aes•thet•ics - Environment Issue by Aesthetics Creative Sdn. Bhd.

ISSUE 08

JUNE 2010

KDN PP16676/10/2010 (025785)

YOUR FREE ONLINE COPY

environment: issue 08

The Aesthetics of Environment The Phenomenal Wonders of Nature To Bee or Not to Bee

June 2010

Haute Cycle Livinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; the Ultra Life w w w. a e s t h e t i c s o n l i n e . m y

THEMATIC 8 Aesthetics of Environment 10 Creative Green Strokes 14 Going Green with Envy 17 Six Degrees 22 The Phenomenal Wonders of Nature 26 Dare to Decide – A Defense on Animal Rights 28 In Your Face 30 Abyssum Abyssus Invocat

USEFUL / USELSS 70 Hyper Nature 72 Harmful Human Habits

COOL COMPANIES 73 Livin’ the Ultra Life

CURRENT 36 38 40 42

Making KL Recyclable Friendly To Bee or Not to Bee Mother Nature is Freaking Out The Green Carpet – Eco-Stars

ART & CULTURE 44 The Platform 2010 at KLPAC 46 Music, Iceland & Psychogeography 48 Scandinavian Naturalist 54 ADAM The Musical 55 Galeri Petronas Goes NOVA 56 Rats KL 58 Gems for June at the DFP 60 The Newspaper Dress 62 Haute Cycle

ICONS 84 The Business of Sustainability

5ENSES 88 90 92 94 96

100

Growing Older or Getting Bored The G Factor – Style, Comfort & Sustainability Sa Ding Ding The O’Brian’s Experience Body Shop

LAST PAGE 100 Musings

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w w w. a e s t h e t i c s o n l i n e . m y

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Think of the cold morning dew and the trickling of a quiet stream. Think of the impossibly perfect daisies amongst the sprawling landscape of lush green grass. Think of cotton candy clouds and the brightest sun in the sky. Think of the falling rain and the vibrant rainbow after. Think of the herd of deers running under the flight of doves sweeping above. Think of the sound of the crashing waves and the infinite blue horizon. Think of the innocent white snow and the autumn that blooms after. Think of tiny babies and fluffy puppies. Think of a boy and a girl, helplessly enveloped in love, holding hands and gazing at each other’s endless glassy eyes. Think of their heartbeats and how they miraculously palpitate in sync with one and another, pumping a rush of blood fueling their cascading euphoria. Think of the electrical and chemical reactions exploding under their skin, and of the wafts of pheromones, dopamines and endorphines whispering to each other in the air. Think of the electrons orbiting within its atomic structure building an infinite link with a trillion more, creating, making and defining all living and non-living things in existence. “Look at the trees, look at the birds, look at the clouds, look at the stars... and if you have eyes you will be able to see that the whole existence is joyful. Everything is simply happy. Trees are happy for no reason; they are not going to become prime ministers or presidents and they are not going to become rich and they will never have any bank balance. Look at the flowers- for no reason. It is simply unbelievable how happy flowers are” – Osho Think about it for a minute. And you’ll realize that it doesn’t take much to ponder and absorb in complete wonderment on the spectacular beauty of nature and its miraculous existence. You may call it God, you may call it the Spirit, but no matter what label you choose to name, the fact still remains that everything in existence, living and non-living, are a part of a vast framework of this singular entity we call life. Its fragility is one that many often forget. Our home, this planet Earth, is the only place we have. We didn’t come into this world, but instead we came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. We are not strangers here, and we hold a binding responsibility to ensure the survival and betterment of the only home we have. For Mother Nature has been good to us, providing all enough air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and shelter to live in. It should only be a natural reaction to give back what was given to us wholeheartedly. Today’s modern times have seen one too many natural and man-made anomalies. War, famine, and environmental disasters, to name a few.

Such things should not be, for it goes against the grain of all that is good to humanity, to this planet, and to life. We may be microscopic in size, in comparison to the stars, the skies and the oceans, but that shouldn’t be the excuse to subscribe to defeatism in the face of global disasters, be it man-made or not. As the great Mahatma Ghandi once said, “What you do may not be significant. But it is very important that you do it”. So maybe all you can do in this international effort to save this planet is to merely recycle, stop using plastic bags, donate to organizations like the MNS or WWF, buy an electric car, regulate unnecessary usage of water and electricity, and other relatively minute things. Well, why not? Collectively, we can make a difference. Again, as the wise Mahatma Ghandi said that “you must be the change you wish to see in the world”. The impossible are more often than not a mere perception. And if we can change the way we think from a bunch of pessimistic nihilists to being optimistic human beings who carry in their hearts a sincere passion for life and the willingness to do all we can for the love of life and its beautiful environment, we can make a difference. Let us recognize the fact that we can only live and survive in the shelter of each other. And remember that all of us, together, have an inherently crucial role to play in the survival of our beautiful home, called Earth. “Man’s abiding happiness is not in getting anything but in giving himself up to what is greater than himself, to ideas which are larger than his individual life, the idea of his country, of humanity, of God” – Rabindranath Tagore

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Creative Green Strokes

Waste is bountiful and, although not the most obvious, it supplies an unlimited art medium; recycling and up-cycling at the same time. Artists find different outlets and methods to expressing their thoughts of the environment on their personal canvas. But whether these expressions are literal or otherwise, the environment has become a highly trending subject in art. And there has been no shortage of awesome ideas. By: Shahrezzan Ezani

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Shieko Reto expresses humour in her graff-artwork that touches on the serious subject of global warming and its endangering effects on ecology and the environment. But with the contrasting feelings between a laugh and life and death, Reto’s work surpasses ‘just another cute drawing’. With that juxtaposition, there is more thought and the viewer decides how the subject of global warming should be approached; she doesn’t fixate specific trains of thought. Other artists decide to deduct a need for interpretation and instead, express a literal approach to the environmental/ecological topic. Paper is plentiful and apart from loose sheets of paper, most wasted paper come from books, which is Jacqueline Lee Rush’s art medium – old hard-covered books. Rush’s books are painted, dip-dyed, the pages solidified, sculpted into each other to form shapes and become worthy of being a centrepiece. In her piece Absolute Depth, an antiquated periodical shreds and falls apart in a 14ft-high tank of water. But with thought, Rush states: “I transform the books into sculptures that explore and redefine the book as familiar object, medium, and archetypal form. By scrambling the formal arrangement of the book and transposing its material and conceptual qualities, I aim to create evocative art forms that suggest an alternative narrative.”\

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Artists like these find reason in the past – discarded toys, rusted cutlery or forgotten picture frames become not only an art medium, but also a story to the artist. Sculptor Sayaka Kajita Ganz only uses objects that have been used and discarded; relating back to each object’s ‘story’. “The human history behind these objects gives them life in my eyes. My goal is for each object to transcend its origins by being integrated into an animal form that seems alive. This process of reclamation and regeneration is liberating to me as an artist.” Ganz’s pieces – animal or otherwise – project graceful movements caught in a moment that expresses very natural aspects. On a lighter and more fun tone, a series of colourful creations that exhibit “junk as art” is David Edgar’s The Plastiquarium. The Plastiquarium is a collection of sculptures, ceiling lights, lamps, helmets and masks made completely out of detergent bottles and other plastic containers. With plastic being the most common packaging of the world’s products, a broad array of plastics allow Edgar to play around more with his work – creative freedom. And this after 25-years of working with steel.

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Famous for its monolithic sculptures made primarily out of scrap metal, Burning Man in Nevada USA is a convergence of the arts and radical self-expression. Since its start in 1986, Burning Man has switched from something of free sex to a celebration of expression, with eyes on the Burning Man ‘himself’, its infamous temple and gargantuan sculptures of human form. From a distance, these giants appear to be made of perfection. Upon close inspection, old gear wheels, fences, heavy-duty chains and car parts are visible through the thoughtful details that go deep inside each sculpture; much alike the insides of human beings. From graffiti to toy-like sculptures to human forms of unimaginable heights, “green-coloured” strokes in art challenges creativity. But with its limitless source – much thanks to man’s immense consumption – the only challenge is an artist’s imagination.

or olve and grow in the past five ev nt me ve mo l nta me on vir en aigns, the We’ve all witnessed the ments, testimonials, the camp ce un no an ss ne are aw en se so years. We’ve ard governments. For some he en ev d an s, rie nta me cu do celebrities, the scientists, the lies, all for the cause of going ral the d an ts en ev the in d ate ng of us, we’ve even particip By: Anand Pirinyua of man. s nd ha the by ed us ca er, ng da green. The world is in As a result of industrialization and our greed, we’ve heard so much from everyone that we know for a fact that the planet’s in trouble. With the arrival of documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth, both the collective social consciousness and the media have been permeated with these environmental, ecological issues. And with other programs, films and news pieces highlighting these day by day, we can safely assume, then, that for the general public, environmental awareness is no longer an alien issue as it once was. After all, if it’s so heavily ingrained in our media, then surely most of us have the message etched in our head. So it is no surprise that for many, the green lifestyle has always been attractive; being able to live knowing that you’re doing your part to save the environment, that you’re giving back to Mother Nature – doing it has been set on something of a pedestal. More and more celebrities have adopted a green (or greener) lifestyle, as have corporations, universities, etc – whole bodies and authorities are making the change. Those who don’t are somewhat vilified, deemed as selfish monsters that care nothing of the planet. As such, there is a rise in green consumerism. Goods that are environmentallyfriendly and ethically produced (all-natural, 100% organic, sustainable etc.)

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have swarmed into the market, undaunted by the economy crisis. Indeed, over the past few years, the green lifestyle is now far more accessible and open to all. What it does is that it builds on our consumerist tendencies. Green living is displayed as attractive, au courant and in vogue, is perceived as something people want to get into. Everyone wants to be a part of it, and many are afraid to be left out. And it works. It is, one has to admit, effective; working on standard marketing practices and human behaviour, the newest mobile phone, car or other gadgets highlight being ‘green’ as the way to go, and it seems to have also become the ‘colour’ of the moment. Sadly, though, it has resultantly become something of a status symbol, limited to the rich (or at the very least, the relatively well off). Let’s face it: ecofriendly products are more expensive than their standard, non-green-labelled counterparts, and therein out of reach. Granted that is a result of how they transport and produce their goods, but at the end of the day, because it’s still more expensive, those without the luxury of picking and choosing are locked out of the loop. They can’t afford to be concerned as they are with a myriad of other things that are more pressing, and so simply continue living the way they always have. They might want to join in, but due to finances and a host of other conditions, they can’t. And this spills over in the choices that they make; because the only way to survive sometimes is to simply work as much as and as fast as we can, many eschew public transport in favour of cars or motorbikes, which in turn leads to our roads clogged with gas-guzzling cars stuck in their long, painful jams. In the

hurry to grab a quick bite instead of cooking something healthy at home, many stop over at the fast food joints to grab a quick meal, taking away food which in turn contributes to the increase in wrappers, plastic cups and Styrofoam in the landfills that our rubbish go to. In essence, because the number of low-income households will always outnumber the high-income earners, this vicious cycle continues, and the planet suffers. Yet, it’s a sad fact that many people seem to overlook. How can we solve this? Making things cheaper would be ideal – if not exactly logical (due to costs of production, transport and the like). But is there any other option? In the end, it is maybe merely a matter of bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots; the rich and the poor. Make the products cheaper, more affordable, a viable financial alternative to the non-green goods. Take away that sense of privilege, the feeling of elitism. If there is a fear that green living becoming cheap and easily attainable by all (which should be the case) would make it less attractive and alluring to the elitists (status symbols are no longer status symbols when the rank and file gets a hold of them), then these thoughts must end. Never mind that the interest of the rich and famous in going green has indeed heavily contributed to environmental awareness, responsibility for all the public service announcements, campaigns and shows. Make going green something to strive towards, not because of envy or a desire to have what others have, but to do one’s part. Because it is necessary.

