We speak to Harris Raj Kumar, an environmentalist and the founder of Local Nature Trips, about the nature based tourism activities he runs, to promote a love for our natural heritage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Fashion Revolution is a global movement that aims to transform the fashion industry into a more sustainable and ethical one. It was founded in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh in 2013, which claimed the lives of over 1,100 garment workers. The tragedy shed light on the poor working conditions and lack of transparency within the fashion supply chain. The Fashion Revolution movement calls for greater transparency, sustainability, and ethics in the fashion industr...
Back in March 2022, a significant resolution was passed at the 5th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, titled "End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument." This resolution acknowledged the severe global issue of plastic pollution, recognising its detrimental effects on the environment, society, and sustainable development. It mandated the UN Environment Programme Executive Director to establish an International Negotiating Committee (INC) to create...
In Malaysia, it's sadly not that difficult to purchase wildlife as pets, especially through online channels. But what's spurring Malaysians to want to own and then buy these exotic pets, and are there enough laws to prevent the often illegal trade of these wild species of animals? We speak to journalists Hannan Azmir and Lee Kwai Han , who recently wrote two articles on the illegal trade of wildlife online, for local environmental journalism portal, Macaranga. We also speak to Dr Nor Arlina Amir...
The Urban Orchard Kuala Lumpur (UOKL) is a project initiated by Yen Maseri Hj Idris, better known as Uncle Yen. After losing his youngest son in 2016, Yen started planting fruit trees along the riverbank of Sungai Penchala, near the Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, as his way of dealing with the loss of his son, and honouring his late son’s memory. His vision is to create a sanctuary for people who are struggling with mental health issues, and to share the fruits of his labour with the public. He jo...
International Zero Waste Day was just celebrated on the 30th of March, with the aim of promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns, supporting a societal shift towards circularity, and raising awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the UN, the waste sector contributes to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity and nature loss, and pollution. It's said that zero-waste i...
In Terengganu’s Pulau Redang, the community is actively engaged in protecting their marine ecosystem, particularly focusing on coral reef restoration with the support of Reef Check Malaysia and the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG). Six locals trained by Reef Check Malaysia's Cintai Redang team have achieved significant milestones within a year, including rescuing 750 coral fragments, removing 274 kg of ghost nets, and eliminating 89 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS). They've also establishe...
Macaranga Wrap-up is our monthly show on Earth Matters where we give you a roundup of the top environmental news from the month past, curated by the co-founders of the environmental journalism portal Macaranga . Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua return this March with updates on some illegal wildlife trading cases, involving both African rhinoceros and reptiles. We will also take a look at the recent ruling involving the European Union and the Malaysian government, where the World Trade Organisation...
Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta is our ongoing tourism-themed series on Earth Matters, which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Done in collaboration with the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY), we want to take you back to the great outdoors, and experience the many off-the-beaten-track nature spots our country has to offer. Last month, we did an overview of what Tawau, Sabah has to offer, but today we dive into stunning Semporna, nestled on the ...
Fun fact: Asian arowana once sold for more than RM500,000! But did you also know that they were once so common, that locals were hauling them up by the dozens to eat? But the fish have been endangered for the past 50 years, and are rarely seen in our rivers and lakes now. Local environmental journalism portal Macaranga wrote a two-part series on the past decline of wild arowanas and current efforts to conserve them, and we find out more from journalists and co-authors of the piece, Law Yao Hua (...
Rantaian Urban Green Spaces or RUGS is a conservation initiative with the primary objective of overseeing and fostering collaborative efforts among multiple stakeholders to preserve, revitalise, and interconnect the dispersed green areas within the Klang Valley. Throughout the Klang Valley, smaller, isolated green patches often receive less attention compared to larger forest expanses in other regions of the country. But these green pockets remain crucial habitats for Malaysia's diverse fl...
