World Environment Day 2013 at the Kota Damansara Community Forest

Celebrating our green spaces and fostering activism and environmental responsibility at the Kota Damansara Community Forest on 9th June 2013, in conjunction with World Environment Day and Malaysian Nature Society Selangor's Open Day.

Illani, Liza and Aravind setting up the Green Living games booth upon arrival in the morning.

As usual, we offered our 3 bestselling carnival games -- Water Conservation Ring Toss, Energy Efficiency Ball Toss and 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) Nerf Gun Target Shooting Challenge. We donated the day's takings to the Kota Damansara Community Forest Society for their conservation and education projects and to offset the costs of organising the World Environment Day event.

Green Living's objectives have always been to promote environmental education and responsibility and make it easy and entertaining. We gave away lots of free tries and prizes because we wanted the visitors to enjoy themselves. Well, the volunteers and visitors had a good time learning about green living practices, so I couldn't really ask for more.

Indigenous plants for sale, courtesy of our MNS Flora Group. Our resident botanist and Flora Group Coordinator Koon Hup is on hand to explain the names and characteristics of plants.

3 young volunteers from Taylors University College -- Sam, Justin and Amir -- turned up to help out at the Green Living booth.

As soon as it stopped raining, visitors started turning up in droves to participate in the activities.

So, what's owl the fuss about World Environment Day?

Ilyas manning the kayaking registration counter. We ran out of indemnity forms by midmorning because the response was so good.

This photo looks like it was taken at Taman Negara or the Royal Belum Forest Reserve, but it's really just 20 minutes from my home! It was all clogged up and stagnant at one point, but thanks to the efforts of the volunteers, the stream is clean and flowing again and the lake now is litter-free and positively beautiful. What a perfect way of spending a Sunday morning without going out of town!

A wee black panther chose a good seat from which to listen to speeches. "Hello, humans. I hear you have something good to say about my forest. I am listening. So, speak."

There is so much to learn about gardening, composting, food security and energy saving measures at the TTDI Edible Garden Project booth. This initiative is for TTDI residents and friends who aim to utilise wasted space and beautify public spaces by growing edible plants and flowers on unused land. They are currently seeking permission from the local council to use public land within the community centre grounds for a small community edible garden.

Promoting wheelbarrow rides (It's only RM1! It has Zero Carbon Emissions!) on behalf of the TTDI Edible Garden Project.

Glorious organic fruits and veggies for sale at the Titi Eco Farm booth. I have been to their farm once. It was all too quiet and peaceful for me.

Liza and Illani went kayaking during their midmorning break from volunteering duties.

Aravind and I went kayaking too during our break from volunteering duties. It was fun to introduce Aravind to one of my favourite activities. He wasn't exactly thrilled, though, to find his shorts soaked with mossy water from the lake. We both had to walk around in soaked shorts all day.

I decided to have another kayaking session, this time in a single-seater kayak. Here I am, going far, far from the madding crowd. What bliss.

Meeting Khalil, our youngest participant and volunteer, at age 3.5 months! Khalil's parents, Sara and Dylan, are good friends of mine and I was happy to meet up with them again.


For more information on the following organisations and initiatives, visit the links below:

World Environment Day's theme for this year: Think. Eat. Save. http://www.unep.org/wed/theme/

Malaysian Nature Society's official website: http://mns.my/

Kota Damansara Community Forest Society's official website: http://kotadamansaraforest.org/

TTDI Edible Garden Project's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=124807604252127&story_fbid=520481421330837#!/groups/318464218254648/?fref=ts