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magnificent icebergs.

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Organisms That Live Without Oxygen entire lives without oxygen and animals have been discovered that live their Deep under the Mediterranean Sea, small BMC Biology repor t the existence archers writing in the open access journal surrounded by ‘poisonous’ sulphides. Rese are alive, metabolically active, and of the group Loricifera), showing that they of multi-cellular organisms (new members absence of oxygen. Miracle much? Believe. apparently reproducing in spite of a complete

Venezuela’s E ve

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Socrota: Most Alien Place on Ear

The island of Socotra lies only 150 miles off the Horn of Africa, but one look at its surreal landscap might be mistaken for another plan e and it et. Unlike most islands, Socotra wasn’t formed by volcanic activity it was once part of the African con – rather, tinent, having been separated afte r millions of years of seismic activ tectonic plate shifts. As a result, ities and the organisms that call Socotra home have evolved in a very uniq found nowhere else on the planet. ue man ner, Socrota might possibly just be the most alien-looking place on Eart h.

Animal Surviving in the Hottest Extreme

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Census researchers have found a particular kind of shrimp that lives at a thermal vent some 3km below the surface in the equatorial Atlantic. They were found on the edge of fluids billowing from Earth’s core at this unprecedented marine recording. The temperature surrounding the area could easily melt steel and lead. Scientists are studying how that species of shrimp could survive while surrounded by near-freezing 2ºC water and how their chemistry allows them to withstand heat bursts that approach the boiling point – up to 80ºC.

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Tree of Life The Tree of Life in Bahrain is a majestic 400 year-old mesquite tree that has survived in the midst of a sprawling desert without the immediate availability of water. The mystery of the survival of the tree has made it a legend and the name “Tree of Life” is absolutely appropriate for the tree, truly representing the magic of life. A legend is also attached to the site where the tree is located. The local inhabitants believe with heart and soul that this was the actual location of the Garden of Eden.

Rainbow Idaho’s Fire

fire known as a (CHA), also c ar a on to riz e pearanc circumho similar in ap ontal arc or riz on ho en h m um ug no rc A ci light thro tical phe lo or an op refraction of e ha th a by is , ly ed us n on rainbow contrast ca nomenon ca inbow, but in ely rare phe em tr sun. ex is gh horizontal ra hi Th clouds. fract the ontally to re tals in cirrus ys riz cr ho nal e d ic go ne e xa ig th flat he ls are al tally oriented e ice crysta th on n riz he ho m w e to r th ot occu enter ontal b as light rays ugh the horiz ed ro rm th fo it is ex c ik d The ar face an rainbow-l e vertical side l-separated a el w h e ug th ro th es produc crystals rrus cloud the entire ci clination that in es ° ak 90 m , e ht th just rig face. It is l alignment is , if the crysta d an s ur lo co bow. flaming rain shine like a

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Dare to decide A defense on animal rights

Peter Singer on Speciesism and Equal Rights

For the great majority of human beings, especially in urban, industrialized societies, the most direct form of contact with members of other species is at mealtimes: we eat them. In doing so we treat them purely as means to our ends. We regard their life and well-being as subordinate to our taste for a particular kind of dish. l say “taste” deliberately—this is purely a matter of pleasing our palate. There can be no defense of eating flesh in terms of satisfying nutritional needs, since it has been established beyond doubt that we could satisfy our need for protein and other essential nutrients far more efficiently with a diet that replaced animal flesh by soy beans, or products derived from soy beans, and other high-protein vegetable products. It is not merely the act of killing that indicates what we are ready to do to other species in order to gratify our tastes. The suffering we inflict on the animals while they are alive is perhaps an even clearer indication of our speciesism than the fact that we are prepared to kill them. In order to have meat on the table at a price that people can afford, our society tolerates methods of meat production that confine sentient animals in cramped, unsuitable conditions for the entire durations of their lives. Animals are treated like machines that convert fodder into flesh, and any innovation that results in a higher “conversion ratio” is liable to be adopted. As one authority on the subject has said, “cruelty is acknowledged only when profitability ceases.”. . .

Singer: ‘All Animals are Equal’

Since, as l have said, none of these practices cater for anything more than our pleasures of taste, our practice of rearing and killing other animals in order to eat them is a clear instance of the sacrifice of the most important interests of other beings in order to satisfy trivial interests of our own. To avoid speciesism we must stop this practice, and each of us has a moral obligation to cease supporting the practice. Our custom is all the support that the meat-industry needs. The decision to cease giving it that support may be difficult, but it is no more difficult than it would have been for a white Southerner to go against the traditions of his society and free his slaves: if we do not change our dietary habits, how can we censure those slaveholders who would not change their own way of living?

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Tom Regan on Unjust Institutions You don’t change unjust institutions by tidying them up. What’s wrong — fundamentally wrong — with the way animals are treated isn’t the details that vary from case to case. It’s the whole system. The forlornness of the veal calf is pathetic, heart wrenching; the pulsing pain of the chimp with electrodes planted deep in her brain is repulsive; the slow, tortuous death of the racoon caught in the leg-hold trap is agonizing. But what is wrong isn’t the pain, isn’t the suffering, isn’t the deprivation. These compound what’s wrong. Sometimes - often - they make it much, much worse. But they are not the fundamental wrong. The fundamental wrong is the system that allows us to view animals as our resources, here for us — to be eaten, or surgically manipulated, or exploited for sport or money. Once we accept this view of animals - as our resources the rest is as predictable as it is regrettable. Why worry about their loneliness, their pain, their death? Since animals exist for us, to benefit us in one way or another, what harms them really doesn’t matter...’ Giving farm animals more space, more natural environments, more companions does not right the fundamental wrong, any more than giving lab animals more anaesthesia or bigger, cleaner cages would right the fundamental wrong in their case. Lab animals are not our tasters; we are not their kings. Because these animals are treated routinely, systematically as if their value were reducible to their usefulness to others, they are routinely, systematically treated with a lack of respect, and thus are their rights routinely, systematically violated. The best we can do when it comes to using animals is - not to use them. Tom Regan, ‘The Case for Animal Rights’

Immanuel Kant on Human Supremacy So far as animals are concern, we have no direct duties. Animals ...are there merely as means to an end. That end is man. Immanuel Kant, ‘Lectures on Ethics’

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ABYSSUS ABYSSUM INVOCAT

Photography by: Danial Radzmi Photography Assistant: Natrah Omar

By: Jonathan Lee

Is cleanliness next to Godliness? Is Earth Hour just a gimmick? When was the last time someone spoke or did anything about renewable energy and sustainable development? These were some of the things that were on my mind as I walked about in the lovely city of Kuala Lumpur observing how much those of us who live here actually did for the environment; you see, I am of the belief that to truly know a city one has to walk on foot through the streets in order to see the nitty-gritty that is sure to be missed from the comfort of a taxi. This may be a challenge for many Malaysians, who often stick to their security blanket. Read: air conditioning. As I finished my walk though, the only thing I could think of was that if we don’t want our friends from across the causeway laughing at ‘Vision 2020’ (never mind the rest of the world), then we’d better get cracking at it. I mean, let’s face it; no matter what our socio-economic position, all of us as human beings long for a higher standard of living. As KL-ites we are no different, and when we seek a better standard, it needs to be in line with a standard for the environment as well. Take a quick stroll around the city yourself – if you’re adventurous enough to do so. What you’ll see is a charming mixture of colonial buildings and towering skyscrapers, and an extremely pleasing sight of pristine, spotless streets. The walkways exude an aroma so fragrant that the mind forgets Chanel No. 5, and our roads (take a look at most of our ads) look as if one could eat straight off them. We have the pristine Twin Towers and all, but “the whole is more than the sum of its parts”, as Aristotle says, and you’ll find that the city’s residents paint a completely different altogether.

Although it is no surprise to many that Malaysians are not known for their civic consciousness, not many know that most city folk have rather bad habits. Fellow KL-ites: no, the rain will not clean the streets after you throw away your Teh Ais Bungkus since it will only clog the drains. And the guy who throws his cigarette butt out the window of his car while at a traffic light? Same thing. Ditto to the stall operator who throws the excess food of his customers into the drain as well. It’s all going somewhere, and were it not for our local sanitation workers, never mind Chanel No. 5, the lovely aroma of food that we smell will be the last thing we’d be thinking of when we make our way into the city. The thing is, the waste that we produce does not end with Alam Flora’s services – according to Malaysia’s Global Environment Centre, Malaysians generate an average of 0.5 – 0.8 kg of solid waste per day, with those of us in major cities producing up to 1.7 kg per day. They further estimate that currently, 17,000 tonnes of solid waste is generated in Peninsular Malaysia every day, and this will increase to more than 30,000 tonnes per day by 2020 as a consequence of a growing population and increasing per capita income. If you want to visualise how much 17,000 tonnes of waste would look like, just picture this; nine days worth of waste would build a garbage-hill the size of KLCC, and at the rate we are going, we are building more than 40 KLCC-size garbage-hills annually. If Kuala Lumpur is to develop into one of the best cities in Asia, then there must be a change in our thinking. It is about making the small changes in our everyday lives. Habits don’t always have to be bad and sooner or later you will find a sense of fulfillment from doing your part. “Temptation resisted is the true measure of character” - Henri Charrière

1. Visit a landfill or dumpsite

CURRENT

Nothing beats experience first hand. Of course it will be unappetizing, smelly and ugly, but visuals really do teach. Note how high the garbage is piled up and imagine what happens after Chinese New Year or Hari Raya. This is as real as it gets.

2. Bring a water container from home

Use a thermos or a travel mug. Bring your own water bottle when you’re out. Then you won’t have to look for a recycling bin for your plastic water bottle or a ‘to-go’ cup from a café. Plus you’ll save some cash too.

3. Get your own re-usable shopping bag Some supermarkets and convenience stores have started charging for plastic bags which mostly end up on the street. Unless you are a hoarder and/or are aiming to be in The Guinness Book of Records for the most plastic bags, get a bag that you can store in your car for unwanted rubbish.

4. Reduce personal consumption

putting it into practice may take It’s dead simple: the less you use, the less you throw away. While it is a simple concept, some adjustment in your thinking patterns. Many of our bad habits are just that – habits. batteries with rechargeable Have you thought about where can you cut back? Can you replace any of your disposable seriously about your personal use ones? Do you really need to purchase cases of plastic water bottles each week? Think of disposable items, and take the time to consider where you can cut back.

5. Be Creative with your trash and sort out specialized items

can be re-used to store leftover food Make use of old bottles and batteries. Plastic food containers such as ice cream tubs same again. Paper mache T-Rex or to hold potted plants. Get those creative juices going and you’ll never see rubbish the from old newspapers? separate your rubbish. Items like Alternatively if you are suffering in the creative department, spend an extra 5 minutes to items such paper, plastic batteries contain chemicals that contaminate soil and water, so isolate those. Other household Valley. and glass can be deposited separately at the various recycling centres around the Klang

6. Wipe discriminately

Choose toilet paper/paper towels made from 100% recycled fibers. Save a tree, wipe with a conscience.

7. Free manure for all

your old coffee grinds. It’s The next time you cut the grass in your garden save the clippings and save it in a pile alongside biodegradable garbage find to try good for your soil and it will lessen the usage of plastic bags. If you have to trash items bags.

8. Keep electronics out of your rubbish

Thinking about becoming a hippie and want to throw out your TV? Don’t. E-waste contains mercury and other toxics that are becoming a major problem. Donate or recycle responsibly when the correct time comes.

