Our Changing World

The weather yesterday was far from pleasant. I don't think I have seen winds or a storm of this intensity as what swept over Kota Damansara. Driving home later, I could see the debris, fallen trees, even a collapsed billboard. There is no doubt in my mind that the world is changing, and the weather is getting more violent, and we are to blame as a result of it.

We truly have to step up and be conscious about our consumption habits. Switching off the light when leaving the room, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and driving slower on the highway are just simple things which we can incorporate into our everyday lives to cut down our carbon footprint. Of course, then there is JASA Eco to help you.

There are so many brands out there who want to be seen doing their part including Panasonic, Sony and LG. Additionally, large corporations in Malaysia spend millions on advertising that they too are doing their bit for the environment, like Sime Darby, YTL and Berjaya. However, there is still too much talk and not enough action out in the real world.

Now, looking at the claims of some of the items in the market which is presumably eco friendly. We have tackled the issue of paper in my previous blog, so that is well established that it's not exactly good for the environment despite it's ability to biodegrade. Then there is palm fibre products, most famously the one used in Penang at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Taking palm fibre waste and then turning it into packaging is a great initiative. However, it is know that paper needs to be added to ensure that it is functional. It is nevertheless a step forward and a praise worthy effort to reduce our reliance on petroleum based products like polystyrene.

Then comes the issue of ''bio-degradable'' plastic bags: bags that look and feel like normal plastic bags but which will break down over time. This is obviously a huge improvement to a normal plastic bag which would take a 1000 years to break down, but is it actually true? The answer is yes, it will break down. There are additives in the market called oxo-biodegradable additives which would fragment the plastic bag over time and break down the plastic molecules into water, carbon dioxide and biomass. We are going to expand the JASA Eco range of products by using an additive called EcoPure in order to maintain our commitment to providing an eco-friendly range of products.

In future, look out as to whether the plastic bag you get is degradable as it should be printed on the bag. Even better, eliminate the need for a plastic bag by bringing your own resuable bag shopping like so many do nowadays. Of course additives are not necessarily the solution as we want to reduce our reliance on plastic, and that's why we are diligently researching into solutions into starch based carrier bags and whether this can be an alternative or replace plastic bags entirely.

Remember live Green, think Green!