Bahais up to the elbows in recycling
By Yeang Soo Ching
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the Bahai community of Kuala Lumpur are going all out to fulfill their commitment towards preserving the environment.
"We believe in a sustainable society and in order to have that, we must have a sustainable environment," said Mrs Yuet Mee Nambiar, representative of the Office of Environment for the Bahai Community of Malaysia.
In line with their commitment, the community is doing their part for The Star’s paper recycling campaign.
Their centre in Taman P. Ramlee, Setapak, is one of three collection centers in the Kiang Valley. The other two are Alpha Angle shopping complex in Wangsa Maju and Subang Parade.
The used papers will be sent to Theen Seng Paper Manufacturing Sdn Bhd in Rasah, Selangor, for recycling. The recycled paper will then be sent to Bengkel Seri Sembilan which employs handicapped people to make envelopes.
We hope to collect enough old papers to be recycled into 500,000 envelopes. Money from the sale of the envelopes will go to the handicapped workers and towards improving the facilities at Bengkel Seri Sembilan.
Members of the Bahai community have also thought up a novel way of collecting old newspapers.
A baby cot has been placed at the entrance of their collection center in Taman P. Ramlee inviting the public to deposit their newspapers. The Bahai community has formed a youth brigade to maintain this collection service daily from 10am to 10pm.
"Everyone must be personally committed to saving the earth," said Mrs Nambiar.
"There are lots of ways we can help, like not leaving the tap running, using both sides of papers, and bringing our own shopping bags instead of clogging the earth with plastic bags.
Going back to grandma’s ways of re-using everything is a great way to slow down consumption too. We now consume too much, too fast. Everything is disposal these days and that clogs up the earth."
The Bahai community has always been conscious of the need to preserve a clean environment. Besides supporting paper recycling projects, the members are keen on tree-planting as well. Having undertaken such projects before they are planning another one soon in the Ampang area in Kuala Lumpur.
Dr. I.S. Ludher, a Bahai member, sees their involvement as "part of our ongoing social programme."
"In our monthly newsletter, we keep our members and friends in-formed of environmental projects. Even our spouses do their bit by getting their office-mates involved."
Another Bahai member, Kashminder Singh, said: "I believe that saving the earth can only be done through education and not by confrontational tactics. Projects like The Star’s paper recycling campaign, which targets the community (public) as a whole, is good because then everyone will have a chance to do his bit."
Recycle and help a worthy cause
The Star’s paper recycling campaign has two objectives:
to create awareness on the need to protect the environment and to help a worthy cause — the handicapped workers of Bengkel Seri Sembilan.
We hope to collect enough used papers to be recycled into 500,000 envelopes. Money from the sale of the envelopes will go to the handicapped workers and towards improving the facilities at the center.
We hope that corporations will continue to buy recycled envelopes from this center even after the campaign period is over so that more handicapped workers can be helped. Bengkel Seri Sembilan now employs 91 handicapped workers.
THE COLLECTION CENTERS FOR THE STAR
Paper Recycling Campaign are:
1. Alpha Angle (main entrance) in Wangsa Maju
2. Bahai Community Centre at 32 Jalan Angsana, Taman P. Ramiee, Setapak.
3. Subang Parade
Source : Sunday Star, May 24, 1992
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