9. Ride a bike, carpool, ride the train It’ll burn some calories, and maybe we KL-ites won’t have to breathe in air that is visible. Riding a bike is a great cardiovascular exercise that could increase the health of your heart. Getting your wheel-on is also sexy. Ten miles of biking has a health benefit which is about equal to the health deficit caused by smoking a pack of cigarettes. There are many reasons to carpool besides it being good for the environment by reducing the dependency on petrol. You get to save your cash and have sing-alongs in the car on the way to work – or even when going to futsal.

10. Change your thinking At the end of the day being green really boils down to a mindset and a worldview. It’s about time we start looking out for each other by looking after our surroundings. It starts with the small things, and how we live in the world in plays a BIG part. How can we change the world if we can’t even look after our own streets? Read up on it and educate your family, friends and neighbors. Act on your newly found knowledge.[Please box this in a to-do list style or something creatively different].

Malaysia’s Global Environment Centre observes that studies on our solid waste reveal that out of the total garbage that we throw away, approximately 56% is recyclable; 33% is organic; and only the remaining 11% is non-recyclable. This means that more than half of what we throw away can actually be re-used one way or another including some of the food items we purchase which makes up more than 30% of our total organic garbage.

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By: Rebecca Jones

Since 2006 more than three million colonies in the US and billions of honeybees worldwide have died and scientists are no nearer to knowing what is causing the catastrophic fall in numbers.

The humble honeybee. Not hugely significant in the general cycle of things one would have thought, more hindrance than help, especially when you’re on the receiving end of a particularly vicious sting. So you’d think that when there’s news that more and more of them are dying everyday, it would be good news, right? After all, they’re pests, and painful ones at that. Wrong. In the honeybee’s brief 42 day summer life cycle, it provides an invaluable service pollinating crops worldwide. The yield of over 90 commercial crops, including fruits and vegetables like strawberries, apples, onions as well as others like sunflowers, oil-seed rape, coffee and soya are all increased substantially in terms of production and value by the honeybee’s participation in the pollination process. So if the honeybees die out, these crops and more stand on the precipice of catastrophe. The thing is, no one knows why the bees are dying out. And because no one knows why they’re dying, it becomes that much harder to find a solution to saving them. In surveys conducted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIS), the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), there has been no single factor highlighted as the cause of the phenomenon, which is now known as Colony Collapse Disorder. A major symptom of the disorder is a hive with a live queen with few or no adult honey bees present which indicates that the bees leave the hive and do

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not return. The disappearance of such a large number of colonies is also being dubbed the ‘Marie Celeste Syndrome’, due to the lack of dead bees in the hives and no information as to where the bees go or why they have disappeared.

of pesticides and the decline – or at least that a convergence of factors (with pesticides being a major element) along with changes in bee nutrition and other environmental concerns have led to the present day situation.

And it is indeed worrying. In the winter of 2008, a survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS) and Apiary inspectors showed that 36% of America’s 2.4 million hives were lost to CCD. The reports by OIS, AIA and ARS all indicate that the decline in the number of bees is not the only problem. The world’s remaining bees are also dying sooner. With a lifespan of 42 days, of which only an average of 14 are spent aiding pollinating, this is another huge blow to the pollination business.

The loss of the bee population may seem like a small thing in comparison with the loss of larger, more publicity-friendly animals like pandas, tigers or elephants. Yet, whilst the loss of these animals would be distressing and would impact the environment in ways that might not be instantly noticeable, the extinction of the bee population would immediately impact the way we live right now – precisely because bees have been pollinating the food that we eat for hundreds of years. Their extinction would mean the return to a colourless, meatless diet of cereals and rice (which are among the very few edible plants that do not need their assistance), and also the collapse of the food chain that sustains many other wild birds and animals.

And a business it is. With entire industries dictated by bee pollination – like the almond industry in the US – and the introduction of bee brokers to facilitate the buying, selling and hiring of hives, it’s big business indeed. To put it in context, because a third of all that we eat is pollinated by honeybees, there are so many businesses involved at various levels. And all this translates into hard cash. In the UK for instance, honeybee pollination is valued at GBP200 million, in the US, the figure is at least USD16 billion and worldwide, it’s estimated that bees contribute GBP153 billion to the global economy. When viewed in this light, it’s easier to understand why there is such concern over the relatively sudden decrease in the worldwide bee population, and the urgent need to find a cause and a solution to the problem.

It’s difficult not to think of the dolphin disappearance documented in the fourth part of Douglas Adams’ ‘HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ trilogy, when faced with the world’s as yet unexplainable disappearance of bees. A fan would only hope that this is not a harbinger of the end of the world as it is in the novel, but simply yet another warning that the world’s ecology is a fragile, complex thing that needs to be nurtured rather than neglected. To this end, the number of amateur bee keepers being on the rise is a promising sign, and something we can all seek to emulate – and even if cultivating a colony of your own isn’t feasible, there is always something you can do to help.

Diseases such as Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus and infestation with varroa mite, along with pesticide use, loss of genetic diversity among commercial bee populations and climate change have all been cited as possible compound reasons for the decline in population numbers by the authors of the aforementioned surveys. In Malaysia, the felling of the native ‘tualang’ trees, used by colonies for their hives, has led to a steep decline in the number of the country’s honeybees.

How to bee friendly! (DESIGN: Maybe put in a separate box?) *Bees are now generally tending to thrive in urban areas due to the higher diversity of plant life available in city parks and gardens. You can aid this by planting bee friendly blooms – even a window box on a balcony can make a difference. Bees prefer flowers that are blue, purple and yellow and are also big fans of herbs like sage, oregano, lavender, alfalfa, echinacea and English thyme. Good for bees and your cooking!

In an effort for further action, three areas are being explored by researchers to try and ascertain the real cause behind the decimation of the world’s bee population. One area of research is looking into how pesticides may be having a negative impact of honey bees, whereas a second is researching if a parasite or pathogen infection in the bees is causing them to die; specifically, researchers are looking at the pathogenic gut microbe called Nosema as a potential cause of CCD. A third approach is assessing the stresses that colonies are experiencing that could hurt their immune system and interrupt their social system, such as possible overcrowding, low nutritional value from the crops they are pollinating, limited access to water (or getting only contaminated water) or even that they may be suffering migratory stress because of the increasing need for pollination.

*You can help wood-nesting bees by setting out a few bee blocks. These are basically blocks of wood with holes of various sizes. Providing a mound or two of loose earth is like opening a rent-free condominium for burrowing bees.

To date, the research in the US has found 121 different pesticides in samples of bees, wax and pollen and believe that this proves a correlation between the use

*Reduce the number of pesticides in your garden. Instead, use natural methods like garlic sprays, growing onion and mind plants, etc. This is not only good for bees but for all wildlife and for you. *Provide water for bees to drink – this can be as simple as a shallow edged dish of water. Add some pebbles to help the bees climb out. *Companies such as Haagen-Dazs and Burts Bees have campaigns to raise funds to further the research into Colony Collapse Disorder. Indulge yourself and help bees at the same time!

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other Nature has been exhibiting a rather disturbing series of severe mood swings in the form of devastating hurricanes, storms and earthquakes. Like a middle-aged woman going through the process of menopause, recent weather patterns worldwide have constantly swung towards the extremities. Could it be a naturally occurring incident of global warming? Or is Mother Nature getting upset because man seems to be continuously and indiscriminately damaging the planet? Whoever the cause or whatever the reason is, the consistency and increasing severity of the global weather condition is rather alarming, if not downright scary. And nothing could be more scarier than these mind-boggling numbers; 6.9-magnitude earthquake, estimated 230,000 deaths, more than 1 million left homeless, and over RM 36.7 billion (USD 11.5 billion) in damages. The monster quake of epic proportions that struck Haiti happened a little more than a month ago, where it was speculated that the rebuilding of Port au Prince, the heart of the disaster, would take nearly a decade to complete. Almost equaling the number of fatalities of the 2004 South Asian Tsunami catastrophe, Haiti’s quake is the latest addition to a long list of recent disturbing climatic behaviours. Within the past couple of years itself we have seen snow in the sunny state of Florida, Baghdad and Dubai, the coldest winter in Britain for

the past 30 years, the hottest decade on record for Australia, and massive hail storms in Melbourne, Perth and parts of Kuala Lumpur. The recent sweltering heat in the capital city of Malaysia as well as her northern states like Kedah and Perlis have been too unbearable to go unnoticed. Such observations did not just stop at strangers, family, friends, and colleagues b*tching about the weather; the same concerns were raised by Dr. Richard Leete, past UNDP Resident Representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, who highlighted that the international community now recognizes the urgency of translating the broad scientific consensus on climate change into broad political consensus for action. “Climate change is a high priority development focus that is squarely at the forefront of international and national concerns. The debate has shifted from questions about whether we can do anything about climate change to the conviction that we cannot afford not to do so,” he said. “The effects of climate change are especially critical to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Tackling climate change requires scaling-up efforts to help developing countries invest and adapt to its immediate consequences. Rich and poor countries must be committed to finding solutions and creating a sustainable planet for all,” Dr. Leete added.

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Heat waves experienced locally is only a fraction of the repercussions of global warming affecting the entire planet. A study by researchers from the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica led by the University of Bern has shown carbon dioxide concentrations higher than at any time during the past 650,000 years. In tandem with the findings, temperature records since 1880 shows that the 10 hottest years ever measured in this atmospheric record have all occurred in the last 14 years. A 2004 survey by Naomi Oreskes of 928 peer-reviewed scientific articles on global climate change, published as an editorial in a Science journal, found that every article between 1993 and 2003 either supported the humancaused global warming consensus or did not comment on it. In essence, sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion of the ocean, in addition to melting of land ice. The sudden spike and increasing number of earthquakes in the past 10 years could be attributed to the increasing mass of the oceans as it also increases pressure on the ever moving, ever changing tectonic plates. Amounts and patterns of precipitation are changing and increasing as can be seen with the total annual power of hurricanes, which has already increased markedly since 1975 because their average intensity and average duration have increased. Aside from that, there has also been a high correlation of hurricane power with tropical sea-surface temperature. Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns have also global effects on extreme weather events: they increase the frequency, duration, and intensity of floods, droughts, heat waves, and tornadoes. Other effects of global warming include higher or lower agricultural yields, further glacial retreat, reduced summer stream flows, and species extinctions. As further effects of global warming, diseases like malaria are returning into areas where they have been extinguished earlier. Even if the global warming effects would convince mankind

to stop emitting greenhouse gases, the global warming is expected to continue past 2100 because carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) have been continuously increasing in the past few decades. If we were to solely base our understanding on the entirety of this issue (global warming and its effect on weather patterns) on expert opinions, scientific journals and concrete data, it would be safe to say that today’s much too frequent natural calamities and freakish climate will continue on for many, many more years to come. Thus it is fair to note that for an individual, or even a community of people, there is only so much we can do, as it would be just like throwing a pebble into the ocean to cause a momentary ripple. But, be it as it may, there is no reason to sit back and let hurricanes and tornadoes blow us by. We should make it a point to stand by each other, stare in the face of disaster and say no. Even if your no means a donation to the Haitians. Even if your no means to volunteer with Mercy Malaysia. And even if your no means a simple, solitary prayer to the unfortunate victims of natural calamities. We all have a role to play, be it big or small, that we can collectively make a difference. Even if it’s merely a dent, a scratch, or an echo. Even if it’s merely recycling paper. Even if it’s merely driving an electric car. Even if it’s merely reading this article, and passing it on to friends and family. It is in humanity’s primal nature to will to survive. But if you choose to succumb to defeatism and think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito. There is no role too minor, nor is there a difference too small.

