IN celebration and appreciation of our environment, visitors to the ‘Fuyoh! Once Upon A Time’ event have the chance to learn something from the past, reflect on the present and imagine what will happen in the future.
The one-day programme was co-organised by Penang Green Council (PGC) and Grow Community Market to mark the World Environment Day which is celebrated on June 5 annually.
According to the United Nations website, ‘Only One Earth’ was the slogan for the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm in 1972. This put sustainable development on the global agenda and led to the establishment of World Environment Day.
#OnlyOneEarth is the campaign for World Environment Day 2022. It calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the ‘Fuyoh! Once Upon A Time’ event, with the theme ‘Only One Earth’, has its own uniqueness and added value.
“Fifty years have passed since the establishment of World Environment Day.
“With the passage of time and the advancement of technology, we need to do our part to save the Earth we inhabit, putting in efforts to restore the balance between humans and nature.
“The environment cannot keep up with the demands of daily necessities. Flash floods, prolonged droughts, rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity, pollution and more are the ‘code red’ shown to us and these situations are becoming more and more worrying each day.
“So, the only way out of this dilemma is to change our practices and actions from continuing to harm the planet,” he said at Hin Bus Depot today.
Chow added that Penang is extremely aware of the threat of climate change.
“We have implemented several initiatives, such as the Penang Climate Action Week, Penang Green Agenda, Penang Circular Economy, and waste segregation at source,” he said.
The state’s recycling rate is now at 51.18%, and Penang has planted 191,756 saplings since 2018.
“The state government could not carry out these efforts alone without the involvement and participation of all parties to jointly re-draft policies, formulate ambitions and open new pages together.
“Today is indeed a very meaningful day as we are celebrating the Earth we love.
“Congratulations to the PGC team who made this very meaningful programme a success,” Chow said.
Meanwhile, PGC general manager Josephine Tan said the programme was a platform to raise public awareness.
“The community get to engage the traders at this bazaar which focuses on the environment.
“Here, we have three sections – the past, the present and the future.
“Families get to take part in various activities, play games, attend workshops, and check out exhibitions when they visit,” she said.
She urged the community to preserve and conserve the environment now for the future.
Among the games, activities and workshops available were coconut bowling, Batu Seremban, upcycle workshop, storytelling, and an education booth by The Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS).
There were also inspiring recycled plastic sculptures which were put on display at the event.
Also present were state Welfare and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh, Air Itam assemblyman Joseph Ng, Penang Island City Council secretary A. Rajendran and Grow Community Market founder Chee Hoyyee.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alissala Thian
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud