Bauxite Stockpiles have yet to be Cleared in Kuantan. Seriously

Bauxite Stockpiles have yet to be Cleared in Kuantan. Seriously

Two years after a moratorium on all bauxite mining was imposed in Pahang, local stockpiles have still not been cleared. Some 10 tons of bauxite still remains. In other words, the clear-up has been manifestly sluggish, even by local standards, to say the least. And so it goes. What seemed…

Micro Beads threaten Giant Whales

Micro Beads threaten Giant Whales

Microplastics may seem innocuous enough. They are barely visible plastic beads that are the size of sand grains. What harm could they do? Plenty. Microplastics have spread far and wide in the world’s oceans, entering food chains. Even table salt has been contaminated by these tiny pollutants. A myriad of…

‘Make Companies Pay’ for Adding to Climate Change

‘Make Companies Pay’ for Adding to Climate Change

He’s been dubbed “the father of climate change awareness,” and veteran NASA scientist James Hansen has an answer to how we can rein in our wanton CO2 emissions. The answer: we should sue the worst polluters to make them legally accountable for their actions. The American climate scientist calls them…

Pollution kills 9 Million People Yearly

Pollution kills 9 Million People Yearly

HIV/Aids, malaria, tuberculosis. These deadly diseases continue to take horrible tolls on the lives of millions of people, especially in developing countries. Yet the combined death toll from these three diseases pales in comparison with the death toll caused by pollution. So say researchers who have published a study in…

Making Cities Cleaner and Greener

Making Cities Cleaner and Greener

Already more than half of the world’s population (54%) lives in towns and cities. That number, according to the UN, could well swell to two-thirds, or 66%, by 2050 when another 2.5 billion people will have been added to urban populations around the planet. The question, though, is just what…

Much of Wildlife suffers Even in Canada

Much of Wildlife suffers Even in Canada

Canada. Mention the country’s name, and many people can’t help but instantly picture vast stretches of unspoiled natural bounty with scenic mountains and meadows teeming with wildlife. That’s hardly a surprise. Canada is the second largest country in the world, after Russia, with a whopping 9.984 square kilometers of land…

Declaring ‘War’ on Polluters in Sarawak

Declaring ‘War’ on Polluters in Sarawak

Sarawak has long been beset by pollution. What to do? Clamp down harder on polluters. Or “declare war” on them, if you will. That’s according to he Bornean state’s Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “We need to declare war on irresponsible polluters,” stresses Lee Kim Shin. “We need to…

Earth’s deepest Area is Heavily Polluted with Toxic Chemicals

Earth’s deepest Area is Heavily Polluted with Toxic Chemicals

Is there a place on Earth that hasn’t been contaminated by man-made pollution? There isn’t, it turns out. Take the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. At more than 10km deep, it is the lowest point on Earth. You would think that it was far enough from human activities to remain in…

To Stay out of Headlines for Wrong Reasons Malaysia must Clean up its Act

To Stay out of Headlines for Wrong Reasons Malaysia must Clean up its Act

Malaysia regularly makes global headlines, but in recent times it hasn’t been to the country’s credit when it did so. First, a double whammy of tragedies in quick succession involving two Malaysia Airlines commercial flights cost several hundred lives and plunged the national carrier into a prolonged crisis. Next, the…

Malaysian State Revokes Bauxite Mining Licenses to Curb Pollution

Malaysian State Revokes Bauxite Mining Licenses to Curb Pollution

In reaction to rising concern over pollution caused by illegal Bauxite mining in Malaysia, the state of Pahang recently revoked the mineral ore licenses of 34 contractors. Home to 1.5 million people, Pahang is a highly populous area that is also rich in Bauxite. The heavy metal is extracted in…