Let’s face it; the world is going to the shits. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or hurricanes normality happening every other day; our earth is definitely going haywire. But as alarmingly sounds, there are people who are still ignorant and aren’t taking the subject matter of this clim seriously. It also doesn’t help that the general public is much more influenced by Lindsay Lohan rather than the Dalai Lama in terms of morality and daily habits. Despite being known for their D binges, there are many other celebrities who are now finally walking on the “green carpet” and to the masses to bring attention to our ailing Mother Earth. Here is a list of who’s who doing

rio p a c i D o d r a Leon

Brad Pitt His environmental efforts were definitely shown during Katrina’s trail of catastrophe. Brad Pitt helped to rebuild greater New Orleans, amongst other devastated areas, by donating USD5million of his own money to the Make It Right campaign, which has built new homes for the victims – these homes are eco-friendly and disaster-proof. He also founded the Jolie-Pitt Foundation in 2009 to help eradicate poverty and protect natural resources. Tax records also show that the celebrity couple donated USD8million of their 2006 income to charity. How is that for small change? In spite of the pretty face and the perfect partner, Brad Pitt is one hell of a humanitarian.

This star is Hollywood’s leading green man. Leonardo Dicaprio was one of the first celebrities to make being green something trendy and founded the Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation; fostering awareness of environmental issues such as global warming and the preservation of the planet’s biodiversity. The organisation also participates with National Geographic Kids from a few other entities that support the environmental cause. He’s also worked with orphaned kids from the SOS Children’s Village in Maputo, Mozambique when filming his award-winning movie, Blood Diamond. To cement his green star status, Dicaprio recently bought a state-of-the-art green condo in NYC; it features a fresh-filtered air system, an in-house water treatment facility and rotating solar panels. Bar Rafaeli must be one happy girl.

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ney t r a C c M Stella

seem to be a horrific all this mate quandary n or Kate Moss DUIs and coke d reaching out g what’s what.

Daughter of the famed Beatle, as well as a prominent fashion powerhouse in her own right, Stella McCartney is all about the animals and going green. The British designer, who is a known vegetarian, is unquestionably serious about the earth. Her studio and online shop are powered by wind energy and her online shoppers are given the choice to ship their organic shoes, bags, dresses, and coats via carbon neutral means. A little hard to believe from a fashion person, McCartney refuses to use leather or fur in her designs and has kept this up since she first started designing. For her bold stand, McCartney was honoured in 2009 by The Natural Resource Defense Council.

chett n la B e t a C

olie Angelina J

Australia, the land of surfer boys, bush walking and sun tanning – so outdoorsy that they should be all about the environment. Cate Blanchett is all about the environment – the Oscar-wining Aussie has had big roles, but her biggest isn’t Queen Elizabeth or Bob Dylan. This Aussie beauty has been appointed as the Artistic Co-Director of the Sydney Theatre Company. She is on a mission to switch it to green with the installation of solar panels and reusing rainwater – just like her own home in Sydney. The first try of its kind in the world, the aim is to have it off-grid for an entire season. Blanchett has also helped launched the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Who on Earth Cares campaign, which acts as a voice for the environment and promotes solutions through research and education. The late Bob Dylan might be in the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame forever, but Cate Blanchett is definitely doing more for our future. No offence, Bob.

This Academy Award-winning mother of six knows the power of her name – Angelina Jolie. She co-founded the Jolie-Pitt Foundation with Brad Pitt and is the official ambassador for UNHCR. She has travelled around the world to poverty stricken countries, refugee sites and troubled spots to help bring attention to these locations and the issues they are tainted by. Jolie has also been more involved in promoting humanitarian issues, helping children in conflict. In addition to saving humanity, she is also very passionate about animals. During her recent collaboration with label Akris, Angelina Jolie made sure no horses were harmed in the production of her bags. To add to her goodwill, she has agreed to donate USD5million over the next 15 years to set up a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia.

ARTS & CULTURE

yrrol

rak F

h By: Is

fter the success of The One Thing I Don’t Have Right Now in 2009, Gavin Yap and his team had a problem – they could not tune down the adrenaline rush that came with the show. Here’s why: on top of it being a show well done, many of those who came for the show asked for more. What would a self-respecting theatre group do in a situation like this? They did the obvious. Enter The Platform 2010, a series of open-mic nights for theatre at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac), which has been running from February of this year till July. With the intent of unearthing talent for a professional KLPac production slated for the final quarter of 2010, the sessions have been running on the 1st Monday of each month at 8.30pm in KLPac.

The format’s been kept fairly simple; the open-mic nights feature new talents and original works that have not been staged before, showcasing up to 6 performances in the drama, theatre or physical theatre genres each night. Experienced thespians are not completely left out, however – established talents who apply may even see some of their selected works presented in front of a live audience. But the key thing to remember for all remains this: the winners of the monthly showcase will have the opportunity to work together on a KLPac production staged atThe Actors Studio @ Lot 10 in November this year, and that’s going to be show to watch out for. For more information, check out their Facebook page – The Platform @ klpac. After that, interested parties can submit their scripts to theplatform@klpac.org.

ABSOLUT VODKA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS

The Absolut Art Collection finds a permanent home in Sweden and ABSOLUT announces a new collaboration with Spike Jonze Ever since it was first bottled 30 years ago, ABSOLUT VODKA has been driven by creativity. The collaboration with the arts started with Andy Warhol painting the first art ad for ABSOLUT. Today, the Absolut Art Collection comprises more than 800 pieces by artists such as Keith Haring, Damien Hirst and Louise Bourgeois. For the first time ever, the entire collection is now gathered in Sweden where it will get its permanent home at the new Historical Museum of Wine and Spirits. While celebrating its creative history, ABSOLUT VODKA also announces its next collaborating partner: American filmmaker Spike Jonze.

ARTS & CULTURE

At the end of their world tour in 2006 to promote the massively successful album Takk..., the Icelandic ambient rock band Sigur Ros flew back home to play a series of unannounced, free concerts in various locations around their homeland. Drawing in crowds consisting of young hipsters and families by word of mouth to some of the biggest and smallest shows in their career, the entire spectacle was filmed and released as an art house-cum-rockumentary aptly titled Heima – which means both “at home” and “homeland” in Icelandic. It depicts the journey of the band through the ravishing beauty of their homeland, intimate interviews and performances at remote villages, deep valleys, darkened caves and even fish factories. It delivers a sensual experience of music, space and place that is magnetically hypnotic. Stunning landscape cinematography (at times in slow motion, sometimes running in reverse) cuts in between live performance footages from small community halls to the plains of a deep valley to the country’s largest ever concert at the band’s Reykjavik homecoming, and seemingly random imagery of children playing by the beach, red kites flying in contrast to the deep blue sky, and, often enough, the faces of the young and old vie for attention as well. Like true modern day music savants, Sigur Rós weave a perfect balance between conveying the spaciousness and isolation of their Icelandic location and sonically expressing the climactic and melodic intensity of their sound. This in turn is translated perfectly on screen, together with epic visuals of stunning landscapes and intimate moments. Captured in their natural habitat, the music of Sigur Rós and the cinematography of Heima might just be one of the best examples of modern day psychogeography – defined by Guy Debord in 1955 as “the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals”. The question of the way Sigur Rós’s music relates to, and is influenced by, their environment has been reduced to a journalistic cliché about glacial majesty and fire and ice, but there is no doubt that the band are inextricably linked to and inexplicably influenced by the land and immediate environment in which they belong. However, this in itself is not new. In the book Winter Music: Composing the North, author, Alaska-based composer and environmental activist John Luther Adams talks about a series of reflections about the relation of the composer’s work to the contours of the far northern landscape he lives in. During these reflections, he asks whether the musical representation of landscape is only contextually defined, or can it be accorded a more abstract spiritual quality? In the context of Sigur Ros and their epic film, Heima, it most definitely falls in the former.

ARTS & CULTURE

Introducing

John Bauer

Scandinavian Naturalist and F airytale Artist

By: J.Berglind

ARTS & CULTURE

John Bauer (1882) was born in Jรถnkรถping in Sweden. At only sixteen years of age, he went to Stockholm to begin studying art. Two years later, he was accepted as a student at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts.

ARTS & CULTURE

John Bauer was first commissioned to illustrate the fairytale book Bland tomtar och troll (Among elves and trolls) in 1907. The illustrations would eventually make him Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite fairytale artist. The mature artist emerged in the 1912-15 issues, which include many of John Bauerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most famous illustrations, including Princess Tuvstarr gazing down into the dark waters of the forest tarn.

ARTS & CULTURE

”The forest constantly feeds the imagination”, wrote John. And it was during his solitary wanderings with a sketchbook under his arm, on long cycle and canoe trips in the countryside round the south of Lake Vättern, that John approached his fairytale world. In his sketchbook he drew detailed studies of branches, sections of tree trunks, stumps, foliage, rocks and plants. John revered nature; for him it was a marvel. Through his art, he wanted to show us nature’s temple and to reveal to us another world, that of Beauty. He gradually refined and simplified his fairytale forest, elucidating what was natural and down-to-earth.

ARTS & CULTURE

k c a l B h a Painting SSaabbah Black g n i t n i a P 00A

THEMATIC

Written By: Nadira Ilana

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Coal, being the dir tiest form of fossil fuel, prod arsenic and othe uces mercury, ur r heavy metals anium, when burnt. Air concern – hot, ch quality is not th emical waste and e only by-products will the sea by the m be poured straig illions of liters, wh ht into er e within three da take it to Tun Sa ys, ocean current karan Marine Pa s will rk (o nly Triangle that cont 70km away), as well as the Cora ains 76% of the wo l rld’s coral species 20 09, PM Najib . Incidentally, in M Tun Razak attend ay ed the Coral Trian in May 20 09 at gle Initiative Sum Manado, Indones mit ia, during which on behalf of Mala he signed a state ysia that secured m en t th e protection of the the sake of the environment as Coral Triangle fo r well as food secu and eco-tourism rity. Apar t from , the aquaculture fishing industry is also methods of seaw at stake. Sustaina eed and aqua fa ble rm ing rely on clean It begs to ques water to survive tion; why would an yo ne industries worth allow the disman billions of ringgit tling of other just for a single co a need to sacrific al plant? Why is e the most prist there ine coastline in are other eco-fri Malaysia when endly alternatives there ? All the more wi thout having finish ed

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ARTS & CULTURE

By: Ishrak Fyrrol

When marriage is no longer simply a fairy tale come true

hat is marriage? Is it true that marriages are made in heaven and celebrated on earth? Or is it something to be entered into with extreme caution, suspense and concern? Imagine a woman having to think of all these things, and you have a sliver of understanding what Sylvia begins to go through in ADAM, The Musical. Engaged to be married to Adam, she is faced with a difficult decision to make when she is suddenly informed of his hospitalization while wedding preparations are ongoing. Sylvia starts going through an emotional rollercoaster as she reminisces on their personal love story and gets well-intentioned (but not necessarily good) advice from friends, family and strangers, and she starts wondering if her love is really true. Their stories of life, death and surviving provide comfort, horror and love; at the same time, they show her the past, present and future of her life if she chooses to marry the sleeping Adam. The brainchild of Joe Hasham and Mark Beau de Silva, the idea behind ADAM The Musical was initiated in early 2009. Getting 23 of Malaysia’s best talents

and an 8-piece band to work together was an equally important part of the process as was the collaboration with the Malaysian AIDS Foundation; one year later, The Actors Studio is now able to showcase it’s biggest production to date. And you’ll love it – although it’s a musical, theatre-goers will be able to see a homegrown English musical with a difference – it uses no elaborate sets or fancy costumes. Rather, it revolves around a small group of people and their everyday lives. Having started from mid-May, the show ends on the 20th of June, so you better go watch it now. And if you’re early and need to wait for a friend at their spanking new studio at the rooftop of Lot10 Shopping Centre, do wait at the open air café there and enjoy the view. Tickets are priced at RM60 for adults and RM30 for children and senior citizens. For more information, visit http://www.theactorsstudio.com.my and click on the link for ADAM The Musical

ARTS & CULTURE

As one of the venue sponsors of the Kuala Lumpur Design Week (KLDW) Festival 2010, Galeri Petronas has come up with an interesting showcase of innovative new media works of young international designers.