Many Penan and Kenyah communities from the Baram Peace Park up in Northern Sarawak, are rejecting logging in their ancestral lands, whether certified as sustainable or not. From their experience, Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) - a crucial component for all companies who are aiming for sustainable and ethical supply chains - has not been upheld time and again. In the Baram Peace Park , local communities who oppose logging have to fight really hard to protect their territories and r...
Carnivorous plants, with their remarkable ability to capture and digest prey, have captivated the imagination of plant enthusiasts and researchers alike. Here in biodiverse Malaysia, these plants thrive in various ecosystems, each species evolving its own remarkable mechanisms to survive in nutrient-poor environments. We speak to three members of the Malaysia Carnivorous Plants group or MyCP - Gideon Lim and Nicholas Tan who are co-founders, and Justin Chew, who manages the group's communication...
Urban community forests are collectively managed green spaces within cities, serving multiple purposes such as recreation, biodiversity conservation, and education. Urban and community forests play a vital role in our cities and communities, from improving air quality and reducing the urban heat island effect, to boosting property values, fostering community, and enhancing mental and physical health. Ahead of International Day of Forests - celebrated annually on the 21st of March - we want to ra...
Plastic contaminates the entire planet - we eat it, we breathe it, it's been found in our blood stream. The Break Free From Plastic Movement – a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution – unveiled their 2023 Global Brand Audit results in early February, revealing the world's worst plastic polluters. The annual brand audit is described by the Movement as a participatory community initiative in which branded plastic waste is gathered, counted, and documented to identify the...
Pangolins, often referred to as scaly anteaters or ‘tenggiling’ here in Malaysia, are fascinating creatures renowned for their unique armour-like scales and elusive nature. Despite their ecological importance in pest control, pangolins face dire threats from the illegal wildlife trade - trafficked for their scales and meat - and have the unfortunate distinction of being the most trafficked mammals globally. Facing extinction due to unsustainable exploitation, conservation efforts are crucial to ...
We're closing off February this week, cue another roundup of top conservation news with the co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga , Law Yao Hua and Wong Siew Lyn. 2023 was the planet's warmest year on record, and just last Saturday, Met Malaysia issued a Level 1 Heat Wave Warning. Scientists have underlined the need for urgent action, but it has also led coral ecologists to warn about coral bleaching and even add new alert levels to track potential risks to coral reefs. We dis...
Tawau is the third largest town in Sabah, located on the East coast of the state, that shares a border with North Kalimantan. The area is an eco-tourist's dream, with attractions such as the Tawau Hills National Park, the Ulu Kalumpang Forest Reserve, and also the Maliau Basin Conservation Area and Danum Valley Conservation Area not too far away, offering undisturbed nature and eco adventures. Rainforests aside, there are beautiful, breathtaking unspoiled islands like Kapalai, Sipadan, Mataking,...
Malaysia’s diverse climate and geography form ideal habitats for Nepenthes, which are better known here as ‘periuk kera’. These animal-eating pitcher plants which lures unsuspecting prey with its sweet nectar, has evolved to thrive in nutrient-poor soils, and is a sought after plant by collectors. This and other human activities, ranging from habitat destruction to poaching to fuel illicit trade of pitcher plants, drives the Nepenthes to the brink of endangerment. One of the ways conservationist...
The Langur Project Penang (LPP), is a social enterprise in Penang that works for the conservation of primates, specifically to cultivate coexistence among humans and urban monkeys in Peninsular Malaysia. The team has been studying dusky langurs in urban Penang for several years and found that there is a need to help langurs and other treetop animals cross roads more safely. Artificial crossing structures like rope canopy bridges have been used in several countries, to reconnect separated forest ...
It's almost time for Chinese New Year, starting a year of the Wood Dragon, which symbolises power, strength and good fortune. As folks get busy preparing for a festival associated with abundance, we wanted to share some tips on innovative ways to perhaps celebrate a more sustainable Lunar New Year. We enlist the help of Khor Sue Yee, the Co-founder and Director of Zero Waste Malaysia , who will share some creative ideas for ushering in the Year of the Dragon with mindfulness and environmental re...
