LANDFILLS everywhere are rapidly filling up and the environment is increasingly affected in various ways as a result of this. It was stated in the Recycle 123 Handbook produced in 2015 by the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation (JASTRe) under the Ministry of Development that approximately 400 to 500 tonnes of waste goes to the Sungai Paku landfill daily. In fact, it has been estimated that by the year 2025, that very landfill will be entirely filled. In the nation, the waste generation is around 1.4 kilogrammes per person per day, comprising 36 per cent food waste, 18 per cent paper and 16 per cent plastic. We are at a point where we know that there’s a problem and have identified the causes of the problem but the question…

ANOTHER round of the Green Leaders Camp organised by Green Brunei will be held for 18-to-25-year-olds this September. This is the fourth camp of its kind since its inception in 2014. Green Brunei’s president Khairunnisa Ash’ari said 35 youths are expected to participate in the camp in mid-September. She said the camp will enable participants to understand more about environmental issues in Brunei through talks, discussions and field trips. Agriculture has been chosen as the camp’s theme following recent news reports saying local farmers are not aware of the impact of climate change on agriculture. “Participants are expected to have a better understanding about the many issues and environmental challenges in this country. Through dialogues with non-government organisations, participants are expected to develop a stronger interest in taking part in…

LOCAL non-governmental organisations are looking to adopt the best green practices from other international and local environmentalists when Brunei plays host to the Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit that starts tomorrow. Green Brunei President Khairunnisa Ash’ari said she would be interested to learn about other countries’ green initiatives. “(In particular) the challenges they are facing with development projects and other issues, policies they have introduced to tackle this as well as success stories in relation to adopting green economy practices. “From a non-government perspective, we would also want to know how different stakeholders play a role in other countries if there are things we can learn from their experiences,” she added in a recent interview. The three-day summit, organised by the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism with support from the Australian…

GREEN Brunei will be organising a Climate Camp for students on various sustainability issues and to highlight the reality of climate change. The non-governmental organisation’s president, Khairunnisa Ash’ari, said the camp will run from August 19-21 at the Sumbiling Eco Village in Temburong with students aged 14-18 from Yayasan Secondary School and Jerudong International School taking part. She said the students will participate in fun and exciting activities in local jungles and around rivers. “The Climate Camp offers an opportunity to gain a better understanding about the importance of addressing climate change issues and to learn more about environmental situations in Brunei,” she said. Khairunnisa said she hoped students will appreciate the value of the country’s natural resources and at the same time enjoy the serenity of Temburong and get…

A BRUNEIAN environment proponent earlier this month took part in the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp in the Philippines. The US Embassy here had nominated Firdaus Ismail to attend the international environmental camp at Aklan, Boracay Island. During the camp from June 6-12, Firdaus joined 25 other youth leaders from the Philippines for an intensive environmental education and leadership training programme that saw participants engaging in panel discussions, outdoor activities and workshops. The participants also learned about mass tourism and unsustainable development that could threaten the oceans. “The region produces 55 tonnes of waste per day and that’s not much different in Brunei with 1.4kg per capita and other parts of ASEAN”, Firdaus was quoted as saying in a press release. “During a…