The NOVA – Exploring the New Media title centres around the concept of nova – the widespread nuclear detonation due to the accumulation of hydrogen on the surface of a star making it shine a thousand times brighter. Similarly, in the sense of this showcase, the exhibition combines the accumulation of environmental, individual, cultural and technological influences and advances that have been the creative juice of the young designers featured. Recognised as the current Malaysian and international trendsetters in New Media Art based on the originality of their concepts and fine execution of their creations, the artists selected for this exhibition will have their artworks showcased in a mix that promises to be both entertaining and informative. NOVA - Exploring the New Media comprises five integral components of art and design in the genre, which are:

sculpted from used t three-dimensional art pieces Haroshi Exhibition, featuring eigh d into multifarious ucte nstr fashioned, shaved and reco skateboards that are recycled, skateboarder and t, artis an and pixels by Haroshi, forms using wooden mosaics, dots designer from Japan. Devilrobot Toys, a co llection of rare vinyl toy s by Devilrobots, an Japanese design tea internationally renow m well known for cre ned ating adorable anim with the tagline “Cute ated characters that , but Toxic”. This is the co me first time ever the co Malaysia for public vie llection is exhibited wing. in

Digitisation Exhibitio n, an exploration of new media art, how influences the way we its complexity affects perceive, think and and feel, making it similar new wave of digital art to conventional art. Th reflects and defines is the new breed of intelle artistic youth of today ctual, technological ’s Malaysia. and

The DOTM OV Festiva l by Shift Ja creative mag pan feature azine Shift s a video ar from Japan aiming to d t series org in conjunct iscover unkn anised by ion with DO online own talente works. DOT TMOV, a d d creators MOV 20 09 ig ital film fest and provid had compile ival e are shown an opportunity d a total of at GALERI to show th 264 works PETRONA eir fr o m S 30 countrie . The Windcatcher is s, 19 of wh an interactively enga ic h gin g art installation by a Shan of designers called ghai-based team Super Nature Desig n, wh ich received an honoura the Seoul Design Oly ble mention during mpiad Awards 20 09. This installation is de laboratory that trans signed like an experim lates wind energy int ental o visuals. Visitors ha with the instrument tha ve the opportunity to t allows the flow of air engage to co njure visual art acco of the individual breath rding to the velocity ing in stirring the colou red images. This exhib explore feeling, colou it allows the public to r, motion and visualisa tion in a dedicated sp ace. NOVA - Exploring the New Media will be on display until 4 July 2010. For more information, please visit http://www.galeripetronas.com.my/

ARTS & CULTURE

Q: What’s the fixie scene in KL like? A: We can safely say that it’s been booming the past year. In fact, we’d say it has expanded by almost 300 % in the last year alone! There’s probably a lot of reasons for this, but we think that the key one is accessibility – to the bikes themselves, the components, and most importantly, to other riders. Regardless if which part of KL you stay, there will be other riders to ride with you, or share information on stuff, and all this makes it easy for almost anyone to start. Q: What do you think brought about this sudden surge of popularity? A: We think that it’s a combination of high visibility in mainstream media (check out 30 Seconds To Mars’ ‘Kings & Queens’) and the fact that you can actually see fixed gear riders around town that makes people curious in wanting to find out more about it. Q: What has been Rats KL’s involvement in relation to this? A: We just want the scene to thrive, really. Aside from rides, we share our knowledge amongst each other; everything from ride spots and routes, sharing techniques, to the best places to buy components and bicycles locally, regionally and online, as well as creating a healthy second-hand market for fixed gear items. It’s the knowledge, that’s the most important thing.

Q: So let’s say you manage to ‘convert’ me to the world of fixies, what would I need to do? A: Riding a fixed gear bike is totally different than riding a normal bicycle, so the first few weeks of riding the main thing that you’d want to do is master your bicycle. We’d have to say it is tricky and requires a certain level of fitness and stamina, but as with everything else if you keep doing something sooner or later you’d be better at it – and when you’ve got the passion to ride, what’s going to stop you? Q: How about costs? Would it be expensive? A: Not really. The lack of components on a fixed gear bike (in essence, it is usually a brakeless, gearless bicycle) means that you spend less on unnecessary parts. It’s cycling at its utmost simplicity. Q: So how would riding a fixie enrich one’s well-being apart from just exercise from cycling? A: Surprisingly it has brought many people together who wouldn’t even be caught dead together in a different social situation, so it’s pretty interesting to see how it’s brought people together. To us that’s the most appealing thing about riding, being able to just ride in the same group regardless of your background and interests.

Q: Some people talk about fixies as just another hipster fad. Is it really?

Q: In the spirit of World Environment Day, and the challenges we face with global warming and all that jazz, how does riding a fixie contribute to leading a sustainable, green lifestyle?

A: The main appeal of it most likely comes from the lifestyle perspective, whereby cycling is not being put in a competitive sport angle – so that’s probably why it would appeal to a broader range of audience, especially those into design, music and fashion. So maybe it is a fad to a certain extent, but for those who just love riding, it’s much more than that.

A: Well, to be honest, the city of Kuala Lumpur is not a very bike friendly place. Yet, as they say, one less car is better than nothing, and every single gesture helps. So for us, whenever possible we’d ride our bikes to our desired destination, be it a friend’s house, work place, coffee shops, etc. and we believe that counts for something.

Q: How would you ‘convert’ someone like me to get into fixies?

Q: Last question – if you guys, Rats KL, can ride to anywhere you wanted to, what would be the ideal place or route?

A: `We would simply get you to actually ride one of our bikes. Whatever you think you know about cycling, throw it out the window because it’s a totally different experience!

A: The two places where bike messengers originated, namely San Francisco and New York City of course. Plus the two strongest fixed gear crews are from there, Mash SF and Macaframa.

ARTS & CULTURE

The Tchaikovsky selection for June’s Music of Nations offering is Francesca da Rimini, a symphonic poem written by the composer in 1876. Tchaikovsky’s symphonic poem is itself based, in part, on a poem. Francesca da Rimini, a beauty featured in Inferno, appears in the first part of Dante’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy, and is poignantly identified by Tchaikovsky in this piece. Written between 1308 and 1321, The Divine Comedy is a poem that ostensibly follows Dante, the narrator, on his journey through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven but is generally seen as an allegorical tale of the soul’s journey to salvation. Dante, lead by his guide, the Roman epic poet Virgil encounters the subject of Tchaikovsky’s poem Francesca in the second circle of Hell. Francesca’s tale is a sad one, for she is in hell after being killed by her husband, who takes her life and that of his brother when

he finds out of their affair. For the sin of adultery, she and her lover are held in the second circle trapped in a violent storm, separated from each other, never to touch again; left only with the memories of the passion that they shared. The story of Francesca is one that many may not sympathise with (no matter how dastardly her husband) but Tchaikovsky does, and this is clearly communicated through the piece despite it’s brevity – for the piece has a duration of only 25 minutes. The Hindemith contribution to the Visions of Italy programme was initially written specifically for a ballet, a performance in 6 scenes on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. The version of Nobilissima Visione performed by the MPO though, will be the orchestral suite in three movements, which was first performed in Venice in 1938.

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The final piece that makes up the programme is Harold in Italy. Only the second piece composed by Berlioz, it was initially composed in 1834 when Niccolo Paganini asked Berlioz to create something for him. A recognised virtuoso of his time, Paganini had come into possession of a Stradivarius viola; he felt that there wasn’t a composition then in existence that would be worthy of the instrument. Harold in Italy was thus Berlioz’s response. The four movement work, an orchestral piece that features an extensive part for a solo viola, is another piece inspired by a poem – in this case that of Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. The viola chair in this instance will be filled by Maxim Rysanov, who is recognised as one of the world’s best and most charismatic viola players. The current holder of the Classic FM Gramophone Young Artist of the Year award, Maxim has performed with all the BBC Orchestras and the Britten Sinfonia amongst many others. This will be his

debut performance with the MPO, and he is a fitting choice; it would seem like the viola player Harold in Italy was originally composed for Rysanov, as he is known for his championing of new music and the gifting of his viola, a Giuseppe Gaudagnini (1780) on extended loan from an anonymous donor. As with previous Music of the Nations programmes, preconcert events are available, with the opportunity to watch the orchestra run through the programme in the open rehearsal. For more details and tickets contact Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. DFP Box Office: +603 2051 7007 www.mpo.com.my

ARTS & CULTURE

Newspaper Dress By: Shahrezzan Ezani

In an industry of luxurious denims and monkey fur coats, Shahrezzan Ezani tries to see the green in fashion; and it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t with envy.

ARTS & CULTURE

he business of fashion is an imperative subtext to each country’s economy, especially those with major fashion houses (e.g. Dior in Paris and Dolce and Gabanna in Milan) that lead trends. In terms of high-end fashion, a ‘unique’ quality is valuable – the thing that makes a pair of RM16,000 Balmain jeans more sought after than a pair of RM30 pair from Tesco. So, even if the sales volume for a pair of jeans from Tesco is higher than a pair with a 5-figure price tag, it is important to understand what the source of the trend is – the Balmain jeans. So it is fair to say that the fashion industry is decadent, and for good reason too: style. Consider this; when the likes of Karl Lagerfeld or Roberto Cavalli come to mind, the use of eco-friendly products (like organic cotton, hemp and bamboo) or the radical and highly creative use of up-cycling “junk” is primarily something that doesn’t come down a runway for the front row editors and celebrities to ponder on and study. But would they or wouldn’t they embrace the environmental cause by using eco-friendly material as an alternative? The price of good organic cloth is just as expensive as any other high quality material used in fashion design. Imagine an Armani Prive couture show and the inimitable choice of materials, prints, embellishments and seaming that set Giorgio Armani’s creations at an alpine level of fashion and celeb-dom. Why would Armani compromise? Does Karl Lagerfeld design Chanel jackets from tweed? Or weed? So when thinking along these lines, when the thought of environmental awareness enters the realm of fashion, it becomes an empty void; it is as if the green culture was never meant to befit “New York, London, Milan and Paris”. However, it isn’t a complete failure – things are changing, and it’s all in (and been in) baby steps over an extended period of time. Because in truth, there have been efforts by media and Hollywood as well – when it mattered, a well-lit runway and Vogue covers were given to ecofashion; not blackballed in its little green corner away from the innovative cuts and mind-altering patterns of fashion. For instance, in its June 2009 issue, the Vogue US header font was in green, with Cameron Diaz photographed by Mario Testino on the cover. For the editorial, Diaz dressed in Stella McCartney among a list of other labels/designers who stand for the environmental cause by using organic cloth et al. Vogue illustrated the best way to raise awareness of the earth’s depleting situation; in an alluring tone and what more with one of Hollywood’s sweethearts, Diaz. Another confluence between fashion and being “green” can be found in a hyper-artistic perspective as opposed to the real business of fashion. Take for example the newspaper dress. As silly as the idea is to wear a newspaper dress in an insane industry made up of Philip Treacy hats and Nicholas Kirkwood shoes (note: Kirkwood’s glowin-the-dark ‘melted candle’ heels for Rodarte’s fall 2010 collection are brilliant), the outcomes are awe-inspiring.

