Environment: Lessons on Mother Nature

2009/10/11

NURJEHAN MOHAMED

Parents can do a lot to make their children environmentally conscious, writes NURJEHAN MOHAMED

THE gloomy morning and light rain did nothing to deter environmentally conscious Klang Valley denizens from turning up at the recent second Organic Day organised by the Centre for Environment, Technology and Development, Malaysia (Cetdem).

For most, it gave them a chance to stock up on organically grown groceries and food and, for others, a chance to teach their children environmentally sound practices.

Cetdem executive director Anthony Tan Kee Huat says the event is held to raise awareness of what is organic and what is not.

“People use the term ‘organic’ indiscriminately,” he says, adding that the purpose of Organic Day is to educate the public, especially children.

Kids got the chance to participate in activities where they smelt, touched and tasted organic food in addition to visiting the Cetdem organic vegetable garden at its office — a corner terraced house in SS19, Petaling Jaya.

Visitors were also treated to a qigong demonstration, health talks and presentations on making compost and eco-enzymes.

The predominantly Chinese crowd was also treated to activities organised by Chinese language radio station AiFM, a strong supporter of Organic Day — a number of the first-time visitors say they found out about the event through the station (see story on H3).

Zuhairah Ali, executive director of Taman Pendidikan Raihan, a kindergarten in PJ, was at the event last Saturday to buy the week’s groceries and get tips for maintaining her own organic garden at home.

“I learnt about this event through a flyer I picked up at a health shop in Bandar Utama,” she says, adding the visit had been educational and an eye-opener.

Though familiar with organic food, having such a wide variety in one place made it much easier to survey the available products and learn about new ones.

“Cetdem’s organic garden is also a great place to bring children, and even adults, to learn how to grow vegetables in a healthier and safer way,” she says.

Inculcating the green habit in children is vital, she adds, as people’s everyday lives have become toxic through the food and water they consume and air they breathe.

“Teaching children to care for the environment also helps them to appreciate God’s gifts,” she adds.

For Zuhairah, it means doing the simple things — to use less plastic bags and save in terms of what you eat and use — and it has to start at home.

“My four children and I are members of several environmental non-governmental organisations; we have also helped raise funds for them,” she says, adding that one of her sons is also an active member of his school’s Eco-Club.

Zuhairah tries to raise her children’s awareness of environmental issues by taking them to events such as Organic Day — they missed out on the recent one because of extra-curricular activities but will be going for the next one in December — and forwarding them emails on the environment.

She also encourages them to eat as healthily as possible so she tries to get organic food as often as her wallet allows her.

“Organic food can be expensive but if you think of how much you would save in terms of medical bills and supplements, it may well be worth it,” she says.

The family has a small vegetable plot but it still needs work.

“Parents have to make their children aware of the choices they have and the consequences of making unhealthy and un-environmentally friendly ones,” she says.

“We have to be responsible for what we inherit and what we leave behind, and it has to start with you first.”

Homemaker Goh Lee Choo, who learnt about Organic Day from an organic vegetables vendor as well as AiFM, decided to make it a day trip for her children.

Goh says: “It’s an educational event as there are activities for children to learn about organic vegetables and eating well.”

She and her children were also interested in seeing how an organic vegetable garden can be maintained in the city.

Her family started eating organic food over a year ago because of its high nutrient content and natural methods of production. And her children say it is more delicious than “conventional” food.

Goh advocates healthy living by maintaining her own organic vegetable patch and informing friends and family of events such as Organic Day.

“I think it is imperative to teach children about the environment.

“When taught from young, children will practise green habits when they grow up.”

She adds that more people should use natural methods of growing their greens instead of using chemical pesticides and enhancers.

“If we don’t care about how we use the earth to grow our food, one day we won’t have any more land to do so,” she says.

Calin Tho, who was at the event with her two daughters, says it is a good way to learn about organic living.

“They talk about the processes that go into organic farming and we also got a chance to meet suppliers and farmers,” she says.

Tho used the opportunity to do her weekly grocery shopping — she normally buys organic vegetables if the price is not much higher than conventional ones.

She brought her children so that they could learn about organic food and the processes that go into making it.

At home, she teaches her children to recycle by providing bins for different recyclable items and showing them how to separate them.

(source:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20091011084207/Article/index_html)