Earth Hour

WWF Malaysia has been promoting Earth Hour here in Malaysia since the beginning of the year. While it may not seem possible to some that switching off your lights (in a home as small as 700sqft even) could make an impact... imagine if 100 persons with similar sized homes or larger does the same?

As have been seen in countless sponsored advertisements on TV and heard on the radio, we do not want to leave a legacy for our children where the only possible avenue of getting to know wildlife is on TV, from pictures or books.

Conservation is important, and we need to know more about how we can do it as individuals. I just signed up for Earth Hour, and I hope you would too, its not too late yet!

For the ones who travel more often than ever before nowadays what with the introduction of cheap air travel via Air Asia. WWF has something to say:

Tips to remember for your next vacation

• Make tourism and conservation compatible - the money you spend on your trip helps determine the development and direction of tourism. Use your money to support reputable, conservation-minded tour operators and suppliers.

• View and photograph wildlife from a distance and remember that in the optimal wildlife viewing experience, the animal never knew you were there. Suppress the natural temptation to move too close and respect signs of distress such as alarm calls, distraction displays, laid-back ears, and raised hair.

• Respect the environment, stay on trails during hikes, do not remove plants or feed animals, and never litter. At the sea do not take any corals, shells, dried fish, starfish, sea-fans and other marine souvenirs - removal can seriously disrupt ecosystems. Navigation in reef water needs special care - do not anchor on reefs which can be easily damaged. Avoid stepping on corals or touching them while snorkelling.

• Conserve water - take showers rather than baths, and use a refillable water container, sterilising water when necessary, rather than buying bottled water.

• Limit energy use, including your use of air conditioning and hot water. Turn off all lights and taps when you leave hotel rooms.

• Minimise your use of personal care products and detergents to wash linen, and reuse your hotel towels and bed-linen. Dispose of sanitary waste properly. Don't flush cotton buds, condoms, tampons and plastics down the toilet - or you might just find them on the beach next time you visit.

• Reduce the impact of your recreational activities by avoiding sports which have a significant harmful impact on the environment or choose more progressive establishments (e.g. golf courses which recycle water).

• Recycle newspapers, magazines and your beverage containers, and reduce the number of bags, napkins and disposable cups you use when you eat fast food.

• Choose lodgings that have effective waste treatment systems, that recycle, that are energy efficient, and, where possible, that use environmentally friendly energy sources such as solar energy.

• Respect rules and regulations, pay attention to signals and behave responsibly (e.g. do not light fires where it is forbidden).