It's always a delight to spot butterflies, not just for their aesthetic value, but also because we know they are indicators of a healthy environment and healthy ecosystems. But even for these gentle Lepidoptera, threats abound, impacting their survival. Habitat change, development, climate change, widespread pesticide use, and invasive species are just some of the threats they face, because of both direct and indirect impacts on native host plants. In Malaysia, Dr Rosli Omar , a naturalist and w...
We know that with rapid urbanisation comes losses to the natural environment - urban biodiversity is threatened by intensive land-use change, and also from gardening and landscaping practices that disrupt native biodiversity in the process, contributing to the loss of flora and fauna from ecological communities. How can we address these challenges in urban ecology and conservation? That's where the Urban Biodiversity Initiative ’’ (UBI) comes in - they are an independent social enterprise for ur...
As we conclude the first month of the year, it's also time for a quick roundup of top environmental stories from the month that was January 2024 - as always, we're joined by the co-founders of environmental journalism portal Macaranga , Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua. It's not all peachy on the environmental news front - first, we discuss updates from the shocking 2019 chemical toxic waste pollution that happened in and around Sg Kim Kim, in Pasir Gudang, Johor. Next, we discuss how the Court of ...
Tak Kenal Maka Tak Cinta is our ongoing tourism-themed series on Earth Matters, which aims to highlight lesser-known ecotourism spots right here in Malaysia. Done in collaboration with the Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia (ECOMY), we want to take you back to the great outdoors, and experience the many off-the-beaten-track nature spots our country has to offer. This month, we're going to Negeri Sembilan, more specifically, towards the east and southeast of Seremban, for some trekkin...
Thaipusam falls on the 25th of January this year, with throngs of Hindu devotees here in the Klang Valley heading to the Sri Subrarmaniam Swamy Temple Cave in Batu Caves to commemorate the triumph of Lord Murugan, and the victory of good over evil. But the limestone karst hill that is Batu Caves is also an outstanding nature monument, and of paramount scientific importance for its cave ecosystem and unique animal and plant biodiversity that includes many rare and/or endemic organisms. We speak t...
Monkeys got your garbage bins? It's not an uncommon complaint among Malaysians that monkeys, more often than not long-tailed macaques, are pests in their neighbourhoods, rummaging through bins and causing a big stink in their wake. But as natural spaces dwindle due to deforestation, and expanding human activities encroach on wildlife habitats, conflicts and interactions between humans and wildlife have become almost unavoidable. That's where The Animal Neighbours Project comes in, with their com...
The Lost Food Project (TLFP) is a not-for-profit organisation in Malaysia that rescues good food that would otherwise end up in landfills, and redistributes it to those in need. They have also teamed up with other organisations to tackle issues on saving food and reducing waste, and in 2023 alone, they rescued a whopping 2.28 million kg of food, the equivalent of over 6.5 million nutritious meals, and prevented 5.7 million kg of greenhouse gases from being emitted. Their latest endeavour is the ...
The Ecotourism & Conservation Society of Malaysia (ECOMY) is an environmental NGO that is focussed on conserving Malaysia’s unique habitats, plants and wildlife, and to actively promote and pursue sustainable tourism as one key element in conservation. The group, founded by leading naturalists in Malaysia, have also been working on several projects with the Orang Asli Bateq tribe of Kampung Aur, who live along the Tembeling River in Kuala Tahan, Pahang. The initiatives include assisting them...
In Malaysia's race towards achieving 70% renewable energy by 2050, hydroelectric power claims 11% of that share. More mini-hydroelectric dams are being built, as they are cheaper, and said to have less environmental impact. In Perak, the state government has awarded 31 mini-hydro projects in the state involving 49 rivers, but several have already impacted and are in conflict with several indigenous communities there. This is being explored in Macaranga's latest article, Perak Dams Threaten Stone...
