Do Your Bit To Save Earth
By Nasroul Hizam

Bandar Seri Begawan - Climate change is an undeniable global phenomenon but Brunei Darussalam can still play an active role in working against contributing to worsening conditions.

Joel Loo, 27, currently unemployed but describes himself as a domestic engineer, felt that climate change is mainly due to global warming and recalled China's recent snowstorm as well as Brunei's own increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. "Things shouldn't be the way it is now," he said.

Joel decided some time ago to "go green" and does his best to not waste valuable resources, recycling whenever he can and tries not to use plastic bags when shopping. He shared that he also keeps clothes that do not get dirty in order to reduce wash loads.

He suggested that Bruneians use their cars less and make use of public transportation. But regardless of what moves are implemented to fight climate change, he stressed that educating the public should be a high priority.

Smita Sajnani, 23, encouraged carpooling, the use of CFC-free refrigerators and sprays while calling on people to use less air-conditioning that will add onto greenhouse gases being released.

She also pointed out that styrofoam packages normally used to take away food should be disposed of properly and not burned as it releases hazardous gases into the air.

She has personally observed drastic changes in the climate outside of Brunei. Having been in India in the late half of last year, she told The Brunei Times about places experiencing snow or rain which in the past never have.

Taking Bombay as an example, she said that it experienced the coldest temperature of seven to eight degrees Celsius for the first time after 34 years. Much closer to home, she also used the recent flooding in Temburong as yet another example of the damage that climate change can caused.

Smita also expressed great worry for the alarming rate of deforestation, melting of ice shelves and the continued thinning of the ozone layer. "It's a perpetuating cycle grounded on the principle of ignorance and the lack of education," she said.

An employee at the Trench accreditation company in Brunei, Bureau Veritas, she also described how companies in the sultanate are vying for ISO 14001 which certifies that their activities are environmentally safe.

Both Joel and Smita agreed that locally, the problem of open burning is still a very major one which will be particularly difficult to tackle. Smita said that most people take it for granted about places experiencing snow or rain which in the past never have.

Taking Bombay as an example, she said that it experienced the coldest temperature of seven to eight degrees Celsius for the first time after 34 years. Much closer to home, she also used the recent flooding in Temburong as yet another example of the damage that climate change can caused.

Smita also expressed great worry for the alarming rate of deforestation, melting of ice shelves and the continued thinning of the ozone layer. "It's a perpetuating cycle grounded on the principle of ignorance and the lack of education," she said.

An employee at the Trench accreditation company in Brunei, Bureau Veritas, she also described how companies in the sultanate are vying for ISO 14001 which certifies that their activities are environmentally safe.

Both Joel and Smita agreed that locally, the problem of open burning is still a very major one which will be particularly difficult to tackle. Smita said that most people take it for granted. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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