Category: Environment EN

The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) urges the Ministry of Environment and Water  (KASA) and state governments to enhance their efforts and improve water management to meet the basic needs of the people in this country. At the same time, CAP also called on the public to value water in their lives by practising frugality and not wasting it. In conjunction with this year's World Water Day...

Do you know what trees and forests do for us, and why we must take action to protect them? Here are 10 good reasons to preserve forests – and grow more trees. 1. CLEAN our air. Trees and plants take in carbon dioxide and give us oxygen, cleaning our air. Trees use carbon dioxide to build their trunks, branches, roots, and leaves, and are natural carbon absorbers. One mature tree can absorb up...

Today the world celebrates Consumer Rights Day and the theme for this year is “Tackling Plastic Pollution”. Plastic pollution is the scourge of humanity. In Malaysia the problem is serious. In 2020 we used 148,000 metric tons of plastic packaging for food. Our annual per capita plastic packaging usage is 16.78 kilogram. Our use of plastic has been increasing year by year despite campaigns...

Repairing items where possible will minimise the use of resources, extend lifespan of products and its parts and reduce creation of waste. By 2050, plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish. We need to spur companies to improve product design to be long-lasting and repairable. Here are some examples of what you can do: > Repair broken or damaged items when possible instead of buying a...

Recycle packaging to reprocess materials into useful products. Improper disposal risks plastic leakage into the environment and contamination of waste streams. It is estimated that only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. Behaviour change can help increased demand for recyclable plastics. Here are some things you can do: > Consider the other Rs before making a decision to...

Reusing a plastic item to extend its use and lifetime will maximise its utilisation and reduce plastic waste. Reusing your plastic cutlery or going for a compostable alternative could personally save you 466 items of unnecessary plastic every year (WWF). Additionally, converting 20% of plastic packaging into reuse models is a USD 10 billion business opportunity that benefits consumers and...

Reduce the use and purchase of plastic materials to reduce energy usage, raw materials and landfill waste. Since 1950, close to half of all plastic has ended up in landfill or dumped in the wild, and only 9% of used plastic has been adequately recycled. Reducing plastic consumption can drive government policy and business commitments to eliminate unnecessary plastic. Here are some things you can...

Refusing unnecessary plastic where possible will decrease plastic pollution on nature, wildlife and human health. A survey showed that 74% of consumers are willing to pay for more sustainable packaging. Shifting consumer preference s can encourage FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) companies and retailers to rethink the plastic system and offer more sustainable alternatives.  Examples of what...

Re-evaluate consumption habits to minimise plastic use. This will decrease the amount of waste produced and prevent leakage into the environment. Without action, the annual flow of plastic into the ocean could nearly triple by 2040. Rethinking plastics will ensure the value of materials is kept within a ‘closed-loop’ system, encouraging companies to improve approaches to the supply chain....

  Use alternative materials to plastics for everyday usage to avoid leakage into the oceans and drive demand for environmentally friendly products. About 8 million metric tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean annually (Jambeck, 2015). Shifts in consumer demand can encourage companies to adapt their sustainability agendas to accommodate. Examples of what you can do: > Replace plastic...