Environmental Proponent Wins Award
With more and more companies jumping on the recycling bandwagon in their efforts to project an environmentally conscious image, it has now become essential for each of us to understand that there is more to preserving the environment than recycling.
“People should reduce their use of plastic bags” said Dr Uthaya. It’s sad that we have reached a point where salespeople feel they have not served us if they have not given us a plastic bag. “It’s a cultural norm now to expect a plastic bag but we can do our part to get the message across by reducing our dependence on plastic bags” “Just keep saying no and if everyone refuses a plastic bag, the message will eventually come through” added Dr Uthaya.
Dr Uthaya making a point on what we can all do for the environment
Dr Uthaya Kumari K Raman is a lecturer in Biology at the American Degree Transfer Programme at Sunway University College. Recently, Dr Uthaya was honoured with the K.Kumarasivam Endowment Fund (KKEF) 2006 Young Environmentalist Internship Award as the judges were clearly impressed by her passion for educating the community on environmental issues.
Her internship was a two-week long attachment with Village Green Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd, in Melbourne, Australia. The company strives to change people’s actions both at the work place and in the home. Village Green’s services include assisting and advising SME’s and their communities on the best ways to reduce waste and increase energy and water efficiency.
Dr Uthaya went on to explain that plastic bags take a very long time to degrade and when they do, they release toxins into the soil and waterways, polluting our environment and even the water we drink. Some sea animals eat the plastic bags thinking it is food but only to succumb sadly to choking and dying.
“If caterers and cafeterias would switch to non-disposable plates and cups, it would make a big difference to the amount of garbage we produce and eventually reduce our landfills” said Dr Uthaya commenting on the increasing use of disposables during functions and parties.
Dr Uthaya has a degree in Botany from the University of Malaya and a PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Cambridge. It is time that each individual stops to think of how their actions would affect the environment. The simple act of reducing our wastes and changing the way we do things to a sustainable lifestyle would contribute to help our ailing planet. We are indeed proud to have someone like Dr Uthaya to steer us in the right direction.
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