 as 'polluted'. Unsurprisingly, the closure of treatment plants between 2008 and 2014 disrupted supply to hundreds of thousands in the country for more than 1,000 days.
We don’t recycle waste as much as we should
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| A mountain of garbage on a landfill Source: salajean/elements.envato.com |
At present, Malaysia's average per capita generation of solid waste varies from 0.5kg to 1.8kg per person per day, depending on the
economic status of an area. According to the Solid Waste and Public
Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp), in 2016, Malaysia produced approximately
38,000 tonnes of waste per day. That is equivalent to over 3,000 trucks filled
with rubbish being sent daily to the landfill.
Yet, our waste recycling rate in 2016 was way below the average levels
at a mere 17.5% of total solid waste produced despite many months of getting
households and business owners to separate their waste at source in the six
states. This means a large portion of solid waste is still disposed of in
landfills and not deviated to recycling.
It also means that Malaysia is far behind compared to many developed countries. Based on the European Environment Agency 2013 report, recycling rates are highest in Austria at 63%, followed by Germany (62%), Belgium (58%), Singapore (57%) and the Netherlands and Switzerland (both 51%). Reducing the total volume of waste while increasing the recycling rate is imperative if Malaysians do not want to be overwhelmed by mountains of waste in the near future.
It also means that Malaysia is far behind compared to many developed countries. Based on the European Environment Agency 2013 report, recycling rates are highest in Austria at 63%, followed by Germany (62%), Belgium (58%), Singapore (57%) and the Netherlands and Switzerland (both 51%). Reducing the total volume of waste while increasing the recycling rate is imperative if Malaysians do not want to be overwhelmed by mountains of waste in the near future.
We go on a food-wasting spree without remorse
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| Wasted food Source: Prostock-studio/elements.envato.com |
Despite noisy complaints about the prices of
foodstuff, many among us are still perennial food wasters. According to the
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Malaysians
waste about 15,000 metric tonnes of food daily, enough to fill 7.5 football
fields. Of this, 3,000 metric tonnes are untouched leftovers that are still
edible. This amount is equivalent to three decent meals a day for 5.3 million
people. We are talking about feeding all
Syrian refugees living in the Middle East and North Africa.
Meanwhile, according to the National Solid Waste Management Department,
food accounts for between 31% and 45% of the 36,0000 tonnes of garbage
Malaysians generate annually. The volume of food waste in peninsular Malaysia by 2020 is estimated to fill up the entire Petronas Towers 16 times!
Many of you might be asking how food waste hurts the
environment? Well, here’s the answer. The agriculture sector uses a vast amount
of freshwater for growing crops. Food preparation also requires a plentiful
supply of water. Farm equipment uses diesel and other fuel sources. When we
waste meat and vegetables, the resources used in their production will also be
wasted. Thus, wasting food also means wasting energy.
Food waste in landfills leads to air, soil and underground water pollution. Rotting food in landfills releases methane gas, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that have been found to contribute to climate change. According to a 2015 report by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), a charity based in England, an astonishing 7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions are due to food waste.
Food waste in landfills leads to air, soil and underground water pollution. Rotting food in landfills releases methane gas, one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that have been found to contribute to climate change. According to a 2015 report by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), a charity based in England, an astonishing 7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions are due to food waste.
We waste precious water
The National Water Services Commission’s website shows that Malaysia’s
average daily consumption of water in both 2015 and 2016 was 209 litres per
capita (about 21 standard buckets). This amount is 27% higher than the 165 litres per capita per day recommended by the World
Health Organisation (WHO). Comparatively, Singapore’s national water agency
says the country’s per capita household water consumption was reduced from 165
litres per day in 2003 to 143 litres in 2017. If all goes well, the figure will
be 140 litres by 2030.
We are champion carnivores
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| Malaysian famous beef and chicken satay Source: ThamKC/elements.envato.com |
It may be surprising to know that Malaysians are the 10th
biggest meat-eaters (per person) in the world and the second biggest in the Asia
Pacific. We Malaysians eat more meat than Japanese, Koreans or Singaporeans per
person! We may not be as rich as those in other countries, but we eat as if we’re
kings.
So what? Our appetite for meat is actually harming our health and planet. The meat industry accounts for 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions which warm the planet. That's more emissions from all vehicles - on the road, air or sea - combined. Cows and sheep pass methane, which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Breeding animals for meat gobbles up to 70% of all agricultural land a third of the world's freshwater.
