Cigarette butts

One of my biggest irks is people who simply throw their cigarette butts as they drive along. It is annoying that they think it's ok as it's another environmental threat to the planet.

It's a matter of changing the mindset and making conscious efforts. Most people who litter their cigarette butts don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions. These butts will end up in the waterways and help create blocked drains, floods and sewerage problems. It might seem a small matter but it will accumulate to create a huge impact.

I think very few smokers throw the butts in dustbins. Having said that, I have no problem with people smoking - if that helps them to relax. It's just their attitudes about litter. The sheer volume of cigarette butts litter isn’t just ugly … it’s health hazardous. If you are going to smoke, please put your cigarette butts in the trash—not out the car window, streets, beaches, playgrounds or other public places. Find an ashtray. Smokers need to be careful while disposing off a cigarette. They should be eco-friendly.

With the dry spell expected to continue in the next few weeks ahead, all it takes is just a careless flick of a cigarette butt to trigger a fire.

World Environment Day 2008

Every year since 1972 this day is celebrated on June 5 in a different host country featuring a different theme. The World Environment Day slogan for 2008 is Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy with the emphasis on taking action towards reducing greenhouse gases . The main international celebrations of World Environment Day 2008 will be held in New Zealand.

People are being encouraged to be environmentally friendly to live a greener life. We've heard a lot about global warming, recycling, reducing wastes and ways to conserve the environment. Stand up to Climate Change are asking people to select which change to their routine they will be making to help prepare for Climate Change – from saving water to helping prepare against floods.

Let us all do our part to combat global warming. The future of all life on earth depends on us. Each of us can bring an important role in adopting a more responsible and healthy lifestyle by doing basic things such as turning off the lights or appliances when not in use. That's one of the reasonable ways to save our earth, before it is too late.

Remember the three R's - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Check out the World Environment Day website for more details and activities.

China Earthquake Buries 900 students

Almost 900 students have been buried by collapsed buildings during an earthquake in south-western China, state media reports. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck in Sichuan Province on Monday afternoon, raised immediate concerns that the death toll could rapidly rise. The earthquake's toll, in human life and damage to infrastructure, is still largely unknown.

The massive quake was felt as far away as Bangkok, Thailand, more than 2,000 miles from its epicenter in the Sichuan Province.

The massive and massively controversial Three Gorges Dam project was apparently not damaged by the quake, according to early government reports. Still unknown is whether the largest water diversion project the world has ever seen helped to trigger the earthquake. Tremors stemming from the project have been one of many long-standing environmental concerns.

The earthquake comes less than three months before the start of the Beijing Summer Olympics, when China hopes to use to showcase its rise in the world.

Click for additional earthquake information and shake maps from the USGS

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Earth Day- Go Green

Today is Earth Day. It started in 1970 to raise awareness of the issues surrounding our environment. Earth Day and every day is a time to help save the planet and go green. It shouldn’t be seen as just another day in our calendar. There are many web pages dedicated to Earth Day on the web.

I hope that everyone will take the opportunity to contribute something for the Earth today. It doesn’t matter how small of a gesture. It can be writing a post on your blog promoting environmental awareness, plant a tree, go organic, recycle those old newspapers or anything related to Mother nature.

So how will I celebrate Earth Day?

It’s easy to take small steps.

• I'll start by conserving energy at home, turning off lights, computers and other electrical appliances when not in use.
• Recycling my household and office waste.
• Learn the art of recycling by attempting to dispose of aluminium cans and batteries at recycling centres.
• Being careful with my home and garden water usage, and more – towards greater environmental responsibility.

We can all do something, and thus help make an important difference. To green bloggers, Happy Earth Day!

Can you have fun in the dark?

Power blackouts can be a real hassle to many. When I was a teenager, my sisters and I would howl 'Oh no, not again!' with the complete darkness. Then we would lit our gas lamps moaning and groaning and stayed together until the lights came on again.

But millions of people willingly and happily subjected themselves to silent darkness to observe 'Earth Hour' on Saturday, March 29th 2008. Earth Hour was initiated by WWF-Australia and it has inspired 27 other cities to switch off their electrical appliances during the designated hour. Other cities that had not signed up also showed their support in turning off their lights in a bid to raise awareness on global warming.

Has our beloved Kuala Lumpur done their bits to embrace Earth Hour? Some say the initiative is still new and most KL-ites are ignorant about it. Infact, such event like this is a great start for people across the globe to go green. Perhaps you can find something fun and interesting to do without lights or other electrical devices - invite friends over for a candlelight snack and a chat, go for a walk, take a nap, have a romantic date with your spouse or significant other. Maybe I’ll be able to see stars for once in my life.

Will you support Earth Hour? Can you survive for one hour without lights? Well, action speaks louder than words.