Back in 2007, London designer Gary Harvey created nine creations of “ethical couture”, many of which were made of sustainable material like jeans, military clothing, wedding dresses, baseball jackets and Hawaiian shirts. His opening dress was made out of newspaper – 30 copies of the Financial Times to be exact. These pieces not only showcased a strong representation of “ecofashion” and the green cause on the fashion runway, but it, most importantly, sashayed an aesthetic quality unexpected from “junk”. Each piece was draped, cut, folded and sewn together; immaculately accentuating well-tailored couture that even John Galliano could be jealous of. But let’s not contest to that. There are gateways for environmental awareness into the fashion world and many fashion followers are more alert of the state of the Earth. Although the influence of the environment catches on faster in other outlets like art and film, at least it has found its’ place and sure way onto fashion design sketches and tailoring. Fresh high-end labels like 3.1. Phillip Lim and Rag & Bone are strong supporters of the cause, which paints a clearer inspection of a “green” mindset – younger labels/designers are more aware of the environment than the larger, more established fashion houses, making it clear the concept is no longer alien or anathemic to the industry. So let the big boys play with the money and the young guns save the earth; soon enough even Lagerfeld would see “green”.

Haute Cycle Up-cycle old T-shirts to turbans and necklaces as ornaments Photography by Azam Sa’ad Styling & Art Direction by Shahrezzan Ezani & Ishrak Ish

Hair and makeup by Khalissah Firdaus & Na Khai Assistant styling by Natrah Omar Model Dominique Dall’acqua from DIVA Production and Fatul

Evening gown & cocktail dress (worn layered) Nurita Harith Headpiece Vintage Accessories Stylist’s own

USELESS

Harmful Human Habits

l luted P l o P t s d ’s Mo

l The Wor

Linfen, China: At the heart of China’s coal belt, residents here say they literally choke on coal dust in the evenings. China’s own State Environmental Protection Agency lists Linfen as the city with the worst air quality in the country. Haina, Dominican Republic: Referred to as the ‘Dominican Chernobyl’ Haina has severe lead contamination because of lead battery recycling, a problem common throughout poorer countries. The entire population of Haina carries indications of lead poisoning and though the battery recycling plant has been moved, the contamination still remains. Ranipet, India: Wastewater containing hexavalent chromium and azodyes from a common effluent treatment plant receives effluents from 150 small-scale tanneries, and this flows into a lake which drains into the Palar river 5km downstream – and this river is the source of drinking water supply for the settlements of Ranipet and Vellore. The contamination of the soil and groundwater has affected the health, resources and livelihood of many, and more than 3 million people are potentially affected, with farmers complaining of foul smells from the

aces

By: Rebecca Jones

river – they even claim that, “when we come in contact with the water we get ulcerations on our skins and it stings like an insect bite.” Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan: In an area prone to various natural disasters, including earthquakes, landslides, floods, avalanches and drought, there are some 2 million cubic metres of radioactive waste currently being stored in 23 dumps and 13 ‘tailings’. Huge radioactive dumps left behind from Soviet-era uranium mines are now putting hundreds of thousands of people in the densely populated Ferghana Valley at risk of exposure to this radioactive material; emergency experts are concerned about the unstable hillsides saturated with water from winter snow and rains, which are prone to collapse due to the many minor earthquakes that occur in the area. La Oroya, Peru, where a poly-metallic smelter has contributed to the dangerously high blood lead levels found in over 99% of the children in the community there. According to a 1999 survey, the average lead level was 3 times the World Health Organisation (WHO) limit.

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Livin’ the

ULTRA Life

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As the green cause becomes a trending topic everywhere from idle chatter to Twitter, Sasha Yusoff sees how We Are ULTRA has pushed “green” into the cooler and more fashionable realms of local contemporary culture. By: Sasha Yusoff

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he recent years have seen environmental awareness being received as a media packaged it is meant to be: a growing trend. It’s as stylish to tote around a ‘Not A Plastic Bag’ bag, as it is to wear Kaballah bracelets as sported by the front woman of the ‘school of thoughts’, Madonna. Everyone is a sucker for trends – things that are innovated to be aesthetically gratifying. But if you so much as mention ‘organic’, for some, you as well be referring to tree hugging aliens who smoke pot, draw peace signs on their foreheads and proudly bare unshaven body parts. Calm your shudders. Enter Tengku Chanela Jamidah, who – along with her partner, Anita – make up We Are ULTRA, dedicated to bringing products that are hard on style and soft on the environment. Through their blog (www.weareultra.com), events and word of mouth, We Are ULTRA is slowly educating KL’s hip urbanites what celebrities like Stella McCartney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz have imposed on their followers: that it’s cool to care. And you should definitely shave your legs, if you were to be photographed hugging a tree. Jamidah and I only officially met at the time of this interview, despite moving around in similar social groups. I’ll admit to having ‘Facebook stalked’ her – as subject reference, FYI – prior to the meeting. What intrigued me was that the young woman I was about to be acquainted with was beautiful as she was stylish, educated as she was and still is, on occasions, a party girl, and she cared as much about the world’s direction as she does her young daughter’s. Bright and early on the morning of our meet-up, my Blackberry signaled a new message. My subject was running a little late. Fortunately, so was I, no thanks to the KL traffic. Not long after I had ordered my morning coffee and proceeded to scroll through the latest Twitter updates, Jamidah arrived, looking like the yummy mummy she is. I gave her outfit a quick once over this warm morning; a simple black tank paired with a long skirt dressed up with chunky rings and bangles. Her hair was tied up in a casual ponytail to reveal soft features framed by bangs and a black Ray Ban Wayfarer for an extra edge. She looks like someone who could have walked right out photographer Scott Schumann’s blog. Not the type of person whom I thought would be pushing for an organic, ‘greener’ society at all. Yes, I’m guilty of stereotyping, but aren’t we all? So what is this commotion about sustainable living anyway? For Jamidah, it is considering everything that benefits or affects a bigger cause that is the earth. By taking into account the products you buy and the life you lead will contribute to lesser wastage or more positive impact on the planet, that is sustainability. So, why Ultra; not ‘Super’ or ‘Über’? Laughingly, Jamidah recalls how she and Anita were wracking their brains to come up with a name that would sum up their objectives in a singular word. It was all to no avail, until one Halloween party Anita came dressed up as Ultraman. Who could forget the superhero of yesteryear, whose dedication to fighting off evil earned

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him the respect and devotion of any kid old enough to do the signature pose of shooting out killer rays from his arm. It was a lightbulb moment. “That’s it! We should just call ourselves ULTRA!” At this point, Jamidah’s eyes lit up as she regaled in the memory. Ultra is, after all, a form of extravagance and forwardness. Being ‘Ultra’ is when one is better than one needs to be – the one step up from everyone else, just because it is possibl;e. Ultra it was, then. The stylish young mother realized her calling in eco-friendly retail when she accepted the responsibility of her own household, but initially, neither she nor Anita could find ethical products that are also trendy. Or trendy products that are ethical. “I wanted products that weere ‘green’ or sustainable, which used natural and organic ingredients. Most people still think being eco-friendly means you’d have to forgo style. I like seeing nice things – I appreciate them in its form, so our products have to be trendy and well-packaged.” Taking note of the things she would want and need on a daily basis, she scoured the Internet as well as kept an eye out whenever she went travelling. This pick-and-choose process she calls ‘curating’ involved a lot of air miles and sifting through lesser-known brands for quality products that looked good. Unfortunately, what still drives some ‘trendy’ people away is the impression it gives of oily-haired hippies and radical tree huggers! Once she had gathered a collection of products, her friends and family became the test market – those are, after all, a girl’s harshest critiques. Successfully, Jamidah’s friends and family loved it. “At the base of all these products, is the design. The products that we choose reflect us, and these brand sustainability in a novel element.” Contemporary designs that go further than what meets the eye and more into the natural connection to the earth – it wasn’t long before the word spread and awareness grew. Friends and their friends started trading in their favourite brand of Bodybutter for less generic names like Layende, a Filipino brand of handmade, organic body products; Baggu shopping bags are snapped up for stylish grocery runs. “They’re simple, attractive and come in great designs! I have one in my handbag at all time – it folds up into a pouch and you can stash it anywhere and take it out when you need to lug around more stuff,” she says, aptly taking out an aubergine-coloured Baggu to show me. If you didn’t already know, the normal sized Baggu can hold the volume of 2-3 plastic bags. And it’s machine washable. Stella McCartney, when honoured with an award for her support of environmental causes humbly said: “The main thing I need to do is create, hopefully, exquisitely beautiful and desirable objects for my customers. If I can make you not notice that it happens to be made of biodegradable fake suede; and if I can make you not notice that it hasn’t killed cows or

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goats or unborn baby lambs, then I’m doing my job. There should be no compromise for you as a customer. I don’t want to do scratchy, oatmeal-coloured things – that defeats the object. And, sometimes, I try really hard, but if now and again I have to dye a bag using chemicals that are not as low in environmental impact as I’d like, in order to get a brighter colour, then I will do that.” In similar approach, ULTRA doesn’t preach or claim to be complete purists. “We don’t say we stick to a zero carbon footprint lifestyle, that’s extreme and just not realistic. But whatever we do, sustainability is the sense that you’re buying into a quality product that will have a better effect in the long run – to the planet and to the person.” Sure, it’s harder to convince the older generation to break old habits – my mother still insists on getting her purchases in plastic bags (or two if she can have ‘em) because she’ll ‘need it to throw the trash out. This, Jamidah reckons, stemmed from lack of the issue being highlighted during their youth. “Currently I see no excuse. Everybody should be aware of their carbon footprint.” Which is why We Are ULTRA believes in starting them young, targeting those who are better educated and concerned about preserving our environment for the future. At a tender young age, Jamidah’s daughter, Thalia, even celebrated Earth Day in preschool; having been taught the importance of recycling, much to her mother’s happiness. Slowly, but surely, we see a change; even in a label conscious society such as ours. It may be that we constantly chase trends, just as the thousands of people around the world who camped outside Anya Hindmarch stores the day they released ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’ – some might not have cared that the bag’s purpose was to campaign for green and reduce wastage. And wake us all up, it did – to the trend of giving a damn. “From organic food to solar panels at national levels, green purchase is happening – don’t be afraid to support it. Malaysian companies are changing their strategy and considering their impact on the planet. But at the end of the day, it is the people who need to start supporting them.” Suddenly, we take notice of the Christmas decorations made out of recycled water bottles, retail giants producing all organic ranges and our morning coffee being labelled with the name phrase ‘Fair Trade’. This realization may only make the ignorant shrug their indifference, but as we read this in the heat that is Malaysia, furiously wishing that the aircond temperature would go lower than 16 degrees, it may be just as enlightening to know that the rise in temperature is due to the lack of change we imposed unto ourselves. In the words of holocaust survivor and famous author Victor Frankl: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.’ And that, my friends, is ULTRA.

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Is there sustainable music? What does it sound like? You can’t say there is sustainable music because the processes that go into cutting an album itself leave a huge carbon footprint. But there are artists like Theivery Corporation that package their CDs in sustainable materials. In Tokyo there is a movement called ‘sound gardening’ where electronic music is heard through mobile solar panels in a Japanese garden. Things like that are ‘dope’. Obviously it will take a while for us to get to that point in our local music industry. I’d say the first step into this creative stream is to just start with the CD packaging. Artistes play a big role in influencing the consumers’ minds so they need to start playing a part to get their fans on board with the movement. How long do you think until we catch on with the rest of the world? Not too long if we all decide to be ULTRA. ULTRA is a way of life; about being innovative and more than incredible. I see the youth and they are ULTRA. Wait and see.

