Getting Hot

The past few days have been so damn hot. Saw some clouds but the rains didn’t come. Yesterday, I was feeling so thirsty I downed a couple of cold drinks including my favourite 'teh-o-ais-limau' (iced lemon tea).

And in the evening I had a sore throat and a slight headache. I was worried because that is usually the symptoms before I have fever. And I definitly don't want to have fever when I am due to go for a trip overseas soon. So at night, I took all the necessary precautions. Gargle with warm salt water. Ingested 2 paracetamol tablets + 2 Vitamin C tablets. I am feeling much better today but still have a sore throat.

Some people can argue all they want but there is no denying that the Earth is gradually heating up. And I believe that the main reason for this is the loss of our forests. Massive deforestation is taking place all around the World. Malaysia is no exception.



This week, we noted the non-stop movement of huge timber-laden trucks all day along the north-south highway coming from somewhere on the Malaysian-Thai border. I don’t doubt that the logging activity is legal, otherwise these trucks won’t be traveling on the highway during daytime.

Though unusually heavy rains were the cause of the recent floods in northern parts of Malaysia including Kedah where I stay. Read my older posts here and here.

I am of the opinion that deforestation in these parts contributed to the sudden rise in water levels. Without vegetation cover to absorb the rainwater, they quickly poured down the hills, carrying with it the top soil into already heavily silted-up steams and rivers (some of which resemble drains). It's no wonder they overflowed.

During my undergraduate day in India, I was led to believe that there is such a thing as sustainable Forest management.

The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) defines it as forestry “based on environmentally, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests for present and future generations”.

On the other hand, sustainable forestry is defined by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) as “working with nature to ensure the future of the nation's forests for generations to come”.

Sounds nice doesn’t it. The problem is that companies often look at forestry as a pure commercial activity and timber as a renewable valuable product. We are not taking into consideration the other flora and fauna that exist among the trees.

I am not sure whether, Malaysian timber companies are following sustainable forestry practices or even whether they are replanting the trees in place of those they cut down.

And the Earth is getting hotter.

UPDATE:
Just read in the Star that Malaysia was ranked 9th out of of 133 countries in terms of Environment conservation (19 places ahead of the US) in a study called the 2006 Environment Performance Index which was carried out jointly by the joint effort by Yale and Columbia Universities.

TAGS: Environment Flood Forestry