So what? Our appetite for meat is actually harming our health and planet. The meat industry accounts for 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions which warm the planet. That's more emissions from all vehicles - on the road, air or sea - combined. Cows and sheep pass methane, which is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Breeding animals for meat gobbles up to 70% of all agricultural land a third of the world's freshwater.
We prefer to be stuck in traffic than take public transport
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| A typical sight on Malaysian highways Source: twenty20photos/elements.envato.com |
A World Bank study shows that, in the Klang Valley, it can take people
up to three times longer to commute with public transport than by car. This problem is due to
the lack of comprehensive public transport options, long connecting and waiting
times, and difficulty getting to and from key public transportation lines
(the first and last mile problem).
Therefore, despite the Government’s initiatives since the mid-1990s to
restructure the public transport system in the Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur has
one of the lowest public transport passenger levels in Asia. In 2010, only 17%
or approximately 1.24 million trips each day were completed using public
transport. The remainder of the 83% or 6 million trips were made using private
cars for their daily commute, including on weekends.
The situation is especially concerning when comparing the public transport usage in Klang Valley with cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and London, where the proportion of public transport trips is 64%, 74%, and 90%, respectively.
Even with new roads and additional lanes on the expressways, congestion is still a growing problem here. In 2014, the economic losses due to traffic congestion (associated with lost productivity, wasted fuel and environmental damage caused by tailpipe exhaust fumes) in the Klang Valley was RM20bil - that's RM54mil a day.
The situation is especially concerning when comparing the public transport usage in Klang Valley with cities such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and London, where the proportion of public transport trips is 64%, 74%, and 90%, respectively.
Even with new roads and additional lanes on the expressways, congestion is still a growing problem here. In 2014, the economic losses due to traffic congestion (associated with lost productivity, wasted fuel and environmental damage caused by tailpipe exhaust fumes) in the Klang Valley was RM20bil - that's RM54mil a day.
We either do not cycle or disrespect cyclists
Kuala Lumpur City Hall has built a network of blue bicycle lanes in the city, but it is not well thought out. Many articles published in The Star Metro Central explain complaints from local cyclists. For instance, instead of entirely separate from the road, the blue lanes squeeze the car lanes forcing some anxious cyclists to lift their bikes onto the wide sidewalk to cycle instead. There are many confusing crossroads, on which the lane is painted to intersect with oncoming traffic.
It is common to see cars and tourist buses parked or waiting on the blue
lane (out of habit or just following others), forcing cyclists to swing out into fast-moving vehicle lanes, putting all road users at risk
of an accident. Many local authorities work with oBike to encourage more users. Sadly, the bicycles are vandalised or left indiscriminately around the city.
We are a bunch of lazy bums and most of us are obese
A massive study of about 717,000 people in 111 countries by Stanford University concludes that Malaysians are the world's third laziest people. The study measured how many steps people take, using the data gathered from their handphones with a fitness app that detects movement. Hong Kong is tops, followed by the Chinese, Ukrainians and Japanese, all scoring above 6,000 steps. Singapore scored pretty high at number nine with 5,674 steps. We are third from the bottom with 3,963 steps a day, followed by Saudi Arabia (3,807) and Indonesia (3,513).
If the problem is the scorching weather, why do Singaporeans walk
more than we do? The Stanford study's key finding is that well-designed
pedestrian-friendly cities can encourage people to walk and help combat
obesity. But ironically, Putrajaya won the International Awards for Liveable
Communities in 2012. Yet, according to the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) findings, its residents have gotten fatter.
But it is not just people living in Putrajaya who are a bunch of lazy
bums but Malaysians in general. Since we drive daily, we hardly walk around or take public transport, and we also love eating meat, it is no wonder Malaysia is the most obese country in Asia.
According to a study by the British medical journal, The Lancet, 45.3% of Malaysians
(or 49% of women and 44% of men in this country) were found to be obese.
Where do we go from here?
We will destroy our jungles, pollute our air and water bodies, and clog our drains. We will have to endure the
repercussions of our actions. But worst, future generations will have to suffer
more. What is lost will never be recovered. Enough is enough. Advocacy is
critical now more than ever.
The issues highlighted here have raised the need for greater ownership
and what some would call “environmental citizenship”, a form of citizenship
that prioritises and emphasises the importance of the environment. Therefore, teaching about the environment in our schools and universities is a great necessity.
But providing environmental knowledge to students alone without developing
their positive attitude will not make them value critical environmental issues. Nor will it make them feel passionate, concerned, and motivated to
improve and protect the environment. So, educators need to address
both the cognitive (knowledge) and the affective (attitude) components of
education to create citizens who would be willing to maintain and preserve the
earth by involving or participating in any “green” practices.
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