ULTRAfolk As Malaysians get friendly with environmental awareness, Sasha Yusof talks to Tengku Chanela Jamidah, the young mother who has been working to make the grass greener on this side of the world.

A lot of designers pushing sustainable designs have ‘closed shop’ due to not being able to find a market, what goes wrong? It’s all about branding – they make it too niche. I immerse myself in studying the needs and wants of society – I make products that cater to my peers because this is what I understand and know. It has to start with self-interest, but you have to understand what others want too. It’s being different but accessible. Does knowing about the actual process change how people relate to the product? Yes, it has to be emotive. It captures human interest. Whether ethical, ecofriendly, sustainable, recycled or up-cycled, people like knowing the story of a product. Think about the repercussions of your deeds – there are too many screwed up things happening in the world that others wouldn’t want to be a part of. When you purchase ‘green’ items, it makes you feel good. In these stressful times, anything that makes you feel alive and better about yourself is always good. Some say I’m idealist but, to me, I’m only seeing it the way it is. How is business faring in a society that is only just coming to terms with the importance of sustainability?

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So far the response has been efficacious, especially with our blog. Whenever we collaborate with events and such, people recognize our cause and the feedback we receive show that our cause is something worthwhile. We do it so people in Malaysia have the choice to start challenging themselves to be more creative.

Here comes the obligatory ‘3 things you would have with you on a deserted island’ question. My daughter Thalia, a prefab container home for all my living needs (solar powered by the way), and ULTRA’s new capsule collection, because living is always best when one is lookin’ fine in ULTRA.

If there is one major thing you could change about our country, what would it be? The fact that many of us take things for granted. And there is the misconception that going eco-friendly is uncool. With ULTRA, we keep to our style and we are true to ourselves. We are not purists, but to us, every little bit counts.

Lookin’ fine, you are – so what’s your typical day like? Wake up. Play mommy. Work, work, work. Eat and always reflect. Appreciate life. Oh yes, and I need my tunes. Music makes me happy. Especially when it comes from my super awesome DJ buddies whom I’ve always kept close.

In your opinion, what separates art from design? Art is a form of human inspiration and expression, while design comes with function.

Any recycling involved in your day, then? Is this a trick question? Of course I recycle.

Who is your favourite ‘sustainable’ designer and why? Tom Dixon, the design collective Droog; Castor Canadensis and the people at BAGGU who are also from a design studio. If you’re talking fashion, then you’d have to wait until we present a future project that is ULTRA’s capsule collection.

What can the average Malaysian do to get the ‘green’ ball rolling? They can learn how to be energy efficient, waste less, consume quality products, go outdoors and appreciate the earth. Because if you’re stuck in a boxed room all day long on the computer, you won’t know how to appreciate the amazing world we live in and that there is a need to preserve the earth for our future generations.

Ah, yes, we heard you will be collaborating with fresh designers Tengku Syahmi and Jonathan Liang. Patience is a virtue. But let me say that it will completely reflect us at ULTRA.

If you had superpowers, it would be to... Control minds. I want to rule the planet and make everyone my little CULTRAs (ULTRA cult) because everyone needs to know the situation of our earth.

What is your favourite ‘sustainable’ product? I can’t live without my BAGGU bags. I’d like for organic alcohol to be available in Malaysia. That would be ULTRA indeed!

Some Facts For A Great Today and Ultra Tomorrows: • Recycling just one aluminum can, can save enough energy to run a TV for three hours. • The average house uses one acre of trees to build. • If all of our newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year • In America, aluminum that is thrown away every three months could rebuild an entire commercial air fleet. • Plastic bags and other plastic thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year.

When researching products before purchase, are you a strictly ethical consumer? No, I’m not a purist. And there aren’t many readily available in Malaysia yet. But whatever decision I make, I consider everything from the planet to the population. Tell us about the industry’s challenges? It’s a relatively new market in Malaysia and ULTRA is the pioneer blog for sustainable design and for selling sustainable products in a curated manner. I’d have to say that we haven’t come across anything that we can’t yet handle.

ICONS

For millions of Americans, as well as for many others in other parts of the world, the morning of September 11, 2001 was a morning unlike any other – the crash of two airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City changed not only governments worldwide (who began strengthening antiterrorism legislation), but also the lives of many who felt that it was a wake-up call. It was an epiphany to Dr Rafael Pena, who, at this point, had been operating a business which involved the set-up and maintenance of ATM machines for banks in New York City. For a person who had been building up a rather successful business for himself after high-flying careers with organisations like American Airlines, the incident shook him to his core, and he started questioning himself on what he wanted in life. For years, he had been working on ideas to make sustainability profitable, as he felt that the financial costs to making it work had been an obstacle to communities and governments. So when the crash occurred, he felt that it was time to get it off the ground and decided to seek out like-minded people from across the globe. It was from here that the GQ1 Management Group (GQ1) was born – with a mission to provide organisational solutions for enterprising communities committed to achieving profitable sustainability, a decision was made to

incorporate the company in Malaysia. There were two reasons for this; firstly, the various communities in the developing economies of South East Asian could find value in the model that GQ1 had, and secondly, the team would have a sense of familiarity with the local environment, due to the fact that one of the partners was a Malaysian. The results have shown in the past few years; through the implementation of a method known as the System of Rice (Root) Intensification (SRI) in selected villages in Indonesia and Sabah, harvests have been doubled, with the use of only 10% of the seeds normally used in paddy-planting. In addition, in the course of training the farmers in these areas on the method, GQ1’s team have been able to guide the farmers into using organic compost and natural methods to repel pests, impressing upon them the symbiotic nature of the community’s existence. These ideas are often accepted, as are ideas on GQ1’s NET-WEALTH© business model – addressing a triple bottom line of environment, community and profit, the farmers are introduced to an understanding of a symbiotic relationship between the different segments of the socioeconomic spectrum. With this model, sustainable technologies are shared amongst the community, and channels are developed to export commodities and functional connectivity to markets for rural producers.

ICONS

‘With ever increasing environmental and economic challenges faced by the global economic community, GQ1 provides solutions through a participatory ownership platform catalyzing productivity,’ says Dr Pena. ‘Which is why our Enterprising Community Platform within the community development model, “The Agropolis”, reverses the pattern of gentrification, and maintains the participation of the local younger generations, by providing housing, education, health-care, innovations in eco-tourism and agriculture in the village,’ he adds. And it is not only for developing communities – Dr Pena believes that every economy has an underdeveloped segment. ‘What our symbiotic economics starts with is the premise that underdeveloped communities don’t just need money – they need a change of mindset,’ he says, adding that many people and governments go into such communities with a philanthropic approach, perhaps with sincerely generous intentions but end up perpetuating an overdependency. ‘Partnerships and cooperation that are self-serving and control motivated not only produce a vicious cycle of what can be called ‘something for nothing’ syndrome, but also hinders the potential of partnerships that are inspired by sharing skills and resources,’ adds Dr Pena, pointing out further that

understanding peoples’ needs requires more of listening skills than predesigned solutions. With this in mind, the programs and solutions developed by GQ1 are born from sustainable philosophical principles carried out with idiosyncratic learning skills to count in the equation all variables and promote belief-based self-governance instead of dependency. Dr Pena’s team works towards building dynamic social economies, by building partnerships, knowledge, and networks across regions and their respective peoples. To do so, they have been working side-by-side with community partners to meet their needs, and affecting policy at all levels. These efforts have certainly done them well; not only has the economic planning unit of the Prime Minister’s Department in Malaysia and the various departments of the Government of Indonesia given them credit for the encompassing nature of their initiatives, cooperative movements of several countries have showered praise on the equitable structures proposed. ‘At the end of the day, it is not about how much money we make or how many material things we leave behind; it’s about leaving behind a world for our children that they can be proud of,’ says Dr Pena. www.globalquestcorp.com

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SIGHT

veryone has fond memories of their younger days, and more often than E occasionally, these memories would always include the array of colourful toys that we used to play with throughout our childhood. And as an essential part of growing up, toys have always been a key part of every imaginative childhood. When it comes to a child’s untainted hyper imagination, a plain plastic ball isn’t just any other plain plastic ball – it served endless hours of entertainment and it can be anything a child wants it to be. Some playful fabrications were violent with toy soldiers or matchbox cars, while others were tamer with dolls or “playing house”. But no matter how literal each toy object appeared, the important ingredient in the recipe of child’s play is imagination. Children are easily amused and entertained because their minds fill in all the blanks; but sometimes, as the years grow older and time becomes more advanced, imaginations are lost along the way. It is in those lost moments where the collection of Toy Story films rekindles imagination, while also inciting its major success in the box office. And these films appeal to both the young and mature audiences, because kids are wowed by the imagery and jokes, and adults by the story and the nostalgic feeling of days long gone. The latest entry, Toy Story 3 – released eleven years after Toy Story 2 (1999) – appropriately tells the story of a grown-up Andy (the young boy in the two previous Toy Story features) going off to college, and abandoning all his toys. This would relate with viewers who have watched the last two installations as children, and are now also at an age where they’re leaving home and taking more grown-up responsibilities.

It’s a relatable setup. Toys, no matter how precious, have to eventually be put aside as we grow up, which is quite a parallel to everything else in real life. The older we get, the more mature we’re required to be and the more we are reminded that we need to adapt to the rigours of the real world. There are constant reminders of having to grow up, think rationally and be practical, and that, soon, we will have to give up our ‘toys’. Of course we need to give up childhood and youth, and all our toys. But should we totally erase play from our lives? In a time of hi-tech gadgets and gizmos, should we immerse ourselves in adult life and the ‘now’? Do we completely lose all sense of imagination, creativity and innovation to the straight-laced society of grown ups? In that sense, are there moments when we should go back and dig out our dusty old toys just so that we don’t lose touch of our inner child? Age teaches us how to conform to society, but life’s most exciting experiences always remind us not to blind side the imaginatively colourful chapters of childhood and even adulthood. Toy Story 3 (Buena Vista) will be showing in 2D at all cinemas and in 3D at selected cinemas on June 18th 2010. Directed by Lee Unkrich and John Lasseter; featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Whoopi Goldberg.

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By: T. Sanmuga

Many organisations are more than happy to jump on to the ‘green’ bandwagon – with the government’s plan to encourage Green Building Index Certification come 2011, experts are being sourced from across industries to make it possible. We check out a company that has already started, made it real, and fully functional. As numerous organizations throughout Malaysia get ready to take advantage of the government’s tax exemption offer next year for going green, one company has already done it all – and they’ve done it well. Strategically located within the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), next to the Ampang Park LRT station and against a backdrop of the iconic Twin Towers, The G City Club Hotel seems to have done it for the right reasons, and not simply to take advantage of some government effort. A bold statement indeed, but wait till you visit the hotel. The GTower in which the hotel is located in itself is Malaysia’s first ‘Green’ building – it is certified as qualifying all relevant criteria by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore, who has awarded it a Gold Greenmark. , which in turn is the Singaporean yardstick used to determine environmental friendliness of a building (‘green building’) in terms of design and construction. In saying so, has shown the way for others to follow – pointing out clearly for all that would pay attention that it is possible to Be Green, and still Be Profitable. How Green is Green? To better illustrate the above, GTower with its unique green features which merited BCA’s Green Mark Gold Award, can save nearly 7.3 million kwh of electricity per year, assuming it is operating 10 hours a day at 5.5 days a week for 52 weeks per year. This is equivalent to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions into the environment of nearly 3.5 million kilograms which is the same as saving 18,000 trees per year, thus reducing GTower’s carbon footprint. Even the Malaysian government would be able to take the lead from its’ counterparts in Singapore to gain insight as to selecting the criteria that would make a ‘Green’ building – the similarities of the two nations both in terms of weather, culture and therefore city architecture make this an obvious route. This is one of the reasons the people behind GTower went to the Singapore government for certification, as they wanted to apply world-class standards in their commitment to ‘being Green’.

