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BY DANIAL FAUZI
ONE might have heard stories and legends of an isle paradise untouched by man . The story goes as a sailor on a doomed voyage was shipwrecked and washed up ashore on the beaches of an uncharted island . The sailor looked at his surroundings ; clear blue water , lush palm trees and wildlife roaming freely . Indeed , a paradise befitting the legends . However , the reality is harsh . Some islands , with pristine waters and lush palm trees , can be considered paradise . Still , due to humanity ’ s addiction to expanding further and exploiting natural
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Pulau Ketam School . |
resources wherever it goes , these tropical paradises also fell victim to overexploitation and pollution .
Even remote areas such as the Marianas Trench are not spared from this hubris .
But this does not mean it is too late to undo man ’ s damage to these pristine sites . However , this task is not easy , nor should it be taken lightly . The need to lower humankind ’ s carbon footprint and restore the Earth is the pinnacle in ensuring a future for both the planet and humankind .
Therefore , the need to take action to ensure the decrease of the carbon footprint in the coming generations often starts from within ; the necessity of behavioural changes and mindset of the
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current generation towards a greener future and the need to instil a sense of passion for the future generation to carry the torch for years to come .
LOW CARBON ISLAND PROJECT
Pulau Ketam ( Crab Island ) is a small island near Port Klang , Selangor . The island was founded around the 1880s . Around 2,000 inhabitants call this island their home , with two Chinese villages founded around the same year .
The island is no stranger to the rising tides . Hence , the villagers adapted by elevating their houses and other buildings up to 10 metres high enough to escape the waves . Mainlanders and tourists who wish to visit the island do so via ferry .
Here , visitors can treat themselves to fresh seafood from rows of restaurants in the villages . Visitors can also rent battery-powered motorcycles to traverse the island quickly .
Despite this , Pulau Ketam possesses the potential to be a self-sustainable lowcarbon island . The islanders certainly have the drive towards a paradigm shift , but the Malaysian Association of Public Advocacy for Nature ( MAPAN ) is the one to nudge them .
Ben Ong , chairman of MAPAN , and his team recently visited the island and think Pulau Ketam has what it takes to be a self-sustainable low-carbon island . However , for this project to become a reality , the islanders must embrace change and possess the ability to adapt to those changes .
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GROWING A GREEN THUMB
Although Pulau Ketam ’ s primary food source is from the sea , the island still
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