The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.113)

TZU CHI 113 43 Local News environmental conservation. On the second day, Varsha urged other youth representatives to emulate the Tzu Ching members’ approach in promoting environmental conservation. During a break midway through the conference, the Tzu Ching representatives took the opportunity to present to the delegates Da Ai Technology’s commitment to environmentally-friendly processes of manufacturing eco-blankets and other products from recycled materials, as well as the volunteers’ dedication to recycling work. They also spoke on Tzu Chi’s efforts in going green, citing examples of the environmentally-friendly practices adopted by the Tzu Chi community, such as using reusable utensils, monthly recycling efforts and vegetarianism. Countering marine pollution A beach-cleaning activity was on the agenda of the 4th day of the conference to clear Pantai Siring of litter. The idyllic Pantai Siring is located approximately 16 km away from the heart of Malacca, with a fishing village and a pier that serves as a fishermen’s hub. Plastic bags, Styrofoam containers, cigarette stubs, disposable plastic products and PET bottles were strewn all over the beach and the surrounding bushes. The delegates were divided into groups of five and equipped with gloves and gunny sacks, before the activity commenced. Trash and recyclables were found among the litter, all of which were picked up by the delegates. They even uncovered waste buried in the sand. The sight of indiscriminately discarded waste has alerted Tian Man Linh, a delegate from Vietnam, to the urgency of finding a solution to marine pollution, which has evolved into a serious problem. As a nature lover, she is determined to do her part for marine conservation by restoring the cleanliness of oceans and beaches. Another delegate, Rabin, from the Philippines, was concerned for the survival of marine life upon witnessing the trail of plastic waste left on the beach. “Adopting a ‘zero waste’ lifestyle is one of the efforts to reduce marine pollution and save marine life,” he asserted. Nearly 85 kg of trash was collected throughout the hour-long activity. Faisal, a volunteer with Trash Hero, a community-based NGO focusing on waste management, guided the delegates in categorizing recyclables and segregating non-recyclable waste from recyclables. He also recorded the volume and weight of the waste collected to draw the delegates’ attention to the sources of marine pollution and its severity. The waste collected comprised of cigarette stubs enough to fill twelve 500 ml bottles, 583 plastic straws, 323 plastic containers and 237 cigarette boxes. According to a 2018 report on ocean waste, the aforementioned items are listed in the top 10 categories of ocean waste. Faisal also emphasized the significance of the beach-cleaning activity in restoring the cleanliness of the beach and imparting the principle of “purity at its source”.