Another way in which world-class standards in energy conservation is applied is in the investment into state-of-the-art chilled water centralised air-con chillers that circulate cool air through the rooms but at lower energy consumption than traditional air-conditioning systems. In turn, the resultant waste heat generated from the air-con units are recovered and reused to generate hot water for the bathrooms and swimming pools (The G City Club Hotel hosts two heated Infinity pools on its premises) And of course, as with most hotels wanting to be environmentally friendly, hotel amenities and paper used are made from green or sustainably sourced materials. The hotel also asks guests to turn off lights and reuse towels as much as possible to reduce the need for washing and wastage of natural resources. Another key element in going green is the amount of technology dedicated to all 180 rooms at The G City Club Hotel. With dedicated fibre optic and CAT6 cabling serving as the main infrastructure for all data and communications resulting in faster more efficient connectivity any time of the day. It becomes evident that The G City Club is catered exclusively towards the corporate executive clientele. Guests enjoy state of the art high-speed broadband, WiFi hotspots, IP telephony and IPTV throughout the building along with access to The Club, an exclusive ‘Members-Only’ affair on level 28. Going beyond the concept of an executive lounge and elevated to cater to the needs of the 24-7 business executive, The Club features sound proof boardrooms, lounge areas for informal discussion, high speed internet corner, a business and IT concierge and the signature Bridge Bar. Featuring extensive use of recycled materials, the Bride Bar and Club becomes an exclusive space for networking and information sharing set within a contemporary arts environment. Which makes the hotel a good one to patronize for the environmentally conscious – while the regular comforts that are available in most other hotels are also available here, one’s conscience is clear that the resulting carbon footprint of using the facilities of this hotel are definitely far less than that of others. More information on The G City Club Hotel can be found at: www.thegcityclubhotel.com

Braving the KL traffic and rain, I arrived at the Hotel Nikko slightly flustered, having been made late by a driver confused with the roads. I already knew the person I was to interview was on her last day in Malaysia, doing last minute interviews before she left for Singapore. So I was a little apprehensive about the interview, expecting at the very least a slightly irritated singer who would not be in the best of moods to be interviewed; instead, what I got was a serene and statuesque vision in a bright pink, Puccieque print dress who gave me a warm smile and a comfortable handshake. Having performed three showcase gigs including a show in Penang, Sa DingDing counts this – her first trip to Malaysia – a success. Not knowing how she would be received or how many people knew of her music in the country, she was pleasantly surprised to be met with sold out venues filled with fans, all eager to hear tracks from her third album performed live. Harmony is the name of DingDing’s third album, and it was created in collaboration with producer Marius De Vries, who has worked with artists like Bjork, U2 and Rufus Wainwright. The two met whilst DingDing was on tour in Europe, where by chance they both discovered a common interest in finding a new way to mix Chinese beats with western electronic music.

SOUND

Wanting to start from the roots of Chinese ethnic music and develop them for the

agreed in Copenhagen last year, I find myself agreeing with her when she adds

modern electronic world, DingDing recorded sounds that she wanted to incorporate

that this shows the lack of commitment there is to ensuring the continued health of

into the album and sent these (along with demos and rough arrangements) to De

the planet – governments need to be encouraged by the people to do more for the

Vries in preparation for work on Harmony.

environment in the very immediate future. That future is one that DingDing looks forward to, one in which there is growing awareness about the importance of the

After three albums, the recording process is one that is both familiar and pleasurable

environment amongst the general public in China and around the world.

for DingDing, who enjoys all aspects of creating a new record. From the creation of melodies and lyrics, finding beats and even creating her own language to further

I ask DingDing about her future plans, and her answers are immediate; DingDing

express herself through the music, every element is one that is carefully considered

has plans to collaborate further with other producers and artists to create music,

and has a deeper meaning in relation to the record’s theme.

and to branch out even further. A desire ‘to collaborate with a painter or sculptor’ speaks of really exciting new creative avenues as does her unfulfilled (as yet) desire

With Harmony for instance, the theme is the relationship between humans and

to design clothes. With the influences of her upbringing in Inner Mongolia present

nature, based on an old Chinese proverb – ‘First there is harmony between people

in her music one can only imagine how they would be expressed in other outlets.

and nature, and then everything can come alive’. The album looks at that initial connection between humans and the earth and the harmony of that connection that

Soon our time drawn to an end, and with a plane to catch for yet another series of

DingDing believes is very important for the world.

showcases in Singapore, DingDing takes her leave, having succeeded in sharing a little of her harmony and serenity with me.

With the instability of the natural world at the moment, the earthquakes in Haiti and China, and the eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull in Iceland, DingDing believes the world and nature is angry at the actions of humans and the lack of care they show for the environment. And no wonder. With governments passing accords like those

The O’Briens sandwich bar is a quick lunch stopover for young urban professionals who always keep in mind a healthy and balanced diet. Whether the order is “having here” or “take away”, there are no waiting with a growling tummy and starving for a quick lunch before business meetings. French fries, deep-fried chicken or greasy burgers aren’t in the menu at O’Briens, and that suits best for 21st century yuppies, who care more about healthy choices.

surprising combination of apple, carrot and ginger, the first sip of the detox juice makes you feel instantaneously refreshed and the ginger flavour is very subtle and matches perfectly with the apple and carrot. But if fresh juices aren’t to your liking, O’Briens choices of smoothies are extensive and low fat. The cooling and very citrusy Classico smoothie is definitely a refreshingly exotic beverage.

Our O’Briens experience consisted of four different foods – a cold sandwich, two hot sandwiches and a wrap. But no matter which order you choose, it’s always a healthy choice at O’Briens. The Egg Mayo and Chicken Crisp cold sandwich is made on sliced bread with not just the egg-mayo mix, but also fresh watercress and crispy strips of chicken bacon. The flavour of the eggmayo isn’t overpowering and the whole sandwich makes a cool combo. But for a more savoury sandwich, the Chicken Tripledecker is a fulfilling stack of a delectable chicken commotion (grilled chicken, chicken-mayo and chicken crisps) complemented with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, cool coleslaw and the definite tang of red onion. This Tripledecker is hearty and definitely not stingy on fillers, and it satisfyingly cures hunger, without being too heavy on busy tummies.

Taking a step further in quick lunches for the Klang Valley’s urban crowd, O’Briens also caters to large orders in their choices of the O’Briens Executive Platter. Meetings won’t have to starve you out when O’Briens has a choice of anything from a 5 Star Sandwich Platter to a Deli Platter or even a Cracker and Cheese Platter. But to cut off waiting time, O’Briens also offers a delivery service to locations anywhere near their 11 outlets in the Klang Valley.

For an adventurous experience with breads, the Triple C – chicken, chicken crisp and cheddar – is one of O’Briens’ trademark Hot Wrappo. Filled with its three Cs, this wrappo is also crammed with colourful peppers and red onion. And the best part is, unlike most other wraps, O’Briens’ Hot Wrappo doesn’t drip in your palms, but it still guarantees a mouth-watering delight. Another alternative to normal sliced bread is the Shambo, an odd looking bread that could be perfect if shared. We were served a Hot Shambo of Sundried Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Pesto, with the option of adding chicken slices. This Hot Shambo is definitely an experience as it packs an adventurously rich mix, fusing the strong Mediterranean flavour into your everyday sandwich lunch. O’Briens serves different variations of freshly-squeezed juices for a fruity wash down that is also healthy and gratifying to the body. The detox juice is the perfect match to the egg sandwich on fresh wholemeal bread. Made of a

Coming to any one of the many O’Briens outlets in the Klang Valley, one will quickly recognise that O’Briens is proud of their sandwiches, which set them apart from many other cafes and eateries that largely cater to the young urban professional. Quick and easy; and no fuss, no muss is what is always kept in mind. O’Briens outlets are located at Suria KLCC, Sunway Pyramid, 1 Utama, The Curve, Great Eastern Mall and KLIA, as well as a few other office areas such as Wisma UOA in Damansara Heights and Menara OCBC in Jalan Tun Perak. For delivery services, the O’Briens hotline is 1300-30-3000. www.obriensonline.com

TASTE

SMELL

Body Shop

Hailed as ‘one of the country’s true pioneers’ by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on her death in 2007, Dame Anita Roddick and the shop that she founded in the late70s have brought the concept of social and environmental responsibility in business to the mainstream.

This year, The Body Shop has reached into their extensive archive and reissued products branded as Dame Anita’s favourites. Including favourites like Fuzzy Peach Shower Gel and Cucumber Cleansing Water, the 11 chosen products are being put to a customer vote to see which will remain on The Body Shop’s shelves.

and avoid destruction of natural animal habitats or endangering of species in the collection of ingredients, The Body Shop has even pioneered the development of a cruelty-free musk and the use of Community Trade organic alcohol in their products.

With scent being the sense to evoke memories more effectively than any other, the smell of reissued favourites like Dewberry Body Lotion or Passionfruit Facial Cleanser has the power to transport me back to the days when a Body Shop product was the most trendy product – cosmetic or not – to have in one’s possession. Where once I just enjoyed being cool, now the pedigree and ethos behind the brand are the things that make me proud to be a Body Shop ‘activist’.

In this vein, The Body Shop has just launched a new signature campaign in conjunction with the Malaysian Nature Society. The ‘Save Temengor’ campaign is a push to save the remaining unprotected section of the The Belum-Temengor Forest Complex (about 4 times the size of Singapore). The campaign was launched with a press conference held at the MNS HQ on 22nd April 2010 to celebrate World Earth Day, with the aim of getting 100,000 signatures on a petition to secure protection for the two thirds of the complex that still lack government protection by 5th June – World Environment Day.

The Body Shop and its products have always been ‘inspired by nature’ – though never really having promised to be naturally made, sales of the product range were briefly affected when it was highlighted that most of the products were made using chemicals and had preservatives. However, due to Dame Anita’s strong social responsibility efforts, Greenpeace UK agreed to collaborate with The Body Shop when she wanted to promote her range of jojoba oil based products, and this quickly remedied the situation. The brand’s main environmental chops come from the fact that they have never tested on animals. Against Animal Testing is a phrase directly associated with The Body Shop and they ensure that their products comply with the stringent guidelines set by the internationally recognised Humane Cosmetics Standard. In 2006, there was slight controversy after the sale of The Body Shop to L’Oreal, when various media outlets claimed L’Oreal were still using animal testing for their products. L’Oreal stated that they had ceased testing products on animals in 1989 and Roddick herself, in an interview, made clear her stance on The Body Shop’s position within the L’Oreal stable – as a kind of trojan horse, changing the way that big business does business. Priding itself on the fact that all their products are suitable for the use of vegetarians

Roddick aimed to change standard corporate practice and individual outlooks with the methods she implemented with the establishment of The Body Shop in the 70s. And to a large extent it seems that her efforts have succeeded, on both fronts. As Roddick herself said, “Activism isn’t listed on The Body Shop® labels as an ingredient, but it is there as surely as the bergamot and hemp oil.” So the next time you think of smelling good, go get something from Body Shop and save the environment in the process, making sure you sign the petition at the outlet you visit. The ‘Save Temengor’ Campaign petition is open online at www.mns.my, in store at the 34 Malaysian Body Shop outlets http://twitter.com/thebodyshop_ my, INTI College and Isetan KLCC.

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