Category: Environment EN

A rare earths processing plant run by Mitsubishi Chemicals in Bukit Merah, Malaysia was blamed for birth defects and leukaemia cases in the local community. The plant, which was shut down in 1994, had no long-term waste facility which resulted in radioactive waste leakage. Mitsubishi Chemicals spent US$100 million on the clean-up and donated to the local community in an out-of-court settlement....

There is a race in the West to secure their supply for a list of critical metals, such as rare earths. These are resources that are essential for high tech applications, including in defence, as well as a carbon-free future. Yet China dominates the market for quite a few of these resources. How did China come to dominate, and just why is the fight heating up? Kartik Kuna explores every step of...

Backyards today are being lost to higher-density housing. Backyards are the most local of green spaces – an environment where city dwellers can retreat from the pressures of daily life. But in modern city planning focussed on making cities more compact, a large backyard is often seen as undesirable because of the space it consumes. “Such beautiful sources of shade in the backyards of cities...

The 3rd negotiation meeting for the UN Global Treaty to end plastic pollution (INC-3) is scheduled from 13 to 19 November in Nairobi, Kenya. The first round of negotiations started in 2022 and the second in 2023. The legally binding treaty that will be developed is meant to eliminate plastic pollution worldwide. CAP is a member of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA). GAIA and...

If you enjoy creating useful things made from recycled and upcycled materials, then basket-making might be for you. There are endless ways of making cool, practical, and useful baskets out of materials that you can find in nature or have lying around the house. Baskets make great storage and can even be used as waste-free wrapping for presents. The basket itself could be a wonderful part of that...

Sahabat Alam Malaysia is most disappointed to learn about the MADANI government's latest decision with regard to extending Lynas’s operations till March 2026. We are baffled by the U-turn made by the government from its earlier decision. The government must explain why the change of heart, when earlier, it was concerned about the radioactive component of the company’s activities. According...

Don’t Leave Your Electrical Appliances on “Standby” Every single step you take to save energy helps you save money and reduce your home’s impact on the environment. This includes switching off, or unplugging appliances that are not in use – something that’s often overlooked. Nearly all new electrical products – TVs, microwave ovens, air conditioners, and many more – draw power 24...

Saving energy, even in small ways, is good for the environment – and your wallet too. Much of our energy comes from burning fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gasses and other pollutants into the environment. As greenhouse gas emissions blanket the Earth, they trap the sun’s heat. This leads to global warming and climate change. The world is now warming faster than at any point in...

END WASTE COLONIALISM & PLASTIC POLLUTION Reduce Plastic Production, Phase Out Unnecessary Single-Use Plastics and Stop Toxic Recycling The global south is bearing the brunt of what some have characterized as “environmental imperialism”. Trash, climate change and the environment – all this is a joint global effort, but the wealthier nations are simply subjecting the poorer nations to...